The Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), under the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality, has informed professionals about the contraindication in the use of certain suppositories in children under 30 months.
Specifically, it is about suppositories containing terpenic derivatives (camphor, cineole, citral, eucalyptus, menthol, niaouli, pine, terpineol, terpine, thyme, turpentine) as they could cause neurological alternations, particularly seizures, in young children and in children with a history of epilepsy or febrile seizures.
The so-called terpenic derivatives come mainly from plants and are often used as active ingredients of drugs developed for the symptomatic treatment of cough, bronchial disorders and catarrhal symptoms.
While they are available in different forms of administration, whether topical, oral, inhaled or rectal, the only ones that have been found to be at risk of seizures are suppositories, preferred by many parents for their easy administration in infants.
Anyway, it is good that as well as professionals, parents are informed about medications that may be unsafe for our children, so remember the contraindication about suppositories containing terpenic derivatives.
Currently, 'Brota' (Escaned) rectal suppositories children and 'Pilka' (Ferrer) suppositories for infants and children are marketed, to which the data sheet and leaflet will be updated including the new contraindication for children under 30 months and with a history of epilepsy or febrile seizures.
