What are Gaviscon Infant sachets?
Gaviscon Infant Sachets are a paediatric treatment for gastric reflux. If your child is younger than 2 and suffering with reflux, you can use this product as part of their daily feeds to help stabilise their stomach contents and ease their symptoms. This will help to keep them comfortable and ease the distress they may feel when reflux makes them spit up or experience heartburn.
What is gastric reflux?
Gastric reflux, which is a type of acid reflux, happens when your stomach contents work their way up from your stomach and into your food pipe. This causes irritating symptoms like heartburn, which can be very distressing when it happens in babies who don’t understand what’s going on. If your baby has gastric reflux, you may notice the following symptoms:
- Being sick
- Spitting up more than usual
- Bringing up their feeds (posseting)
- Becoming distressed
How will Gaviscon Infant help to ease my baby’s reflux?
Gaviscon Infant uses two active ingredients which work together to ease gastric reflux, sodium alginate 225mg and magnesium alginate 87.5mg. They both work as reflux suppressants, forming a protective layer over the contents of your baby’s stomach, helping to keep it from coming back up and reducing reflux.
Is this product suitable for babies under 1?
Gaviscon Infant can be used in babies who are younger than 1, but you should only do this if your doctor or pharmacist have told you to. This will help you to be sure that you’re giving your infant the right treatment for their reflux, so make sure to only give them this product under medical supervision.
Can I give Baby Gaviscon to my child if they’re taking other medication?
If your baby is taking any other medication, including those obtained without a prescription, you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before giving them baby Gaviscon. Do not give your child this product if you’re already using another thickening agent in their food.
How to use this product
The way you prepare Gaviscon Infant sachets will depend on whether your child is bottle-fed or breastfed:
- For bottle-fed infants mix each sachet into 115ml (4 fluid oz) of milk feed in the bottle. Shake bottle well and feed your baby as normal
- For breastfed infants and other infants up to the age of 2, mix each sachet with 5ml (1 teaspoon) of cooled boiled water to form a smooth paste. Add another 10ml (2 teaspoons) of water and mix. If your child is breastfed, give them the mixture partway through each feed or meal, using a spoon or a bottle. For all other infants, give them the mixture at the end of each meal using a spoon or bottle
Do not give more than 6 times in any 24-hour period. Do not use for more than 7 days without speaking to your doctor or health care team.
What is the correct paediatric dose of Gaviscon?
The amount of Gaviscon Infant you should give to your child will depend on how much they weigh:
- Infants who weigh less than 4.5kg (10lb) – 1 sachet per dose, maximum 6 a day
- Infants who weigh more than 4.5kg (10lb) – 2 sachets per dose, maximum 12 a day
Gaviscon Infant sachets come joined in pairs, which may cause confusion when you’re trying to work out how much to give to your child. If you are feeding a child who weighs less then 4.5kg, use one sachet in a pair for one dose. If you are feeding a child who weighs more than 4.5kg, use both joined sachets for one dose.
When should this product not be used?
Gaviscon infant is not suitable for use in children over the age of 2, adults, or the elderly. Do not use this product if your child is allergic to magnesium alginate, sodium alginate, or any of the other listed ingredients. Do not use this product if you are already using a thickening agent in your infant’s food. Do not give this product to your child if they:
- Were born prematurely
- Are being sick, have a fever or have diarrhoea
- Have kidney damage or have been put on a low salt diet
- Have a blockage in their gut (intestinal obstruction)
Why do I have to answer questions before I can buy this product?
You do not need a prescription for Gaviscon Infant Sachets, however, you will be asked to complete a short medical questionnaire by your pharmacist before we can take your order. This includes some simple questions that all pharmacies legally are required to ask before supplying this kind of product. This helps our pharmacy team to be sure that this product is the best choice for your baby.
Does this product have any side effects?
Like all medications, Gaviscon Infant can have side effects, although not everyone will experience them. These side effects include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Hypersensitivity
- Bloating
- Discomfort of the stomach
- Intestinal obstruction
If your child experiences these or any other side effects while using this product, stop use and speak to your doctor or pharmacist. For more information about reporting the side effects of medication, please see the MHRA’s Yellow Card Scheme.
How to store this product
Store in a cool, dry place which is below 30 degrees C. Do not use this product if the expiry date printed on the original packaging has passed. Keep out of sight and reach of children.
More Information
This product is a medicine; make sure to speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product if you have an underlying medical problem or are taking any other medicine or complementary therapy. If your symptoms get worse or continue after taking this product, contact us or your doctor. For medical services in your area, please refer to https://www.nhs.uk
If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or our pharmacist before taking this product. If you suffer from any allergies, ask your doctor or our pharmacist if this medicine is right for you.
Store all medicines out of sight and reach of children.
Please read the included leaflet carefully before using this product.
Please contact your GP if appropriate regarding this product.
Helpful Advice on Medication Restrictions & Addiction
For further information on our medication restrictions policy, please click here.
If you are concerned about addiction to ‘over the counter’ medication, we urge you to visit the below links for professional help and advice:
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