Online CPR Certification Blog
Oral drops
Date: August 28th, 2013
Using oral drops to cure and control asthma or any other allergic reaction has been found to be a far much better option as compared to using shots.
Reliance of oral drops in treating asthma/Allergy
Tests performed by John Hopkins Children’ Center has shown that administering under the tongue drops is a more effective allergy/asthma treatment as compared to use normal shots.
It’s a known fact that the population of children in the United States affected by asthma and allergies is currently on the rise. This is actually according to a recent report issued by the CDCP (Center of Disease Control and Prevention). The number of allergies brought about by food has similarly increased from 3.4% – 5.2%. This increase was experienced between the year 1997 and 2011. On the other hand, the number of allergies that affect the skin rose from 7.4% to 12.5%.
The option of treating asthma and allergy without using shots is very common in Europe. A lot of the children in this region utilize under the tongue drops. Kids in the United States are more or less used to taking allergy and asthma shots that contain similar proteins present in allergy causing agents such as pollen and dust mites. Researchers stated that only a handful of doctors in the U.S used oral drops.
It’s common sense that a child will mostly prefer the least painful option when it comes to treatment. Oral drops provide this Avenue, especially for children known to have a phobia for needles. The mental aspect is that a child will respond better to a treatment that they accept as compared to one where they offer resistance when it’s being administered. A good example is that a lot of children will probably refuse to get needle shots because of the pain. The struggle and resistance on its own can affect how the body perceives the drugs. The oral drop is fast and most important of all, painless. A child will accept such a treatment since to them it’s a less harsh method of getting rid of the allergies and asthma attacks.
Oral drops Vs. Needles and shots
The method of administering the drug is the only difference between the two methods. While oral drops are administered through the mouth, shots are administered through the veins when the drug is injected into the system. There is no shortcut to making shots popular amongst children even if you tell them that it’ll save their lives. Oral shots on the other hand, can be made popular since doctors can use various games as they direct the oral drop into the child’s mouth.
The study consisted of 34 clinical trials. The trials revealed that both the methods were effective in reducing or treating the effects of asthma and allergies in children. It was assumed that oral drops worked better as a lot of the children welcomed the method. This is because they were pretty much afraid of the sharp needle point pricking their skin. The main advantage of utilizing oral drips was because it greatly reduced consistent visits to the clinic.
Julia Kim believes that using other means that don’t involve needles is an ideal way to administer treatment to many of the vulnerable children suffering from allergies and asthma attacks. Julia Kim is a pediatric researcher who is based at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the person overseeing the research.