Sold under the brand name Protonix, pantoprazole is a medication that's most often used to treat conditions involving having too much stomach acid. Children who have chronic acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, may benefit from taking pantoprazole. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks and benefits of taking pantoprazole before giving your child the medicine.
Uses
Your child might need to take pantoprazole to help treat GERD, esophageal ulcers, gastrointestinal ulcers due to an infection or other medical conditions that cause excessive stomach acid, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Pantoprazole helps to prevent or treat damage to the esophagus lining. Additionally, your child could take pantoprazole to reduce excessive stomach-acid levels due to a tumor caused by Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Function
Pantoprazole comes in the form of oral tablets or granules and as an injection, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Pantoprazole belongs to a class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors, which work to reduce the volume of gastric acids produced in your stomach. The oral and injection versions of pantoprazole are available only by prescription, the Mayo Clinic notes. The oral form of pantoprazole typically comes in a delayed-release tablet or packet of granules.
Administration
Older children can take the tablet form of pantoprazole, which is swallowed whole and taken at mealtime, while the granules are for younger children and mixed with juice or applesauce, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. If your child has a nasogastric feeding tube, you can mix pantoprazole with apple juice and deliver it into the tube using a syringe. You should give your child pantoprazole at the same time each day, about a half-hour prior to breakfast, advises the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Ask your child's doctor about the correct dosage and tips for taking pantoprazole.
Side Effects
Some people may be allergic to pantoprazole, so watch your child after administering the medicine for signs of an allergic reaction, such as swelling, difficulty breathing and hives, cautions the University of Michigan Health System. Your child may experience side effects such as headaches, gas, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash or stomach discomfort. Other side effects of taking pantoprazole are dry mouth, sweating, weight loss, trouble sleeping and excessive thirst, hunger or urination, the Mayo Clinic says.
Warnings
Long-term use of pantoprazole can cause your child to become deficient in vitamin B-12, so he may need to take a supplement, warns the University of Michigan Health System. Pantoprazole has caused stomach cancer in animals when used over extended periods of time, but the cancer risks for humans are unknown. Pantoprazole can interact negatively with certain other medications, so your child shouldn't take the medicine if he also takes Reyataz, Nizoral, Omnipen, Principen or blood-thinners such as Coumadin. Pantoprazole can also interfere with iron supplements, states the University of Maryland Medical Center.
