Sodium Chloride For Hyponatraemia

information for parents and carers
Sodium chloride for hyponatraemia

This leaflet is about the use of sodium chloride for hyponatraemia
(low blood sodium).
This leaflet is for parents and carers about how to use this Capsules should be swallowed whole with a
medicine in children. Our information sometimes differs from glass of water, milk or juice. Your child should
that provided by the manufacturers, because their information not chew the capsules.
is usually aimed at adults. Please read this leaflet carefully. You can open the capsule and mix the contents
Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again. with a small amount of soft food such as yogurt,
honey or jam. Make sure your child swallows it
Name of drug straight away, without chewing.
Sodium chloride
Liquid medicine: Shake the medicine well.
Brand name: Slow Sodium Measure out the right amount using an oral
syringe or a medicine spoon. You can get these
Why is it important for my child to take this medicine? from your pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen
5.0 ml
2.5 ml
Sodium is needed so that many parts of the body, including teaspoon as it will not give the right amount.
muscles and nerves can work properly. Hyponatraemia
For premature babies, the liquid medicine can
means that the levels of sodium in the blood are too low. be mixed in with formula feed or breast milk –
Taking sodium chloride replaces the missing sodium and your doctor or dietician will explain what to do.
helps muscles and nerves to work properly.
When should the medicine start working?
What is sodium chloride available as? The medicine should start working straight away, although you
•• Tablets: 600 mg (10 mmol of each sodium and chloride) may not see any difference in your child.
•• Capsules can be ordered specially from your
pharmacist What if my child is sick (vomits)?
•• Liquid medicine can be ordered specially from your •• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
pharmacist dose of sodium chloride, give them the same dose again.
When should I give sodium chloride?

•• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having a
dose of sodium chloride, you do not need to give them
•• Sodium chloride is usually given twice each day, once another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
in the morning and once in the evening. Ideally, these If your child is sick again, seek advice from your GP,
times are 10–12 hours apart, for example some time pharmacist or hospital. They will decide what to do based on
between 7 and 8 am, and between 7 and 8 pm. your child’s condition and the specific medicine involved.
•• Your doctor may want you to give sodium chloride to
your child more often than this – they will explain what What if I forget to give it?
to do.
If you usually give it twice a day
•• For premature babies, sodium chloride may be given If you remember up to 6 hours after you should have given
with every feed. Your doctor will explain what to do. a dose, give your child the missed dose. For example, if you
Give the medicine at about the same times each day so that usually give a dose at about 7 am, you can give the missed
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help dose at any time up to 1 pm. If you remember after that time,
you to remember. do not give the missed dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
How much should I give? If you usually give it more than twice a day
Your doctor will work out the amount of sodium chloride (the Do not give the missed dose. Just give the next dose as
dose) that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on usual.
the medicine label.
What if I give too much?
It is important that you follow your doctor’s
If you think you may have given your child too much sodium
instructions about how much to give.
chloride, contact your doctor or local NHS services (details
How should I give it? at end of leaflet) or take your child to hospital.Take the
medicine container or packaging with you, even if it is empty.
Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of This will be useful to the doctor. Have the medicine or
water, milk or juice. Your child should not chew packaging with you if you telephone for advice.
the tablets and you should not crush the tablets.
Are there any possible side-effects? •• If you think someone else may have taken the medicine
We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes by accident, contact your doctor straight away.
they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects). •• Make sure that you always have enough medicine.
Sodium chloride does not usually cause any unwanted effects Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you
(side-effects). will run out.
If your child becomes short of breath, and their face •• Make sure that the medicine you have at home has
becomes puffy, contact your doctor straight away, as not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the
the amount of sodium may be too high. Do not give your packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to
dispose of.
child any more sodium chloride until your doctor tells
you to do so. Where should I keep this medicine?
There may, sometimes, be other side-effects that are not listed
above. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned,
•• Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and
direct sunlight. It does not need to be kept in the fridge.
contact your doctor. You can report any suspected side-effects
to a UK safety scheme at http://www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. •• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the
medicine.
Can other medicines be given at the same time as •• Keep the medicine in the container it came in.
sodium chloride?
Who to contact for more information
•• You can give your child medicines that contain
Your child’s doctor or pharmacist will be able to give you
paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told
you not to. more information about sodium chloride and other medicines
used to treat hyponatraemia.
•• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any
other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or
complementary medicines. You can also get useful information from:
Is there anything else I need to know about sodium England: NHS 111
chloride? Tel 111 - www.nhs.uk
•• Your doctor will do blood tests regularly to check the
levels of sodium in your child’s blood. Scotland: NHS 24
Tel 111 - www.nhs24.scot
General advice about medicines
•• Try to give medicines at about the same times each day, Wales: NHS 111 Wales
to help you remember. Tel 111 - www.111.wales.nhs.uk
•• If you are not sure a medicine is working, contact your
Northern Ireland: NI Direct
doctor but continue to give the medicine as usual in the
meantime. Do not give extra doses as you may do harm. www.nidirect.gov.uk
•• Only give this medicine to your child. Never give it to
anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the
same, as this could do harm.
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
Version 2, January 2014 (June 2020) © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Review January 2017.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.

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