Giving ZENPEP® to infants (up to 12 months)
Here are important points to remember when giving ZENPEP to an infant:
- If your infant has been prescribed ZENPEP for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), your doctor will give you instructions for how to use it
- Do not crush ZENPEP or let your infant chew or suck on the contents of the capsules. The enzymes in the capsules should be swallowed quickly and not stay or be held in your infant’s mouth. Crushing, chewing, or holding the ZENPEP contents in the mouth may cause irritation in the mouth or change the way ZENPEP works in the body
- Do not give your infant more ZENPEP in a day than what your doctor tells you. This is your infant’s total daily dose, which your doctor has calculated for you
You should always give ZENPEP exactly as your doctor tells you.
How to give your infant ZENPEP
Giving with an acidic soft food:
1
Before each breastfeeding session or each time you give 120 mL of formula, carefully open the capsule and sprinkle the entire contents of the
capsule in a small amount of acidic soft food (such as store-bought preparations of applesauce, bananas, or pears).
2
Mix the capsule contents evenly through the food. Be careful not to crush the ZENPEP capsule contents while mixing.
3
Give the entire mixture to the infant right away. Do not store the ZENPEP mixture or save for later use.
4
Do not mix the ZENPEP capsule contents directly into a bottle of breast milk or formula.
5
Give your infant enough formula or breastfeed your infant right away to completely swallow the ZENPEP food mixture.
6
Look into your infant’s mouth to make sure that all of the medicine has been swallowed.
7
Throw away the empty ZENPEP capsule.
If a dose is missed, give the next dose with the next feeding.
[this applies to both methods of infant dosing]
Giving directly into the infant’s mouth before breastfeeding or formula feeding:
1
Before each breastfeeding session or each time you give 120 mL of formula, carefully open the ZENPEP capsule and sprinkle the capsule contents
directly into the infant’s mouth.
2
Do not mix the ZENPEP capsule contents directly into a bottle of breast milk or formula.
3
Give your infant breast milk or formula right after ZENPEP to completely swallow the ZENPEP capsule contents.
4
Look in your infant’s mouth to make sure that all the medicine has been swallowed.
5
Throw away the empty ZENPEP capsule.
How to store ZENPEP
- Store ZENPEP at room temperature (68 °F to 77 °F; 20 °C to 25 °C). Avoid heat
- After opening the bottle, keep it closed tightly between doses
- Do NOT eat or throw away the packet (desiccant) in your medicine bottle, if present. Keep it in the bottle. This packet will protect your medicine from moisture
- Store ZENPEP in a dry place
