Triamcinolone injection

What is triamcinolone?

Triamcinolone is a steroid similar to a natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It relieves inflammation and can be used in severe allergic conditions such as difficult to control asthma.

Why do we use triamcinolone?

Triamcinolone may be used by the Paediatric Respiratory Team at Addenbrooke's Hospital to assess a child with severe or difficult to control asthma. It is given by injection for short courses (once monthly for one to three months), and is used to assess the child’s responsiveness to steroids. The child should continue to take all other inhaled and oral medications as prescribed.

Your child will be given a patient information leaflet from the company who make Kenalog (the brand name of triamcinolone used at Addenbrooke’s Hospital).

Are there any side effects or undesirable problems associated with triamcinolone?

Triamcinolone can weaken your child’s immune system. It may make them more susceptible to infection, or worsen an existing infection. Please ensure you inform your doctor of any infections your child has been in contact with in the preceding few months.

If your child comes into contact with children or adults who have chickenpox, shingles or measles or shows any signs of these, please contact your doctor immediately as additional preventative treatment is likely to be needed. These conditions can be very serious in children who are taking steroids.

Children should not receive live vaccines (MMR, BCG) whilst they are being treated with triamcinolone. In addition vaccines may not work as well while your child is taking a steroid.

Severe pain has occasionally been reported following the intramuscular administration of triamcinolone.

Triamcinolone may also cause unwanted effects such as euphoria, depression, insomnia (not able to sleep), convulsions, vertigo, headache, neuritis (pain due to nerve inflammation) or paraesthesia (tickling or burning feeling of the skin), worsening of pre-existing psychiatric conditions and epilepsy.

Please report any unwanted effects to your consultant.

How is the triamcinolone given?

Triamcinolone is given by an injection into the muscle in the bottom. Your child will have to stay in the clinic for about 30 minutes after the injection.

Before each dose of triamcinolone your child would have had the following done:

• Examination
• Lung function measured
• Inhaler technique checked
• Urine tested
• Blood pressure measured

After being given the dose of triamcinolone

Your child will be given a steroid treatment card to carry around with them at all times. This provides details of prescriber, drug, dosage and the duration of treatment.

They will be given an outpatient appointment for a month after the triamcinolone has been given for review.

Contact details

Telephone: Paediatric secretaries on 01223 216020.