What should parents take note of paracetamol for children?

The dose of paracetamol for children to comply with the dosage and instructions of the doctor. The reason is that if used incorrectly, children may experience unwanted side effects.

Paracetamol is a popular pain reliever and fever reducer. Most parents give this medicine to their children when they have signs of fever or headache or toothache.

However, despite its popularity, paracetamol is still a medicine and when giving it to your child, you should still consult your doctor as well as adhere to the correct dosage. Please join aFamilyToday Health to continue to share below for some more information about giving paracetamol to children.

Is paracetamol safe for children?

If used in the right dose, paracetamol is quite safe for children. Doctors often prescribe this medication to treat fever or relieve pain in children.

When should you give paracetamol to your child?

You can give paracetamol to your child when he or she has fever, headache and soreness in the body. You can also take paracetamol to treat fever after vaccination.

You should drink it every 4-6 hours and only up to 4 times in 24 hours. Do not exceed the above dosage, if symptoms persist, seek medical attention.

How to give paracetamol to children

Currently, paracetamol is sold in many different shapes from tablets, syrup to suppositories:

1. Siro

Shake the bottle well and pour the correct amount of medication into a spoon, cup or syringe for your child to drink. You should use a measuring spoon or cup, avoid using normal tools as this makes it easy for your child to overdose.

2. Tablets

In the form of tablets, you can give them water, milk or juice and avoid letting them chew.

3. Suppositories

Suppositories are suppositories that are designed in the form of a bullet that are easily inserted into the anus. This medicine is usually suitable for children who vomit when taking tablets or those who have difficulty swallowing. When taking paracetamol in this form, you should follow the directions on the package.

Dosage of paracetamol for children

Paracetamol can help reduce fever and pain.However, if overdose is very dangerous, it can even lead to death:

1. Syrup of paracetamol

The dose of syrup will depend on your baby's age.

Medicines for babies:

3 - 6 months: 2.5ml

6 - 24 months: 5ml

2 - 4 years old: 7.5ml

4 - 6 years: 10ml

Medicines for children:

6 - 8 years old: 5ml

8 - 10 years old: 7.5ml

10 - 12 years old: 10ml

For babies, you should take paracetamol in the form of syrups or suppositories. You should only give your baby up to 2 doses within 2 to 3 months under the supervision of a doctor.

2. Tablets

Children over 6 years old can take paracetamol in the form of tablets in the following dosage:

6 - 8 years old: 250mg

8 - 10 years old: 375mg

10 - 12 years: 500mg

12 - 16 years: 750mg

Before giving your baby the next dose, you must check the symptoms to determine if your baby needs another dose. Also, you must wait at least 4 hours before giving your child the next dose and no more than 4 doses within 24 hours.

How long does paracetamol take to be effective?

The effectiveness of the drug will depend on the location of each person. In general, however, it takes about 1-3 hours for the drug to work.

How to store paracetamol?

You need to keep the medicine in a cool and special place:

Keep out of reach of small children

Do not keep the medicine in the refrigerator

Be careful with syrups because young children are easily attracted to these bottles.

Side effects when taking paracetamol

If used in the correct dosage, paracetamol rarely causes side effects. In some cases, children may be allergic to the drug and develop symptoms such as:

Shortness of breath

Wheeze

Increased heart rate

Change in blood pressure

Swelling of face, mouth, lips, throat ...

Skin rash with swollen, itchy red blisters

Chest tightness and discomfort

Damage to the liver and kidney due to overdose

If your baby has allergies, get them to the doctor right away.

Some notes when giving paracetamol to children

You need to take the following precautions to ensure that your child does not overdose paracetamol:

Never give paracetamol with any other medicine without consulting a doctor.

Always check the expiration date of medicine to avoid poisoning. Absolutely do not use expired tablets.

Keep medicine out of reach of children

Note carefully when and how much your child takes to avoid overfeeding.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen, which medicine helps reduce fever better?

Both drugs are equally effective in reducing fever. However, paracetamol is often preferred because it has been used for a long time, its effectiveness and safety have also been demonstrated by many studies.

Overdose with paracetamol can cause liver and kidney damage while ibuprofen  can cause intestinal and kidney problems even with the correct dose. Children who are especially dehydrated or have other health problems are at an increased risk of kidney damage when taking ibuprofen.

When should you take your baby to the doctor?

If your child overdose and has symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, extreme drowsiness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, you should seek immediate medical attention.

Paracetamol is a fairly common drug and rarely causes side effects. However, if you do not overdose carefully, young children can experience many dangerous complications, even leading to death. Therefore, to ensure safety, you should consult your doctor before giving it to your child.