Parents told: Reduce liquid paracetamol doses

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have advised parents to cut down the amount of liquid paracetamol they give to young children. Liquid paracetamol comes in forms such as Calpol and Disprol.

A review of the doses in popular over-the-counter medicines, including Disprol and Medised, means that for toddlers the amount has been cut in half.

Previously, official guidance meant children aged from one to six could be given up to 10ml of liquid paracetamol four times a day to reduce fever and pain. But now children are to be divided into more specific age categories, with allowed dosages mostly being reduced.

Children aged 12 months to two years should now get 5ml of liquid paracetamol four times a day, which is half the previous dose.

The dose for two to four-year-olds is cut from 10ml to 7.5ml, while only those from four to six years get the full 10ml.

For babies from six months to a year, their previous dose of 2.5ml is actually doubled to 5ml. The guidance of 2.5ml for babies aged three months to six months is unchanged.

MHRA spokesman Dr June Raine said: ‘The change is to ensure children get the optimal dose for their age.’

Last Modified: 22/11/2011

liquid paracetamol parents told cut down young children age categories being reduced

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Comments

By laralouise 3 months ago

well it has been pointed out that giving calpol befor jabs cn nock the jabs out and lower the the effects so the jabs dont work properly. it ias adviced nownot to give calpol befor jabs and only if they get a temp after. there are different rules for givn calpol after jabs as well so it does not effect the jabs from working. the times mine have had calpol and nurophen is teething my daghter has been really bad so she would have calpol every 4 hours then inbetween she would have nurophen as well worked great. shes 22 months and is a big girl shes more like a 4 year old child. i agree that i should be measured from weigt thats what me and my partner have started to do. we went to tunisia and thats what they do so we have a sup and we go off there weight not what it says over here. my lo is only 7 months old but is more like a 4 month old baby and she has 5ml of calpol and has done fo past few months if shes been ill and i must say its never knocked her out that long. xx

By Beastie1988 4 months ago

I have only given my lo the smaller dose once at a time, I do think some people have got a bit heavy handed with calpol etc. I got advised by a lot of people to dose Raya up before her jabs 'just in case she gets a temperature'....needless to say I didnt and she was fine. Why give kids especially babies something they dont even need?:( Agree with weight rather than age guidance I think it would make much more sense. x

Why do people say that? i mean whats it going to do before their jabs?! I don't get why someone would want to do that lol. I too was advised to dose him up before his jabs. i didn't and his first jabs he did get a temp and he got calpol then. i've always waited untill he had the temp lol. Just like you i don't see the point in giving them what they don't need.
I've also only ever given him the smallest dose as don't want to give him too much lol. Didn't know that he could have the 10mls lol. Don't think its nesscary either. 5mls helps my son when he needs it well.

By RikkiHep 4 months ago

By LucyRuth 4 months ago

i didn't even realise u could give them a 10ml dose! i've only ever given mine 5ml spoonfuls at a time.

It's great that there are more specific dosages for children of varying ages, however, surely it would be more accurate to base the dosages on weight rather than age? my two yr old weighs more than my 4 yr old already, and my friend has a three yr old that weighs the same now as my son did at 8 months! (he's very very petite-and not even on the percentile chart!!) so he would surely need less medicine than another 3 yr old on, say, the 98th weight percentile??? ............ just a little thought.......

I have always thought weight and size a better guide. My 2nd was on 2nd centile when she was a toddler-I once gave her correct dose for her age and she slept for 16 hours straight and then I had to wake her-I am sure I'd OD'd her!! After that I gave her dose for a 1 yr old til she was 3!