Paracetamol for children (including Calpol) About paracetamol for children Paracetamol is a common painkiller for children. It's often used to treat headaches, stomach ache, earache, and cold symptoms. It can also be used to bring down a high temperature (fever). It's available as tablets or as a syrup. Paracetamol also comes as suppositories (medicine that's pushed gently into a child's bottom). Suppositories are useful to relieve pain and a high temperature in children who find it difficult to swallow tablets or syrup, or who are being sick a lot. For teenagers aged 16 and over, read our information on paracetamol for adults. Key facts
Children can take paracetamol as:
Babies under 2 months oldDo not give paracetamol to babies younger than 2 months old, unless it is prescribed by a doctor. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving your child paracetamol if they:
Paracetamol tablets, syrup and suppositories come in a range of strengths. Children need to take a lower dose than adults, depending on their age. Ask your doctor or a pharmacist for advice if your child is small or big for their age and you're not sure how much to give. Paracetamol tablets (including soluble tablets), syrup and suppositories are available on prescription and to buy from shops and pharmacies. Syrup dosages for childrenInfant syrup (sometimes called "junior syrup") is for children under 6 years old. A 5ml dose contains 120mg of paracetamol. Six plus syrup is for children aged 6 years and older. A 5ml dose contains 250mg of paracetamol. ImportantDo not give your child more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. Wait at least 4 hours between doses. Infant syrup: 120mg/5ml
Six plus syrup: 250mg/5ml
Dosage instructions are different for babies over the age of 2 months (see Giving paracetamol to babies from 2 months). Tablets usually come as 500mg. For lower doses break up the tablet to give your child a smaller amount. ImportantDo not give your child more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. Wait at least 4 hours between doses. Tablets
If your child needs help with pain day and night for several days (usually up to 3 days), give a dose of paracetamol every 6 hours. This will help to relieve the pain safely without the risk of giving too much paracetamol. If your child has pain that comes and goes, give a dose of paracetamol when they first complain of pain. Wait at least 4 hours before giving another dose. What if they take too much?ImportantIf you give your child 1 extra dose of paracetamol by mistake, wait at least 24 hours before giving them any more. Get help from 111 now if:
They may need treatment. OnlineGo to 111.nhs.uk – for children aged 5 years and older TelephoneIf you need to take your child to hospital, bring the paracetamol packaging or leaflet plus any remaining medicine with you. How to give tablets Paracetamol can be taken with or without food. How to give syrupShake the bottle well for at least 10 seconds and measure out the right amount using the plastic syringe or spoon that comes with the medicine. If you don't have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount. If your child doesn't like the taste, you can give them a drink of milk or fruit juice straight after giving them the syrup. Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of water, milk or juice. Tell your child not to chew the tablet. Soluble tablets should be dissolved in at least half a glass of water. Stir to make sure the tablet has dissolved completely and then give it to your child to drink. Calpol Fast Melts shouldn't be swallowed – ask your child to let the tablet dissolve on their tongue. How to use suppositoriesParacetamol suppositories are medicine that you push gently into your child's bottom. Follow the instructions on the leaflet that comes with the medicine. If your baby is in pain or has a high temperature (including after having vaccinations), you can give them 1 dose of paracetamol syrup (or 1 suppository). The usual dose is 2.5ml of infant syrup (or a 60mg suppository). If your baby was premature, or they're small for their age, check with your doctor or health visitor. They may recommend a lower dose. You can give your baby 1 more dose of syrup 4 hours later, if they need it. If they still have a high temperature after this, contact your doctor or a pharmacist. MenB vaccinationsBabies given the meningitis B vaccinations at 8 weeks and 16 weeks are likely to develop a high temperature within 24 hours. Because of this you can give babies from 2 months 3 doses of paracetamol (more than the usual recommended 2 doses). Your health visitor may tell you to bring infant syrup to the vaccine appointment. Giving paracetamol as soon as possible after the vaccine will reduce the risk of your baby getting a high temperature. The usual dose following the MenB vaccinations is:
If your baby was premature, or they're small for their age, check with your doctor or health visitor before giving them paracetamol. Recommended readingUsing paracetamol to prevent and treat a high tempeature after MenB vaccination. Other medicines containing paracetamol Ibuprofen is the only safe painkiller to give children alongside paracetamol. However, do not give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions). For high temperatureIf you've given your child paracetamol and they still have a high temperature after 1 hour, you could try giving them ibuprofen. If this helps bring down their temperature, carry on giving them ibuprofen instead of paracetamol. Follow the instructions that come with the medicine. Do not alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen to treat a high temperature without advice from a doctor or nurse. Do not give more than the maximum daily dose of either medicine. See your doctor if you've tried both paracetamol and ibuprofen and they haven't helped. For pain (including teething)If you've given your child paracetamol and they're still in pain 2 hours later, you could try giving ibuprofen. If this works, continue to alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen, giving only 1 medicine at a time. The timings for each medicine will depend on how much pain your child is in. If you're unsure, ask your pharmacist for advice. Do not give more than the maximum daily dose of either medicine. See your doctor if you've tried alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen and they haven't helped. Also see your doctor if you don't know what is causing your child's pain. Do not give ibuprofen to your child if:
ImportantNever give aspirin to a child under the age of 16, unless their doctor prescribes it. Do not give your child another medicine with paracetamol in it. If they take 2 different medicines that contain paracetamol, there's a risk of overdose. Paracetamol is an ingredient in lots of medicines that you can buy from the pharmacy or supermarket. These include some cough and cold medicines, so check the ingredients carefully. Paracetamol rarely causes side effects if you give it in the right doses. If you're worried about a side effect or notice anything unusual, talk to your pharmacist or doctor. Serious allergic reactionIn rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to paracetamol. Call 999 or take your child to A&E if:
They could be having a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital. In general, paracetamol doesn't interfere with prescription medicines, including antibiotics. However, paracetamol isn't suitable for some children. Talk to your doctor if they take:
Mixing paracetamol with herbal remedies and supplementsMedicine safetyCheck with a doctor or pharmacist before giving any herbal remedies or supplements to your child. How does paracetamol work? When will my child feel better? What if my child is sick (vomits)? Is there any food or drink they need to avoid? Is paracetamol or ibuprofen better? Do I need to keep paracetamol syrup in the fridge? BestCareCompare | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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