'new' paracetamol guidelines

[lucamom]

Sorry, not an AIBU, but think it may be useful for the busier threads.

I've only just become aware that the infant paracetamol dosages changed last November, and maybe I'm not the only terrible Mom who buys the same brand each time and doesn't check the dosage/instructions anymore (3 kids in last 6 years, so have administered LOTS of calpol - obviously got complacent).

New dosages are:

3-6 months: 2.5ml, given up to four times per day
6-24 months: 5ml, given up to four times a day
2-4 years: 7.5ml, given up to four times a day
4-6 years: 10ml, given up to four times a day
6-8 years: 5ml, given up to four times a day
8-10 years: 7.5ml, given up to four times a day
10-12 years: 10ml, given up to four times a day

The only reason I now know it's changed is because I ran out of my usual so added an own brand bottle to my online shop, and it has 'new dosage' on the bottle and box.

Hopefully I'm the only one, but if not it's useful to check you're not over-dosing out of habit.

[Lesbeadiva]

Why do they get less between 6-8 years? weird

[signet]

I think you need to check those dosages. They don't make sense. Why would a 6yr old need less than a 4 yr old?? and same with an 8-10 yr old.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

I already knew about the new dosages but your list is very confusing because you havent split it into Calpol 3months+ andcalpol 6 yrs+
So it looks like 8 year olds should get less than 4 year olds!

[Vivalebeaver]

So have they made the calpol stronger so you need less of it? Or have guidelines changed to advise that children should have less?

Sorry, but can't tell that from a mls dosage. I'm confused.

[ClementineKelandra]

I suspect most parents check the dosage on the bottle before giving it to their child.

[lucamom]

think it's because there is 6 plus paracetamol available, so must be lower dose of stronger stuff?

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

Presume because they move on to the older medicine?

[Goldenjubilee10]

I would check that. I don't think that is correct.

[Goldenjubilee10]

X-post

[signet]

But that surely only applies to calpol then? What about other brands of paracetemol that aren't calpol?

Really parents should just check the label on the bottle every time they give medicine of any nature.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

vivalebeaver they havent changed calpol theyve just changed the wording on the packaging. Before it used to say 3-12months - 2.5 - 5ml but they found most people were always giving the 5ml, so they changed it to stop overdosing.

[Dottyspot]

Shouldn't the doses be in grams, not mls? i sometimes buy the one meant for older children and calculate the dose for a younger child so they have to swallow less medicine.

[bellabreeze]

Thanks for posting this
So does anyone know if these are general new guidelines for paracetomal or if they've made calpol stronger? My bottle doesn't have the new guidelines on because I bought it before them so should I follow the new guidelines?

[PickleSarnie]

The strength hasn't changed. Just the guide amounts.

[NoraGainesborough]

Its actually quite difficult to overdose a child on calpol.

At our hospital they go on weight not age. Its more accurate, but most parents don't know the exact weight of their child, so age is easier for home use. When ds was in the pead advised us to up his dose and told us the dosage on the bottles in on the low side to be cautious.

Besides that, I check the bottle everytime i give it to my kids, not just when I buy it or just the first time I bought it.

It also says on the bottle I believe to draw your attention to it.

[Tee2072]

I can remember so I always read the bottle.

Of course, I haven't bought a new bottle in awhile. ::knock wood::

[3in2years]

Bellabreeze afaik these are guidelines for all paracetamol, not just calpol.

[sparkle12mar08]

Because son no.1 is small and light for his age I do keep a monthly check on his weight and do dose him on paracetmol (and ibuprofen) to the per kg bodyweight guidelines. I first started doing this about three years ago when I noticed the Nurofen bottle had twice the amounts per age bracket than the Boots own brand bottle. I got the pharmacist to get her 'book' out and show me the exact amounts per kg and wrote them in my phone.

[Scheherezade]

That's what I've always given? the little side of the spoon till 6m, then the big spoon.

[OddBoots]

I can remember an out of hours doctor telling me off for using the lower dose on the old dosing with my dd, I did so because she was very small for her age so it made sense to me. These new doses make me think maybe I was right all along but who knows.

[INeedThatForkOff]

A new dosage warning was clearly labelled on Calpol bottles so it's not just own brands ...