I thinking this is the worst named kids medicine ever and should be re named ?

[Theas18]

Bloody CALPROFEN

There seems to be universal understanding amongst average (not mumsnetters I'm sure) that it contains both ibuprofen and paracetamol (aka "calpol"). It Does not, It is just ibuprofen medicine.

Ami being unseasonable in thinking it's catchy and memorable but really not a very safe or wise name?

I only read the first bit of your title- "is this the worst named kid..."

Have to agree, calling a child Calprofen is just cruel.

It is if you are unable to read the label. Surely Cal is the brand and Pol is the paracetamol and profen is the Ibuprofen?

It just sounds like calpol has launched their own branded ibuprofen to me.

Isn't it ibuprofen made by Calpol?

I don't know about anyone else but I tend to check whats in a medicine before I give it to my child and not base opinions on the brand name.

I disagree. I think Calprofen pretty much says what it is.

I just thought it was so people knew it was the calpol brand. Never thought it had paracetamol in.

Safe and wise? Call the Police at once, God forbid adult parents could act like it and read the label or take advice.
I bet the no win no fee chasers are just packed to the gills with 5 year olds who were under medicated and as a result suffered emotional trauma for the rest of their lives and it was all the nasty rich pharmaceuticals fault.

I always read the label before buying, taking or giving meds, so it wouldn't be a problem.

I have seen a lot of posts on other forums saying that it is a mix of calpol and ibuprofen so there is some confusion because of the name. Cant give as big a dose of it as you can childrens nurofen so we use the nurofen!

I assumed (correctly) that it was the ibuprofen version of Calpol.

The fact it has 'calp' is to do with the manufacturers. I would never have assumed its both and have never come across anyone that has.

'calp' doesn't mean Paracetamol.

really not a very safe or wise name?

You are joking? Yes?

What's not safe or wise is giving your kids medicine when you don't know what it is.

YABU and really need to read the label before giving any medicine to your child.

You're wrong.

HTH

thanks dishwashervodie

Trouble is we are all naice educated mums who don't make assumptions based on advertising (we are a selected bunch of wise internet users) .

theodorakisses Nah! it isn't an ambulance chasing thread , these kids are being under dosed with meds, miserable but it wont harm I know!

I dn't see why it is dangerous. If people do mistakenly think it is a combination of paracetamol and ibroprufen, they will not give additional paracetamol.

It would be dangerous if it was the other way round, if it did contain paracetamol, but people assumed it was ibrobrufen only and then gave additional Calpol.

I think we can stand down on the huffing and puffing.

OK i'm clearly being unseasonable, and the average mum will always read the bottle and the leaflet (and be able to do so despite the average reading age in UK being what 8-10yrs and functional illiteracy being not unknown) and know exactly what they give their kids.......

[fhmmm] and as Santa would say Ho Ho Ho!

Guilty as charged...........

What's the worst that could happen if a parent thought Calprofen had paracetamol in it? They wouldn't give any further dose of paracetamol in additional to ibuprofen, which you can if child is in a lot of pain. But that's giving the child less medicine not more so I don't see that it's dangerous.

I suppose that you might give it if child has a temp thinking it had paracetamol in. But most people would get medical advice if the child's temp remained high.

its never confused me. its so obviouse by the box / bottle

cal is the brand

calpol
calprofen
calcough
calgel

(not that i ever buy any, the generic brands are identical and half the price)

Ok some people can't read. They usually don't just guess at which medicine to give.

I still don't get why anti e would assume 'calp' means paracetamol

yabu - parents tend to read labels

Is that really true about the average reading age in Britain? I am shocked!

In light of what Dishwasher said I can imagine that some people might be confused. I still don't think it's that big a problem as confused parents are likely to give less medicine rather than overdosing.

Average reading age - what this means:

"Average reading age in the UK is nine

This means that anything written for the public should have a reading score of 90?100. Mass market newspapers fall into this range.

Broadsheets like The Telegraph or The Guardian aim for scores of 70 to 90, so are readable by 12?13 year olds. A typical best-selling novel can be read by 8?10 year olds."

So actually, an adult with this reading age, which is sophisticated enough for reading newspapers and best selling novels, in the context of adult experience and common sense, should be plenty for understanding the info on a medicine bottle and even most Mn posts

DS has had so many painkiller regimes following surgery that he can be trusted, at 11, to take the correct dose of paracetamol or ibruprofen himself.