To have been giving DS the wrong amounts of Calpol for months and think the amounts should be labeled better?

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

Had to have DS up at Yorkhill the other night as he was ill. While trying to get his temperature down in a panic, I was told he should be getting 8.2ml for his weight and not 5ml.

I don't think it even has a time where it says 8ml on the box!

So, AIBU to think that the boxes should be labelled correctly with amounts for weight? I've been complaining for ages that the stuff doesn't work well at all when actually I just haven't been giving him enough of it.

Won't the hospital be doing it exactly for weight? Therefore they will give 8.2ml. You go by the box and give the correct amount for you non-medical trained self. I'm not going to weigh DD when she's sick so I give her 5ml, even though she could have more as she is a giant big for her age.

What MrsTP said.

I don't know what Yorkhill is, is it a hospital?

I think if they started putting info like that on the boxes, there would be a lot of over/under dosing due to weighing scales being off.

They gave me a leaflet telling me the amounts I am to give him which is the 8.2ml.

Would it not make more sense to put the amounts of the box if you know the weight and also put a note to say if the weight is not known then do not exceed 5ml or similar?

you are right, doing it by age is a little crazy. my big fat dd2 was given LOADS of calpol as a baby at the hospital as they based in on her weight.

otoh we bought some italian 'calpol' in italy once, and the instructions said to give dd1 less than the actual calpol instructions say to give her.

my parents have some french ibuprofen which comes with a syringe marked off in kg, so if your child weighs 15kg you fill the the syringe up to the 15iyswim.

not sure what i'm trying to say, other than in other countries they manage to dose by child's weight so why not here? yanbu.

This is why I was very impressed when I bought a bottle of the French equivalent of Calpol. It came with a syringe marked with weight in kilos instead of mls. So say your DS is 10kg, you draw it up to 10 and give that. Such a simple idea, I really don't get why no one over here does it!

Worra Yeah, sorry it's the kids hospital.

I suppose you're right, I just wish I had known as it really made a difference to his temp once we did! :(

X posts Janek

No, you follow the instructions on the box.

8.2 ml?
That's going to be tricky to measure unless they've given you a syringe as well.

How do you measure 8.2ml at home? I'm loving the French syringe.

That is brilliant about the weight syringes, such a good idea! Makes far more sense than random amounts.

yes in France if you go to a pharmacy to buy ibuprofene they will ask you what the child's weight is, not the age.

I don't think that the information on the Calpol box is incorrect though. It's just the way it works in this country.

I've been using 2 syringes as the calpol ones only go to 5ml.

I always give dosage by weight, (i'm a medical professional though).

So Fanny why do the boxes say age and weight? DD is off the charts for height and weight but I give her the 2 yo amounts because she is 2. Presumably, this is far too little really.

Fanny Do you not think it would make sense if we had a similar system to France instead of giving doses that could be much lower than they should be?

It just seems pointless to give only a part dose of medicine.

and i was overdosing my dd1 for years!

possibly still am.

Well, I have no idea how much any of my children weigh. I'd have to faff about getting them weighed regularly to give them the right dose and, TBH, I don't want to be constantly weighing my children and maybe making them aware of their weight.

MrsTerry How heavy is she? The reason I am so shocked at this is DS is only 18mo so would be getting the incorrect amount for a long time had no one told me.

She is almost 35 pounds at 2.4. Growing out of her 3 yo clothes.

Soup That's why I said it should maybe have a label as well saying do not exceed a certain amount if you don't know the weight.

DS is 13.1kg so much smaller than her. (not sure of that in lbs, will check).

That makes him 28.8 lbs.

I just know that there was a mighty difference in the way it worked once he got the right amount.

It pretty much gives the minimum for the age, it's not a good way especially if your child is small for age or above average.

Not much chance of overdosing a smaller child though as dosages are based on lowest weight, but bigger child does not usually get enough.

The French system is ideal, no idea why it's not done here, they have lots of meds for children in suppository form as well which is very handy if have a child with high temp & vomiting can get full dose into them.