Question regarding children's medicines?

[redleader]

Most children's medicines go up to 6 years old and then 6 – 12. What prescribes the 6 years old, is it age alone or weight / BMI. Reason I’m asking is my son is 5 and the cough bottle I’m using isn’t helping. He’s a big 5 year old so can I give him the 6 year old medicine?

[hanban89]

My almost 5 year old is very big for her age, and throughout the year has suffered from tonsillitis, and the GP actually prescribed the 6 plus paracetamol because she was big enough for it.
I don't know about the cough medicines though. I usually just give her honey and have steam in her room at night.

[reallyanotherone]

Cough medicine is generally ineffective to start.

In many cases you shouldn't try to prevent coughs for a reason- the cough is trying to get any crap out of the lungs.

Honey + lemon is just as good as anything you can buy without prescription.

[YoHoHoandabottleofTequila]

Is it cough syrup then all that is is sugar, although some simple linctus does help soothe.

6+ medicine is often a different strength. It will have more medicine per ml in it. Calpol is a good example. We give 6+ in hospital to smaller children but that's because we can work out the exact amount. In hospital it's weight but we also have an age range.