What is calpol called in Spain? (And any advice for treating Norovirus in children?)

[OutDamnedSpot]

I’m on holiday in fuerteventura. My DSes (aged 8 and 10) both have a horrible vomiting bug. This morning was horrific as they couldn’t keep anything down at all, but they’re both now able sip water and I’ve given them a couple of salted crackers each.

so, questions:

1. what is the Spanish equivalent to calpol? They both have sore tummies and I only have the adult stuff with me. I googled amounts and am confident they’ve not had to much, but I’d rather be a bit more accurate and let them take it as a syrup rather than a tablet, but what am I asking for in a pharmacy?

2. any other tips for dealing with noro? There’s no medication is there? Just hydration?

thank you!

I got liquid paracetamol once for my daughter in tenerife. It was vile compared to calpol.
Next time travel with calpol. Sorry not helpful but it's so much better .

Panadol is the equivalent I think.

The Calpol equivalent in Spain is Apiretal (paracetamol syrup) or Dalsy (ibuprofen syrup) only available at Farmacia

If they have something like dioralyte, that might help a lot. I had a bad stomach bug recently and the dioralyte really helped.

Google tells me ‘Apiroserum Glucosalino’ is the equivalent to Dioralyte in Spain.

I'd skip the farmacia and get your hotel to direct you to the nearest Centro de Salud. Take your EHIC card and they'll take care of them – it's quite common here to get popped onto a hydration drip if you show up with vomiting bugs.

Full sugar fizzy drinks shaken up to make them a bit less fizzy are good to help with hydration and keeping sugars up.

Adding sugar to sugary fizzy drinks takes the fizz out.

I don’t know what it’s called but they sell an anti sickness medicine for kids in Spain that’s not licensed in the UK. I just went to the local pharmacy and spoke in English, told them my child had a vomiting bug. It was magic stuff, stopped the vomiting immediately.

I don't think paracetamol is the best thing for a stomach virus? It's a pain killer and can be quite irritating to the stomach. If they can sip water and eat plain crackers they are on the up. You could treat them to a non - dairy ice lolly to help with hydration?

I think they'll be ok without medication now. As others have said hydration and the salt/glucose mix is the most important. Kids are very resilient. That said, if they had a temperature I'd give the paracetemol/ibubrofen products mentioned above. I don't think they'd need a doctor or anything. But you know best.

Thanks @CottonSock. Calpol is clearly now on my ‘never leave home without’ list (and ‘teach boys to swallow tablets’ is high on the ‘to do’) but in in my defence, I can’t remember the last time either of them was ill. Poor kids. They were so confused.

jet2 offered to sort out a doctor @travelingtortoise, but I don’t really want to move them from the room, where they’re comfortable, near a toilet and being looked after by me, to a clinic that might not be able to do much. My eldest is autistic so he’s definitely better with me (for now, at least). They’ve sent me phone numbers in case I want to call for help later and the resort rep is checking in on us when her evening shift starts.

luckily I’m travelling with friends so I’ll ask one of them to head out for Apiretal. We don’t have diarolyte but we do have some sporty hydration tablet things so I’ve been giving the boys sips of that.

Thanks for all of your help.

Sorry. Cross posted with loads of people.

I know paracetamol won’t help the sickness, but they’re in pain now so worth a try. I’d not heard of anti sickness meds. Do you think that’s a good idea? I’m normally in the ‘better out than in’ camp so don’t necessarily want to stop the vomiting if it will actually be helping them (if that makes sense?) maybe I’ll hold out until tomorrow and ask for some if it doesn’t cease.

Thanks again for all your help. This is the sort of scenario that would be grim enough at home but is mildly scary (and really bloody annoying!) on holiday.

We were travelling home that day so REALLY needed the vomiting to stop! I would definitely get it again if needs be though, even if just to allow everyone to enjoy the rest of the holiday.

@YummYumm - that’s a good point. We’re not due to fly for a few more days, but having it just in case might be very wise!

I hope they feel better soon.
I did learn my lesson with the calpol too, but luckily had a few sachets on that occasion.

I had another holiday with an allergic reaction for dd aged 6. She was given a choice of swallow a small pill or another huge injection. She did manage it, but never has since. With a very small pill it might be possible.

Flat fizzy drinks like coke or lemonade. Stir with spoon and leave to stand, chill and sip through straw.

Thanks for your help earlier. For now, the vomiting seems to have stopped, although they’re definitely not better and I’m worried it might come back. Amazing friend just did a doorstep drop of apple juice cartons and ice lollies.

Apiretal is the absolute best thing ever!! Much better than calpol, so much so I stock up when we go to Spain. It’s less sugary, you need less of it, and I think it works a lot better, it literally knocks them out! I wish we had it over here!!

Oh, sorry, I’ve just seen your children are quite old! We used this for our baby, so maybe it’s different for older children. But for anyone with a baby-toddler, it’s amazing!

I’d recommend going to the pharmacy though, they are so helpful and seem to have a better array of drugs on non-prescription than we do. They pretty much did the service of a GP and for only the cost of the medicine!

I’m not well enough to go to the pharmacy now 🤢 but friends are going for us.

Oh no!! I hope they get better soon, that's such bad luck on holiday.

A word to the wise re Apiretal - yes, it's effective but it tastes HORRIBLE, especially to a kid who's used to Calpol. You might want to have some milkshake or yoghurt drink handy for diluting it if they don't like it.

I live in Spain but always get my relatives to bring me Calpol when they visit, just because it's so much easier to get the kids to take it!

Sounds like Norovirus. I hope you all feel better soon.
I would just advise tiny sips of water/hydration sachets.
We are also in fuerteventura.

If you're in Caleta the pharmacy is at the shopping centre near the Barcelo. They were very helpful when my husband needed them. Also when we had a windy baby the hotel staff suggested camomile tea as its popular out there for any upset tums.