paracetamol for children? Does your doc always give to low a dose? why?

[chloesmumtoo]

I just wanted to ask why because everytime I get paracetamol for my dd, they always give me paediatric one obviously but only state 1x 5ml spoonful 4xday. She is six and yet the dose should be more, shouldnt it? Why do they do this and does anyone else have this problem. I have just had her with a very bad ear infection, gave the dose they stated 1x5ml and found it is only the 120mg of paracetamol per 5ml spoonful. She was screaming in agony before 2 hours was up! I am right arnt i, she should be having atleast 2x5ml spoonfuls of this? Gave her two just now but was worried about it. I know I'm right but hate them confusing the med.

I would follow the instructions on the packet.

It only has the doc/chemist lable on it. Nothing else. I wont give more next time then, makes me worry. I know compairing to calpol one, 6 plus, she can have one spoonful that contains 250 mg paracetamol.

I too would follow the instructions on the packet/bottle.

However - you can 'piggyback' Nurofen with paracetamol.

Calpol contains 120mg paracetamol per 5mls. For children age 1 -6 the does is 1 -2 spoons up to four times per day. Are you getting it on prescription? If you are that could be why they are telling you only to give one spoon to make it last longer!

I think she is getting over the worse now but gave her some as it was hurting to eat. I sort of felt I had it sussed with the mg thing and then worried about it. Cant remember what nurofen is off hand but she is allergic to imbroprofin. Thats why she usually has to muddle through.

That 1 - 2 5 ml spoons.

Aah - I see. Nurofen is ibubrofen.

Yes goingfor3 it was on priscription! I often have it off them but started to buy my own for older ds and so have noticed the difference in mg. If it is that reason it is so cruel as she had been screaming in such agony we didnt know what to do

It's probably what they have always prescribed for her and have never changed the dose on record so it always comes out the same on prescription. I thought that most gp's refused to prescribe paracetamol for kids and told parents to buy there own.

Really! They do always let me have it. That seems a good explanation about the dose goingfor3. Yeah I have got to admit, I think I probably did buy it more for ds,was easier and was not always at docs. However dd is so sickly and has repeats for constant medical items that I am always filling out the slips for something or other so its always easy when she is ill to order some up