Paracetamol is an over-the-counter medication. Basically, it is used to relieve pain and fever. If used correctly, it is a very safe drug to treat a wide variety of problems; although, in very high doses, it can make the child very sick.
If the child is given an excessive dose, it can cause liver damage and, rarely, even death. Above all, an appropriate dose should be given according to age. In children, you should know that the metabolism of paracetamol changes with age; in the smallest children, the sulfation pathway is the elimination pathway for paracetamol and the glucuronidation pathway takes about two years to mature (1)
Other names given to paracetamol
Paracetamol is the generic name of this medication. In some countries it is even known as acetaminophen or acetaminophen and there are many generic brands of this medicine.
One of these medications is Tempra Paracetamol, which is a pain reliever and fever reducer. It is used to treat many conditions such as headaches, muscle aches, arthritis, back pain, toothaches, colds, and fever. That is, it is indicated for fever and pain.
Available formats of this drug for children
For the little ones, this medicine is available in oral suspensions or syrups and also in chewable tablets. For those children who have trouble taking medicine by mouth, rectal suppositories are the best option and also for children who cannot keep the medicine down due to vomiting.
How to give paracetamol to children?
The first thing you will need to do is check the expiration date to make sure the medicine is not expired. To dispose of it properly, you must remove the medicine from its original container and spill it.
You should also make sure that your child is not taking other medicines that contain paracetamol, especially since it is an ingredient that is very often used in medicines for coughs, colds, allergies or colds. If your child takes any of these medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving your child more acetaminophen. As we have said, giving your child too much of this drug can damage your child’s liver.
You also have to check the concentration and the recommended dose. Typically, you give your child the dose with the dropper, syringe, or dispenser that comes with the product. This helps you to ensure that your child will take the correct amount of the product in ml.
If you are going to use it to treat fever, you must take into account the temperature and the age of the child. Of course, if your baby is 3 months old or less and has a fever of 38ºC, you should see a doctor immediately. If she is between 3 months and 3 years old and her fever is 39ºC, you will have to take her to the doctor as well.
One of the main questions of all parents is what happens if your child spits up or vomits a dose of paracetamol during the first 20 minutes of taking it. It is safest to give the same dose a second time. Although if he spits it out or vomits after 20 minutes, you will have to wait about 4 hours before giving him another dose.
Regarding the spacing of the shots, you should give your child this medicine every 4 to 6 hours, as needed, but you should never give more than 5 shots in 24 hours.
(1): Hinz B., Brune K.: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 300, 367 (2002).
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