Tips to safely administer pain medication to children

In many cases, parents do not know how much medication to give their children when administering pain relief at home.

Finding the equilibrium between giving just enough to ease the pain and overdosing can be difficult.

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Overdosing pain relief medication can cause organ failure or could even be fatal.

‘Incorrect dosing is a potential problem when it comes to medication that is available to the public without a doctor’s prescription. This can be especially dangerous for children as even a relatively small overdose can be extremely harmful for their little bodies,’ says pharmacist Siphamandla

Mbuli of Medipost Pharmacy.

‘On the other hand, parents may sometimes under-dose their children by not giving them enough pain medication to ease their discomfort.

‘Parents and caregivers, therefore, need to be sure they fully understand the dosage of self-care medication, such as Paracetamol, for treatment of pain and fever before giving it to babies and children in their care,’ he says.

Here are some tips for administering the correct dosage:
1. Identify active ingredients
‘Before giving your child any non-prescription medicine, check the list of active ingredients on the outside of the packaging. For example, if it is a medicine in syrup form, this will usually be written as ‘each 5ml contains 120mg Paracetamol’,’ Mbuli says.
‘If giving your child more than one medicine at a time, make sure to check they do not have the same active ingredient. Medicines under different trade names can contain Paracetamol, and if these are combined, it could lead to overdose.’

2. Measure correctly
‘Never guess or estimate the measure of medicine you give to your child. Always use a medicine measuring spoon or syringe to accurately obtain the correct dose of Paracetamol syrup needed, or use a medicine dropper,’ he advises.

3. What’s the correct dose for your child?
While some formulations of Paracetamol available without a prescription can be given to infants from one month old, it is preferable to discuss options with your healthcare professional, such as your paediatrician, if your child is younger than three months.

Babies from three months to one year:
• If using Paracetamol drops for babies, 0.6ml to 1.2ml (60 to 120mg) may be given orally every four hours if needed, up to four times a day
• When using the sachet form, 2.5ml to 5ml (60 to 120mg) may be given orally every four hours if needed, up to four times a day
• Paracetamol syrup can be given at a dosage of 2.5ml to 5ml (60 to 120mg) orally every four hours if needed, up to four times a day
• Suppositories can also be given, and dosage should be discussed with your pharmacist

Children aged one to five years:
• Paracetamol in sachet form may be given at a dose of 5ml to 10ml (120 to 240mg) orally every four hours if needed, up to four times a day
• Syrup may be given to the child at a dosage of 5ml to 10ml (120 to 240mg) orally every four hours if needed, up to four times a day
• Suppositories can also be given and dosage should be discussed with your pharmacist

Signs of overdose – a medical emergency
‘Initial symptoms of Paracetamol overdose may include gastrointestinal irritability, with the child not wanting to eat; nausea; vomiting, and abdominal pain, but these are not always present and do not necessarily indicate the severity of the overdose.
‘Sometimes the child may show no noticeable symptoms of Paracetamol overdose for the first day or two, even in cases of severe poisoning, and liver and kidney failure may take between two and five days to develop and manifest. If parents suspect their child has been overdosed, they should immediately take the child to an emergency department for urgent medical attention,’ Mbuli warns.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist
‘Be sure to discuss any recurring pain with your child’s paediatrician, as non-prescription medication should only be used for temporary, short-term relief. The underlying cause of pain that lasts longer must be investigated,’ Mbuli says.
‘It is also important for parents to be aware that they can simply ask the pharmacist for information regarding pain medication.’