A doctor has shared some advice about popular drugs given to sick children by their parents.
A lot of us have fallen ill in recent weeks, with seasonal diseases spreading at school, work and among family members and friends. As a parent with a poorly child, it might be tempting to reach for common cold and flu remedies.
But if your children have been sick, Doctor Shireen said there are a few common mistakes parents make when trying to treat their families. She said a lot of children have suffered from fever, in recent weeks, and a lot of parents are “confused” about how to use some popular drugs.
Doctor Shireen said: “The first is Calpol. So this is essentially paracetamol – the brand name is Calpol. It is four to six hourly, but no more than four doses in 24 hours.
“So, if you want to really spread it out, it’s every six hours. But, if you think your child can probably sleep through the night, you can do it every four hours.
“The amount of mls you should give is on the packet. I always tell my patients do not give Ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time.
“Why? Because when the Calpol starts to wear off and that fever starts to come back, if you’ve given Ibuprofen at the same time as the Calpol, the Calpol would have already brought the fever down. You’ve lost your other option, which is Ibuprofen.”
When it comes to Ibuprofen, she said this should be taken three times a day normally, but age can impact the recommended dosage. Doctor Shireen advises patients to give their children Calpol and then Ibuprofen a few hours later, and just “stay on top” of the fever.
She also said having a fever isn’t always a bad thing. If your child has a fever, but feels alright in themselves, then it can actually be helping to kill the virus.
The GP said she only treats fever if she can see it’s impacting the child. For example, they may be uncomfortable, irritable or extremely hot and they need the fever to come down to feel better.
But, if you are working with your partner to medicate, she said it’s a good idea to note down when you’ve issued doses of medicine. This will help to avoid any confusion over when your little one last had medicine.
The video has been viewed over 4,000 times since it was shared, and hundreds commented to share their thoughts. One person said: “Treat the symptoms, not the fever.”
Another wrote: “So many people don’t understand that fever is actually a good thing.” A third also replied: “I super appreciate this but, more often than not with my little girl, Calpol doesn’t touch the sides alone.”