Children’s paracetamol dose under review

THE amount of paracetamol that should be given to children is being reviewed by the state’s drug policing body following a decision to cut it in half in Britain.

The Irish Medicines Board (IMB) said the dosing recommendations for medicines, such as Calpol, would clarify the doses, making it easier for parents and carers to know exactly how much paracetamol they should give their children.

The IMB said it expected to have all information on children’s liquid paracetamol medicines sold in Ireland updated and completed early next year.

The Medicines and Healthcare Produces Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the British equivalent to the IMB, has decided to cut the recommended dose of liquid paracetamol given to toddlers by half.

It is likely that the IMB will decide to make a similar recommendation.

The MHRA has divided doses of liquid paracetamol for children into more detailed brackets with a specific dose for each and is advising that children aged 12 months to two years should get 5ml four times a day, half the previous dose.

Current official guidance in Ireland is that children from one to six can be given up to 10ml of liquid paracetamol, such as Calpol and Disprol, four times a day to reduce fever and pain.

The MHRA has pointed out that because of the very wide age bands, younger children might have received a paracetamol dose that was higher than necessary.

It has split dosing into tighter age bands, reflecting the large differences in weight and bodily development between a one-year-old baby and a six-year-old child.

The MHRA now recommends that only those aged four or over should be given the maximum dose of two teaspoons at a time.

A spokesperson for the MHRA stressed the change was to ensure children got the optimal dose for their age.

“The change is not because of safety concerns and parents should not be worried that they have done anything wrong,” the spokesperson said.

However, the IMB has urged parents and carers to follow the advice currently on the packaging until new packs were available and that those who used the product now or in the past should not be concerned.

It pointed out that paracetamol continued to be an acceptably safe and effective method of short-term pain and fever relief in children when used in accordance with the information supplied with the product.

President of the Irish Pharmacy Union, Darragh O’Loughlin, welcomed the MHRA’s decision and said that he always advised the parents of young children to give the lower recommended dose.

“The MHRA’s decision probably reflects what most parents of young children have been doing anyway,” Mr O’Loughlin said.