Warning over use of pain medicines for children

Two thirds of parents give over-the-counter pain relief medicines to their children incorrectly — with up to a third of parents using pain relief to sedate misbehaving children.

According to a study in the Irish Medical Journal, nearly 33% of Irish parents questioned use the likes of Calpol, Nurofen, Paralink and Dozol to medicate their children in situations that are not recommended such as when a child is misbehaving, won’t sleep or needs calming on a car journey.

Others incorrectly give these medicines to vomiting children and suppositories to children with diarrhoea.