Children's Calpol doses reduced

Parents are being advised to reduce the amount of paracetamol they give their children, as many young children may have been given more of the medicine than necessary.

Liquid paracetamol medicines such as Calpol, Disprol and Medised, which can be bought over the counter, are popular with parents for treating childhood pain and fever. One study of 14,000 babies in England found that 84 per cent had been given paracetamol by the age of six months.

Previously, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) advised that infants aged between three and 12 months could be given a 2.5ml dose of liquid paracetamol, up to four times a day.

It also advised that children aged between one and six years could be given up to 10ml of liquid paracetamol, four times a day.

However, the MHRA now says the previous age bands were too wide, with a one-year-old child being given the same dose of paracetamol as a six-year-old.

This has likely led to some younger children being given a higher dose of paracetamol than was necessary to treat their condition, the MHRA said.

In hospitals, paracetamol is prescribed to children according to their weight, but over-the-counter parcetamol suspensions are dependent on age alone.

The Agency has now introduced four age brackets between the ages of three months and six years, with "optimal doses" for each one.

It now advises that young children aged between six months and two years should be given no more than 5ml of liquid paracetamol, up to four times a day. This is half the dose previously recommended by the Agency for one-year-olds.

But it also means that young children aged between six months and a year can actually be given more than before.

The recommended dose for infants aged between three and six months remains the same as before.

It also advises that those aged between two and four years should be given no more than 7.5ml - the equivalent of one and a half teaspoonfuls - up to four times in a day.

The recommended dose of liquid paracetamol for children aged between four and six years is unchanged.

Dr June Raine, MHRA spokesperson, said: "The change is to ensure children get 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."

This article was published on Mon 21 November 2011