What Can Calpol Be Used For?
As Calpol contains paracetamol this medication can be used to relieve symptoms of pain and help reduce temperature and manage fevers. High temperatures are often experienced by children during the cold and flu seasons as well as opportunistic viral infections. Calpol is great for children who are teething, it also helps with headaches, earaches, toothaches, sore throats and other generalized aches and pains.
Although paracetamol is generally considered a safe medicine It is imperative that you do not exceed the recommended dosages.No other paracetamol-containing product should be given alongside this medicine, should this occur please seek emergency medical attention.
Dosages
Calpol comes in 2 strengths, Infant Calpol (120mg/5ml) can be used from 2 months to 6 years whilst Calpol 6+ (250mg/5ml) can be used from 6 years +
Firstly the 2+ infant Calpol contains paracetamol 120mg/5ml and dosage is as follows:
Children aged 2-3 months:
Children aged 3 months - 6 years:
Secondly the 6 plus Calpol contains Paracetamol 250mg/5ml and dosage is as follows:
This medication is not suitable for children under 4kg or who are born premature ( 37 weeks or earlier)
Do not give this to babies under 2 months
Leave at least 4 hours between doses
Do not administer this medication more than 4 times per 24 hours
Do not give this medication to your child for more than 3 days without consulting your primary health care provider to ensure any other potential underlying causes are addressed.
Please read the patient information leaflet carefully before administering any medication, if unsure consult your healthcare provider.
Side Effects
Common side effects of using Calpol include:
Upset stomach
Nausea
Vomiting
Some other side effects which are less common include;
Skin rashes
Loose stool
Dark clay coloured stool
Bloody and cloudy urine
If your child experiences side effects when using this medication, stop treatment and seek medical attention.
