How accurately is the dose of paracetamol for children calculated by weight? If you accidentally overdose a little, why not? Is your baby in danger?
What is Paracetamol?
Paracetamol can be safely used by babies and young children to treat various types of aches and pains such as headache, toothache, and sore throat. Paracetamol is also used to treat a fever above 38.5 degrees Celsius and is feeling uncomfortable.
After taking about 15-30 minutes, the drug will begin to work, and reach maximum effect after 3 hours (lower 1.5-2.25 degrees C) and keep working for 3-4 hours. Therefore, a minimum of 4 hours must be used apart. The drug is metabolized in the liver to a substance dissolved in water and excreted in the urine.
This is a drug that does not require a prescription from your doctor. Therefore, users can easily buy from drugstores. However, the lack of knowledge and improper use of paracetamol for children and adults can have undue consequences.
On the market there are many dosage forms such as tablets, packages, effervescent tablets, liquid forms, and tablets. However, liquid Paracetamol is always preferred for children because the dosage is good and easy for babies to take. Suppositories are used when a child has a feverish fever that cannot drink it, or is vomiting.
Dosage of Paracetamol for children by weight
This is especially important for parents to know. That is Paracetamol for children, the dose is calculated based on weight, not the age of the baby.
Paracetamol dose for children by weight orally by mouth is 10 - 15 mg / kg, every 4-6 hours. Experts also recommend that Paracetamol should not exceed 5 times and no more than 75 mg / kg within 24 hours.
For rectal tablets for babies, it is recommended in the range 10-20 mg / kg / dose, every 4-6 hours as needed. Do not exceed 5 times and 75 mg / kg within 24 hours. Medicines after anus will be absorbed into the body and have a rapid antipyretic effect .
Regardless of the form and dosage of Paracetamol, parents must remember the dose given to their child. If not, the overuse of the drug will have dangerous adverse effects.
Reference table for doses of Paracetamol for children by weight
Again, it is important to emphasize that the weight-based method for calculating paracetamol doses for children is the most appropriate and accurate. Therefore, parents must know the baby's weight when taking the baby to the doctor or buying medicine.
Below is a reference table for oral and rectal paracetamol doses of paracetamol for children.
2.7 - 5.3 kg - children about 0-3 months of age: 40mg dose
5.4 - 8.1 kg - children about 4-11 months old: dose of 80mg
8.2 - 10.8 kg - children about 1-2 years old: dose of 120mg
10.9 - 16.3 kg - children about 2-3 years old: dose of 160mg
16.4 - 21.7 kg - children about 4-5 years old: 240mg dose
21.8 - 27.2 kg - children about 6-8 years old: 320mg dose
27.3 - 32.6 kg - children about 9-10 years old: 400mg dose
32.7 - 43.2 kg - children about 11 years old: 480mg dose
Through anus
6 - 11 months: 80 mg every 6 hours, maximum 320 mg / day
12 - 36 months: 80 mg every 4-6 hours; up to 400 mg / day
3 - 6 years: 120 mg every 4-6 hours; up to 600 mg / day
6 - 12 years: 325 mg every 4-6 hours; up to 1625 mg / day
Older than 12 years: 650 mg every 4-6 hours; up to 3900 mg / day
What happens when parents give their child an overdose of Paracetamol?
According to Dr. Phan Hong Sang, Deputy Head of the Department of Anti-Poison Active Rehabilitation, Center of Obstetrics and Pediatrics, Phu Tho General Hospital, "If you overdose on fever-reducing medicine, your child is at risk of liver, kidney, and respiratory failure. steam , circulatory failure, even death without timely intervention ”.
Therefore, parents must be very careful when calculating the dose for children. Use exactly as directed for use with the dosage and dosage and the interval between doses. At the same time, do not use many different drugs at the same time, but they are brand-name drugs of Paracetamol.
The use of drugs in adults has to be careful, in young children must be even more careful. Ask the help of a pharmacist or doctor to advise on the correct dose and administration if parents do not know. Do not consider yourself or acquaintances or the online community a "family doctor", we are not experts. Please love me the right way parents.
See more:
Critical of paracetamol overdose - A lesson to alert parents when reducing fever for their children
Answering the eternal question: Can breastfeeding mothers drink paracetamol?
4 principles to keep in mind when using Paracetamol antipyretics for children