How much paracetamol tablets can a child take
How and when to give paracetamol for children
Dosage and strength
Syrup doses for children
Infant syrup (sometimes called "junior syrup") is for children under 6 years old. A 5ml dose contains 120mg of paracetamol.
Six plus (6+) syrup is for children aged 6 years and older. A 5ml dose contains 250mg of paracetamol.
Important: Important
Do not give your child more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. Wait at least 4 hours between doses.
Doses for babies aged 2 months
If your baby is in pain or has a high temperature (including after having vaccinations), you can give them 1 dose of paracetamol syrup (or 1 suppository).
The usual dose is 2.5ml of infant syrup (or a 60mg suppository).
If your baby was premature, or they're small for their age, check with your doctor or health visitor. They may recommend a lower dose.
You can give your baby 1 more dose of syrup 4 hours later, if they need it. If they still have a high temperature after this, contact your doctor or speak to a pharmacist.
Infant syrup: 120mg/5ml
| Age | How much? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 months | 2.5ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 6 to 23 months | 5ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 2 to 4 years | 7.5ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 4 to 6 years | 10 ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
Six plus (6+) syrup: 250mg/5ml
| Age | How much? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 8 years | 5ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 8 to 10 years | 7. 5ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 10 to 12 years | 10ml | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
Tablet doses for children
Tablets usually come as 500mg or 250mg (Calpol Fastmelts).
Important: Important
Do not give your child more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. Wait at least 4 hours between doses.
Tablets
| Age | How much? | How often? |
|---|---|---|
| 6 to 8 years | 250mg | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 8 to 10 years | 375mg | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 10 to 12 years | 500mg | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
| 12 to 16 years | 750mg | Max 4 times in 24 hours |
How to give paracetamol to your child
Paracetamol can be taken with or without food.
Syrup
Shake the bottle well for at least 10 seconds and measure out the right amount using the plastic syringe or spoon that comes with the medicine. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount.
If your child does not like the taste, you can give them a drink of milk or fruit juice straight after giving them the syrup.
Video: how to give medicine to a child using an oral syringe
This video describes how to give medicine to a child using an oral syringe.
Media last reviewed: 17 July 2022
Media review due: 17 July 2025
Tablets
Tablets should be swallowed with a drink of water, milk or juice. Tell your child not to chew the tablet.
If your tablet is dissolvable (soluble), drop it into a drink of water and stir to make sure it has dissolved completely before giving it to your child to drink. Make sure your child drinks all the water mixture to get their full dose of paracetamol.
Calpol Fastmelts should not be swallowed – ask your child to let the tablet melt on their tongue.
Suppositories
Paracetamol suppositories are medicine that you push gently into your child's bottom.
Follow the instructions on the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
MenB vaccinations
Babies given the meningitis B vaccinations at 8 weeks and 16 weeks are likely to develop a high temperature within 24 hours. Because of this you can give babies from 2 months 3 doses of paracetamol (more than the usual recommended 2 doses).
Your health visitor may tell you to bring infant syrup to the vaccine appointment.
Giving paracetamol as soon as possible after the vaccine will reduce the risk of your baby getting a high temperature.
The usual dose following the MenB vaccinations is:
- 2.5ml as soon as possible after the vaccination
- 2.5ml 4 to 6 hours after the first dose
- 2.5ml 4 to 6 hours after the second dose
If your baby was premature, or they're small for their age, check with your doctor or health visitor before giving them paracetamol.
How often to give paracetamol
Do not give your child more than 4 doses of paracetamol in 24 hours. You can give it every 4 to 6 hours. Follow the instructions on the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
If your child is in pain, you can give them a dose of paracetamol every 6 hours for up to 3 days. This will help to relieve the pain safely without the risk of giving too much paracetamol.
If you have any concerns about how much pain your child is in, contact your doctor straight away.
Never give paracetamol for longer than 3 days without speaking to a doctor.
If your child has a high temperature or a pain that comes and goes, give them a dose of paracetamol when they first complain of feeling unwell or feeling pain. Wait at least 4 to 6 hours before giving another dose. Do not give your child more than 4 doses in 24 hours.
If your child takes too much
Important: Important
If you give your child 1 extra dose of paracetamol, wait at least 24 hours before giving them any more.
Urgent advice: Contact 111 for advice now if:
- your child takes 2 or more extra doses of paracetamol within 24 hours
They may need treatment.
Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111. Call 111 if you're asking about a child under the age of 5 years.
If you need to take your child to A&E, take the paracetamol packet or leaflet plus any remaining medicine with you.
Taking paracetamol for children with other medicines and herbal supplements
Cautions with other medicines
In general, paracetamol does not affect prescription medicines, including antibiotics.
But check with your child's doctor or a pharmacist before giving your child paracetamol if they're taking:
- medicine to treat epilepsy
- medicine to treat tuberculosis (TB)
- warfarin (a medicine to prevent blood clots)
Giving paracetamol with other painkillers
Ibuprofen is the only safe painkiller to give children alongside paracetamol.
However, do not give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time.
You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
Important: Important
Do not give your child more than the maximum daily dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen.
For high temperature
If you've given your child paracetamol and they still have a high temperature after 1 hour, you could try giving them ibuprofen.
If this helps bring down their temperature, carry on giving them ibuprofen instead of paracetamol. Follow the instructions that come with the medicine.
Do not alternate between paracetamol and ibuprofen to treat a high temperature without advice from a doctor or nurse.
See your doctor if you've tried both paracetamol and ibuprofen and they have not helped.
For pain (including teething)
If you've given your child paracetamol and they're still in pain after 1 hour, you could try giving ibuprofen.
If they are still in some pain after giving ibuprofen you can alternate between doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen. Only give 1 medicine at a time.
It may help to keep a diary of the time and dose of each medicine you give. Follow the instructions on the leaflet that comes with each medicine.
If you've tried alternating between paracetamol and ibuprofen and it has not helped, or your child becomes distressed, speak to your doctor about what may be causing their pain.
Information:
Do not give ibuprofen to your child if:
- they have chickenpox – it can increase the risk of getting a serious skin infection
- they have asthma (unless your doctor has said it's OK) – if your child has an allergic reaction, it could make their asthma worse
Important: Important
Never give aspirin to a child under the age of 16, unless their doctor prescribes it.
Other medicines containing paracetamol
Do not give your child more than 1 paracetamol medicine at a time. If they take 2 different medicines that contain paracetamol, there's a risk of overdose.
Lots of medicines you can buy from pharmacies or supermarkets contain paracetamol. These include some cough and cold medicines, so check the ingredients carefully.
Mixing paracetamol for children with herbal remedies and supplements
There's not enough information to say whether complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with paracetamol for children. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.
Medicine safety
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.
Page last reviewed: 15 June 2022
Next review due: 15 June 2025
Paracetamol tablets 0.5 g - instructions for use, doses, side effects, reviews of the drug Paracetamol tablets 0.5 g Order in pharmacies Order
drug
All forms of release, dosages, registration certificates, drug manufacturers, drug characteristics
Product description Paracetamol tablets 0.5 g (tablets, 500 mg) based on the official instructions, approved by the manufacturer in 1998
Approval date: 07/31/1998
Contents
- Active substance
- ATX
- Pharmacological group
- Nosological classification (ICD-10)
- Composition and form of release
- pharmachologic effect
- pharmachologic effect
- Pharmacokinetics
- Indications
- Contraindications
- Dosage and administration
- Side effects
- Interaction
- Storage conditions
- Best before date
- Order in Moscow pharmacies
- Reviews
Active ingredient
Paracetamol* (Paracetamol*)
ATX
N02BE01 Paracetamol
Pharmacological group
Anilides
Nosological classification (ICD-10)
ICD-10 code list
- R50 Fever of unknown origin
- R52.
2 Other persistent pain
Composition and formulation
1 tablet contains paracetamol 200 or 500 mg; in a contour bezel-less package or in a blister pack of 6 or 10 pcs.
100 ml syrup - 2.4 g; in vials of 50 ml.
Pharmacological action
Pharmacological action - analgesic , antipyretic .
Inhibits cyclooxygenase, inhibits PG biosynthesis in the CNS. Reduces the excitability of the thermal center, increases heat transfer.
Inhibits cyclooxygenase, inhibits PG biosynthesis in the CNS. Reduces the excitability of the thermal center, increases heat transfer.
Pharmacokinetics
Rapidly and almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Penetrates through the placental barrier, found in breast milk. Metabolized in the liver. It is excreted mainly in the urine in the form of conjugates.
The maximum effect develops within 2 hours.
Indications
Pain and fever syndromes.
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity, impaired renal function.
Dosage and administration
Inside, adults - 200-500 mg 2-3 times a day; children 6-12 months - 25-50 mg 2-3 times a day, up to 5 years - 100-150 mg, up to 12 years - 150-250 mg 2-3 times a day.
Side effects
Allergic reactions.
Interaction
Atropine and other antispasmodics delay absorption, metoclopramide - accelerates. Cholesterol and activated charcoal reduce bioavailability. barbiturates, antiepileptic drugs, rifampicin and ethyl alcohol increase the rate of biotransformation and the formation of metabolites, incl. hepatotoxic.
The information provided on drug prices is not an offer to sell or buy goods.
The information is intended solely for comparing prices in stationary pharmacies operating in in accordance with Article 55 of the Federal Law "On the Circulation of Medicines" dated April 12, 2010 No.
61-FZ.
Reviews
Arpimed
Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Paracetamol can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.
If any of the following side effects develop, stop taking paracetamol and consult a doctor immediately:
The following side effects are very rare and may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients): reactions such as skin rash and itching, sometimes trouble breathing, or swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, or face.
Other side effects may include a severe decrease in the number of white blood cells, making the body more susceptible to infections.
Reporting side effects:
If you notice any side effects, tell your doctor or pharmacist, including any side effects not listed in this package insert. You can also report side effects directly to the Academician E. Gabrielyan Scientific Center for Expertise of Drugs and Medical Technologies by going to the website: www.pharm.am in the section “Report a side effect of a drug” and fill out the form “Side effect report card medicines." Hotline phone: +37410237665; +37498773368.
How to store Paracetamol
- Do not use Paracetamol after the expiry date which is stated on the package. When specifying the expiration date, the last day of the specified month is meant.
- Keep out of the reach of children, dry, dark place at a temperature not exceeding 15 0 C.
- Shelf life - 3 years. After opening the vial, use within 6 months.
Do not dispose of medicines in wastewater or sewers.
