Children aged 3 years are most often sick with ARVI and other infections, therefore, they have a high body temperature very often. To combat this symptom, many doctors recommend using Paracetamol. How to give this medicine to babies correctly, what dose should not be exceeded and what analogues can be used to replace it?
Can I give it to a three year old child?
Paracetamol preparations are contraindicated only in the neonatal period, and children 1-3 months are given exclusively with a temperature reaction to vaccination. In other cases, the medicine is allowed from the age of 3 months, so you can safely give Paracetamol to a 3-year-old child.
Release form and mechanism of action
The drug is presented in several forms, among which in the treatment of children of three years old are usually used:
- Rectal suppositories... They are distinguished by their white color, simple composition (except for paracetamol, at a dose of 50 to 500 mg, they contain only a fatty base), and an oblong shape. Such a medication helps out if the child has allergies or vomiting, however, its effect begins to manifest later than other dosage forms, therefore it is often used at night.
- Suspension... This sweet orange or strawberry flavored preparation contains 120 mg / 5 ml of paracetamol, but also contains other ingredients (xanthan gum, sucrose, sorbitol, propylene glycol, etc.) that can provoke an allergic reaction. Due to the liquid structure and the presence of a measuring syringe in the package (it can be replaced with a spoon), it is very easy to dose such Paracetamol, and children in most cases swallow it without problems.
- In pill form 200 and 500 mg each are available for adults. Children are given a solid form from the age of six, therefore, at 3 years old, the use of such Paracetamol is not recommended. However, in rare cases, when there is no other antipyretic medication at home, the child can be given part of the pill, after checking the dose with the doctor. If the baby still cannot swallow the medication, the tablet is crushed and diluted in a spoon with water, compote or juice.
The action of any form of Paracetamol is associated with the ability of the main component of the drug to affect the centers of thermoregulation and pain in the brain. This effect is represented by the blocking of cyclooxygenase enzymes under the action of paracetamol, as a result of which the temperature returns to normal, and the pain decreases.
Such effects cause the following indications for the use of Paracetamol:
- Fever (usually the drug is given at temperatures above +38.5 degrees).
- Pain syndrome of moderate or weak intensity.
Features of use in childhood
It is advisable to give Paracetamol to children only after a doctor's examination, so that the use of such a medicine does not affect the determination of the correct diagnosis. In addition, this is only a symptomatic remedy, therefore it is usually given along with drugs that will also act on the cause of the fever or pain.
The duration of treatment with Paracetamol, depending on the indications, does not exceed 3-5 days. If it is required to give the medication longer, this must be agreed with the attending physician, because long-term use can affect the hematopoiesis and the work of the child's internal organs.
The drug can be given to the child at intervals of at least four hours. If the accepted suspension or the supplied candle has not brought down the temperature, use earlier than 4 hours later is unacceptable. In such situations, you need to consult a doctor and use another antipyretic agent for his purpose.
It is advised to take the suspension an hour after eating, but if the temperature is very high, such a recommendation is not taken into account (the drug is given regardless of the diet). It is not worth diluting the medicine with water, because due to such a dilution, the volume of the medicine will be larger, and the child may not drink it completely. However, it is advisable to give plenty of drinks in addition, as it will help in the fight against fever.
Among the contraindications to taking Paracetamol is intolerance to any of the components of the drug, liver disease, some hereditary diseases, gastrointestinal pathologies. Before giving the medication to the baby, it should be clarified whether he has such health problems.
You cannot independently exceed the dose of the drug, combine it with other medicines based on paracetamol, or store the suspension in a place where it can be found and accidentally drunk by a small child. In such situations, the risk of overdose increases, which can pose a danger to the health of a small patient.
Dosage
To determine a single dose for a three-year-old child, you need to know his weight in kilograms. It is multiplied by 10-15 and the number of milligrams of paracetamol per dose is obtained. For example, the weight of a particular baby is 14 kg. Such a child needs 140-210 mg of paracetamol at one time, so treatment begins with 6 ml of suspension or 3/4 of a 250 mg suppository is placed.
The average single dose of the suspension can be taken from the table, which is in the annotation. Since the weight of 3-year-old children usually ranges from 12 to 18 kg, then for babies weighing 12-16 kg, 5 ml of medicine is taken at one time, and for children weighing 16-18 kg, a single dosage of 10 ml is required.
The daily dosage of the drug is also calculated by weight. It is known that a child should not receive more than 60 mg of paracetamol per kilogram of his body weight per day. So, a patient weighing 14 kg can be given no more than 840 mg of the drug per day. If a suspension is used, then this amount of active ingredient is in 35 ml.
What to replace?
If suppositories and suppositories are not available at home or in the pharmacy, another medicine can be used instead, the action of which is also provided by paracetamol. For example, a child can be given a Tsefekon D candle or a Panadol Baby suspension. Medicines that contain ibuprofen can also replace such drugs. They are also produced for children in candles and suspensions, given from the age of three months and are recommended for high fever or pain.
In some cases, when an increase in temperature poses a danger to the child, and Paracetamol does not cope with fever, they resort to a mixture of drugs called lytic. It includes an antipyretic drug (often Analgin) and an antihistamine (most often Suprastin is chosen). If the child is pale and his limbs are cool, then an antispasmodic is also added to these two drugs, for example, No-shpa.
The use of such a mixture quickly and effectively lowers the temperature and improves the condition of the child, but it is not recommended without a doctor's prescription. After checking with the pediatrician the dosage suitable for a three-year-old child, these drugs are given in tablets. If there is a need for an injection, it is better to entrust the injection to the medical staff by calling an ambulance.
For information on which antipyretic drugs to use, see the next video.
