Paracetamol, according to many pediatricians and mothers, is the safest antipyretic agent in childhood. If it is required to give a medicine for a temperature to a child up to one year old, doctors usually choose it. And since fever is quite common in children, such a drug should be kept at home for emergencies.
One of the most popular forms of Paracetamol is suspension. At what age is it allowed to be given to children, in what dose is it prescribed and how long is it allowed to take this medication? Is it possible to give a suspension to a baby, what negative effects can it provoke and what drugs with a similar effect can be replaced? You will find answers to these questions in this article.
Release form of the drug and its composition
Paracetamol in suspension is produced by pharmaceutical companies:
- Pharmstandard-Leksredstva (this drug is called Children's Paracetamol);
- Synthesis (“Paracetamol for Children” is written on the packaging of this medicine).
Such a medicine is a homogeneous thin liquid, which has a gray or gray-yellow color. To make the suspension easier for the child to swallow, the medicine was made sweet in taste, it smells like orange or strawberries.
The suspension is placed in glass bottles, which are sold with a graduated syringe or plastic spoon. One bottle can contain 100, 150 or 200 grams of the drug, which corresponds to 16, 24 or 32 doses of the drug.
One dose is considered to be 5 ml of suspension. From this amount of liquid, the patient receives 120 mg of paracetamol, and the auxiliary substances in such a medicine are sucrose, sorbitol, xanthan gum, propylene glycol and other compounds.
Mechanism of action
Paracetamol affects enzymes called "cyclooxygenases" that are found in brain cells. The consequence of blocking such enzymes will affect the centers that regulate body temperature and are responsible for pain.
At the same time, the drug does not affect cyclooxygenases in peripheral tissues (this is prevented by the appearance of cellular peroxidases at the site of inflammation), therefore the anti-inflammatory effect of Paracetamol is very low. However, due to such a mechanism, the drug also does not affect the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, and the exchange of sodium and water.
After ingestion, the ingredients of the suspension are absorbed rather quickly and reach their maximum concentration in the blood after 0.5-2 hours.
If we talk about the antipyretic or analgesic effect, then this form of Paracetamol begins to act in 15-30 minutes.
Further, the active substance enters the liver and is converted into metabolites, which are excreted from the child's body by the kidneys. If a child has diseases of these organs, the metabolism of paracetamol is disrupted, which may increase the risk of its side effects.
Indications
The most common reason for using a suspension is an increased body temperature. The medication is prescribed for influenza, measles, scarlet fever, mumps, chickenpox, ARVI and other infections caused by both viruses and harmful bacteria.
The medicine helps to eliminate the fever with bronchitis, angina, otitis media and other diseases, but in such cases it is certainly prescribed together with other treatment that affects the cause (antibacterial agents).
Taking Paracetamol is also recommended for children who have a fever after vaccination. Since the suspension also has an analgesic effect, such a remedy can be taken:
- with toothache, including painful sensations during the eruption of milk teeth;
- with headache, if it is moderate or mild;
- with a sore throat, for example, caused by tonsillitis;
- with ear pain caused by otitis media;
- for pain caused by bruising, stretching or other injury.
At what age are children prescribed?
Paracetamol in suspension should not be given to newborns. For babies one to three months old such a drug is prescribed in a limited way:
- it can only be given as directed by a doctor;
- most often the reason for taking is a post-vaccination rise in temperature;
- the remedy is given once in a dosage calculated by the pediatrician.
If the temperature rises in a child older than 3 months, the suspension can be given without fear, but examination by a pediatrician is desirable, because Paracetamol is only a symptomatic agent, and in many cases, taking a suspension alone will not be enough.
If the child is 6 years old, liquid Paracetamol can already be replaced with a solid form, but some patients over six years old are more convenient to continue giving the suspension, because it is easier to swallow.
Typically, this form of medication is prescribed until the age of twelve, since adolescents require a higher dosage, and it is inconvenient to take a large volume of sweet syrup at one time.
When is it prescribed for fever?
The rise in body temperature is, first of all, a kind of protection of the child's body from infectious agents, thanks to which the body fights disease. For this reason, it is not worth giving a child Paracetamol with a slight increase in temperature.
According to doctors, antipyretic medications are not needed if the child is having a fever normally... In most babies, the condition worsens with an increase in the thermometer to + 38.5 + 39. It is at this temperature that the use of Paracetamol in suspension will be justified.
But there are situations when the medicine should be given even at lower numbers, for example, if the baby once had febrile seizures with fever or has a neurological pathology in which the risk of seizures is increased. In addition, even a slight rise in temperature is difficult for some children. In this case, the suspension can be given earlier, and not wait for the numbers on the thermometer to exceed 39 degrees.
Note also that Paracetamol should be given at any thermometer reading if the fever is caused by overheating or vaccination. In these situations, the temperature reaction does not act as a defense, so there is no need to hesitate in taking the suspension.
Contraindications
The suspension is not prescribed if the child has hypersensitivity to both paracetamol and any auxiliary ingredient. In addition, such a drug should not be given:
- with erosive changes in the wall of the digestive tract or gastrointestinal ulcer;
- with bleeding that began from the wall of the stomach or intestines;
- with a deficiency of enzymes called "glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase" and "isomaltase";
- with fructose intolerance;
- with glucose-galactose malabsorption.
In addition, there are many diseases in which the suspension is allowed only under the supervision of a doctor. First of all, these are kidney, blood and liver diseases, as well as bronchial asthma and allergies. Therefore, the use of Paracetamol in a child with any disease is permissible only as directed by a doctor.
Side effects
As a result of taking the suspension, the child may develop:
- Allergic reaction. Most often it is a rash or itching of the skin, but sometimes manifestations of allergies can also be dangerous, for example, when paracetamol provoked Quincke's edema or hives. If any of the allergy symptoms appear after taking one or more doses of the medication, Paracetamol should be discontinued immediately, and the child should be shown to the doctor.
- In rare cases, treatment adversely affects the number of blood cells (the drug affects their formation), which is manifested by anemia or a decrease in the level of platelets in the general blood test. This negative effect is typical for long-term administration of the suspension, therefore the drug has limitations on the duration of use.
- If the child has previously had intolerance to other NSAIDs (for example, acetylsalicylic acid), after taking Paracetamol, such a patient may develop bronchospasm.
- Very rarely, a medication adversely affects the work of the liver (this can be seen by the indicators of biochemical analysis). In addition, the digestive system of some babies reacts to the suspension with the appearance of nausea, loose stools and other unpleasant symptoms.
Instructions for use
How to give the drug correctly?
Before giving the medicine to a child for the first time, the bottle must be shaken so that all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Shaking is also necessary with each next use, since paracetamol and other components settle in the water, and without stirring the child can receive the medication in the wrong dose.
Diluting the suspension with water is not required as this will increase the volume of the medication and may be difficult for some children to swallow. It is best for the baby to drink Paracetamol undiluted, and then wash it down with water in a volume of at least 100 ml. Medication is recommended before meals or 1-2 hours after the child has eaten.
A measuring syringe is used to dispense the suspension. When the child swallows the drug, such a syringe must be rinsed with water and allowed to dry, and then put into a box.
If instead of a syringe there is a plastic spoon in the package, then 2.5 ml of suspension can be collected on one side of it, and 5 ml on the other. Having given the medicine from a spoon, it must also be washed and left to dry, and then put in a box to the bottle.
Dosage
For a particular child, the doctor usually calculates the required single dose for his weight. For this, the body weight in kilograms is multiplied by 10-15. The resulting number will be the number of milligrams of paracetamol that you need to give your baby at one time.
For example, a medication is required to be given to a child whose weight is 12 kg. Multiplying 12 by 10, we get a single dose of 120 mg, which corresponds to 5 ml of suspension.
The maximum dose per day is calculated in the same way. To determine how much medicine will be the maximum permissible for a child, you need to multiply his weight in kilograms by 60. For example, for the same child with a body weight of 12 kg, the dosage of the suspension per day should not exceed 720 mg (12x60). This amount of paracetamol is contained in 30 ml of suspension, that is, when taken four times, the baby should not receive more than 7.5 ml of such a medicine.
If you look at the annotation that comes with the bottle, you can see table of approximate doses... In one of its columns, the weight of the child is marked, and opposite the dose of the medicine that can be given with such a body weight is indicated. For the child from our example, you need to find the value "8-16 kg", and opposite it you will see "5 ml" (single dosage of the drug).
How often can you give?
The suspension can be given either once a day or more often, but the frequency of taking such a medicine should not exceed 4 times. In addition, the break between doses of the medication should be long - the next dose can be given no earlier than four hours after the previous one.
If after taking the temperature does not go astray, it is best to consult a doctor, especially if the child is not yet a year old.
How long can you take?
As mentioned above, there are limitations for the duration of taking Paracetamol:
- if the medication is prescribed as an antipyretic medicine, it can be given for up to 3 days;
- if the drug is given to a child in order to eliminate or reduce painful sensations, then a longer intake is permissible - up to 5 days.
If the patient takes Paracetamol for pain for 5 days, and for fever for 3 days, but these symptoms are still troubling, it is impossible to continue giving the suspension without the permission of the doctor who is observing the child. Longer use must be monitored by a pediatrician, as it requires additional laboratory tests.
Overdose
If a child is accidentally given an overdose of the suspension, it will lead to diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and other negative signs from the digestive system.
When a large dose is taken, the drug can affect the liver, but such a reaction does not develop immediately, therefore, a child with an overdose must be examined by a doctor, even if his health is not disturbed.
Interaction with other drugs
You should not give your baby Paracetamol in suspension and any other medications that contain paracetamol at the same time, as this can lead to an excess of the dose. It is also not recommended to use the suspension together with other antipyretic or analgesic drugs, for example, with Ibuprofen or Analgin... The alternation or combination of such drugs is possible only as directed by a doctor.
Annotation to the suspension also includes a list of other medicines, the use of which together with Paracetamol is prohibited or not recommended. If your child is already taking any medications, make sure they are not on this list.
Terms of sale
Liquid Paracetamol, like other forms of this medication, is freely available over the counter without a prescription. The price of the drug is influenced by both the manufacturer and the volume of the bottle. On average, you need to pay 110-120 rubles for 200 g of suspension.
Storage features
The shelf life of Paracetamol in suspension is 3 years and does not decrease after opening the bottle. Both the sealed and the already opened bottle can be kept at room temperature (it is not necessary to put the medicine in the refrigerator).
For storage, it is recommended to choose a place where the drug will be hidden from children, because due to the pleasant smell and taste with easy access, the risk of overdose increases.
Reviews
Most of the reviews about Paracetamol in suspension are positive. First of all, they note its high efficiency and safety for children.
According to moms, it knocks down the temperature rather quickly, and the pains decrease or disappear altogether. This form of Paracetamol is chosen more often than others, since it is easy to dose, and the taste of the medicine is sweet, so most small patients swallow the suspension without any difficulty.
However, there are also negative reviews in which they complain about the composition of the medicine, because it contains chemical additives that can provoke allergies. To reduce the risk of an allergic reaction (if it is quite high), mothers have to replace the suspension with suppositories.
As for the cost, it is called affordable, therefore, liquid Paracetamol is more in demand than its counterparts. The tolerability of the drug, judging by most reviews, is mostly good. Only in rare cases, taking the suspension provoked nausea, skin rash or other negative reaction.
What to replace?
If there is no Paracetamol suspension in the pharmacy, another liquid medicine based on paracetamol is suitable to replace such a drug:
- Calpol. One bottle of this medicine contains 70 or 100 ml of strawberry pink suspension. A spoon is attached to the bottle, with which you can measure 2.5 and 5 ml of liquid.
- Efferalgan. This preparation is represented by a yellow-brown syrup, which has a caramel-vanilla flavor. Its volume in one bottle is 90 ml, and the manufacturer suggests measuring the medicine with a measuring spoon.
- Children's Panadol. This pink strawberry medicine is available in 100 and 300 ml bottles, to which a measuring syringe is attached.
All of these drugs can be given to children. older than 3 months, the amount of paracetamol in them is 120 mg in 5 ml, and the indications, possible side effects, contraindications and other nuances of the use of such drugs coincide.
If paracetamol preparations cannot be given to the baby (for example, the child has an intolerance), they are often replaced with ibuprofen-based medicines, since such antipyretics are also considered safe for children. The child can be given a suspension of Nurofen, Ibuprofen, Ibuprofen-Akrikhin.
Such medicines effectively fight fever and pain, and their therapeutic effect lasts longer than that of Paracetamol. Any of these suspensions can be used from 3 months of age with a child weighing more than 5 kilograms.
Since ibuprofen drugs have not only analgesic and antipyretic effects, but also anti-inflammatory effects, such analogs will be most preferable, if the child has a pronounced inflammatory process, for example, with otitis media or angina.
