Parents need to consider how much Calpol they are administering to their children
According to Leading paediatrician and professor of general paediatrics at University College London, Alastair Sutcliffe says parents are giving children too much Calpol and this could lead to health problems later on in life, do people agree with this?
Following the guidelines for administering Calpol is crucial as overusing this paracetamol based medicine could lead to health problems. Administering this type of medicine too often and at times when children may not necessarily require it can develop further issues. Parents are being warned to be more vigilant in using Calpol
Health problems that could be developed relating to the overusing of Calpol
Mr Sutcliffe said: “Parents are using paracetamol too permissively. They seem to fear fever as an illness, per se, which it is not. There is evidence that the excess usage of paracetamol is associated with increased rates of asthma, increased rates of liver damage, but less widely known, kidney and heart damage.”
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), which backs Mr Sutcliffe, said parents needed to be better educated about when to give children paracetamol-based medicines. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) also supports his statement.
Lack of communication as to when child last received Calpol;
There comes a problem when parents are continuously using Calpol to often at high doses. What happens when children are dropped off at the grandparents or dropped off at a childcare setting, these are times when children may be given another dose of Calpol if parents have forgotten to mention when they last had some. Many childcare settings have set policies and procedures in places to prevent this happening.
Having the guidelines are there to be followed if parents decide to abuse them, then where does this leave the child. It only takes a few extra doses to start affecting children’s health.
There is no denying that children need this medicine. The paracetamol based medicine is very good for treating discomfort and pain and often especially older children will tell you they have a pain whereas with the younger ones it is harder to identify.
What are people’s views on administering Calpol for temperatures?
Relying on Thermometers
Using thermometers can be useful but they may be inaccurate, it is advised when detecting a fever to concentrate more on observing children’s behaviour and noticing signs such as becoming lethargic and showing signs of a lack of thirst. These are times where it is advised to seek medical help.
Many parents worry when their child is running a temperature and most commonly parents administer a dose of Calpol. It is important to read the instructions and to stick to the right dosage for the age of the child. Overusing of Calpol is where the health issues may start to develop.