Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)

Paracetamol or Acetaminophen is one of the most used and recommended medicine for fever and body aches.   A must have in every household's medicine cabinet. But what is Paracetamol? Are there side effects or long term effects associated with its use? What are the recommended dosage for kids? Is it safe to use for infants?

What is Paracetamol?
Paracetamol is an analgesic (pain reliever) and antipyretic (fever reducer) home medication that has been around for over 30 years. It is safe for use in both adults and children and virtually has no side-effects when taken at recommended dosage.
Paracetamol is available in forms of tablet, syrup and drops.

Dosage
Always check insert for proper dosage or seek advice from your medical practitioner.
Dosage shown on the table below is based on the product TEMPRA which is supplied in 2 dosage forms: TEMPRA Drops 80mg/ml acetaminophen and TEMPRA Syrup 80mg/5ml acetaminophen

GROUP	DROPS	SYRUP	TABLET
under 2 years or less than 11kg	10mg/kg dose at 4 to 5 doses a day for drops	ask your pediatrician	not for use
2 - 3 years old or 11 - 16 kg	1.6ml may be repeated every 4-6 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours	1 - 1⅔ TSP may be repeated every 4-6 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours	not for use
4 - 5 years old or 16 - 21 kg	2.4ml may be repeated every 4-6 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours	2 TSP may be repeated every 4-6 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours	not for use
6 - 12 years old	-	5 - 10ml at 250mg/5ml syrup, may be repeated every 4-6 hours to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours	not for use
Adults	-	-	2 500mg tablets every 4 - 6 hours, not exceeding 8 tablets in any 24 hour period.

Source: Pharmweb.Net, Unipharma-sy.com

Fever, Symptoms and Treatment

What is Fever?

Fever is the body's natural way of defense against invasion of bacteria and viruses. A person is said to have a fever when body temperature reading is above or below the normal temperature which is 37°C (98.6°F). But body temperature may very well vary up to 0.6°C (1°F) hence it's not considered medically significant not unless the temperature is above 38°C (100.4°F). This demands immediate medical attention and treatment as it can result in delirium and convulsions particularly in children.

Treatment
A person with fever should be kept comfortable and not overdressed. Over dressing causes body temperature to increase further. Sponge bath using lukewarm water may help bring down the temperature but never immerse a person in an ice cold water as this may cause severe shivering.
Medications such as Paracetamol, and Ibuprofen may be used if the fever causes discomfort. Never give Aspirin to treat fever as this may cause Reye Syndrome which is a dangerous illness that causes prolonged vomiting, confusion and even coma or liver failure.

When To Sick Professional Health Care
Children under age of 3 months should be taken to a physician or pediatrician for fever with temperature of 38°C and above. Persons with continuous fever and fever lasting for more than 3 days should also seek professional medical attention to validate the cause of illness.

 Source: MedicineNet.com