Parents, if you’re reaching for that bottle of paracetamol syrup, read this first
As paracetamol is widely used to treat pain and fever, there is a common misconception that it is safe and harmless. But know this – although paracetamol is safe when used in therapeutic doses, supra-therapeutic (or excessive) doses can damage the liver and can lead to death from liver failure.
Recently, at Kanchi Kamakoti Child’s Trust Hospital (KKCTH), Chennai, we had a case of a three-year-old boy who had fever and cough for three days. His paediatrician prescribed paracetamol to control the fever – 1ml of drops (100milligrams/millilitre or 100mg/ml) every eight hours as needed.
Recently, at Kanchi Kamakoti Child’s Trust Hospital (KKCTH), Chennai, we had a case of a three-year-old boy who had fever and cough for three days. His paediatrician prescribed paracetamol to control the fever – 1ml of drops (100milligrams/millilitre or 100mg/ml) every eight hours as needed.