The medical journal ‘Prescrire’ of this month of September alerts on the use of paracetamol in stick or sachet in children. Explanations.
Different scents
Easily transportable and consumable without water, it is presented in the form of sticks or sachets (in the form of a drinkable suspension or granules), paracetamol in this form is practical and attractive for parents whose children must take paracetamol. But beware, in case of overdose, this drug can harm your health since overdose can destroy the liver (also in adults) and become a life-threatening risk.
A potentially deadly risk
With its different flavors loved by children (caramel, strawberry, vanilla, red fruits, etc.), it is now quite easy to swallow paracetamol and this is also the potential danger, especially since the dosage indicated on the product is not the easiest, even for attentive parents.
The presentation in sticks trivializes the use of paracetamol
The magazine ‘Prescrire’ adds: “Opening the sachets is easy. There is no security system that could prevent or delay the opening of the bag by a child. The attractiveness of the aromas and the presentation in sticks trivialize the use of paracetamol, and particularly expose children to overdoses”, is it rightly written. For 2 years, all boxes of paracetamol-based medicines must display this alert: ‘Overdose = danger’.
Beware of the possible presence of paracetamol in other medication intakes
Also beware of the possible presence of paracetamol in other medication intakes, so as not to exceed the maximum recommended daily dose for your children, recalls the High Authority for Health. A 2021 study in the journal The Lancet Regional Health Europe, showed that children, especially those under the age of 6, were taking too many medications.
