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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
Australian Prescriber is unable to comment on individual cases or give second opinions.
Australian Prescriber Vol. 31 No. 3 2008
Pain relief for children
Paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine are the most commonly used medicines for treating pain in children. Aspirin is no longer recommended for children under the age of 12.
Paracetamol is generally the first choice for pain relief as it causes less side effects than ibuprofen. However for some illnesses, such as juvenile arthritis, ibuprofen is more appropriate. Codeine is most often combined with other pain-relievers in one medicine, but is generally not recommended for routine use in children.
To avoid giving your child a double dose of the same medication, it is important to check what is in pain relief products. For example, hot drink preparations for cold and flu often contain paracetamol and should not be given with other medicines that also contain paracetamol. Always check the label for dosing instructions as they vary between different brands.
