# Panic!!! Overdosing twins on paracetamol and ibuprofen!



## nikkinurse (Dec 3, 2010)

Hi please can you help me as I am really panicking!

I have 8.5 month old twins and over the last 2-3 months have been giving them paracetamol or ibuprofen for teething. This had not been on a regular daily basis but occasionally I have given 2-3 doses of one or other in a day. This has been rarely though.

Initially I measured out the dose using the syringe supplied but they did not like taking it this way so I used the spoons I was weaning them with after checking that 1 spoonful = 2.5 ml.

The problem is a few weeks ago I changed their spoons, they are the same make and look similar but something made me check today ( my son has a fever so was giving paracetamol ) and realised they are 5ml spoons not 2.5ml!!!!!

I am in a total panic now that I have been overdosing them all this time.

Please advise what I should do. Should I take them to the GP? What is the likelihood I could have caused liver damage?

Thanks in advance

Nikki


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## mazv (Jul 31, 2006)

I'm assuming that you are using paracetamol suspension 120mg/5ml, which is the usual strength of the paediatric preparation?

Dose range for paracetamol depends on age. For babies of 6months to 2 years the dose is 120mg every 4-6 hours with a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours. From 6months you can therefore give a 5ml spoonful up to 4 times a day. From what you have said it appears unlikely that you have given more than this, even if the twins were slightly under 6 months at the time.

Ibuprofen suspension is usually 100mg/5ml strength. Again dose range depends on age. Dosing for 6 months to 1 year is 50mg (2.5ml spoonful) 3-4 times daily. The recommended maximum over a day is 30mg/kg (given in divided doses). Do you know how much the twins weigh to help gauge how much they might have had at any one time?

The side effects of ibuprofen are often milder than other similar types of NSAID drugs and children are less prone to stomach upset with them. Even if they did get more than necessary in an individual dose, they are likely to have tolerated it okay. I wouldn't be unduly concerned if you were only using the ibuprofen occasionally and weren't giving more than 2or 3 doses in a day.

Liver damage is caused by significant paracetamol overdose. From what you describe using you have not given more than the recommended dosage , so there is no need to worry.


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