New Pain And Fever Guide
Suggests Paracetamol As The Drug Of Choice

Parents Unsure How To Treat Their Ill Child

A new survey released by Calpol®, the UK's number one children's medicine¹ has shown that 71% of parents are unsure about how to treat their children's pain and fever. This highlights a lack of understanding among parents about what treatments to give children to manage the pain and fever associated with minor ailments and that many hold misconceptions about which medicines are suitable for their child.

These results coincide with the announcement that paracetamol has been suggested as the drug of choice for doctors and other healthcare professionals for the treatment of mild to moderate pain and fever in children.

The launch of a comprehensive guide for health professionals, entitled 'Guide to Children's Pain and Fever for Health Professionals', establishes paracetamol as a first line treatment in the management of childhood ailments. This new guide is an invaluable reference tool for healthcare professionals enabling parents to seek informed advice from their pharmacist when their children are suffering from mild pain and fever, rather than consulting their GP.

The Guide has been launched with the support of leading paediatric health professionals in the UK including: Dr Chris Eccleston (Pain Management Unit, University of Bath), Dr Claire Anderson (Director of Centre for Pharmacy, Health and Society, University of Nottingham), Sharon Conroy (Lecturer in Paediatric Clinical Pharmacy, Derbyshire Children's Hospital), Dr Warren Lenney (Consultant Paediatrician, University Hospital of North Staffordshire) and Dawn Chandler (Health Visitor/CPT, Harrow PCT); and offers community practitioners an invaluable reference source when advising parents and carers on managing childhood pain and fever.

Leading experts continue to agree that most mild to moderate childhood pain and fever can be managed successfully with the use of over the counter (OTC) medicines, such as paracetamol. Paracetamol suspension for children was first launched over 40 years ago and due to its excellent safety profile, it continues to be the most widely used OTC remedy for children, with Calpol® the most popular brand .

Paracetamol is gentle on the stomach and is one of the first OTC medicines that can be given to a baby as young as two months when treating post-immunisation fever.

Dr Chris Eccleston, Director of Pain Management Unit, University of Bath, comments: "Studies have shown that parents become very anxious when confronted with symptoms of pain and fever in their infant or child. This Guide provides health professionals with an effective step-by-step approach to managing pain and fever relief in children, quickly and effectively. It is a welcome directive."

Pain and fever are the two most frequently encountered symptoms associated with childhood ailments. However, they can also be warning signs of more serious illness, where referral to a doctor is essential. The Guide indicates that if certain symptoms are present or if children fail to respond to initial doses of paracetamol, they should always be referred to their GP.

The Guide also provides essential information to health professionals on managing persistent pain and fever in children. Persistent pain or fever could be a sign of a more serious condition. If this occurs you must contact your pharmacist or GP. Once serious conditions have been ruled out, recommended treatments to provide ongoing relief may include paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Calpol contains paracetamol. Always read the label.

1. IRI Data 52 w/e 10 July 2004