Everyone knows how horrible it is to see a young baby or child unwell with a high temperature or mild pain. Of course you want to do everything you can to help with lots of love, cuddles and comforting but often this is not enough and you need a helping hand. This is when my good friend Calpol comes in to take over.

So What Is Calpol?
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Calpol is an oral suspension which contains 120mg of paracetamol per 5ml. It is used to relieve mild pain and raised temperatures in babies 3 months and older.

What Ages Can It Be Used For?
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Calpol infant suspension can be used for children between 3 months (can be taken at 2months with doctors advice) and six years. Calpol now have liquid paracetamol, called six plus, for children between one and twelve, though more suitable for those between six and twelve.

Anything I need To Know Before I Give It To My Child?
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Calpol is not suitable for children with serious kidney or liver problems. It should also not be taken along side any other medication without first seeking medical advice. Remember that it contains paracetamol so do not take with any other medicine contain paracetamol. Paracetamol is often used in cough, cold and flu remedies so check before giving any else to your child.

What Can It Be Used For?
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Calpol has a wide range of conditions that it can treat. Generally it is mild pain relieve and to reduce raised temperatures. I first used it for my daughter when she had her first MMR jab at 2 months. Although you are told not to use it before 3 months my doctor recommended that I gave my daughter a 2.5ml dose to bring down a fever after having the jabs. I found that Calpol soothed her and was very pleased that she liked the taste as she has always been a fussy monkey! So it can be used to bring down a fever caused by jabs, flu
or ear infection, etc. but it also works as a pain killer for mild pain relief. I have used Calpol to relieve the discomfort of flu, teething, ear ache, colds and the nasty bugs that come around from time to time.

So Where Can You Buy It?
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Calpol can be bought over the counter and can be found in pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores and garages ? more or less anywhere where people shop. You can get Calpol on prescription from your doctor though I have had trouble at some pharmacies getting Calpol as they try and substitute it for a cheaper brand.

How Much Does It Cost And What Sizes Does It Come In?
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Calpol Infant Suspension comes in two sizes, 70ml and 140ml. 70ml can be found for about £2 and 140ml for £3.50. So it usually works out better value for money to get the bigger bottle. You can also buy Calpol in 5ml sachets which is a great idea and very convenient to carry around in your bag. They are sold in packs of ten 5ml for about £3. They work out as more expensive then buying a bottle but are great for when you are on the go.

What Are The Instructions Like?
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The Instructions come on a thin sheet of A5 paper and give you details of ingredients, dosage, storage advice and very importantly a list of who not to give the medicine to and when to seek medical help. The instructions are laid out very well and are written in plain English.

What Does It Look Like And Taste Like?
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Calpol is a very thick and very sticky bright pink liquid. It has a nice sweet strawberry taste to it and is very pleasant. My daughter has liked the taste of this since she first had it at two months. It does have an inviting look about it and this encourages children to try it. When it comes to anything you WANT children to put in their mouths you need
it to look like it would taste nice or you may have a war on your hands!

What Have I Used It For?
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I have used Calpol for post immunisations to reduce any fever. I found this worked effectively and my daughter slept very well that night and only needed the one dose. My daughter had a cold for what seemed a life time, only about 2 weeks though, and I gave her 5ml four times a day to reduce the effects of it and aid her recovery. We found the paracetamol did take the edge off her cold and especially helped her to sleep well at night. Unlike many mums though I decided to try not to give her paracetamol when she was teething and just stick with calgel and bongela. Prolonged use of paracetamol can cause liver and kidney damage and you should not use it for more than three days.

How Much Do You Need?
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The dosage depends on the age of your child but it ranges from 2.5ml up to 10ml. You are given a double sided dosing spoon which each bottle with a 2.5ml and 5ml measuring side. I tend not to use the spoons though as I find them awkward and messy. I bought a medicine syringe for about £1.50 which is a far more convenient and simple dosage device.

How Long Can You Use It For?
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You can use Calpol a maximum of four times a day and for three days. If the pain or fever does not reduce within an hour of taking it though you are to seek immediate medical attention.

What If I give Too much?
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Seek immediate medical attention if you accidentally give too much as it can cause liver and kidney damage, even if it does not seem apparent at first.

Are There Any Side-effects?
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I have never experienced any side effects while giving this medicine to my daughter but as with all medicines a few people may experience some mild side effects. In rare cases a skin rash ma
y develop as a result of taking this medicine and they may real more tired and get more infections than normal. This is very rare but if you are concerned then stop taking the medicine and seek medical help.

How Do You Store It?
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Like all medicines you need to ensure that you keep the bottle well out of reach of children. It has a safety child-proof lid to prevent accidents but you should always keep them in a locked cupboard. Do not put it in the fridge as this can separate the ingredients and result in your child receiving too much paracetamol in the dose. You must also always remember to shake the bottle well before opening as this mixes all the ingredients together again. Keep the bottle out of direct sunlight.

What If Things Don?t Get Better?
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If you feel your child is still in distress or you have used Calpol to treat your child for three days and they are still unwell then seek immediate medical attention.

So Why Do I Prefer Calpol?
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I chose Calpol because my daughter likes the taste and I trust the brand. I have tried Boots? own brand and my daughter would not take it as she did not like the taste. I have used Calpol from her two-month jabs and we have found that has worked perfectly for us so we shall stick with it. It has worked well for us and I hope it will for you and your little ones too.

Do They Make Any Other Products?
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Calpol also make Calrub, which is just like Vicks Vapour Rub, mostly designed for children aged 6 months and older. It is designed to aid their breathing and soothe a sore throat and nose when your child has a cold. This can be bought for around £3 for 50ml.

Calprofen is for pain and raised temperature and is suitable for ages 6 months to 12 years. It costs about £3.50 for 100ml. Each 5ml dose contains 100mg of ibuprofen and no parace
tamol.

Calgel is for teething and can be bought for around £2 for 10g. I have frequently used this product and have been very pleased with it. It relieves the pain and soothes the gums within about 30 minutes of applying.


I have never experienced any side effects from using Calpol and have been more than happy with using it to treat pain and a raised temperature successfully. I will stick with Calpol as it is easy to give to my daughter as she likes the taste and it is available to buy from a variety of places and you can also get it on prescription. An effective product, for what can be a very stressful and distressing time when my daughter is unwell.

I hope this has been useful to you. I have included some photos of Calpol as Ciao didn?t have any; they are a bit blurry though. Please seek medical advice if you are unsure whether to give this to your child.

Thanks for reading, Em XX