I am still surprised when I hear that the baby or child is given acetaminophen "just because", because nothing happens, just in case ... Paracetamol is one of the most used drugs in pediatrics, although there is an abuse of this medicine.
Even when you have a fever, you have to be careful before administering anti-thermal agents to try other solutions and reliefs.
The abuse is due, among other reasons, to a false sense of security and safety that this product transmits, although paracetamol is not harmless. Liver damage can occur with high doses of paracetamol, even before it becomes toxic.
There are different studies that publish cases of liver failure in adults and children, even with the final result of death, due to the abuse of paracetamol.
Therefore, doctors and pediatricians are advised to insist that antithermic agents in general (and paracetamol in particular) should be administered only in case of fever that affects the general condition. It is in these cases when the dose should be calculated according to the child's weight (not according to his age).
It is also important to realize that fever is a symptom and by itself is not bad but that it helps fight an infection.
The indications for use of paracetamol are exclusively fever and pain, and parents should be aware of the danger posed by frequent or habitual indiscriminate use of paracetamol, that is, drug abuse. A medicine that has associated real adverse effects that could affect the baby or child if they are not receiving the appropriate dose or treatment.
