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Writer's pictureSamantha Pieterse

An Essential List of Common South African Pediatric Medicine Dosages

Updated: Jul 31


Surup medications
Via: www.canva.com


Hello, People Who Care for Children

 

As a follow-up to my blog post on essential medicines to have in your first aid box, I made a master list of the most common baby and children medicines and dosage tables.

 

This list could be useful when you’re in a rush or you don’t have signal – so print it out and put it in your medicine box for a time of need.


 

Pain and Fever

 

Panado/Calpol Dosage for a Baby/Child


Panado and Calpol are used to treat pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Antalgic SF, Pyngesic S, Painogesic Syrup, Feverpain, Painmol Syrup, Pyralen Syrup, Entalgic Syrup

 

Age

Dose

How Often

< 2 months

Doctor recommended*


2 – 3 months

2.5ml

4 – 6 hourly

3 - 6 months

2.5ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

6 – 24 months

5ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

2 – 4 years

7.5ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

4 – 8 years

10ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

8 – 10 years

15ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

10 – 12 years

20ml

6 hourly (4x daily)

 

Empaped Suppository Dosage for a Baby/Child

 

Empaped suppositories are used for the treatment of pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Pyracet

 

Age

Dose

How often

2 – 12 months

125mg suppository

6 hourly (4x daily)

>  1 year

250mg suppository

6 hourly (4x daily)

 

Remember, this is the same as Panado/Calpol, so this cannot be given within 8 hours of giving that.

 

Mefenamic Acid (Ponstel) Dosage for a Baby/Child

 

Ponstel or Ponstan is used to treat pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Ponstel S, Adco-Mefenamic Acid, Fenamin Suspension, Ponac Suspension

 

Age

Dosage

How often

6 – 24 months

5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

2 - 4 years

10ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

4 – 8 years

15ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

8 – 12 years

20ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

* Must be taken with a meal

 

Pontsan Suppository Dosage for a Baby/Child


Ponstan suppository is used to treat pain and fever – and cannot be given with Mefenamic Acid syrup as it is the same (see how to alternate pain medications here)

 

Age

Dosage

How often

> 2 years old

125mg suppository

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

* Must be taken with a meal


Nurofen Dosage for a Baby/Child


Neurofen syrup is used to treat pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Brufen for Children, Ibugesic Fever and Pain, Ibucine Paediatric Suspension, Inflamax Paediatric Suspension, Nurofen for Children Sugar-Free, Ibugesic Oral Suspension

 

Age

Dosage

How often

3 – 12 months

2.5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

1 – 4 years

5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

4 – 6 years

7.5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

6 – 9 years

10ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

9 – 12 years

15ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

* Must be taken with a meal


Myprodol Syrup Dosage for a Baby/Child


Myprodol/Mybulen syrup is used for extreme pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Mybulen Suspension

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 3 years

Not established for use


3 – 6 years

2.5 – 5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

6 – 12 years

5 – 10 ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

> 12 years

20ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

* Must be taken with meals


Stilpayne Syrup Dosage for a Baby/Child


Stilpayne syrup is used for severe pain and fever.

 

Other brand names: Lentogesic Syrup, Stopayne Syrup, Salterpyn Syrup, Adco-Kiddipayne, Infapain Forte, Painagon, Medipyn, Pynmed Pain And Fever Syrup, AstraPain Syrup, Goldgesic Syrup, Ban Pain A/F, Stilpane, Megapyn, Dynapayne Syrup

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 2 years

Not established for use


2 – 5 years

5ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

6 – 12 years

5 – 10ml

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

Lotem Dosage for a Baby/Child


Lotem is used for extreme pain and fever management

 

Other brand names: Ibumol Grape, Lotem Suspension

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 2 years

Not established for use


2 – 5 years

2.5 – 5ml

6 – 8 hourly (3-4 x daily)

6 – 12 years

5 – 10ml

6 – 8 hourly (3-4 x daily)


How to alternate pain and fever medications

 

Knowing how to alternate pain medications in children can be tricky. A lot of common medications are combinations of two or three types of pain medications, and we don’t want to risk overdoing our little ones on medication.

 

I put the main brand names in this table, but if you have a generic, please check under that section for which group it falls under.

 

You can alternate group 1 and group 2 every 4 hours which is nice for a fever that comes back after just a few hours.

 

Group 3 must be given on its own (either 8 hours before or after either group 1 or two). This is because medications in group 3 either have Paracetamol, an anti-inflammatory or both in it, and this would mean that giving it sooner than 8 hours would overdose your child on whatever particular medication you had already given.


Group 1 (Paracetamol)

Group 2 (Anti-inflammatory)

Group 3 (Combinations)

Panado/Calpol (see other brand names)

Stilpayne/Stopayne (see other brand names)

Ponsten/Ponstel/Ponac Syrup (see other brand names)

Myprodol/Mybulin (see other brand names)

 

Ponstan suppositories (see other brand names)

 

Voltaren/Panamore Suppositories or drops (see other brand names)

 


  1. Do not alternate any medications in the same group sooner than 8 hourly

  2. Alternate group 1 and group 2 every 4 hours

  3. Medicines in Group 3 cannot be given sooner than 8 hours before or after any medications in Group 1 or Group 2


 

Colds, Flu and Coughing


Prospan Dosage for a Baby/Child


Prospan syrup is used for dry and wet coughs.

 

Age

Dosage

How often

0 – 6 years

2.5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

6 – 12 years

5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

>12 years

5 – 7.5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)


Allergex Syrup Dosage for a Baby/Child


Allergex syrup can be used for skin and seasonal allergies.

 

Other brand names: Allecet Syrup, Texa Allergy Syrup, Ceticit Syrup, Allecet Syrup, Acuzyrt Syrup, Zetop Syrup, Zelary Syrup

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 2 years

Contraindicated (may not be given)


2 – 6 years

2.5 ml

12 hourly (2x daily)

6 – 12 years

5ml

12 hourly (2x daily)


 

Tummy Troubles


Buscopan Syrup Dosage for a Baby/Child


Buscopan is used for stomach cramping.

 

Other brand names: Scopex, Hyospasmol

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 1 month

Not recommended


1 – 3 months

2.5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

3 – 12 months

2.5 – 5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

1- 3 years

5 – 10ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

3 – 6 years

10ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

6 – 12 years

10 – 20ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)


Valoid Syrup Dosage for a Baby/Child


Valoid syrup helps to treat nausea, vomiting and motion sickness.


Other brand names: Adco-Cyclizine Syrup, Nauzine S, Medazine S, Cycloid Syrup, Triazine Pead Syrup, Aculoid Syrup

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 2 years

Not established for use


2 – 5 years

5ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

6 – 12 years

10ml

8 hourly (x3 daily)

 

Valoid Suppository Dosage for a Baby/Child


Valoid suppositories are for treating nausea, vomiting and motion sickness

 

Other brand names: Triazine 50mg Suppositories, Valoid Children's Suppositories, Valoid AS

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 6 years

Not established for use


6 – 12 years

50mg suppository

8 hourly (3x daily)

>12 years

100mg suppository

8 hourly (3x daily)

 

Pectrolyte Dosage for a Baby/Child


Pectrolyte is used to treat mild to moderate diarrhea in adults and children.

 

Age

Dosage

How often

< 3 years

Not established for use


3 – 6 years

5 – 10ml

4 hourly (6x daily)

6 – 12 years

10 – 20 ml

4 hourly (6x daily)

 

Ensure your child is drinking plenty of water with Pectrolyte syrup.


 

So there you have it!


I think I'm quickly going to print myself one of these.


Let us know in the comments what else you'd like to see.

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