Paracetamol use (and/or misuse) in children in Enugu, South-East, Nigeria

Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is the commonest available analgesic and anti-pyretic. It
is readily accessed from pharmacy, patent medicine and provision shops as over the counter drug making it a
potential drug of abuse, especially in children. We sought to find its use and/or misuse in children seen at the
paediatric outpatient clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu.
Objective: To determine the dosage, formulation, and frequency of paracetamol administration to children by
caregivers and factors associated with its use and/or misuse.
Method: An observational prospective study involving 231 children and their caregivers seen at the paediatric
outpatient clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku - Ozalla, Enugu between June and November
2011 was undertaken. Data on paracetamol use before presentation to the clinic, in addition to demographic and
other data were obtained from the caregivers using a structured questionnaire. Ethical consent for the study was
obtained from the Hospital Ethics and Research Committee and informed consent was further obtained from the
caregivers of the children.
Results: A total of 231 children aged six weeks to 16 years and their caregivers participated in this study. The mean
ages of the children and their caregivers were 3.8 and 33.9 years, respectively. One hundred and thirty three of the
children studied were males while 98 were females. Most of the children (75.6%) received paracetamol at home
before presenting. Paracetamol tablet alone or in combination with the syrup was mostly used (60%) and this
observation was made across all age groups. The commonest reason for using paracetamol tablet instead of the
syrup was that it was more effective. Most caregivers relied on past experience (71.2%) rather than on enclosed
information leaflet to decide the appropriate dosage. Half of the children also received other medications, mainly
anti-malarials and antibiotics.
Conclusions: Paracetamol was commonly given to children on “self prescription” basis and the tablet formulation
was most frequently used, with the possibility of misuse and overdose. Caregivers need to be educated on ageappropriate
formulatioParacetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is the commonest available analgesic and anti-pyretic. It
is readily accessed from pharmacy, patent medicine and provision shops as over the counter drug making it a
potential drug of abuse, especially in children. We sought to find its use and/or misuse in children seen at the
paediatric outpatient clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu.
Objective: To determine the dosage, formulation, and frequency of paracetamol administration to children by
caregivers and factors associated with its use and/or misuse.
Method: An observational prospective study involving 231 children and their caregivers seen at the paediatric
outpatient clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku - Ozalla, Enugu between June and November
2011 was undertaken. Data on paracetamol use before presentation to the clinic, in addition to demographic and
other data were obtained from the caregivers using a structured questionnaire. Ethical consent for the study was
obtained from the Hospital Ethics and Research Committee and informed consent was further obtained from the
caregivers of the children.
Results: A total of 231 children aged six weeks to 16 years and their caregivers participated in this study. The mean
ages of the children and their caregivers were 3.8 and 33.9 years, respectively. One hundred and thirty three of the
children studied were males while 98 were females. Most of the children (75.6%) received paracetamol at home
before presenting. Paracetamol tablet alone or in combination with the syrup was mostly used (60%) and this
observation was made across all age groups. The commonest reason for using paracetamol tablet instead of the
syrup was that it was more effective. Most caregivers relied on past experience (71.2%) rather than on enclosed
information leaflet to decide the appropriate dosage. Half of the children also received other medications, mainly
anti-malarials and antibiotics.
Conclusions: Paracetamol was commonly given to children on “self prescription” basis and the tablet formulation
was most frequently used, with the possibility of misuse and overdose. Caregivers need to be educated on ageappropriate
formulations which are less likely to lead to overdose.ns which are less likely to lead to overdose.