Paracetamol is the international nonproprietary name, or INN, for the medication that in the United States is known as acetaminophen. Paracetamol, or acetaminophen, is a medication that is used throughout the world as a pain reliever and fever reducer. It is available in formulations that children can take, but parents should be aware of side effects that may occur with this medication.
Drug Rashes
As with many medications, one side effect that may occur in children taking paracetamol is that of a generalized rash on the chest, back, arms, legs or face. The rash, according to the pharmacology reference MicroMedex, may look like little red bumps or may simply be small areas of skin that are reddish but not raised. This type of rash is known as a drug eruption and may occur in response to a variety of medications, including paracetamol. MicroMedex also reports that paracetamol use increases the risk of a more severe skin reaction called Stevens-Johnson syndrome. This is an extremely severe rash that results in large areas of skin dying and is a life-threatening condition.
Liver Damage
Hepatotoxicity is the medical term used to describe damage to the liver from a chemical such as a medication. While liver damage due to paracetamol is rare, there have been case reports of children suffering from life-threatening liver failure. MicroMedex, summarizing the results of two cases of paracetamol-related liver damage, reports that in one instance, the child recovered after several days of hospitalization, while another child died of liver failure. While these are extremely serious and tragic situations, it is important to remember that liver-related side effects are extremely rare in children taking paracetamol.
Severe Hypersensitivity Response
Another possible side effect of paracetamol in children is the development of a severe allergic, or hypersensitive, response to the medication. MicroMedex describes several individual cases of severe, immediate reactions in children taking paracetamol. Symptoms indicating a severe allergic reaction include hives, difficulty breathing, swollen lips or tongue, very low blood pressure and unconsciousness. Although exact numbers of children experiencing a severe allergic reaction to paracetamol are unknown, according to UpToDate, this potentially dangerous side effect is a very rare one.
References
- International Nonproprietary Names
- Acetaminophen
- "UpToDate;" Acetaminophen (Paracetamol): Pediatric Drug Information; Lexi-Comp, Inc.; 2010
- "MicroMedex;" Acetaminophen; Thompson Reuters, Inc.; 2010
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