Taking co-codamol for children with other medicines and herbal supplements

Some medicines affect the way co-codamol works. Co-codamol can also stop some medicines working as well as they should.

Tell your child's doctor if your child is taking:

• epilepsy medicines
• medicines for anxiety or sleep problems
• medicines to stop them feeling or being sick such as domperidone or metoclopramide
• medicines to treat infection, particularly rifampicin or ciprofloxacin
• antidepressants

It's safe to give children co-codamol with ibuprofen.

Never give aspirin to a child under 16 years old (unless their doctor prescribes it). It can cause serious, even fatal, side effects.

Do not give children co-codamol with paracetamol or other medicines that contain paracetamol, unless you've been advised to by a doctor. Co-codamol already contains paracetamol so your child could get a paracetamol overdose.

Medicines that have paracetamol in them include some painkillers like Tramacet and co-dydramol, some migraine remedies, and some cough and cold remedies like Lemsip and Night Nurse.

Before giving a child any other medicines together with co-codamol, check the label to see whether they contain paracetamol.

It's not possible to say whether complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with co-codamol. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Tell a pharmacist or doctor if your child is taking any other medicines, including herbal remedies, vitamins or supplements.