Paediatricians warn parents against giving adult medicines to children under five

Medical experts have cautioned parents and caregivers against administering adult medications to children under the age of five, warning that the practice could result in severe organ damage, drug poisoning and, in extreme cases, death.

The warning was issued by paediatric specialists, who stressed that children are not simply “small adults” and should never be given adult medicines by reducing dosages or splitting tablets without professional medical guidance.

Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Olugbenga Mokuolu, said the organs of infants and young children are still developing and are unable to process medicines in the same way as adults.

According to him, the liver and kidneys of young children are not fully mature, making them more vulnerable to drug toxicity, acute kidney injury and liver damage when exposed to medications intended for adults.

He also cautioned against self-medication and the practice of giving children medicines that were previously prescribed for another child with similar symptoms.

“We recommend that parents take their children to the hospital rather than buy a drug that worked for Child A and give it to Child B. We want to discourage all these practices,” Mokuolu said.

A consultant paediatrician, Dr. Rasheedat Ibraheem, also warned against the indiscriminate use of over-the-counter cold, cough and sedating antihistamine medications in children under five.

She explained that such medicines could suppress breathing, cause excessive drowsiness or conceal underlying bacterial infections that require prompt medical attention.

The experts further noted that medication errors by parents remain a major cause of emergency hospital visits among children, with many cases linked to the use of household spoons instead of standard measuring devices for liquid medicines.

They advised parents to use only paediatric formulations prescribed by qualified healthcare professionals, avoid reusing old prescriptions or medications prescribed for another child, and always measure liquid medicines with calibrated syringes or measuring cups provided with the medication.

The specialists urged parents and caregivers to seek medical advice from qualified health workers or registered pharmacists before administering any medication to young children, stressing that proper diagnosis and treatment remain the safest approach to protecting children’s health.