Calpol in Spain: Children's Paracetamol Explained
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera, MD
Licensed Physician No. 484814280 · Official Medical College of Bizkaia (Spain)Last reviewed: 31 October 2026
Calpol isn't sold in Spain. Apiretal and other Spanish children's paracetamol can be stronger per ml: how to give it safely, and when fever needs a doctor.
You don't have to figure this out alone
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is an independent, bilingual GP licensed in Spain. Book a 15-minute video consultation in English or Spanish for €50, with a private electronic prescription issued under Spanish law when clinically appropriate.
Calpol is not sold in Spain. The Spanish equivalent is children's paracetamol: mainly Apiretal and Gelocatil Pediátrico, sold without a prescription. The big trap is strength. The Spanish liquid can be much stronger per millilitre than the liquid you used at home. Never use a Calpol syringe or a UK dose. Use the device in the box.
- Calpol is not on the Spanish register. Ask for paracetamol infantil.
- Apiretal, Gelocatil Pediátrico and Febrectal suppositories contain paracetamol. Dalsy is ibuprofen.
- Spain's medicines agency warns that some foreign children's syrups are weaker than Spanish ones. Swapping them has caused overdoses.
- A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or more needs a doctor today, in person.
Dr. Pedro Yelamo Vera is a GP licensed in Spain (Colegiado No. 484814280).
For a medical emergency, call 112 or go to the nearest local emergency department. Do not wait for a video consultation or an online reply.
Is there Calpol in Spain?
No. A search for Calpol on CIMA, the Spanish medicines register, finds nothing. Spanish pharmacies stock their own children's paracetamol instead. The medicine inside is the same. The strength, the measuring device and the leaflet are not.
At the counter, ask for paracetamol infantil or paracetamol pediátrico. Tell the pharmacist your child's age and weight. If you brought Calpol from home, keep it with its own syringe and leaflet. Do not mix products.
Which Spanish products match Calpol?
These children's paracetamol products are listed on CIMA as sin receta.
| Name in Spain | Form | Medicine |
|---|---|---|
| Apiretal | Oral solution (solución oral) with a dropper and a syringe; tablets that melt in the mouth (comprimidos bucodispersables) | Paracetamol |
| Gelocatil Pediátrico | Oral solution; granules (granulado) | Paracetamol |
| Febrectal Lactantes, Febrectal Niños | Suppositories (supositorios) | Paracetamol |
| Dalsy | Oral suspension, effervescent granules | Ibuprofen, not paracetamol |
Why can Spanish children's paracetamol be stronger than Calpol?
Each product holds a different amount of paracetamol in each millilitre. So the same number of millilitres can mean a very different dose.
In December 2025 the Spanish medicines agency, AEMPS, warned about this. Children had serious reactions after accidental paracetamol overdoses. In the two cases reported, the syrup from the family's home country was three times weaker than the Spanish one. The child got three times the intended dose.
AEMPS gives parents this advice:
- The amount in millilitres depends on the strength of that product and on your child's current weight.
- Take extra care if you come from another country. You may need a smaller volume for the same dose.
- Use the right device. Some products use a dropper, others a syringe.
The Apiretal leaflet is a good example. It uses the dropper cap for children under 3 and the syringe in millilitres from age 3. It says the syringe must not be used to measure drops.
Not sure which Spanish medicine matches the one your child takes at home?
You can book a video visit with a GP licensed in Spain, in English or Spanish. He checks what your child takes, explains the Spanish equivalent and, where clinically appropriate, issues a private e-prescription for medicines that need one.
How do you give children's paracetamol safely?
- Use only the dropper or syringe from the same box. AEMPS stresses using the right device for each product.
- Write down the time and amount of each dose, so no one in the family doubles it.
- Check other medicines for paracetamol. Cold and flu remedies can contain it.
- Ask a doctor first if your child has liver disease.
- The NHS says not to give it for more than 3 days without speaking to a doctor or pharmacist. The Apiretal leaflet says to see a doctor if your child is worse or no better after 3 days.
Can babies have paracetamol?
Take extra care with babies. The NHS says not to give paracetamol to a baby under 2 months. The AEP says not to give it to a baby under 3 months until a doctor has checked them. The Apiretal leaflet advises asking a doctor before giving it to a child under 3.
A baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38°C or more needs a doctor today, in person. The NICE fever guideline (NG143) puts these babies in the high-risk group. The Spanish Association of Paediatrics (AEP) says they should always be checked by a health professional. Go to a paediatric emergency department (urgencias de pediatría). A video visit is not the right place for this.
Paracetamol or ibuprofen for a child's fever?
NICE and the AEP agree: give medicine to ease distress, not just to bring the number down. If your child is playing and drinking, they may not need anything.
On using both medicines, the advice differs:
- NICE says do not give both at the same time. Alternate them only if distress persists or comes back before the next dose is due.
- The NHS says do not alternate unless a doctor or nurse tells you to.
- The AEP advises against using both, together or in turns, because it leads to dosing mistakes.
In Spain, the safest plan is one medicine at a time, unless your doctor says otherwise. If you use Dalsy, its leaflet says it is not for babies under 3 months or under 5 kg. It also says to avoid it with chickenpox or severe dehydration. For children under 2, the leaflet says a doctor should prescribe it.
Our ibuprofen guide covers the medicine in more detail.
When should you call 112 or see a doctor today?
Call 112 if your child, at any age:
- Has a stiff neck.
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it.
- Has a fit for the first time.
- Has blue, grey, very pale or blotchy skin.
- Is drowsy and hard to wake.
- Struggles to breathe, grunts, or the tummy sucks in under the ribs.
These signs come from the NHS fever page. If your child has taken too much paracetamol, go to an emergency department even if they seem well. AEMPS says signs can appear late, usually from the third day. You can also call the Spanish Poison Information Service on 91 562 04 20.
See a doctor today, without waiting, if your baby is under 3 months with 38°C or more, or 3 to 6 months with 39°C or more, or if a child of any age reaches 40°C. Do the same if your child seems dehydrated (dry nappies, no tears, sunken eyes) or is not their usual self. The AEP advises seeing the paediatrician if a fever lasts more than 48 to 72 hours. NICE uses five days as the point to seek advice. In Spain, follow the AEP.
Talking it through with a doctor by video
Dr. Yelamo is a GP licensed in Spain. He sees adults, children and pregnant patients by video, every day from 07:30 to 20:30 (Spain time). For a child over 3 months, in the visit he will:
- Ask about the fever, drinking, nappies and how your child is behaving.
- Look for warning signs on camera that need an in-person exam.
- Check which medicine you have and how you measure it.
He does not promise any test or prescription before the visit. Where clinically appropriate, following a genuine evaluation. Treatment and prescriptions are issued solely at the doctor's discretion based on evidence-based clinical guidelines.
A prescription is never guaranteed: it is issued only where clinically appropriate after a genuine evaluation, as a private electronic prescription under Spanish law. This service is for urgent, non-emergency care. In an emergency, call 112.
See how the Urgent Care video visit works. It lasts 15 minutes and costs €50.
This guide is general information. It does not replace the package leaflet or the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Calpol in Spain?
No. Calpol is not on the Spanish medicines register. Ask the pharmacist for children's paracetamol (paracetamol infantil). Apiretal and Gelocatil Pediátrico are the usual names.
Is Apiretal the same as Calpol?
Both contain paracetamol, but they are not interchangeable. The Spanish liquid can be much stronger per millilitre than the liquid you used at home. Use only the leaflet and the dosing device in the Apiretal box.
Can I use my Calpol syringe with Apiretal?
No. A syringe or spoon from another product can give the wrong amount. Use the dropper or syringe that comes in the same box.
Does children's paracetamol need a prescription in Spain?
The Apiretal, Gelocatil Pediátrico and Febrectal products we checked on CIMA are listed as sin receta. You buy them at a pharmacy.
My baby is under 3 months and has a fever. What should I do?
A temperature of 38°C or higher at this age needs a doctor today, in person. Go to a paediatric emergency department. Call 112 if your baby is hard to wake, struggles to breathe, has a fit or has a rash that does not fade under a glass.
What if I gave my child too much paracetamol?
Go to an emergency department even if your child seems well. Signs of liver harm can appear days later. Take the box with you. You can also call the Spanish Poison Information Service on 91 562 04 20.
Sources
- AEMPS: Risk of accidental paracetamol overdose with paediatric oral solutions (in Spanish)
- AEMPS CIMA: Apiretal oral solution package leaflet
- NHS: Paracetamol for children
- NHS: High temperature (fever) in children
- NICE NG143: Fever in under 5s
- AEP En Familia: Fever (in Spanish)
- Instituto Nacional de Toxicología: Poison Information Service (in Spanish)
Related guides
Medical Citations & Sources
This content is written and reviewed by a licensed physician with reference to the following official health authorities.
