Almost one in three parents in Ireland has misused over-the-counter (OTC) medication in order to get their child to sleep at night or during long car journeys, a new study has found.

Dr Aisling Garvey of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin surveyed almost 190 parents and found that 30% have misused OTC medicines to get their children to sleep.

Meanwhile, two in three parents have used children's medicines incorrectly, for example, giving oral medication to a child that was vomiting.

The study found that paracetamol and ibuprofen were the most commonly used OTC medicines among children. Calpol was the most commonly named medicine by parents.

Dr Garvey expressed concern about the findings as research suggests that children who are given OTC painkillers early in life are more likely to self-medicate later in life.

She suggested that the sale of these products should be restricted to pharmacies - currently they can be bought in retail outlets such as supermarkets - and a consultation with a pharmacist should be necessary.