in December 2023 Babies 🇬🇧

Calpol question

My 9.5 month old has had a temp of 38 since yesterday afternoon, I gave him ibuprofen to start with at 2pm as that’s what I had handy due to teething, calpol at 6.30pm as temp still 38.3, calpol again at 10.30pm, ibuprofen at 11.30pm as temp was creeping up at 38.6 and just given calpol again at 6am. Am I right in thinking I can only give one more dose of calpol around 10ish and then have to wait until 6.30 tonight? And only one more ibuprofen until 2pm? I’m ringing the doctors at 8am for an appointment, my little boy is fine in himself just a bit of a cough and possible ear infection as one ear is reading hotter than the other with the thermometer. He’s eating and drinking and plenty of energy when he’s awake but just want to get him checked. Anyone else had similar and know how to keep temp down within the dosage guidelines? Thanks x

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Thank you, my friend’s baby has just had a temp and the doctor told her to alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol to keep the temp down and sometimes ibuprofen brings the temp down quicker and to be honest it did with my little one last night but I didn’t want to give it on an empty tummy. Thank you for replying, I managed to get an appointment for 10.30 so will see what the doctor says but will hang fire giving any more medicine x

@CeeCee sorry but you’re wrong - whilst ibuprofen does indeed reduce inflammation it is also very effective at reducing fevers (https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/ibuprofen-for-children/about-ibuprofen-for-children/)

Dosing for ibuprofen is 2.5ml maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours and paracetamol (calpol) is 5ml maximum 4 doses in 24 hours. You can take both at the same time or alternate. You might find your child reacts better to one than the other. Calpol doesn’t touch fevers in either of my children whereas ibuprofen brings it down far more effectively.

@Jenny thank you! Ibuprofen is definitely working more effectively and doctor told us to alternate between the two, turns out we all have Covid 😔 little man doing well though 🤞🏼 x

We also do ibuprofen first, calpol never works for either of my girls

Oh no sorry to hear you’ve all got Covid but glad little one is doing well and ibuprofen is working effectively. We alternate too when they are really poorly. Hope you all feel better soon x