Help please - children’s pain relief

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

Ds1 - 14 broke his arm and wrist today and currently in awful pain.

Clean but impacted breaks (possibly on growth plate / Snr surgeon looking at x-rays in the morning) and we are awaiting to see if he needs surgery.

He was given an 1 ibuprofen and 1.5 paracetamol tablets at 4.45pm and I can kick myself as I didn’t ask what dosage they gave him.

They have advised however he can have 3 doses of each meds in 24 hours.

Am I right I thinking I can give him 2 x 5ml of ibuprofen and 4 x 5m of paracetamol?

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

Sorry these are the meds I will be giving him.

I’m not sure of the length of time between paracetamol and ibuprofen, as I’m a asthmatic so don’t take ibuprofen at all.

[BertieBotts]

They will likely have dosed it by his weight in kilos. You can find the dosage by kilo online. And it depends what strength your medicine is in terms of how many ml he can have.

[BertieBotts]

At 14 though he ought to be on an adult dose? Unless de weighs less than 40kg.

[modgepodge]

I believe you can give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time, though I’d recommend alternating every 2 hours. No idea on the dosage in Calpol for that age group, over 12s take the same dose as adults I believe though so in tablets that would be 1000mg paracetamol and 400mg ibuprofen.

[BertieBotts]

You don't need to leave any time between them. Just the four hours between each dose of the same medicine. Sometimes six for ibuprofen - I found the children's bottle always said 6 hours whereas adult nurofen says 4

[modgepodge]

Ps when I say ‘I’d recommend’ - I am in no way qualified to be recommending!!! That’s just what I’d do for myself, as then there’s always some sort of painkiller in the system! Rather than giving both together every 4 hours.

[BertieBotts]

The medicine you have got looks to be the strength you'd usually buy for very young children so he might have to have quite a lot of each. Will he take tablets? That might be easier for him if you can pop out to get some.

[dementedpixie]

What does the packaging say for his age group? Although if he can swallow tablets then he can take whatever dose that packet says - tablets normally give dosages for children over 12

[BertieBotts]

You could probably also get proper advice by calling 111 :)

[FluffBalled]

Read the side of the bottle to check age appropriate dosage.

If he has only had one lot today then it should be fine.

You could give paracetamol first and hold off on the ibuprofen for a bit to keep it in reserve for a couple of hours time. The bottles will tell you whether 3 or 4 doses in 24hr period.

If you photograph the instructions we can work it out for you.

Set alarms on your phone for each med and then you will be able to keep track (and let hospital know what he has had tomorrow).

[SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing]

It's confusing, I've seen so many posts on this.


Minimum time between ibuprofen doses is 4 hours, but they recommend 6. And to confuse things further, you can only have 3 full doses in a 24 hour period.

OP what does he weigh? I'll work it out if you like

[modgepodge]

Yes - that paracetamol I think he’d need 40ml for a dose which is almost half the bottle and the ibuprofen 20ml, one fifth of the bottle. You’ll be getting through bottle and bottles of the stuff if it’s for a few days!!! You can buy stronger stuff for older kids, or dissolvable tablets if he can’t swallow tablets.

[FluffBalled]

@modgepodge

Ps when I say ‘I’d recommend’ - I am in no way qualified to be recommending!!! That’s just what I’d do for myself, as then there’s always some sort of painkiller in the system! Rather than giving both together every 4 hours.

same in this house modgepodge, avoids the painful gap before next dose.

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

He can’t take tablets yet can eat a chicken nugget.

Height 2ft tall.
Weight 7.5 stone
And he’s in the 51 centile.

The hospital didn’t weight/measure him... didn’t even take his temp now I’m thinking about it. ( they were awesome mind)

[dementedpixie]

How old is that medicine? That is infant paracetamol normally given up to age 6. The stuff from age 6 is 250mg/5ml

[dementedpixie]

he can't be 2ft tall, that's tiny!

[dementedpixie]

calpol do fastmelt tablets for age 6+ that dissolve

[SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing]

Will he take tablets?

1 x ibuprofen is 200mg.
1.5 x paracetamol will be 750mg.

If he's has nothing since, he can have the same again now. Give ibuprofen with food.

[SomeHalfHumanCreatureThing]

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend

He can’t take tablets yet can eat a chicken nugget.

Height 2ft tall.
Weight 7.5 stone
And he’s in the 51 centile.

The hospital didn’t weight/measure him... didn’t even take his temp now I’m thinking about it. ( they were awesome mind)

What's with the face? Your OP says he's 14?!

Ffs

How old is your child.

[steppemum]

you can give them both at the same time.

I had a child who needed large amount sof pain relief.

This is what I was told:

1. do it by weight, you can check the dose on-line. The dose on the box is very conservative. If your child is tall for their age, it means you can give them more, so more effective.
   
2. You can give both at once
   
3. The best way to give it is to alternate, so you give Ibuprofen, then 2 hours later paracetamol, then 2 hours later ibupofen again if needed. But check the gaps on the packet. The reason for this is that when one wears off the other one is still active.
   

Hope that helps.

[mylittlesandwich]

An adult can have 1000mg if paracetamol. That would be 50mls of that? Also are you sure he's 2ft? DS is 6 months and is longer than 2ft.

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

Right instructions say 4 x 5ml of paracetamol for Age 10-12 plus

And ibuprofen says 2 x 5ml for age 10-12 plus

Nothing about dosages tho.

I’ve even googled, dh on 111 he’s been waiting for 40 mins.

[dementedpixie]

You can get melty ibuprofen tablets too apparently

[BertieBotts]

:o My not yet two year old is 3 feet tall! 2 metres? He'd be a beanpole, though.

I'm rubbish with tablets, but if I'm struggling I chew some bread or banana and push the tablet inside the lump of chewed food, then swallow that.

They will have just taken his age and used that to give him a standard adult dose. 7.5 stone is over 40kg.

[HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend]

5ft 2 that should say, my face is because he can’t swallow a tablet yet eats chicken nuggets whole x

Sorry getting worked up, been a stressful day x