Confused about using Calpol. Can anyone help?

[Queenfreak]

Obviously I can clearly read the instructions, but I know that it's now recommended you don't administer medication to reduce a temperature now.
So- daughter is 21 months. Had a temp of 39 last night at 7 and was upset so I gave Calpol.
She woke twice in the night, but just wanted reassurance and a quick feed, settled very easily so I didn't give Calpol even though she was hot.
This morning her temp is 39.2
She's happy enough, but I suspect that's because she's just woken from a good night sleep.
Do I just leave it and monitor her temp or would you administer as it's quite high?
Thanks

Who said it's not recommended?

Personally, I administer Calpol (or neurofen) if the child is distressed and/or in pain.
But then i don't have a thermometer.

I’d leave her until she seems uncomfortable/unhappy before giving more

Personly I think when you've got a temp, you don't feel well and if it was me is drink a lemsip, or take paracetamol. So I think non verbal children should be given pain relief also.

For a high temperature to continue there's something going on and I don't think the reasons for not giving calpol outweigh the reasons why you should.

Hope your lo feels better soon.

I didnt realise were not supposed to lower temps now.?
My son since yesterday has had temp 38.5 sometimes 39 and ive been giving him calpol.
Sorry im not much help, I guess its what you want to do and how fussy they are.

www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/advice-for-managing-child-fever/

Some good advice here, OP.

"I’d leave her until she seems uncomfortable/unhappy before giving more"

I don't understand why you'd do that to a young child. A doctor would say to you to take pain relief regularly because it works better as a maintenance dose than a relief dose.

There's no harm in doing that for a couple of days.

When I had bad period pains or a cold, I'd time out doses, not wait until I was in pain/hot.

Thanks everyone.
It does still seem very open to interpretation.
I think I'll leave her until she seems unhappy, or until it reaches 39.5
That seems a very high temp to me.

That article is from 2011 so it's out of date. When we get our babies vaccinated they recommend calpol for a temperature, and 111 advise it too for other reasons for a temperature.

A temp of up to 38 in a happy child I wouldn't give calpol. Anything over 38, even if child appears happy, I'd give calpol. It's low grade fevers they're saying not to routinely give, 39 isn't low grade.

There's a misunderstanding around this research.

Taken from the link:
"Paracetamol and ibuprofen are the most commonly used antipyretics. The reviewers discuss potential harms associated with higher doses. They also talk about the different practices relating to taking the drugs either alternately or in combination."

They are talking about using combined dosing of Paracetamol and ibuprofen, not just using one or the other.

" Either paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to reduce temperature in children with fever. They should not be administered at the same time."

The article that the Telegraph did on this research was wrong and the research was misinterpreted.

Your DD was upset, there was a reason to give pain relief.

It’s so confusing. My GP said we don’t need to use calpol for solely lowering of a temperature and my friend recently took her child for her 1 Year vaccinations and she was told they no longer recommend giving calpol routinely afterwards unless the child is really out of sorts. The advice given doesn’t appear to be consistent.

Thanks@EleanorLavish she still breastfeeds so I'll make sure to offer today
@Birdsgottafly it's not that I want her to suffer, far from it. However I don't take meds when I feel a little under the weather, and I don't want to give her meds unnecessarily. If she were in pain she'd let me know I'm sure.

@Scarylea that's what I'm struggling with- inconsistancy.
As it happens she's just gone all whingy and clingy, so obviously isn't feeling great so I've just given Calpol.
I also like the advice above about low grade and higher temps.
I think over 39 isn't low grade.

For me I think any child under 2 with a temp that high should have calpol. I work in a childcare setting and have seen several children have seizures due to high temperatures and it's really not a nice thing to witness.

If she's not uncomfortable and ok in herself then I wouldn't give calpol.

One of mine gets high fevers but could be fine in themselves. If they were uncomfortable with it I would treat but otherwise, the temp would just come down on its own.

Do not wait until temp is 39!

If you are trying to manage temps, you can give Calpol & Nurofen alternately ie one in between doses of the other. This is v effective for managing temps.

The important thing to know your child’s baseline temp ie on my thermometer one child comes up as 35 normal temp - so 37 is elevated. Each child & thermometer differs & you need to base on that & your own assessment to decide on their temp / need for medicine.

39.5 is a very high temperature. I would be trying to lower that. Low grade fevers such as 37.5-38ish I wouldn't give calpol for unless they were uncomfortable.

Young children can easily develop very high temperatures because unlike adults their body’s cooling system has not fully developed. If they over heat then they will have seizures which can obviously be dangerous. Give the calpol.

The NICE guidelines don't recommend the use of paracetamol or ibuprofen solely for the control of temperature. Only if the child is in distress, so OP, you are doing the right thing. See the picture attached.

It also says that the use of these agents don't prevent febrile convulsions so shouldn't be used for this reason

Was listening to Dr Sarsh Jarvis on radio 2 last October discussing this. The issue is that the viruses can only thrive in the cool/normal Body temperature so to fight them off, our body raises our temperature. Taking drugs to reduce the temperature this makes our bodies job even harder.

This isn’t a new idea as I remember an aunt on the 70s being very ill in hospital and they wouldn’t give her any paractomol as her body needed to fight the infection- they had fans trained on her to help keep her cooler.

But it does make sense and perhaps is where the old saying of ‘just sweat it out ‘ came from?

@Iwouldliketoknow thank you so much for clarifying.
Those guidelines make perfect sense to me. She did actually get Calpol at 7am because she was upset, but temp is back and she's fine atm- so just going with it.
Thank goodness for Peppa Pig!!

@Queenfreak You're welcome. It's so hard to know if you're doing the correct thing. I have to argue with my (nurse) husband. He's all about giving the drugs! Hope she feels better soon x