Toddler has temperature but won't take calpol

[Hogu]

I've tried everything, missing it with drinks, food, ice cream but he sniffs it out and refuses it. I've tried pinning him down and forcing it in his mouth but it's making him sick even if I do it in tiny amounts.
Temp is 38 and he's snotty, we've both got a bug.
Pharmacy can't offer me any alternative.
What else can I do? I'm finding to very stressful!

Put it in a yoghurt?

He doesn't NEED calpol, it'll just make him more comfortable. Lots of water, rest and cuddles.

At 38 unless he is ill with it I wouldn’t fight him. A temperature is the bodies way of fighting off the virus and nice guidance is to only Medicate the symptoms not the temperature

How is he in himself?
A fever is a natural response to the body fighting infection.
If he is reasonably ok I would ride it out.

I had one of these, it's so awful. He had an incredibly sensitive gag reflex so again and again I'd force it down only see see him sick it all back up again.

One thing that helped was the knowledge that it was much easier to get it in him when he was really sick. So I knew that if he had the energy to fight, he wasn't doing that bad.

I found one parent holding him, while the other used the syringe (NOT the spoon) to drop tiny amounts - less than .5ml each time - was the only thing that worked. If he looked like he was going to gag, we stopped and tried again in five minutes. You have to aim the syringe between their teeth at the front and the side, into their cheek if that makes sense?

I think your child is older than a baby but you could try this:

www.goodto.com/family/mums-genius-hack-to-get-babies-to-take-calpol-7268

If not, call 111 and ask for advice. Fevers can turn very nasty so he does need something to keep his temp down.

Treat the child, not the fever

just leave it.
if it's not prescribed, it's not essential.

High temperature is NOT an indication for paracetamol. If he is in pain or distressed by his symptoms then it would be beneficial to manage those symptoms purely for his comfort. But the raised temperature is his immune system doing its job properly.

Paracetamol suppositories.

He's not eating but he's having some fluids. He's happy enough but definitely not himself. I know we are in for a rough night but I'll see how we go. Hate him being ill and fighting medicine. He's been ok with calpol before so this is really frustrating

You can try other ways to lower his temperature like a cold compress, open the windows, put a fan on or take him outside for a walk in his buggy?

Don’t use anything like cold compresses, all they do is lower the skin temperature which makes the body think it’s cold so can raise the temperature more.

If you use a fan make sure it’s not blowing directly onto him but is cooling the air around him

Best thing to do is open windows

38 isn't that bad. 100% agree with PPs who say treat the child not the fever. Don't let Fever-phobia take over.

Alternatively (if he gets ill enough), as @downwhichoflate says - you can get paracetamol suppositories which are also more effective and quicker acting aswell.

Please don't train a fan directly on him though, and cold compress can be worse as it can cause shivering.

As long as he's drinking and weeing that's the main. Give him full sugar ribena or vimto

He doesn’t need calpol that badly for a 38 degree temp

fever helps the body to fight the bug and 38 is nowhere near dangerous levels. If he's not distressed, leave him be.

Have you tried Ibuprofen instead ?
It’s a different smell/taste.

@HoldMeCloserTonyDanza

I had one of these, it's so awful. He had an incredibly sensitive gag reflex so again and again I'd force it down only see see him sick it all back up again.

One thing that helped was the knowledge that it was much easier to get it in him when he was really sick. So I knew that if he had the energy to fight, he wasn't doing that bad.

I found one parent holding him, while the other used the syringe (NOT the spoon) to drop tiny amounts - less than .5ml each time - was the only thing that worked. If he looked like he was going to gag, we stopped and tried again in five minutes. You have to aim the syringe between their teeth at the front and the side, into their cheek if that makes sense?

This is what I have to do with my dd. She’s 2 and doesn’t like taking any medicine. It’s very difficult.

38 isn't very high. Just leave him be, he'll be better soon.

38 isn’t so bad but just fyi…

I had a high temp toddler who couldn’t keep calpol down (kept vomiting). GP prescribed paracetamol suppositories which he said are v common on Europe but not much known here. Most chemists have them but they might need prescription I’m not sure. Anyway. The high temp went down, which stopped the constant vomiting (cos that was caused by the high temp the GP said). In an hr I went from having a v high temp constantly vomiting toddler who couldn’t eat, to a toddler who was basically fine.

So I do think is worth parents being aware that paracetamol suppositories exist, I think they’re fantastic.

When my sister took her baby to the hospital they said very emphatically it's dangerous to use cold compresses etc as the body needs to fight the fever.

I agree that 38c isn't that high. As long as they are drinking and having wet nappies, I'd ride it out.

Although I'd feel much safer having some suppositories in the house "just in case" (you know things always seem worse at night). Are they OTC? Mine all love a bit if Calpol so I've not had to use them.

Don't wrap up too much but don't open all the windows or use a fan or use cold / luke warm flannels. All this messes with the bodies response to whatever the child is fighting.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/

Paracetamol suppositories can be bought but are incredibly expensive. Something like £2 per suppository.

@DownWhichOfLate

Paracetamol suppositories can be bought but are incredibly expensive. Something like £2 per suppository.

Was about to suggest these.