Can I give half an ibuprofen to a child?

[unlikelychump]

She is nearly 11 and we are in a caravan in South France. She has an inflammation of the parotid gland for the second time and only lbu touches it. I didn't bring liquid nurofen.

Read the box, often 12 is adult dose.
But I wouldn't think twice about giving half a tablet

Look at the dose of liquid ibuprofen, and how much is in half a tablet

In your situation I would look up how much ibuprofen a ten year old can have:

https://bnfc.nice.org.uk/drugs/ibuprofen/#unlicensed-use

So here that looks like 300mg per dose, or a 9 year old is 200mg per dose.

Then look at the packet and see what a tablet is. Ibuprofen usually comes in either 200mg or 400mg tablets. The 400mg ones are pretty big, 200mg is a bit smaller than a paracetamol.

So if it's a 200mg one you could actually give them a whole tablet, based on the above. If it's 400mg it would need to be half.

I'm not a medic but tablets are fine - just check the dose of the tablet (ie 200mg or 400mg). Ds2 has frequent ear infections so we moved to tablets about age 11. Check the dose of ibuprofen for an 11 year old based on weight - unless they are very small they might be able to have a whole tablet (200mg).

I've done it recently with my 11 year old but he does wear age 13clothes.
If she isn't small for her age I would.

I have also done it with anti histamine

does applying heat - damp towels maybe- and massaging the area help at all

I think this would be ok with paracetamol but not ibuprofen just because of the type of tablet they are - I think they’re coated in something to protect the stomach! Cutting in half would obviously break the coating.

Thanks for all responses, I will look at the coating. We have a few different packs so I am sure we have non pink ones in the mix.

I think she could have 200 based on the dosage posted above and that I also looked at but I would feel happier with 100 as she is pretty small and I have to pbe quite careful with 400 making sure I've eaten quite a bit beforehand

That’s not a good idea if there’s any chance it’s infected

You can buy liquid nurofen in France? Go to the pharmacy with your DD and ask for ibuprofen, it’s the same word as in English

I think they’ll all be the same (unless they’re the liquid capsules). It’s the nature of the drug that it irritates the stomach - when my daughter was on it long term she had to take something else alongside it to prevent stomach ulcers. If I ever take it in the night in an empty stomach it makes me vomit. I don’t think there’s any type of ibuprofen tablet that can be broken up.

I've looked at them all and think you are right. It is 200mg or pharmacy

I literally did this last night, gave 11 yr old who is slim for her age a half dose. If 12 can take a full dose I suspect I could have removed about one tenth and still be OK, but it was just easier break it in half.

But I have realised we normally give her 2x5mls of the liquid which is 200mg. 💁

Can you look up child dosage by weight, that is a better measure than age for children

Check online for the dose for her weight. That is what you should give her if she’s not an average sized kid for her age. I moved my kids onto 1 tablet of ibuprofen and paracetamol well before their age would indicate as I weighed them and got the exact accurate dose.

You’ll likely be fine dosage wise, but getting rid of the covering by breaking it in half isn’t a good idea. It won’t absorb properly and it cause irritation on the way down, that’s why all ibuprofen is covered. Stomach ulcers are horrible, I wouldn’t risk starting one.

Go to the pharmacy. They dose by weight not age in France which seems far more sensible given the weight differences
Of same aged children.

If only I knew her weight!!

Well, the maximum dose is 30mg per kg per day.

So if you gave 200mg 3x per day that would be 600mg.

600/30 = 20 so 20kg. In stone that's 3 stone 2lb. I don't think there are many 10 year olds, even small ones, who don't weigh 3 stone 2lb?

Thanks!!!

I've given her one.

She reckons she might be 70 lb which is 30 kg so she could have 3 x 200 with a left over margin.

Will see how she goes now

I'm not a medic but I gave my 11 year old a 200mg tablet occasionally despite the packet saying 12+. The children's liquid dose for their age (weight irrelevant) is 200mg so I didn't really understand why / how it could be a problem.
At home we used the liquid but if they fell ill when we were out and about, I just gave them a tablet that I had in my bag.