Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

How long for calpol to work?

22 replies

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 03/06/2018 14:01

20 month old poorly for a while. Gave calpol 40 minutes ago at a temp of 39.7, current temp is 39.3 and just timed his breathing for a minute at 63 breaths. He is already on antibios so i dont want to go rusbing back if all he needs is cuddles and time but alsp dont want to miss something.

OP posts:

tiggerbounce77 · 03/06/2018 14:05

I believe it's around an hour for it to fully kick in, sounds like it has started to work already though as temp has come down a little

Chocmallows · 03/06/2018 14:13

Try to keep hydration up and well ventilated room, strip to a cotton vest and monitor.

A high temperature for a short period of time is a body's natural way of trying to kill off bugs. It doesn't automatically lead to fits or other issues and can be monitored.

Calpol is liquid paracetamol and own brands work in exactly the same way. You can alternate with liquid ibuprofen, but it's better to have that with a feed if possible.

It is frightening at the time, but babies can bounce back quickly too. Best wishes.

Original poster

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 03/06/2018 15:00

He just measured at 38.4. He isnt supposed to have ibuprofen

OP posts:

nocoolnamesleft · 03/06/2018 15:20

At that age, what matters is not how high the temperature is. It's how ill they are with it...and how much they perk up when it comes down.

A 20 monther with a temp of 39.5 charging around the room would be a lot less worrying than a 20 monther with a temp of 38 who was lethargic and hard to wake.

I'm honestly more worried about the breathing rate, that's really rather high, and if not coming down is a real problem.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg160/resources/support-for-education-and-learning-educational-resource-traffic-light-table-189985789

Pollaidh · 03/06/2018 16:05

That breathing rate is really too high. I keep a clinical assessment tool handy due to DS's respiratory problems.

At 18 months any respiratory rate over 40 breaths per minute is too high. In a hospital at >1 yr old any respiratory rate over 50 is classed as "high risk". You only need one "high risk" for all the measurements (temp, pulse etc) to trigger the assessment of your child as high risk. Take him to hospital.

What are the antibiotics for?

A temp will take the resp rate higher, but that is still really high. If the AB are for a respiratory infection then there could be pneumonia.

Pollaidh · 03/06/2018 16:11

Continued... I find calpol takes about 30 mins to start working. You say he's not supposed to have ibuprofen. Is that because he has underlying asthma? If so, I'd be even more cautious and take him in for assessment.

Is he showing any signs of respiratory distress - chest recession (pulling in between or under ribs), tracheal tug (pulling in by his trachea), grunting, nasal flaring, sitting in a tripod position? Are his lips blueish? Any of these then just call an ambulance asap.

Make sure he's sitting calmly, having a cuddle, then check that resp. rate again. If still high...

I'd either drive him in (if hospital close and someone else can sit in the back with him, and park car so one of you can run), or otherwise and if any of the signs of resp. distress above, just call an ambulance to be safe. I've driven DS in with resp. distress and we got caught in a traffic jam, it was terrifying.

dementedpixie · 03/06/2018 16:12

Why can't he have ibuprofen?

Pollaidh · 03/06/2018 16:13

With a resp. rate that high, an 18 month old will compensate by using all his muscles (hence the pulling in around the ribs), but he can only compensate for a while because it's exhausting. Then there is a risk he will run out of energy and stop trying. You want to be in hospital in case that happens.

Tinseltower · 03/06/2018 16:14

That breathing rate is really high. Usually it’s 20 mins to start working and fully working by 45 mins. Why is he on antibiotics?

sausagerollsontheside · 03/06/2018 16:14

I would take him right to hospital its the breathing that is insane not the temperature

You poor thing

BertieBotts · 03/06/2018 16:16

I think it's about 20 mins as well, not an hour.

He's little, I would just take him back. They won't think you're overreacting.

kaytee87 · 03/06/2018 16:18

If his breathing isn't normal then he needs to be seen.

Chocmallows · 03/06/2018 21:40

Is everything ok op?

Dionysa · 03/06/2018 21:43

Have you got a fan? Hard to say what's going on with your DC, but one of mine used to have spectacularly high temps (40 degrees). He was my first, and I remember taking him to a GP neighbour in a panic. He (DC1) was so hot that he threw up Calpol/water/anything cool. My DM then said I was the same.

All that said... I think it's always best to err on the side of caution with little ones, so I think I'd probably get it checked out, given the breathing thing.

sausagerollsontheside · 03/06/2018 22:04

How are you doing

Original poster

Bbbbbbbb2017 · 04/06/2018 00:24

Sorry got held up. Rang 111, they sent an ambulance. Now up on childrens ward.

He has had recurrant chest infections since he was 8 weeks old and it seems everytime he has to fight one he struggles more and more.

OP posts:

MadeForThis · 04/06/2018 02:15

Glad you're in the right place and hope he's okay x

Shinygoldbauble · 04/06/2018 02:25

Hope he is doing ok. My dd was around that age when she was first admitted with breathing problems. Very similar story to yours. Recurrent chest infections from 2 months old. Things improved a lot once she was on asthma meds.
Fingers crossed your ds will recover quickly. Oxygen and steroids really make a difference very quickly.

BertieBotts · 04/06/2018 09:05

Oh bless him, poor little thing. Hope they can get to the bottom of it.

Tinseltower · 04/06/2018 16:06

Oh no! Hope he is ok. Xx

Chocmallows · 04/06/2018 19:34

Good luck, hope he's on the mend

Pollaidh · 04/06/2018 21:50

Oh dear, glad you are in the right place now. Ask the nurses to show you what to look for in terms of respiratory distress. Write them down and stick them somewhere obvious as it's hard to assess the situation at 3am. You can even look on youtube for videos of the different symptoms, which can be very helpful. Ask the doctors to tell you what the trigger should be for calling an ambulance.

Does he grunt at all, or have noisy breathing normally.?

Flip