To say that Calpol....

[Wonderbread]

Barely reduces children’s temperature but liquid Ibuprofen does so dramatically?

I’m confused because medical professionals always recommend Calpol but it literally does nothing to reduce my son’s temps. Sometimes it shift a few points down but not much. Ibuprofen though nails them by 1 or 2 degrees for hours.

Is this just my child or is it common!?

My child is the same! Calpol does nothing!!

I have seen calpol work for other children though

Both work with mine

Calpol first recommendation because gentler in tummy

I think it depends on the child. One of my children responds to better Calpol and one to ibuprofen, and the other it doesn't seem to matter!

I find neurofen way more effective for my children and me as well.

HCP might be suggesting it because it's much less harsh on the gut.

Calpol is paracetamol suspension so is given for pain relief. Ibuprofen is an NSAID which reduces inflammation and helps lower temperatures. I was always taught to alternate both when DS1 had febrile convulsions as a little one, calpol for the pain, brufen for the temperature.

My son is ill with a temp of 39.4ish and I’m alternating them as you can only take ibuprofen 3 times a day/ 6 hours apart. Calpol is doing zilch. Temperature 39.4 two hours after taking it. The big gaps for ibuprofen mean a long period of time feeling shit though poor thing.

@FudgeBrownie2019 NHS initially recommend Calpol for fever reduction including at 8 week Men B jabs

Paracetamol has always reduced my family's temperature when we've suffered from fever. Myself, DH and kids are highly allergic to ibruprofen and anything containing aspirin.

Paracetamol is a less effective antipyretic than the NSAID ibuprofen, but as above, easier on children’s tummies.

There’s also a muscle memory thing here- paracetamol suspension, calpol or other, is more entrenched as an option than child suitable ibuprofen solutions.

Fudgebrownie paracetamol is also an anti-pyrexic (reduces temperature)

^^ it is an antipyretic, but less so than ibuprofen.

Paracetamol is generally safer than ibuprofen so that’s why people tend to recommend that first- it’s easier on a stomach and doesn’t have the same effect on breathing etc (asthmatics - like me- are told not to take ibuprofen). But yes it does work brilliantly!

You don’t need to give medication for a fever - it’s the body’s way of dealing with bacteria or virus. You actually hinder the healing process more by over-medicating.

Obviously if the child is in pain etc give pain relief for that, but a standard fever there is no need.

I agree that for fever alone, it's better to leave it unless it's getting dangerously high.

I've been hospitalised with an infection three times now and their first line treatment for fever (39+ on both occasions) has always been IV paracetemol, and then chilled saline which is a cruel and unusual punishment when you're already shivering

Calpol works perfectly fine on my son.

Calpol works great for one of mine, and not at all for the other!

Maybe we can uncover the scientific reason it works on some not others for fever. I did some digging and apparently there is absolutely no understanding of how it works to reduce fever in the scientific community.

For us it depends what the issue is
I wouldn’t give DC ibuprofen for a headache or tummy ache but I do give it for growing pains and temps
Sometimes ibuprofen is the only thing that will clear a migraine but I am asthmatic so try to avoid taking it

But saying that I had IV paracetamol for a severe 5 day migraine sorted me right out 😂

I thought you weren't supposed to do anything to reduce fevers. I've never used either calpol or ibruprofen on my two. Just pop them to bed. Sleep is the best medicine.

I think you can give a lower dose of ibuprofen 4x daily as long as it’s not less than 6h apart and as long as the total 24h dose is within the recommended total. I’m sure it even gives it as an option on the bottle for some age groups

I think calprofen works better than calpol so we give ds that instead (I think it's a well known fact paracetamol is useless so)

The recommendation is to give anti pyretics if the fever is causing discomfort, but leave it if the child is comfortable with it. Ds has had rigors and seizures induced by a sudden rise in temperature, so we were advised to give Calpol or ibuprofen if his temp is high.

Apparently ibuprofen works more quickly, unfortunately myself and dd2 are allergic to it, and ds won't take it so we tend to o only have paracetamol and paracetamol suppositories in the house.

I do vividly remember being offered 2 paracetamol in the midst of labour. It stopped all the pain dead. Don’t know why they don’t just offer that to all labouring women 💁🏻‍♀️

There’s a lot of talk of leaving fevers but in all interactions with doctors and 111 they always tell me to bring it down - and if it doesn’t come down to go in urgently.