To give DD more than 3 doses of ibprofen in 24 hrs

[Whitedaffodils]

My DD who became ill last night. She woke just before midnight with headache and fever and then developed stuffy nose bit of a cough and sore throat. She's going from hot to cold all day. She often gets chills when she has a fever.
Her temp is nearing 40 without medication but staying at 38 ish with calpol/nurofen.... my problem is I've already given her 3 doses of nurofen 6+ and calpol doesn't seem to be cutting it She's still quite uncomfortable.
Technically I can't give her another ibprofen dose until midnight but would you risk giving it an hour earlier? Like wouldn't most of the previous dose be out of her system by the 23 hour mark? Im a stickler for rules especially with medication but just want my little one to feel better and get some rest.

Yeah she seems to be getting more relief from the ibprofen.
I'm based in Ireland and alternating medicines is still advised via the HSE website so I have been giving her calpol

@3luckystars because it is unnecessary and it has been shown that parents forget which they have given, leading to overdoses.

I am giving her calpol aswel it's just not working as well as the ibprofen.

If you are in Ireland then you can bring her to the doctor no bother as it’s not frowned upon, like here in Mumsnetland.

Not if they write it down? I always keep a written log of medications.

Think its best to get her seen to.
I'm on hold trying to get through to out of hours Dr. Thanks all.

@3luckystars You might, but many people don't.

It just isn't necessary for a fever - for severe pain, in situations like post operative pain maybe, but not a fever, which is a normal and healthy reaction by the body to an illness.

Using medications should be occasional not constant.

Don’t ring 111 they are busy enough- id google a 24hour pharmacy and ask to speak to the pharmacist re dosage etc

I know it won’t help you in this 24 hour period, but Calprofen (same brand as Calpol but ibuprofen, not paracetamol) is the only children’s brand of ibuprofen I have found that allows 4 doses in a 24 hour period. I have just checked our bottle, and over the age of 12mo it gives the dosage per age group, then says up to 3-4 times in 24 hours.

When my DC have had tonsillitis, ear infections etc I have always found they respond so much better to ibuprofen, and it’s amazing what a difference that extra dose can make!

I wouldn’t give a 4th dose of this on top of 3x nurofen though. I’d wait until the next 24hours cycle and start afresh with Calprofen, or just keep it in mind for future illnesses.

Hope she feels better soon x

Can you bore off ?

The HSE guidance recommends

"Use either paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce your child's temperature and to relieve any pain or discomfort. Start by giving your child either paracetamol or ibuprofen. If the one you started with does not fully reduce their symptoms, try giving them the other.
Make sure to leave:

• 4 to 6 hours between each dose of paracetamol
• 6 to 8 hours between each dose of ibuprofen"

Stick to the correct doses.

Why are you giving ibroprophen if the main aim is to get the temp down?

You can give Calpol (paracetamol) at the same time. Make sure you give the correct amount for her body weight. If you've only given her ibuprofen giver her some Calpol now. in 6 hours give both Calpol and ibuprofen and have her seen by the GP

Irish based nurse here. Fine to alternate calpol and Nurofen and wouldn’t panic about giving it an hour early. I would probably get her reviewed though if both meds aren’t keeping headache under control. Are you giving it by weight based dose? Look up HSE website for these. Very handy and usually get more relief unless she’s very petite.

I took my 2 year old to A and E after finding an open pack of ibuprofen on the floor and four were missing (we eventually found them).
The doctor said even if he'd taken all 16 he wouldn't have come to harm. They're not like paracetamol which can easily be overdosed on. Ring 111 if you're worried.

These are the HSE guidelines that I was given after mine had a 40 degree temp which lead to A&E stays. The doctor said to alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol and to use this for short periods of 2-3 days, back to hospital if no improvement.
Hope she feels better soon, if not A&E.

https://assets.hse.ie/media/documents/Weight-based_dosing_for_Ibuprofen_in_children.pdf

https://assets.hse.ie/media/documents/Weight-based_dosing_for_Paracetamol_in_children.pdf

I had this this bhw for my 9yr

called 111 as Sunday and mouth ulcers and raging temp 38+ and crying and in pain

they got us a hosp app ( she had tonsillitis and given antibs ) and was told to give her pain relief /Nurofen to get temp down

doctor also said could give her an extra dose (same thing happened 4yrs ago when had tonsillitis so was 5) so similar age to your dd

so 4 doses (6hrs apart) in 24 hrs

he said the dose on the bottles are under what is a safe dose and they don’t say can give more as don’t want some parents to over dose every little thing thinking can always do it but to do once in a blue moon isn’t going to harm

hope your daughter sees a doc soon @Whitedaffodils

sounds similar to miniblondes and she’s been quite poorly and off school the last few days with tonsillitis and only now starting to slowly improve

tho make sure the antib if get given them are not the sugar free ones as the medicine is rank and I had to call doc the for new antibs as making dd gag and couldn’t get them in her

Because Nurofen works far better then Calpol for temp and pain

Does it? I thought it was paracetamol which works on temps?

Ibuprofen seems to work quicker /better but shouldn’t be taken on an empty stomach so doctors tend to give calpol (paracetamol) in hospitals as kinder on stomach

but studies show that Nurofen /ibuprofen show it can reduce temp faster then calpol/paracetamol

plus can be given from 8w tho again I’ve known babies of 4w been given it under doctor /hospital

Just back from doc, It was tonsillitis! And like that I was told 4 doses of ibprofen in 24hrs if alternating calpol isn't working.
Thanks for the advice!

Ah bless her. Seems to be a bit about and always on bloody bank holidays lol

glad you got antib - hopefully not sugar free ones and 2 days later dd is slowly improving so fingers crossed same for your dd

glad you got told the same as me 4 is fine every now and again and for us Nurofen is the only thing they drops her temp