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Children's health

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Original poster

Does she HAVE to take Calpol?

35 replies

TooTiredtoGoogle · 19/12/2010 09:11

DD has flu (not sure if it's swine but it seems to have hit her quite badly).
She has a temperature of almost 38C (was higher last night), but refuses to have any calpol. (Had to bribe her to take calpol last night with chocolate, but that's no longer working).

Does it matter whether she takes any calpol at all? Will her fever come down naturally?

Also, how will I know if she has swine flu?

TIA

OP posts:

Original poster

TooTiredtoGoogle · 19/12/2010 09:12

BTW - DD is only 3.6

OP posts:

seeker · 19/12/2010 09:14

No. Keep her cool but make sure she doesn't get cold, make sure she has plenty of fluids. A tepid bath if she'll go for it, but there is usually no need to bring a temperature down artificially.

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2010 09:17

if it gets any higher then personally i would want to give some medication

do you have anything other than calpol? none of mine like it, but will happily take orange flavour nurofen!

also, if you can get some in her she might feel a bit better in herself which would be good. but i wouldn't fret overly atm

winnybella · 19/12/2010 09:17

She doesn't have to, but I suspect as the day goes on her temp will rise (it usually does towards the evening) and Calpol would make her more comfortable.

puffylovett · 19/12/2010 09:42

She doesn't HAVE to take it. fever is our friend... We only medicate here if DS's look in pain or are clearly really uncomfortable, just give plenty of fluids, encourage lots of sleep and co sleep at night so I can keep a close eye.

NICE guidelines don't recommend medicating for a fever alone btw

mousymouse · 19/12/2010 09:47

you can also give nurofen, or go to the chemist to get paracetamol supposetories if shes really poorly and cant swallow well. (Alvedon, over the counter but chemist might have to oder)
to make her more comfortable you can strip her down to her undies, cold wet socks also help.

purepurple · 19/12/2010 09:50

If you didn't have the calpol you couldn't give it to her, so no, she doesn't have to have it.
Just follow the above advice about keeping her cool.
If she does have a febrile convulsion because of a high temp they often look more scary than they actually are.

seeker · 19/12/2010 09:54

I think people have got a bit paranoid about temperatures. A temperature alone is not something that needs to be medicated - it shows that the body is working well fighting the infection.

mousymouse · 19/12/2010 10:15

a paed in germany recommended that a fever up to 39 is actually good for fighting an infection and should not be treated with medicine unless other symptoms are there.

missmoopy · 19/12/2010 10:29

Only give it if in obvious discomfort or pain. A temperature is the bodys way of fighting infection.

nickytwotimes · 19/12/2010 10:35

evidence shows that lowering the temp has no effect on the duration of the illness, ie: 'sweating it out' doesn't work. calpol will make her more comfortable and help her rest.
Her temp will come down itself anyway, but keep an eye on it in case it gets higher.

CornflowerB · 19/12/2010 10:39

Purepurple - I don't think you should be so blase about febrile serizures - they are a risk factor for epilepsy in later life. And as for 'a paed in Germany'... I am speechless. TooTiredtoGoogle, please consult a medical professional.

seeker · 19/12/2010 11:20

No - they are not a risk factor for epilepsy in later life. A few children who have had febrile convulsions go on to develop epilepsy. But there is no evidence of a causal link - some children have a predisposition to convulsions. And these children have a slightly higher risk of epilepsy.

missmoopy · 19/12/2010 11:25

There is still debate as to whether febrile convulsions are a rsik factor for epilepsy. Febrile convulsions are serious and should be taken seriously.

thisisyesterday · 19/12/2010 11:30

it stil l stands that a child with a febrile convulsion ought to be seen by an HCP.
it IS a bit irresponsible to suggest that someone shouldn't worry, it looks worse than it is

fwiw a cons. paed over here said that a temp of 38.5 is HIGH and needs medicating

am sure you can find conflicting opinions on this just as you will on pretty much anything.
I also remember when imarriedafrog's little boy was taken to hospital with a fever and the paed then told her that it didn't matter what was causing the temp, it was the temp that did the damage

it isn't going to hurt a child to be medicated, but it may harm them to have a fever that stays high, or goes too high

littleducks · 19/12/2010 11:32

A paediatrican in berkshire said pretty much the same thing to me.

orangepoo · 19/12/2010 11:34

My DD will not take any medicines. She is 2.8 and very strong willed. I do manage to put some calpol into a raspberry/blackberry (any sort of strongish flavoured) beaker of juice. Told her she would have some lovely juice and she drank it.

I would not accept the temperature going too high without using calpol and if the worst comes to the worst, I would be holding her down, squirting it into her mouth and putting my hand over her mouth to prevent her spitting it out.

littleducks · 19/12/2010 11:34

sorry x post, the paedtrician i saw said that a temp of 38/38.5 wasnt a requirement to medicate just to 'nurse' and observe carefully

seeker · 19/12/2010 11:34

Absolutely any convulsion should be taken seriously, and a child having one should be seen by a HCP. But there are other factors besides the temperature that cause them, and their existence doesn't mean that all raised temperatures need to be medicated down.

seeker · 19/12/2010 11:45

And remember that paediatricians dealing with common childhood illnesses are like consultant obstetricians dealing with normal births - they are so used to seeing seriously ill children that they can forget that children are poorly and recover all the time at home!

daytoday · 19/12/2010 11:54

I don't want to scare monger, but my daughter had a temperature and then a febrile convulsion where she stopped breathing. We had to adminster CPR. Horrible, horrible horrible.

Therefore, my kids get a temperature by jove the calpol / nurofen is given, forcibly if need be.

Especially if they are under 5.

hifi · 19/12/2010 12:14

whats the harm? if my dds refuse i use a syringe.i personally would feel very uncomfortable having a child with a high temp.

seeker · 19/12/2010 13:31

I do think that it's better to let their bodies deal with all these minor infections. I only give calpol if a child is in pain aor if a temperature is making them miserable. And then only when I've tried old fashioned remedies. Which, i have to say, usually work.

sausagerolemodel · 19/12/2010 13:41

a link to the NICE guidelines

opheliabottom.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/traffic-light-fever.jpg

bubbleymummy · 19/12/2010 13:59

The height of a temperature does not cause febrile convulsions - it is the speed it rises. Fever reducing medication has been shown not to prevent febrile seizures. The NICE guidelines do not recommend medicating solely for a fever or to try to prevent convulsions (because it doesn't work). The child's behaviour is much more important than what the thermometer says.

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