Bringing down temperature in a Calpol refuser...

[MrsBadger]

9mo, ear infection & fever

tepid baths, lightly dressed, cold flannel on forehead / back of neck

anything else I should be doing?

am reluctant to force calpol as already battling to get the amoxicillin down her 3x a day...

i used to hide all of the meds in milk or yoghurt. or try nurofen as it you serve it to them in a syringe rather than on a spoon..

good luck!

A fan. I think you are doind everything you can. I would force at this age, but that's just me. Or play space rocket with the syringe, or pretend to put something for he to eat in her mouth and put a small amount in first.

some water to drink?

what about another type of baby paracetamol or calprofen? if she's got an ear infection then there's likely to be some pain too - which won't help with the fever (especially if she's crying).

Sounds like you're doing everything right. Fresh air ? (window open or walk outside if its not too hot or rainy). f you do have to force down meds - Nurofen is better for actually lowering temperature (Calpol is better at stabilising it)

Get your GP to give you a scrip for suppositories - can buy them otc but around £16 for 10!!

Have always used them for my DCs as when they get high temps they vomit everything up.

Don't hurt, easy to use.

fan v good idea

no chance at all with a spoon, am using syringe for the antibs but she hates it

back to GP on weds so will ask for suppositories if still no joy

yes suppositiories are far easier to use for a child of this age. Far less stress then trying to get medicine down their throats, and very effective too.

Also, you don't have to take as much calbuprofen so might be easier to get down.

Dd was a calpol refuser, so we used the suppositories on her. Worked a treat!

DS2 is a mojor calpol, nurofen, in fact any meds refuser!! Never thought about mixing it into yoghurt though, although when he is ill he wouldn't eat it anyway, all tips gratefully received

Hope your dd is feeling better MrsBadger?

Poor DD. How is she now, MrsB?

ok, forget the tepid baths, go for as warm as is safe, then allow to air dry - this is the quickest way to bring down temp and keep it down. The cold flannel makes the body try and bring the temperature up and makes the blood go inwards to keep the core temp up so it fights against it. This really works. I always opt for the sugar laden capol as i havent a hope of getting the sugar free stuff into dd. the suppositories sound like a good idea though, do calpol and neurofen together too.

Sugarfree turned out to be the mistake we were making but we didn't work that out for ages!

DS was a total refuser too. He got very poorly with tonsillitis (we didn't know that's what it was) and couldn't get meds in so took him to A&E. They assessed him promptly and discovered his bad throat, nurse came over with calpol and nurofen and took him on to her knee and he opened his mouth wide open and took doses of both . Little sod. I guess I mean it could be worth trying to get someone else to give it? GP's perhaps?

HV suggested that when he is well, fill a syringe with water and play with it so he got used to it, it made forcing him to have calpol much easier. I know that's not much help at the moment.

Good luck and hope your DD feels better soon.

thanks for all the advice - temp was down by bedtime last night (ie after 3rd dose of antibs) and she was perky and chatty this morning, so I think we are through the worst

Our calpol is sugar free as we bought it when she was tiny and had to get the no-sugar one as the sugar one has a higher age limit - might be worth swapping...

My DD used to hate calpol but after a few times of having it through the syringe, and putting up with her crying and objecting she started to ENJOY it...might be worth persevering with syringe!!

..but hopefully her temp will stay down anyway!!