calpol and nurofen, can you use both together?

[bensmum3]

Hi,
Ds is 19 months and has a temp of 40 oC, nearly all day despite 4 hourly calpol, a friend has given me nurofen, can I use it sooner than 4 hours ?, I know it's ok with adults, but ds has only had calpol a couple of times before.

ive heard you can give calpol 2 hrs after nurofen and then nurofen 2 hours after that - ifykwim!

Yes you can.

I agree with Jessicasmummy.

You can give them at the same time if you want. I always think is better to do what jessicasmummy says though and give them staggered.

As long as you follow the dosage instructions on each bottle you will be fine.

Nurofen much better at bringing down temps IME

Hope he is better soon xx

Bens mum - sorry to hear your lo is so poorly. have you tried the ice lolly in a tepid bath treatment? In addition to the drugs i mean

YOu can, but ibuprofen (neurofen) should not be used if you have asthma

Jessica's mummy is right, I believe it's better to alternate dosis rather than give them at the same time as if the fever doesn't go completely you will need to wait a long time before the next dose. If she is awake, what about a bath with tepid water, if you leave her in a warm bath for 20minutes, the temperature should go down. Have you ring NHS Direct? (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) I believe that for such high fever they ask you to contact them as there's a risk of a convulsion (sp?)

Spacing them gives you more 'action' for lomger, so go dont get a single big peak and then a trough, IYSWIM. I have always found tepid sponging to help.

Calpol then 2 hrs later Nurofen then 2 hrs later Calpol. This was advice given to me by a paediatric nurse. Try cool flannels and tepid baths too. Hope DS is better soon.

That's great, his last calpol was 1 hour ago, so I'll wait another hour then give the nurofen, he's just in pj's as we have no central heating and i'm wiping him with a damp cloth every now and then, I think the house is too cold for the ice lolly bath, but thankyou for the tip anyway.

Sorry didnt explain it well! You put the child in the bath - the water shoudl be a little cooler than normal but not a lot or they will scream. Then you reward them with an ice lolly. As the water cools it should reduce their temperature. Its just like sponging them except they like it better.You only take them out when they are complaining of the cold - try to distract them for as long as possible.

Its good of your house is cold.

Yes you can - I'm currently doing it with DD2. I'm alternating the doses rather than giving all in one go so as to maximise the effect.

Have to say, memory is awful so have been asking DD2 "which one did you have last time - the pink one or the white one?" - also on antibiotics for 2 weeks as well as a Multi-vitamin syrup

If you can, try to give nurofen with or just after food or with some milk. Giving it on any empty stomach can aggravate the stomach lining causing pain.
If the temp persists at 40 I would think about getting him seen though. Hope he is feeling a bit better.

ibuprofen (nurofen) brings down a temp, paracetomal (calpol) just stabilises it

you can give both together by alternating but remember that the nurofen is every 6 hours and the calpol every 4 ..

I had to take DD to hospital with high temp when 6 months, they gave her calpol only 40 mins after I'd given nurofen .. so don't think it will matter too much

hope he's better soon

Twiglett - is Nurofen not every 8 hrs? Might be wrong but dif is an additional dose in 24 hrs so best check.

used to be every 6 for DS (haven't really checked for DD cos she didn't need it regularly) .. might have changed it???

Yep ibuprofen is every 8 hours. Paracetamol every 4 (Calpol etc) but no more than 4 doses in 24 hours.

SJ x

I think Nurofen every 8 hours too - 3 doses per day

Calpol, 4 doses per day, every 6 hours, I think

Too slow!

Yes, 4 doses of Calpol a day, I was thinking every 6 hours as that is how I've done it to maximise the benefit...

they've changed in last 3 years then .. sorry

When dd had a 40oC temperature I did

midnight - Paracetamol
3:00 - Brufen
6:00 - Paracetamol
10:00 - Brufen
14:00 - Paracetamol
18:00 - Brufen
21:00- Paracetamol

or something similar, to give her as much relief as possible.

Twiglett - different brands of Brufen I have bought have different doses (some smaller but more in one day IYSWIM), might be that.

Currently doing this with DD2

7am - Calpol
11am - Nurofen
3pm - Calpol
7pm - Nurofen

Last night, she didn't wake overnight - but if she does, then I will give her whatever she didn't have when she went to bed.