Medication for fever: Options to consider

Two over-the-counter (OTC) options can help reduce a fever. They are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a fever as any temperature at 100.4ºF (38ºC) or above.

A fever is the immune system’s response to illness. It is an attempt to kill viruses and bacteria by raising the body’s temperature a few degrees.

While it is a natural process, it can be uncomfortable and become dangerous if a person’s temperature becomes too high.

Medications for fever do not treat the underlying condition causing the fever, but they can help reduce it and other symptoms of the illness.

People who are pregnant should consult a doctor before taking OTC medication for a fever. Parents and caregivers should also consult a doctor before administering any medications to a child.

This article outlines the medications available to treat a fever at home. It also discusses when to seek medical attention.

The following table provides a general overview of the medications a person can take to treat a fever. People should always check the medication label.

Ibuprofen is a type of NSAID sold under several brand names, including Advil and Motrin. It is a form of propionic acid and can help reduce fever as well as other symptoms, such as pain.

Depending on the dose, a person can get ibuprofen OTC at stores and pharmacies or via prescription. It comes in various forms, including tablets or capsules.

A 2022 article notes that people in their third trimester of pregnancy should not take ibuprofen.

Children can take ibuprofen, but parents and caregivers should speak with a pediatrician before giving them the medication.

Side effects

Side effects can include:

• constipation
• gas
• bloating
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• feeling nervous
• ringing in the ears

It can also cause nausea and vomiting.

Learn more about ibuprofen.

Naproxen is another type of NSAID, commonly sold under the brand name Aleve. Similar to ibuprofen, it is a form of propionic acid and can treat additional symptoms other than a fever.

A person can take naproxen sodium as a tablet or capsule. Liquid forms are available for younger children, although a parent or caregiver should talk with the child’s doctor first.

People who are in their third trimester of pregnancy should not take naproxen.

Side effects

Side effects can include:

• gas
• constipation
• dizziness
• headache
• excessive thirst
• drowsiness
• dizziness
• lightheadedness
• symptoms of a cold
• ringing in the ears
• sleeping difficulties
• hearing problems
• a burning or tingling sensation in the legs and arms

Learn more about naproxen.

Aspirin is another common form of NSAID that consists of acetylated salicylates. A common brand name is Bayer. This medication comes in several different formulas, including regular strength, and different forms such as tablets.

Caregivers should not give aspirin to children or teens without first consulting a doctor. A 2022 article notes an association between taking aspirin and the development of Reye’s syndrome, which can be fatal.

People who are pregnant should speak with a doctor before taking aspirin.

Side effects

Side effects include:

• nausea
• heartburn
• vomiting
• stomach pain

Learn more about aspirin.

Acetaminophen, commonly sold under the brand name Tylenol, is a non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic agent to treat pain and fever. Companies often add acetaminophen to other medications that treat allergies, colds, flu, and other medical conditions.

Acetaminophen is available OTC or as a prescription.

For teenagers and adults, it commonly comes in the form of tablets and capsules. Younger children may be able to take it in a liquid form, but caregivers should speak with a paediatrician first.

Side effects

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) states that side effects are rare in adults and children if a person takes the correct dose.

However, in rare cases, a person can experience an allergic reaction.

In some cases, NSAIDs can lead to serious adverse effects, including problems affecting the liver, heart, and blood circulation.

Compared to prescription-strength medications, OTC NSAIDs typically cause fewer side effects.

Acetaminophen can lead to liver failure or other issues with the liver.

People can also experience an allergic reaction to fever-reducing medications. People should seek medical help if they experience:

• rash
• inflamed, peeling, or blistering skin
• itching
• hives
• hoarse voice
• difficulty swallowing
• difficulty breathing
• swelling of the face, tongue, throat, lips, hands, feet, eyes, lower legs, or ankles

A person should take fever-reducing medications only as a medical professional advises.

There are several formulas of NSAIDs and acetaminophen with differing doses. A person should follow the instructions on the packaging and pay attention to the maximum number of doses allowed in 24 hours.

When treating an underlying condition, a person should follow the doctor’s recommendations regarding how much to take and when to take it.

A person should also be mindful of other medications that may contain acetaminophen. Companies often mix it with other ingredients to create OTC medications for colds, flu, and other issues.

Can a person take acetaminophen and NSAIDs at the same time?

A person can take acetaminophen and ibuprofen at the same time.

Learn more about acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

A person may find that certain home remedies may help reduce their fever. Other options include:

• resting
• taking lukewarm baths
• drinking plenty of fluids
• wearing loose clothing

A fever breaks when a person’s temperature drops below 100.4ºF (38°C), but they may still feel ill due to the underlying condition. Dropping the fever can help alleviate some symptoms and help people feel better overall.

Learn more

Find out more about treating a fever:

• How to reduce a fever
• Treatment tips for breaking a fever
• What are the best home remedies for fever?
• How to bring down a fever in babies

A person should seek medical help if they are unable to lower the fever on their own or if they suspect a more serious underlying condition. They should also contact a doctor if:

• a person experiences worsening symptoms
• they have a weakened immune system
• they reach a fever of 104°F (40ºC) or higher
• they are concerned about a fever in a child or older adult

A person can take NSAIDs and acetaminophen to help treat a fever at home. These medications can also help to treat additional symptoms, such as pain.

A person should consult a doctor if their fever lasts longer than a few days, causes additional symptoms, or does not go down with medication.

Treating Your Child’s Fever – HealthyChildren.org

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Health Issues

If your infant or child is older than 6 months and has a fever, they probably do not need to be treated for the fever unless they are uncomfortable.

The key is to watch your child’s behavior. If they are drinking, eating, sleeping normally, and is able to play, you do not need to treat the fever. Instead, you should wait to see if the fever improves by itself.

What you can do to help your child feel better

• Keep their room comfortably cool.

• Make sure that they are dressed in light clothing.

• Encourage them to drink fluids such as water or a store-bought electrolyte solution.

• Be sure that they do not overexert themselves.

What

not to do if your child has a fever

• Do not use aspirin to treat your child’s fever or discomfort. Aspirin has been linked with side effects such as an upset stomach, intestinal bleeding, and Reye syndrome. Reye syndrome is a serious illness that affects the liver and brain.

• Do not use sponging to reduce your child’s fever. Cool or cold water can cause shivering and increase your child’s temperature.

• Never apply rubbing alcohol on your child to treat fever. Rubbing alcohol can be absorbed into the skin or inhaled, causing serious conditions such as a coma.

Fever & pain medicine for children

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help your child feel better if your child has a headache or body aches or a fever that is making them uncomfortable.

• Acetaminophen for children comes in liquid as well as pills that can be chewed. It also comes as a pill that is put in the rectum (suppository) if your child is vomiting and can’t keep down medicine taken by mouth.

• Ibuprofen comes in liquid for infants and children and chewable tablets that may be given to older children. With ibuprofen, keep in mind that there are 2 different kinds of liquid medicines: one for infants and one for children (including toddlers and children up to age 11 years). Infant drops are stronger (more concentrated) than the medicine for children.

A “tripledemic” of respiratory viruses is making it harder to find over-the-counter children’s pain and fever medications in some areas. Try not to panic if stores near you are out of stock. While fever-reducing medicines can make your child more comfortable, they do not cure illness.

Remember

Always look carefully at the label on the medicine and follow the directions. Each type of medicine has different directions based on the age and weight of a child. You should ask your child’s doctor about the right dose for your child. Also, if your child is taking other medicines check the ingredients. If they include acetaminophen or ibuprofen, let your child’s doctor know.

More information

• Acetaminophen Dosing Tables for Fever and Pain in Children
• Ibuprofen Dosing Table
• Coughs and Colds: Medicine or Home Remedy?
• How to Use Liquid Medicines for Your Child
• Using Over-the-Counter Medicines With Your Child

• Ask the Pediatrician: With a shortage of the antibiotic amoxicillin, what if my child needs it? Is there a replacement?

Last Updated

12/13/2022

Source

Adapted from Fever and Your Child (Copyright © 2020 American Academy of Pediatrics)

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

The best antipyretic for children – articles from the company Elamed

What the article is about:

In our article you will find answers to questions:

• at what temperature should an antipyretic be given to a child;
• what kind of antipyretic to give the child;
• what to do if a child has a fever after an antipyretic;
• which antipyretics are suitable for children under one year old.

Reading time: 8 minutes

What is an antipyretic and how does it work?

Before talking about antipyretic for children, let’s define the terms.

Antipyretics are medicines that can reduce fever.

The essence of elevated temperature is that the body produces more heat than it can give to the environment and because of this it overheats. You can remove heat by lowering heat production and increasing heat transfer. Antipyretics work in two of these ways.

They:

1. They affect the thermoregulatory centers in the brain (decrease in heat production).
2. Stimulates perspiration.
3. Improve blood flow.
4. Improve blood circulation in the skin.
5. Eliminate vasospasm and thus improve heat transfer to the outside.

Important! It is not enough to simply give antipyretics to children with a high fever. For the medicine to work properly, the child needs to drink plenty of fluids, otherwise the drug will not be able to improve blood circulation and increase sweating.

At what temperature should I give antipyretics to a child?

From the point of view of the World Health Organization, it is possible to give an antipyretic to a child in the following cases:

• up to and including 3 months of age – at a temperature of 38°C;
• at the age of 4 months – at a temperature of 39°C;
• children at risk – at a temperature of 37. 5 ° C.

Risk group:

• children who already had febrile, i.e. caused by fever, convulsions;
• children with congenital heart disease;
• children with diseases of the central nervous system.

Important! When a child has a temperature, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician, even if it is relatively low and it is too early to give an antipyretic.

What antipyretics can children take?

Medical experts around the world now agree that the only suitable antipyretic drugs for children are paracetamol and ibuprofen. They are both effective and safe, sold without a prescription and in a variety of dosage forms: tablets, syrups, rectal suppositories.

But analgin or aspirin should not be taken before the age of 15: salicylic acid derivatives can cause a serious illness in a small child – Reye’s syndrome. Also, you can not give the child nimesulide. It is a very effective antipyretic, but it can cause liver damage in children. However, sometimes pediatricians still risk prescribing it, but without the recommendation of a doctor, parents should not resort to using this drug.

Let’s take a closer look at the permitted medicines.

Paracetamol

Paracetamol has antipyretic and analgesic effects. This is a safe drug. Even if you accidentally exceed the dose several times, there are usually no undesirable consequences, although such experiments should not be specially set up.

Side effects when taking paracetamol are rare. However, the longer the child drinks this medicine, the higher their likelihood.

Therefore, children under 6 years of age should not take paracetamol for more than 3 days, and children 6 years of age and older should not take it longer than 5 .

How much to give an antipyretic to a child depends on the child’s weight. The best option for a single dose is 10-15 mcg / kg. Those. if the child weighs 10 kg, he can be given 100-150 mg of paracetamol at a time. You can repeat the appointment no sooner than after 4 hours . In total, paracetamol can be taken no more than 5 times a day , and the daily dose of the drug cannot be more than 60 mg / kg.

Not every parent will be able to correctly calculate the dose of the drug, but this is not important. Children’s paracetamol is usually supplied with detailed instructions, which describe the dose in tablets / spoons of syrup / suppositories for a single dose of a child of a certain age.

What to choose: tablets, syrup or suppositories?

What to choose: tablets, syrup or suppositories?
The choice of the form of the drug depends on the required speed of effect, the presence of allergies and the age of the small patient.

When you urgently need to bring down the heat, it is better to use liquid dosage forms – syrups, drops. They need to be heated to body temperature: this way you can help the drug to absorb faster.

When the temperature rises moderately, but you need to ensure a good night’s sleep for yourself and your child, use antipyretic suppositories for children. They are also recommended for infants up to 6 months old, children experiencing nausea, and babies with a tendency to allergic reactions.

Allergy to paracetamol itself is rare, but to dyes, sweeteners and flavorings that are added to children’s syrups are a common story.

A 4-5 year old child can usually swallow tablets. If he does not feel sick, then it is best to give him paracetamol in the age dosage in the form of tablets. This form of the drug is quickly and well absorbed, practically does not give allergic reactions and is inexpensive.

Paracetamol removes fever well in ARVI, but is ineffective in diseases caused by bacteria, because. this drug does not fight inflammation. Therefore, if you gave the baby paracetamol, but soon after the antipyretic the child again begins to feel a fever, more serious illnesses can be assumed than SARS.

Ibuprofen

The second antipyretic for children, ibuprofen, relieves pain, fever and inflammation.

It is not inferior to paracetamol either in efficiency or safety.

However, ibuprofen is contraindicated in babies under the age of six months , therefore it is not available in the form of suppositories.

Ibuprofen is not limited in time: if necessary, you can drink it for more than a week.

The optimal single dose of ibuprofen is 5–10 mgc/kg. You can take the medicine a second time after 6 hours, only 4 times a day. In this case, the daily dose of ibuprofen cannot be higher than 20 mg / kg.

Everything written earlier about the tactics of choosing dosage forms of paracetamol, about the instructions for this drug, about the risk of allergies associated with the components of sweet syrups, fully applies to ibuprofen.

Some general remarks

Neither paracetamol nor ibuprofen can cure any disease. These are symptomatic remedies, their purpose is to fight high fever.

Antipyretic is not taken on any schedule, such as “twice a day before meals, a teaspoon”. Antipyretics are given only at high temperatures. When it is not there, it is not worth giving medicines “just for every fireman”. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor temperature fluctuations in a patient using regular measurements with a thermometer or daily monitoring with a special thermograph.

Ibuprofen and paracetamol can be combined, i.e. if one drug did not bring down the temperature, another one can be given after an hour and a half. At the same time, it is necessary to maintain the recommended time intervals between taking the same drugs: this is 4 hours for paracetamol and 6 hours for ibuprofen. Giving both medicines at the same time does not make sense.

It is advisable to have both ibuprofen and paracetamol in your first aid kit. If there is a child under 3 years old in the house, then the last drug should be bought in the form of syrup and rectal suppositories.

Most important: self-administration of an antipyretic simply allows you to calmly wait for the pediatrician, but does not cure anything.

Things to remember:

1. Antipyretics are needed for children with a temperature of 38°C and above.
2. The only suitable antipyretics for children are ibuprofen and paracetamol.
3. Paracetamol fights fever and pain. A child under 6 years of age can take it for 3 days in a row, and from 6 years and older – 5 days.
4. A single dose of paracetamol is given at the rate of 10-15 mcg / kg (with a weight of 10 kg, a child is given 100-150 mg of paracetamol). Re-admission is possible not earlier than after 4 hours . In total, paracetamol intake should be no more than 5 per day, and the daily dose of the drug cannot be higher than 60 mg / kg.
5. Up to six months it is better to use rectal suppositories, after – suppositories or syrups, from 4 years old, when the child usually already knows how to swallow pills, you can offer him medicine in this form. If the child is sick, suppositories remain the only available form.
6. Ibuprofen relieves fever, fights pain and inflammation. It is forbidden for children under six months, so you will not find candles with ibuprofen – only tablets and syrups.
7. If indicated, ibuprofen can be taken for longer than a week. The optimal single dose of ibuprofen is 5-10 mg/kg. You can take the medicine a second time after 6 hours, only 4 times a day. In this case, the daily dose of ibuprofen cannot be higher than 20 mg / kg.
8. Paracetamol and ibuprofen can be taken on the same day, so if the temperature does not decrease after paracetamol, ibuprofen can be taken after an hour (and vice versa).

“Bringing down” the body temperature in a child: how to choose the optimal antipyretic

It is widely known that a surge in acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) occurs in the autumn period. ARVI pathogens more often cause diseases in preschool children, somewhat less often in schoolchildren, while children are the main spreaders of the infection [1]. Therefore, it is not surprising that children’s groups represent the highest risk of transmission of colds. Children actively communicate with each other in schools and kindergartens, exchanging not only information and toys, but also microorganisms. Viruses are transmitted by saliva microdroplets that can spread 5 meters when coughing and especially when sneezing! SARS pathogens can also be transmitted by shaking hands and using infected objects. Therefore, if one child gets sick, he can easily pass SARS to other children and his relatives. Due to the high contagiousness of colds, every second person annually gets sick with influenza or SARS, in contact with the patient [2]. Timely treatment of acute respiratory viral infections contributes to a faster recovery and prevents the development of complications. Of course, the treatment of SARS in children should be not only effective, but also as safe as possible. Young children need special attention.

An increase in body temperature is the most common and one of the most important symptoms of diseases in childhood. An elevated body temperature in a child is the most common reason for visiting a doctor, although often many parents try to reduce the temperature on their own by using antipyretic drugs [3]. Along with antipyretic therapy for elevated body temperature in a child, the measures taken should include:

• semi-bed or bed rest, depending on the level of body temperature and the child’s well-being;
• sparing diet (feeding depending on appetite). It is advisable to limit the use of fresh milk due to possible hypolactasia with fever;
• drink plenty of water (tea, fruit drink, compote, etc.) to ensure adequate heat transfer due to increased sweating [4].

It is important to understand that an increase in body temperature in ARVI is a physiological protective reaction of the body to the introduction of an infectious agent. The biological significance of fever is to increase the body’s immunological defense, as well as to prevent the reproduction of viruses, cocci and other microorganisms. Therefore, you should not interfere with the child’s body to cope with a cold on its own by giving the child antipyretic drugs with a relatively small deviation in body temperature from the norm. It is recommended to use antipyretic drugs when the child’s temperature exceeds 390°C (measured rectally) or 38.5°C (measured “under the arm”). The exception is children with a risk of developing febrile seizures, with a severe disease of the pulmonary or cardiovascular system, as well as children in the first 2 months of life [3].

When conducting antipyretic therapy, the decrease in body temperature should not be critical, it is not necessary to achieve its normal values, it is enough to reduce the temperature by 1–1.5 °C. This leads to an improvement in the child’s well-being and makes it easier to endure a feverish state [4].

When choosing an antipyretic drug for a child, along with its effectiveness, the safety profile of the drug is extremely important. WHO recommends 2 drugs – ibuprofen and paracetamol – to control body temperature in children [3].

Ibuprofen has a pronounced antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Its effectiveness and acceptable safety profile have been proven in international double-blind, randomized trials. A number of studies have shown that the antipyretic effect of ibuprofen at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg is higher than that of paracetamol at a dose of 10 mg/kg and acetylsalicylic acid at a dose of 10 mg/kg. In addition, ibuprofen, compared with paracetamol, does not increase the risk of hospitalizations associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, renal failure, and anaphylaxis. Its use is considered relatively safe compared to paracetamol in children with bronchial asthma who do not have indications of intolerance to acetylsalicylic acid, since the use of ibuprofen in them does not increase the risk of bronchospasm [5].

Taking into account modern requirements for the effectiveness and safety of antipyretics for children, Reckitt Benckiser has developed NUROFEN, NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN and NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN FORTE. Due to the fact that they are presented in three forms of release (oral suspension, suppositories and tablets), parents can choose the most suitable drug depending on the age of the child and even take into account the taste preferences of the baby when choosing the oral form of the drug:

• NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN, orange or strawberry flavored oral suspension, ibuprofen 100 mg per 5 ml, is a good choice for controlling body temperature in infants from 3 months and weighing at least 5 kg and up to 12 years;
• NUROFEN FORTE FOR CHILDREN, orange or strawberry flavored oral suspension, ibuprofen 200 mg per 5 ml, is intended for children over 6 months of age and weighing at least 8 kg and up to 12 years.
• NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN, suppositories, 60 mg ibuprofen in suppositories, are intended for children from 3 months and weighing more than 6 kg to 2 years and are recommended for use when oral administration of drugs is not possible, for example, in case of vomiting in a child;
• NUROFEN ibuprofen 200 mg film-coated tablets are intended for adults and children weighing over 20 kg (approximately 6 years).

One of the important points to consider when taking even the safest antipyretic is the accuracy of dosing the drug. NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN and NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN FORTE in the form of oral suspension contain a convenient dosing device – a syringe dispenser, which allows you to accurately measure a single dose of the drug for a child. An additional bonus is also the fact that these drugs have a dosing table both on the secondary packaging (box) and on the vial itself.

Thus, Reckitt Benckiser took care of the effective and safe control of body temperature in babies, and also took into account important criteria for the convenience of using antipyretic drugs in children – the possibility of accurate dosing and the pleasant taste of drugs in oral form. Therefore, when recommending the optimal antipyretic agent, you should pay attention to NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN and NUROFEN FOR CHILDREN FORTE!

APTEKA Weekly press service

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