Ibuprofen Or Acetaminophen For Toddler With Fever – Effectiveness, Dosage & Side Effects

Both Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen belong to different drug classes. Acetaminophen acts as a pain reliever as well as a fever reducer. Whereas Ibuprofen helps reduce inflammation in addition to fever and pain. While both these drugs are doctor recommended, a fever is considered quite normal for your toddler to fight infection, according to pediatricians’ new advice.

Your toddler is suffering from a fever, and you can’t decide between Ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

One person suggests Ibuprofen and another acetaminophen, so you can’t decide which is more beneficial to your toddler, even though both are used as fever and pain reducers.

Regarding fever, doctors urge you to recognize it as a sign that your toddler’s body is fighting an infection.

While it’s entirely normal to have a fever, depending on how high your toddler’s temperature is, getting them to take either Ibuprofen or acetaminophen is a choice you’d want to be ready for.

So, let’s get to know which one is a better choice and help you make a decision!

Common facts about Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen

Before diving into the differences between these two drugs, it’s essential to know some facts about them to help you gain more knowledge and make a better decision for your toddler.

  1. You’ll probably recognize these two drugs by their popular brand names, like Advil (Ibuprofen) and Tylenol (acetaminophen).
  2. A meta-analysis of 85 studies that directly compared the two drugs to relieve fever and pain found that Ibuprofen was as effective as acetaminophen, and both drugs were equally safe.
  3. Acetaminophen belongs to a class of drugs called analgesics. Ibuprofen belongs to a drug class called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
  4. These are available in the market in various forms, including tablets, capsules, suspensions, and chewable tablets.
  5. They are readily available with famous brand names.

Now that you are familiar with some facts about Ibuprofen and acetaminophen, let’s look at the effectiveness of both these drugs in the next section.

Effectiveness of Ibuprofen vs. Acetaminophen

Dad is touching his toddler daughter's forehead to check whether she has a high temperature

Regarding Ibuprofen, it is best to reduce inflammation in addition to fever and pain in your toddler.

Toddlers with kidney diseases, bleeding problems, or a few other chronic illnesses may not be able to take Ibuprofen.

A few studies show that Ibuprofen is better than acetaminophen for your toddler with a fever over 102-103 F.

Acetaminophen is a better option for toddlers with stomach pain. There are times when Ibuprofen can irritate the stomach.

When comparing both these drugs for their effectiveness, there is not much substantial difference in their usage. However, studies suggest that alternating between these two drugs might be a more effective option in reducing fever in your toddler.

There’s a slightly better chance of improvement in reducing the fever if you do so. But the only problem arising from this arrangement is the dosage amount.

Many toddlers are admitted to hospitals as parents don’t know the correct dosage to give their toddlers and end up overdosing.

In this next section, I’ll cover the issue of dosage and how much dosage is to give to your toddler.

Correct dosage for your toddler

When you buy your medications from the counter, you would have noticed directions for dosage, but they are given according to specific weight and age criteria.

If you try to follow that on your toddler, you might end up overdosing or underdosing them, as they might not fulfill the requirements.

As far as correct dosage is concerned, weight is more prominent as a deciding factor than your toddler’s age. So, keep their weight card handy from your last visit to your doctor, as it’s a more accurate deciding factor.

Ibuprofen should be given at 10 mg per kilogram of weight (about 10 mg for every 2 pounds) every 6-8 hours. Acetaminophen at 15 mg per kilogram of weight every 4-6 hours.

The key is to give your toddler the correct dosage, neither more nor less than the doctor recommended.

Unfortunately, there are cases when parents tend to underdose due to fear of overdosing, so their toddler takes longer to recover from fever.

Side effects of Ibuprofen Or Acetaminophen

Mom holding her sick toddler who is having side effects from taking fever medicine.

There are side effects to these medications as well.

Ibuprofen

Indigestion, heartburn, or feeling sick like nausea and vomiting are common such effects, which is why it is recommended to give your toddler the medicines just after you have fed them.

Some severe side effects are:

  • Severe stomach pain, blood vomit, dark or black poo – are all signs of a stomach ulcer.
  • Your toddler might stop peeing, or if there’s blood in their pee, then it’s a problem with their kidney.
  • Hearing ringing in their ear.

All these side effects are a rare occurrence, so you don’t have to worry. But if you encounter any of these side effects mentioned above, immediately visit your pediatrician.

Acetaminophen

It rarely causes any side effects with the prescribed use. Nevertheless, we will discuss possible side effects for your knowledge.

If you notice any of these in your toddler, you know the cause and should immediately visit your pediatrician.

Some severe side effects are:

  • Diarrhea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Stomach pain
  • Skin rash, hives, or itching
  • Swelling of lips, throat, or tongue
  • Increased sweating
  • Yellow eyes or skin

So, unless and until you encounter such severe side effects, you don’t need to worry too much!

The overall well-being of a toddler with a fever

Dad is helping his toddler daughter blow her nose

Fever is considered to be a good sign that your toddler’s body is fighting off the infection.

Even though it’s a good sign, you still want to use these fever reducers to relieve your toddler’s suffering or pain.

But apart from giving them medicines to become better, it is not the only thing you should focus on.

Overall well-being is highly recommended by any doctor you might visit.

So, when your toddler is in fever, you might want to follow some other bits of advice for their well-being:

  • Be it a fever that your toddler is suffering from or any other illness staying hydrated is the most important thing to remember. As a parent, you need to keep your toddler hydrated from time to time and make them drink lots of water.
  • Give Ibuprofen and acetaminophen in the appropriate dosage, which can be measured using your toddler’s body weight.
  • Sleep is your toddler’s best friend during their sickness. Just as staying hydrated can solve many problems, appropriate rest is also necessary. Again, never wake up your toddler from their sleep to give them medicines unless and until it’s a dire situation.
  • To avoid your toddler getting their hands on the medications, keep them out of their reach, so they don’t accidentally consume them.

Takeaway

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are both excellent fever reducers.

If we go into a more in-depth analysis, then Ibuprofen reduces inflammation with fever and pain, while acetaminophen relieves pain and reduces fever.

Depending on your toddler’s situation and what symptoms they are facing, you can choose which one to rely on. But studies also show that alternating between these two can help reduce fever more effectively.

Be it Ibuprofen or acetaminophen, keep in mind that any medication dosage should be given in an appropriate amount to your toddler.

While medicines help, hydration and sleep are essential factors for your toddler’s overall well-being.

Keep a happy environment all around, and your toddler will be back to normal more quickly!

Was this article helpful?
YesNo
Avatar

As a writer for 1happykiddo, Saumya wants to help new parents and older siblings help raise the newest member added to the family. Her parenting tips come from her experience of being 15 years older than her youngest sibling. When not writing, you can find her reading novels, traveling, and cooking nutritious meals.

Leave a Comment