What is the best medicine for children with fever?

When a child has a fever, parents should first look at the child's mental state and the degree of the fever. If it exceeds 38.5 degrees, they should consider using medication to reduce the temperature, otherwise it will be harmful to the child's brain. But what medicine is good for children with fever? When a child has a fever, parents should choose to buy medicines specifically for the child. Parents must consult a doctor about this and should not blindly give the child medicine, otherwise it will bring more serious consequences.

What medicine should babies and children take when they have a fever?

1. Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol)

Usage: 10-15 mg/kg body weight/time, once every 4 hours, not more than 5 times in 24 hours.

Advantages: It is absorbed quickly and completely, and can produce an antipyretic effect within 30 minutes of oral administration. The side effects are relatively small, there is basically no irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, no effect on platelet function and coagulation function, and no nephrotoxicity, so it is relatively safe. Doctors usually use this medicine for children under 2 years old. It can also be taken with milk or juice.

Disadvantages: Although it can reduce fever quickly, the time it takes to control body temperature is shorter than other drugs, and the time it takes to control fever is about 2-4 hours.

2. Ibuprofen

Usage: It can be used to reduce fever in infants and young children, and relieve mild headaches, sore throats and toothaches caused by colds and flu. 5-10 mg/kg per dose based on body weight. Repeat every 6-8 hours if needed, not to exceed 4 times in 24 hours.

Advantages: It and acetaminophen are two antipyretic drugs recommended by the World Health Organization and are also relatively safe antipyretic drugs. Its advantage is that it can reduce fever smoothly and for a long time, and the average fever-reducing time is about 6 hours, and up to 8 hours. Moreover, it is more effective than acetaminophen in reducing fever above 39°C.

Disadvantages: Mild gastrointestinal discomfort, occasional rash and tinnitus, headache, effects on coagulation function and elevated transferase, etc. There are also reports of gastrointestinal bleeding and aggravation of ulcers. There are also reports that it occasionally causes reversible renal damage in states of dehydration, hypovolemia, and low cardiac output, and overdose may cause side effects such as central nervous system depression and epileptic seizures. Therefore, it is generally used for children with high fever over 3 years old.

How to use antipyretics correctly

1. Generally, the medicine should be taken only when the body temperature reaches 38.5℃ or above, and there should be an interval of 4-6 hours between each dose. However, for children with a history of febrile convulsions, active antipyretic measures can be taken.

2. Antipyretic drugs come in many forms, including tablets, liquids, suppositories and injections. You can choose the appropriate form according to the age of your child. However, injections are the least safe method and are prone to adverse reactions. They are generally not used unless the body temperature is too high.

3. Commonly used antipyretics include acetaminophen (Baifuning, Tylenol, etc.), ibuprofen (Chengong Zaixin, Meilin)