Does baby ibuprofen reduce fever?
It’s great to know that baby ibuprofen does, in fact, reduce fever! For those geeky parents out there it's interesting to know that ibuprofen reduces pain and fever by reducing prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandins are chemicals that are produced in areas where there’s an injury, infection or tissue damage, and are key mediators in pain, fever, inflammation and swelling.
Ibuprofen for babies
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that can be used to help treat pain and fever in babies. Your baby can use ibuprofen if they're older than three months and weigh more than 5kg.
For babies, you can try children's ibuprofen like Nurofen For Children for fever or pain relief. It starts to work in 15 minutes to reduce fever and provides up to 8 hours all night relief from fever.
This medicine is suitable for the majority of people but certain people should not use it. This is why it's important to read the patient leaflet before giving ibuprofen to your baby and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are at all unsure.
What is the right ibuprofen dosage for infants?
Confused about how much ibuprofen to give your baby? The strength and dosage of ibuprofen will depend on which product of baby ibuprofen you use, so make sure to always read the label and follow the instructions carefully. If you choose Nurofen for Children Cold, Pain and Fever, here's how much you should give based on their age:
Newborn - 3 months
Until your baby is 3 months old and weighs more than 5kg, do not give them ibuprofen.
3 months - 6 months
Between 3 and 6 months, once they weigh more than 5kg, one 2.5ml dose may be taken 3 times a day. Doses should be given every 6-8 hours, leave at least 4 hours between doses.
Do not use it for more than 24 hours when your baby is this age. Consult your doctor if their symptoms persist or become worse after 24 hours.
6 months - 1 year
Between 6 months and a year, one 2.5ml dose may be taken 3 to 4 times in 24 hours. Ages 1-3 years, one 5ml dose 3 times in 24 hours may be given.
Doses should be given every 6 to 8 hours. Leave at least 4 hours between doses. For short-term use only.
For fever caused by immunisation: babies and children over 3 months (and weigh more than 5kg) one 2.5ml dose up to twice a day. If necessary, the second dose should be given 6 hours after the first dose. If the fever is not reduced, consult a doctor.
Now that you know how much to give and can stop worrying about that, read more about How to Give a Baby Medicine.
Ibuprofen is suitable for the majority of children but certain children should not use it. Do not give this medicine to your child if they:
- Are younger than 3 months old or weighs less than 5kg
- Are taking other NSAID painkillers, or aspirin with a daily dose above 75mg
- Has (or has had two or more episodes of) a stomach ulcer, perforation or bleeding
- Have severe kidney, liver or heart failure
- Has a fructose intolerance
- Is allergic to ibuprofen or any other ingredient of the product, aspirin or other related painkillers
- Have had stomach bleeds in the past or had perforation after taking NSAIDs like ibuprofen
You should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before giving your child ibuprofen if they have other medical conditions or if they are taking or have recently taken other medication.
So, there we have it: Does baby ibuprofen reduce fever? Yes.
Does it reduce pain? Yes.