So that your child's pain is well controlled, it is OK to alternate giving paracetamol and ibuprofen, or even to give both at the same time.
Paracetamol can be given every 4-6 hours - MAXIMUM FOUR DOSES IN 24 HOURS. Ibuprofen can be given every 6-8 hours - MAXIMUM THREE DOSES IN 24 HOURS.
Giving paracetamol with other painkillers
However, do not give paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
It's safe to take ibuprofen with paracetamol or codeine. But do not take ibuprofen with similar painkillers like aspirin or naproxen without talking to a pharmacist or doctor.
Therapeutic rationale for the combination
Current evidence suggests that for some types of pain, combining paracetamol with an NSAID may offer better analgesia than either drug alone. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, have analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory actions.
Paracetamol for children is a safe painkiller to give children alongside ibuprofen. However, do not give ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time. You need to give these medicines 1 at a time (unless your child's doctor or nurse gives you different instructions).
Dosage and how often to give it
If you're not sure how much to give a child, ask your pharmacist or doctor. If you give it: 3 times in 24 hours, leave at least 6 hours between doses. 4 times in 24 hours, leave at least 4 hours between doses.
Specifically, drugs that slow down breathing rate, such as opioids, alcohol, antihistamines, CNS depressants, or general anesthetics, should not be taken together because these combinations increase the risk of life-threatening respiratory depression.
Young children who are unwell with fever should be treated with ibuprofen first, but the relative risks (inadvertently exceeding the maximum recommended dose) and benefits (extra 2.5 hours without fever) of using paracetamol plus ibuprofen over 24 hours should be considered.
It's important your child does not take more than the daily recommended dose. If you child takes too much - all at once or over a period of days - paracetamol can damage their liver.
If your child takes too much ibuprofen, they risk overdosing on the drug. Watch your child for signs of nausea, trouble breathing, or if they complain of ringing in the ears. Damage to the stomach lining. This intestinal damage can happen when a child takes too much ibuprofen for too long.
If you take ibuprofen 3 times a day, leave at least 6 hours between doses. If you take it 4 times a day, leave at least 4 hours between doses. If you have pain all the time, your doctor may recommend slow-release ibuprofen tablets or capsules.
Your child should start to feel better about 20 to 30 minutes after taking ibuprofen. Talk to a doctor if they need to take it for more than 3 days (or 1 day if they're under 6 months) or their symptoms do not improve or they get worse. Are there any long-term side effects?
Because ibuprofen has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it is more effective than paracetamol at controlling certain types of pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, and muscular injuries.
To avoid the interaction you may need to space the timing of your doses, taking each drug 2 hours before or 4 hours after the other drug.
Ideally this would mean every 8 hours. The gap between doses should be uniform so as to maintain adequate blood levels.
Taking your medications at the proper intervals during the day. Try to divide up your dosing times as evenly as possible throughout the day: for example, every 12 hours for a drug that needs to be taken twice a day, or every 8 hours for a drug that needs to be taken three times a day.
You should start to feel better 20 to 30 minutes after taking ibuprofen tablets, capsules, granules or liquid.
The primary difference is that ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), meaning that it treats inflammation. Paracetamol does not. For example, paracetamol can be taken to treat the pain of arthritis, but it will not treat the inflammation which is causing the pain.
Ibuprofen for adults (Nurofen)
Other brand names: Brufen, Calprofen, Fenbid, Ibugel, Ibuleve. Find out how ibuprofen treats pain and swelling (inflammation), and how to take it.
Doctors recommend parents let child's low grade fever run its course, skip the medication. MIAMI - Many parents turn quickly to fever-reducing medication when their children begin to show signs of a fever, but pediatricians are warning that may not be needed.
Give every 6 to 8 hours as needed, but never give your child more than four doses in 24 hours. If your child doesn't like the flavor, you can try a product with a different flavoring. If your child is sensitive to dyes, use a dye-free type of ibuprofen.
Ibuprofen may start working within 30 minutes. But meaningful pain or fever relief may take up to 2 hours.