Ibuprofen, a fever and pain reliever that is safe for children

Ibuprofen is a drug commonly used to treat fever in children. Fever and pain are complaints that are quite common in childhood. Fever or pain in the baby often occurs suddenly so that it interferes with the activities of the little one and of course worries the father and mother.

A high fever that occurs continuously can cause the child to become restless, dehydrated, decreased appetite, and can even trigger seizures in certain children (especially for children who have the talent for fever-seizures in the family).

The cause of pain in children can be triggered by an infectious process (such as sore throat / headache), trauma (such as pain in bones or muscles after a fall), or after procedures such as surgery.

Even so, parents still need to deal with fever that attacks children in several ways that can be done at home. One of them is by giving drugs containing ibuprofen.

Treating children's fever with ibuprofen

Ibuprofen is one of the right and safe drug choices to relieve fever or pain in children. A meta-analysis study published by the National Library of Medicine proves that ibuprofen has the same safety profile and tolerance levels as paracetamol.

Although ibuprofen is reported to have a risk of upper gastrointestinal disorders, various studies have shown that there is no significant difference between ibuprofen compared to paracetamol, on the risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

In addition, ibuprofen has not been shown to be associated with asthma-related morbidity, cardiovascular risk, or kidney problems. These are the things that make ibuprofen you should choose to reduce fever in children.

The advantages of ibuprofen over paracetamol

Apart from reducing fever, ibuprofen has advantages in dealing with pain. Research has shown that ibuprofen can provide good pain relief as early as two hours after administration. This pain includes pain of mild to moderate degrees, such as pain during toothaches or after tooth extraction and headaches.

Ibuprofen (NSAID) has also been shown to control fever better than paracetamol (analgesic) within four hours after administration. In fact, ibuprofen can also relieve inflammation that attacks children, because it can also function as an anti-inflammatory.

If you have a fever, children under the age of 6 should take a drug containing 100 mg of ibuprofen. Meanwhile, children over 6 years of age can take fever medicine containing 200 mg of ibuprofen.

The drug with the ibuprofen dosage above is believed to have a fast action within 30 minutes to reduce fever. In fact, it has a long medicinal effect, which can last up to 6 to 8 hours after drinking it.

Not only that, the use of the drug with the ibuprofen dosage above is also more practical. Parents only need to give it every 6 to 8 hours. This can benefit both children and parents because they can rest more calmly and longer.

Currently, ibuprofen is very easy to obtain because it is classified as a drug Over-The-Counter (OTC) or freely purchased without a prescription. Ibuprofen is available in tablet form (for adults) and also in syrup form, making it easier for children to consume it with friendly flavors, such as orange, strawberry, or other fruit flavors. Prices for these medicinal preparations are also quite affordable.

Hopefully, you will not hesitate to give ibuprofen if needed to treat the baby's fever.

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