How to give acetaminophen and ibuprofen for fever

Does my child have a fever?

A temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher is a fever

Children often feel warm to the touch when they have a fever. To confirm that your child has a fever, use a thermometer to measure your child's body temperature. A temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher means that your child has a fever.

Fever itself is not a disease or illness. Fever is a signal that something is going on in the body. How your child looks and acts are more important than how high their fever is.

What medications treat fever?

When should I treat a fever with medication?

You should use medication to keep your child comfortable. You should not base your judgment on how high the fever is but rather on how your child is feeling. If your child has a fever but is still playing, drinking well and is happy, it may not be necessary to use medication to treat their fever.

Medications used to treat a fever

Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol, Tempra) and ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin) are two medications that are commonly used to treat fever in children. It is best to use only one of these medications to treat a fever. You can choose which one you prefer to use, both work equally well.

The correct dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for a child is based on their body weight. An estimated dose is usually provided on the medication package. Note that acetaminophen and ibuprofen have different doses and different lengths of time between doses. Also it may take up to an hour for the medication to start helping.

If using only one of these medications is not helping to make your child feel more comfortable or bring down their fever, you can try giving the two medications together. This may help make your child feel more comfortable because acetaminophen and ibuprofen help to treat fever in different ways. These medications are safe to take at the same time, or within a short amount of time of one another.

For information on how to safely use acetaminophen or ibuprofen tablets by mouth for children please see this information sheet.

How do you give acetaminophen and ibuprofen together?

Doses of acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol, Tempra) should be given at least four hours apart. Doses of ibuprofen (e.g., Advil, Motrin) should be given at least six hours apart. There are limits on how much of each medication can be given in a 24-hour period. Please look at your medication bottle for daily dosage limits or ask your pharmacist.

When you are giving acetaminophen and ibuprofen to your child it is important to keep track of which medication you have given, how much you have given and when you gave it.

Here is an example of how to give acetaminophen and ibuprofen together

Here is a chart to explain the above example:

Important reminders when giving medication for fever

Always check your child’s temperature before giving medication for fever. If your child does not have a fever, they do not need the medication. Remember that if a child has a fever but is still playing, drinking well and is happy, they may not need medication to treat the fever at that time.

It is important to keep track of when you have given medication to your child, especially if you are giving doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen together.

Many children’s cough and cold medications contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Check the ingredients of any other medications you are giving your child to see if they contain acetaminophen or ibuprofen. If they do, you will need to reduce the dose of acetaminophen and ibuprofen you are giving your child to make sure they are not receiving too high of a dose.

Whether or not you are treating your child’s fever, if you are concerned that your child is not well please seek medical care.