I guess I'm blessed bc my daughter never gets sick! However she threw up a few hours ago at my ex's house and i picked her up. He said she didn't eat anything "new" today other than apple cider from a farm they visited today. She's sleeping like a rock right now but her head is warm, if she has a fever in the morning what should i give her? Is ibuprofin better than tylenol? Isn't one of those harder on a stomach? Thanks Mommy's!
Thanks Mommy's! Gabby had a sick free day so i guess it was really just a 24 hour bug. She ate great today, played alot and was in good spirits. We stayed in today for good measures since it's a bit cold out. I saved a few of your messages for future reference since i always forget which one is better for what! Knocking on wood again that my daughter is so healthy! I'm blessed! She's been in daycare since she was 6 months but she's developed a kick ass immune system!
Tylenol is easier on the stomach but Motrin will get a fever down better if it is a high fever. For a higher fever (like 103 or higher) my doctor said to use both and alternate every 4 hours. Hopefully it won't be too bad.
Motrin and Tylenol are very different meds and for different issues. Ibuprofin is an anti-inflammatory drug where Tylenol is a pain reliever. Both work on temperatures but they do act differently in the system. They should be given alternating times, for example, it the fever is very very very high the doc might tell you to give it much closer together than at some other time. It is not normal to give both meds at the same time or even very close together.
For example, give Tylenol at 8am, then give Motrin at Noon, then around 6pm give Tylenol again, then 10 or so give Motrin again. This way the 2 meds are in her system at different times. Sometimes the doc will say give one then the other then switch off again every 4 hours but to me that overlaps the motrin too much. If she has a high fever you'll need to take her in in case it's an ear infection or sinus anyway, the drainage from those can make a child puke.
if it's just a low grade fever, it's better to let it try to work itself out.
Naturally in sleep your temp is slightly higher, so I'd wait until she's been up and about for a bit before taking her temp, or take it a couple of times if you want to right when she gets up.
ETA: really? It seems like my DD always feels hotter in her sleep, and my grandma told me that was because her temp was higher in her sleep. I hate it when that sort of thing turns out to be wrong!
Sorry she's not feeling well. You may be in for a long night!
Fevers are your body's natural mechanism for fighting off a virus, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. However, you don't want her over-heating. Give her lots of liquids (Pedialyte is good for keeping her hydrated) and you may want to dab her skin with a wet washcloth if the fever really skyrockets (103 or more). Dress her in lighter clothing, too. I think Tylenol is a little easier on the system, but if her fever is very high and doesn't respond to the meds you may want to call the dr.
Good luck to both of you!
Ummm sorry Sara, but your body temp actually drops when you sleep. If you are covered in blankets, well that can change things. If she wakes up with a fever give her tylenol according to her weight. I try not to give motrin unless my kids have a supe high fever or an ear infection. Good luck!
If she's throwing off the covers and spreading out like a starfish, she's too hot. Cool her down with a cool bath and/or tylenol. If you use the medication, use the smallest dose possible. Measure carefully and make sure you dose her by weight, not age. It is very easy to overdose on tylenol.
If she's curled up into a ball and shivering under the covers, don't treat the fever. The fever is doing what it's supposed to do. It will come down on its own. She'll feel better and recover faster if you let it run its course. Just pile on the blankets, give her some warm drinks, and snuggle a lot. She'll feel better soon.
Tylenol is usually gentler on the stomach, so that might be best this time. Let her rest as much as she wants and make sure she has plenty of liquids. If she wants to eat, great, but don't push it. If she seems too uncomfortable, the tylenol might help. Sleep, fluids, lots of hugs ... she's going to be just fine. Good luck!
