Calpol or Ibuprofen: a parent's quick guide
If you're standing in a chemist trying to remember which medicine you used last time, or staring into a kitchen cupboard at 3am trying to work out which bottle to reach for, this is for you. Calpol and Ibuprofen are the two most common children's medicines in the UK. They look similar, they sit on the same shelf, but they're different drugs with different rules.
This is a quick comparison taken from the bottles and the NHS. It's not advice. If anything in here is the difference between calling 111 and not, please call 111.
The short version
Calpol
- Active ingredient
- Paracetamol
- Strength (infant)
- 120mg per 5ml
- From age
- 2 months (over 4kg, full-term)
- Dose interval
- Every 4 to 6 hours
- Daily limit
- 4 doses in 24 hours
- Often used for
- Fever, general pain, after vaccinations
Ibuprofen
- Active ingredient
- Ibuprofen
- Strength (infant)
- 100mg per 5ml
- From age
- 3 months (over 5kg)
- Dose interval
- Every 6 to 8 hours
- Daily limit
- 3 doses in 24 hours (4 for under-1s)
- Often used for
- Fever with inflammation, teething, bumps and bruises
How much, by age
Both medicines are dosed by age band. The amounts on the bottle are roughly:
- Calpol: 2.5ml at 3 to 6 months, 5ml from 6 months to 2 years, 7.5ml from 2 to 4 years, 10ml from 4 to 6 years.
- Ibuprofen: 2.5ml at 3 to 12 months, 5ml from 1 to 4 years, 7.5ml from 4 to 7 years, 10ml from 7 to 10 years.
Always read the bottle for your specific brand and your child's age and weight. If your child is small for their age, ask a pharmacist. The numbers above match the standard UK infant suspensions but exact figures vary between products.
Can you give both?
Sometimes yes, but only on advice. Calpol and Ibuprofen work differently and clear from the body on different timelines, so giving them together (or alternating) can be useful when one alone isn't enough, particularly with persistent high fevers. The NHS and most GPs say to alternate only when advised to, not as a default. If you're considering it, call your GP, 111, or your pharmacist first.
If you do alternate, the trick is keeping track of which medicine you gave and when. That's actually why we built Dosey, which logs both medicines on one timeline so you can see them side by side without doing maths in your head.
When to skip the medicine and call someone
Medicine handles the symptoms. It doesn't fix the cause. A few situations where you should call 111 or your GP rather than reach for another dose:
- A baby under 3 months with any fever (over 38°C)
- A child of any age with a fever that doesn't respond to either medicine after a couple of doses
- A rash that doesn't fade when you press a glass against it
- Persistent vomiting, breathing difficulties, or unusual drowsiness
- A fever that lasts more than 5 days, or 3 days in an infant
Trust your instinct. If something feels off, it probably is.
A few more things worth knowing
- Always use the syringe or spoon that came with the bottle. Kitchen teaspoons are not 5ml.
- Don't combine paracetamol products. If your child has had a sachet of cold-and-flu powder containing paracetamol, that counts toward the daily Calpol limit too.
- Ibuprofen is best given with or after food. It can irritate the stomach on an empty one.
- Skip Ibuprofen if your child has asthma, dehydration, or chickenpox unless your GP has specifically said it's OK.
A small disclaimer. This piece is a summary of what's printed on the bottle and what the NHS publishes. We're a logging tool, not a clinic. The dosing instructions on your specific bottle, and your GP or pharmacist, are the source of truth.
Want a quieter way to keep track of medicines and timing? Dosey is free for one child. Pay £6.99 once for the whole household.