Question
My child had a fever yesterday and went to the hospital. They took ibuprofen and the fever went down, but it came back at midnight. They’re still running a fever today, and ibuprofen isn’t working anymore. What’s going on?
Answer
When a child has a recurrence of fever, it is often due to a viral infection or the common cold. Taking fever-reducing medication can only temporarily lower body temperature, and after the drug’s effect wears off, the temperature may rise again. At this point, other medications may be necessary for treatment.