It's Murphy's Law that children will suffer more often from pain or fever at night - usually in the middle of the night, and especially if you have an early start the next morning!

When it comes to managing your child's pain, including pain associated with headache, earache, sore throat, physical injuries, teething and injections, a children's analgesic is often the best way of reducing the discomfort in the short term - especially if it's keeping them awake at night, and making them tired and miserable.

A well tolerated children's pain relief treatment such as Nurofen for Children*, which has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, will quickly and effectively target the pain. Once the discomfort is relieved you are both more likely to get a better night's sleep.

While they are still developing, children are very vulnerable to bugs and there are many different illnesses they may pick up, some more serious than others.

Various signs and symptoms that something is wrong include drowsiness, being quiet and withdrawn, lethargy, irritability, poor circulation, restlessness, loss of appetite, diarrhoea or fewer bowel movements, vomiting, rashes and crying.

A common sign of infection and illness is a raised temperature. A child's temperature is affected by a number of variables, but generally a child is considered to have a fever when their body temperature rises above 38 degrees Celsius.

Diagnosing the cause of a fever can be tricky - especially if your child is too young to articulate the problem. Fever often accompanies the most common ailments suffered by children, and may indicate something mild like a cold or something more serious.

For this reason, fever itself is not always something to worry about. It's the body's natural reaction to fight off infection and helps the immune system.

If however your child has a fever that is causing them discomfort and keeping them awake at night, or is accompanied by other symptoms, you may want to give them the appropriate dose of a children's fever treatment like Nurofen for Children to bring their temperature down. Nurofen for Children has the added benefit of relieving fever for up to eight hours, so you can both get a better, more restful night's sleep.

Other measures to help control a fever include increasing your child's fluid intake and removing excess clothing or bedding.

With the fever under control you can better monitor your child and keep an eye on any other symptoms.

Regardless of whether you have given your child something to bring their temperature down, always seek medical advice if:

• Your child's temperature rises above 38.5 degrees Celsius
• Your child shows more unusual symptoms such as a stiff neck, vomiting, stomach pains, breathing difficulties or skin discolouration
• Your child is less than 1 year old
• The fever persists for more than 48 hours
• Your child refuses to drink or has trouble swallowing

If you are unsure or concerned at any stage don't hesitate to seek advice from a doctor or other healthcare professional - you won't be able to sleep if you are up all night checking on your child and worrying about their wellbeing.

* Nurofen for Children contains ibuprofen (100mg/5mL). Always read the label. Incorrect use could be harmful. Use only as directed and consult your healthcare professional if symptoms persist. Do not give to children under 6 months. Seek medical advice before giving to children under 1 year.

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