Ibuprofen Works in Kids with a Broken Arm
August 18, 2009 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
If your child has broken an arm, you know how painful it can be. Most often, children are sent home from the emergency or urgent care with a new cast/splint and a prescription for acetaminophen (ex., Tylenol) and codeine together. However, this type of medication seems to cause side effects in over 50% of children. This may make the first few days of the break difficult.
Researchers in Wisconsin studied the effects of ibuprofen (ex., Advil) on children with broken arms, compared with acetaminophen and codeine. The goal of the study was to see if the pain relief was comparable and if the different approach affected arm healing and future issues.
Of 336 children, 93% needed medication to manage the pain for the first few days. The group was divided into two and the children were given either the acetaminophen/codeine combination or ibuprofen.
The researchers found that only 29.5% of the children on ibuprofen reported any side effects. They also discovered that the children in the ibuprofen group were more satisfied with the treatment.
The study was published in the most recent issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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