Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are both acceptable options in managing febrile children. Several randomized controlled trials involving children show that they're equally efficacious and safe, with no differences in terms of adverse effects. These studies included both hospitalized and community-based patients. While many parents and physicians are familiar and comfortable with acetaminophen, some parents and children do prefer the longer dosing interval of ibuprofen. It's important to keep two things in mind when recommending treatment for fever in children: -- Fever is an adaptive response to infection, and there's no proof that antipyretics improve outcomes or alter the clinical course of an illness. -- Current evidence shows that antipyretics don't actually prevent febrile seizures, which are a major source of "fever phobia" among physicians and parents. The sole goal of antipyretic treatment is to make children feel better. MP