A top Irish paediatrician has warned parents to avoid giving their children ibuprofen if they have the chicken pox.
Dr Niamh Lynch said this is because rather than easing their pain, ibuprofen can actually make a chicken pox rash much more itchy and increases the chance of a "nasty skin infection".
Sharing a video on her TikTok account, @tiktokkiddydoc, she told parents why they should never use it to treat the uncomfortable symptoms.
She said: "If you give your child ibuprofen you are going to make their rash so much worse and increase the chance of infection and just make everything really really hard."
In a post on her Instagram account, Dr Lynch said that chicken pox infection was "rampant" among children at the minute and that parents should use Calpol or Paracetamol to ease the pain instead.
She wrote: "Chickenpox is rampant at the moment.
"Ibuprofen use for chickenpox is associated with an increased risk of necrotising fasciitis, a nasty skin infection.
"It is advised not to use ibuprofen routinely at home for chickenpox. Ibuprofen CAN be used under guidance of GP, or if the child is hospitalised and under medical supervision.
"Paracetemol only at home [sic]."
The HSE website also advises parents to steer clear of ibuprofen when treating a child with the chicken pox - unless their GP has advised them otherwise.
It said the reason for this is because it can increase the risk of "serious skin infections" and parents can use paracetamol instead.
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