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Oral morphine and ibuprofen are equally effective for children with uncomplicated fractures but morphine causes more adverse effects, according to research.

One hundred and thirty-four children with an uncomplicated extremity fracture were prescribed four doses of oral morphine (0.5mg/kg) or ibuprofen (10mg/kg) for 24 hours after discharge.

All four doses of both drugs reduced pain scores and no significant differences emerged between them. However significantly more children in the study taking morphine experienced adverse effects than in the ibuprofen group (56.1 and 30.9 per cent respectively).