Same here. I wait until I feel it's necessary for the meds, like at night or there's other symptoms that are making my daughter uncomfortable.

Good advice though for the option to alternate. I never knew that until my daughter's last really high fever. A friend of mine shared that info with me because she has a child who has had such high fevers she has even experinced the febril seizures. Yikes. Sometimes there's a real need to knock the fever down. Other times, it's passes on it's own.

I am a mean mummy in that I dont give until I am sure she needs it, but once she has it she gets it regularly until she is better.  I do this to her because that is how I am with me.  So far it works, and she actually refuses medicine if it is not serious, or asks for it ahead of when I would offer it.  If she asks she gets it.  I dont know her pain or discomfort level.  But I have never offered it first unless i know beyond a doubt that it will not go away on its own.

Someone said to me that if you give child pain relief at the first sign of pain they may become addicted to it, or even worse immune (as in it wont work - i cannot remember the word I want) to it by the time they are 12 and ready to move on to adult doses.   

I guess it is all about common sense and knowing the limits of your child.
Peace
EF.x