Patient education: Acetaminophen dosing in children (The Basics)

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What is acetaminophen? — Acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) is a medicine that is used to help reduce pain or fever. Acetaminophen is called "paracetamol" outside of the US.

How much acetaminophen should I give my child?

●The dose is based on how much your child weighs. To figure out how much to give, you need to know the strength of the medicine. This is listed on the label as "mg/mL" for liquid or "mg/tablet" for pills. Always check the strength of the medicine before you give it to be sure that you give the correct dose.

●You can give your child acetaminophen every 4 to 6 hours as needed. Do not give more than 5 doses in 24 hours.

●This chart shows what dose to give based on your child's weight. It also shows the dose based on age, which you can use if you do not know the child's weight (table 1).

What else should I know?

●Always check with the doctor before giving acetaminophen to a baby or child younger than 2 years.

●Acetaminophen liquid comes in only 1 strength (160 mg per 5 mL) in the US.

●Use a dosing syringe to measure the right dose of liquid medicine for your child. This usually comes in the box with the medicine, or you can get one from your pharmacist. Do not use a teaspoon to measure.

●Never give your child more than 1 medicine that contains acetaminophen at a time. Ask your pharmacist if you are not sure what ingredients are in a medicine.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●Your child shows signs of a very bad reaction. These include wheezing, chest tightness, itching, bad cough, blue skin color, seizures, and swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call for emergency help or go to the emergency department right away.

●Your child's condition gets worse.

●Your child has a fever that does not get better with fever-reducing medicine or lasts more than 3 days.

●You need to give your child acetaminophen for more than 3 days in a row for any reason.

More on this topic

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This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Feb 02, 2024.

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Patient education: Acetaminophen dosing in children (The Basics)