Medicines for Fever or Pain Relief

Printer friendly version

Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is available without a prescription. Determine the correct dosage by finding your child's weight in the top row of the table. You may repeat the dosage every 4-6 hours as needed. Do not give acetaminophen more than 5 times a day. Do not use acetaminophen in children under 3 months of age. If your infant has a fever during the first 12 weeks of life, see your child's healthcare provider.

 

Weight           (Dosage Form)             Dose 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
7-13 pounds       infant drops              0.4 ml or 40 mg 
                  children's liquid         1/4 tsp or 1.25 ml      
---------------------------------------------------------------------
14-20 pounds      infant drops              0.8 ml or 80 mg     
                  children's liquid         1/2 tsp or 2.5 ml 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
21-27 pounds      infant drops              1.2 ml or 120 mg  
                  children's liquid         3/4 tsp or 3.75 ml    
                  chewable tablets          1+1/2 tablets or 120 mg
---------------------------------------------------------------------
28 -41 pounds     infant drops              1.6 ml or 160 mg       
                  children's liquid         1 tsp or 5 ml              
                  chewable tablets          2 tablets or 160 mg
                  Jr. strength tablets      1 tablet or 160 mg 
---------------------------------------------------------------------
42-55 pounds      infant drops              2.4 ml or 240 mg
                  children's liquid         1+1/2 tsp or 7.5 ml   
                  chewable tablets          3 tablets or 240 mg 
                  Jr. strength tablets      1+1/2 tablet or 240 mg  
---------------------------------------------------------------------
56-83 pounds      chewable tablets          4 tablets or 320  mg 
                  Jr. strength tablets      2 tablets or 320 mg       
                  adult tablets             1 tablet or 325 mg 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
84-111 pounds     chewable tablets          6 tablets or 480 mg  
                  Jr. strength tablets      3 tablets or 480 mg
                  adult tablets             1+1/2 tablets or 480 mg  
----------------------------------------------------------------------
112+ pounds       chewable tablets          8 tablets or 640 mg       
                  Jr. strength tablets      4 tablets or 640 mg
                  adult tablets             2 tablets or 650 mg
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Abbreviations:   mg = milligrams    ml = milliliter   tsp = teaspoon 

Suppositories: Acetaminophen is also available as a rectal suppository in 120-mg, 325-mg, and 650-mg dosages. Suppositories are useful if a child with a fever is vomiting often or having seizures caused by the fever. Use the same dose as listed above for the suppository. Most suppositories can be cut (for example, cut in half) to supply the right dose for your child's age.

Ibuprofen

Determine the correct dosage by finding your child's weight in the top row of the table. You may repeat the dosage every 6 to 8 hours as needed. Note that some medicines come with a 1.25 ml dropper and others come with a 1.875ml syringe. Don't let the dropper/syringe difference confuse you. The milligram amount you should give is the same. Do not give ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age.

 
Weight           (Dosage Form)             Dose 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
12-17 pounds      drops                     1.25 ml or 50 mg
                  children's liquid         1/2 tsp or 2.5 ml        
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
18-23 pounds      drops                     1.875 ml or 75 mg
                  children's liquid         3/4 tsp or 3.75 ml 
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
24-35 pounds      drops                     2.5 ml or 100 mg  
                  children's liquid         1 tsp or 5 ml 
                  chewable tablets          2 tablets or 100 mg 
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
36-47 pounds      drops                     3.75 ml or 150 mg
                  children's liquid         1+1/2 tsp or 7.5 ml
                  chewable tablets          3 tablets or 150 mg
--------------------------------------------------------------------
48-59 pounds      children's liquid         2 tsp or 10 ml 
                  chewable tablets          4 tablets or 200 mg 
                  Jr. strength tablets      2 tablets or 200 mg
--------------------------------------------------------------------  
60-71 pounds      children's liquid         2+1/2 tsp or 12.5 ml 
                  chewable tablets          5 tablets or 250 mg 
                  Jr. strength tablets      2+1/2 tablets or 250 mg
                  adult tablets             1 tablet or 200 mg 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
72-95 pounds      children's liquid         3 tsp or 15 ml    
                  chewable tablets          6 tablets or 300 mg  
                  Jr. strength tablets      3 tablets or 300 mg
                  adult tablets             1+1/2 tablets or 300 mg 
--------------------------------------------------------------------
96+ pounds        children's liquid         4 tsp or 20 ml 
                  chewable tablets          8 tablets or 400 mg
                  Jr. strength tablets      4 tablets or 400 mg
                  adult tablets             2 tablets or 400 mg
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Abbreviations:   mg = milligrams    ml = milliliter    tsp = teaspoon 

Alternating or Combining Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen

If instructed by your healthcare provider to alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen, do it as follows:

• Alternate doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen every 4 hours.
• Alternate medicines for only 24 hours or less, then return to a single product.

Combining acetaminophen and ibuprofen is generally not recommended. Combining can cause confusion, dosage errors, and poisoning.

Avoid Aspirin

Children (through age 21 years) should not take aspirin if they have chickenpox or influenza (any cold, cough, or sore throat symptoms). This recommendation is based on several studies that have linked aspirin to Reye's syndrome, a severe encephalitislike illness. Most pediatricians have stopped using aspirin for fevers associated with any illness.