ACETAMINOPHEN DOSING
The following table gives acetaminophen dosing
guidelines by weight. It can be used for the
different products available, including Tylenol,
Tempra, Panadol, and generics.
Acetaminophen is a very effective medicine for
fever and for pain. It has no effect on other
symptoms related to a cold. Please remember to
never use acetaminophen for infants under four
months of age without talking to our office first.
If your child has a stiff neck, is unusually
lethargic or unresponsive, or might be dehydrated
please call our office immediately.
Note that the infant drops and the children's
syrup have very different concentrations. Use only
the dropper provided with the infant drops to
measure their dosing, and use a teaspoon to measure
the dose of the children's syrup.
Be aware that many over-the-counter cold and
cough preparations also contain acetaminophen.
Use of these products along with an acetaminophen
preparation may result in a dangerous overdose.
In general, we recommend single-ingredient
medications whenever possible.
Acetaminophen is also available as a rectal
suppository for use in children who refuse to take
medicine by mouth or who are vomiting. The brand
name is Feverall, and it is available in most
pharmacies. This medication can be very helpful when
used appropriately, but dosing guidelines vary. Use
rectal acetaminophen only on the recommendation of
our office.
|
Weight |
Dose |
|
Infant Drops |
Children's Syrup |
80 mg Chewables |
160 mg Chewables |
325 mg Tablets |
|
6-12 lbs |
40 mg |
|
0.4 ml |
|
|
|
|
|
12-17 lbs |
80 mg |
|
0.8 ml |
1/2 tsp |
|
|
|
|
18-23lbs |
120 mg |
|
1.2 ml |
3/4 tsp |
|
|
|
|
24-35 lbs |
160 mg |
|
1.6 ml |
1 tsp |
2 |
1 |
|
|
36-47 lbs |
240 mg |
|
2.4 ml |
1.5 tsp |
3 |
1.5 |
|
|
48-59 lbs |
320 mg |
|
|
2 tsp |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
60-71 lbs |
400 mg |
|
|
2.5 tsp |
5 |
2.5 |
|
|
72-95 lbs |
480 mg |
|
|
3 tsp |
6 |
3 |
|
|
95+ lbs |
640 mg |
|
|
4 tsp |
8 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
|
