Acetaminophen Dosage
Acetaminophen is one of the most common drugs administered
to children. The drug is commonly given as a cure for fever and pain. Yet, for
dads, it can be one of the most challenging drugs to give a dosage correctly.
This is because Acetaminophen is easily available in many forms. It has become
a staple resident of home medicine cabinets in one form or the other since the
1970’s. Due to its easy availability, Acetaminophen is considered to be the
drug that causes most deaths by overdose. Overdoses occur because parents are
unaware of Acetaminophen’s toxicity. Symptoms of acetaminophen intoxication
include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and liver failure.
There are few things that every dad should remember before
administering Acetaminophen to their children.
- Never
give Acetaminophen to a baby under the age of 3 months without consulting
with your doctor first. - The
amount of Acetaminophen given to a baby depends on his weight and not on
his age. - Read
the medications label carefully as it is easy to be confused by the
different forms and concentration of acetaminophen that is available at
the medical store - Remember
to use the measuring device that came with the medication to ensure
correct amount of dosage. - Check
whether you are giving an adult dosage or a child’s dosage before
administering the drug. Even within the children’s version there are many
variations depending on age group. For example. an infant drop formulation
is three times as concentrated as the syrup given to toddlers. - Overdose
of acetaminophen can cause liver damage.
|
Age
|
0 to 3 months
|
4 to 11
months |
12 to 23 months
|
2 to 3 years
|
|
Weight
|
6 to 11 lbs.
(2.7 to 5 kg) |
12 to 17 lbs.
(5.5 to 7.7 kg) |
18 to 23 lbs.
(8.2 – 10.5 kg) |
24 to 35 lbs.
(10.9 to 15.9 kg) |
|
Drops
|
0.4 ml (1/2
dropper) |
0.8 ml (1 dropper)
|
1.2 ml (1 1/2 dropper)
|
1.6 ml (2
droppers) |
|
Syrup
|
—
|
1/2 tsp.
|
3/4 tsp. (3.75 ml)
|
1 tsp. (5 ml)
|
|
Chewable Tablets 80mg tablets
|
2 tablets
|
Disclaimer: The above information is commonsense reflection drawn from
general experience. If you are looking for expert medical advice, please consult your doctor.