How many mg of ibuprofen is safe for a child
Ibuprofen dosing for children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia
Taking ibuprofen can help children feel better when they have colds or minor injuries. As with all drugs, it is important to give children the correct dose. Ibuprofen is safe when taken as directed. But taking too much of this medicine can be harmful.
Ibuprofen is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It can help:
- Reduce aches, pain, sore throat, or fever in children with a cold or the flu
- Relieve headaches or toothaches
- Reduce pain and swelling from an injury or broken bone
Ibuprofen can be taken as liquid or chewable tablets. To give the correct dose, you need to know your child's weight.
You also need to know how much ibuprofen is in a tablet, teaspoon (tsp), 1.25 milliliters (mL), or 5 mL of the product you are using. You can read the label to find out.
- For chewable tablets, the label will tell you how many milligrams (mg) are found in each tablet, for example 50 mg per tablet.
- For liquids, the label will tell you how many mg are found in 1 tsp, in 1.25 mL, or in 5mL. For example, the label may read 100 mg/1 tsp, 50 mg/1.25 mL, or 100 mg/5 mL.
For syrups, you need some type of dosing syringe. It may come with the medicine, or you can ask your pharmacist. Make sure to clean it out after every usage.
If your child weighs 12 to 17 pounds (lbs) or 5.4 to 7.7 kilograms (kg):
- For infant drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 1.25 mL dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 teaspoon (tsp) on the label, give a ½ tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 2.5 mL dose.
If your child weighs 18 to 23 lbs or 8 to 10 kg:
- For infant drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 1.875 mL dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a ¾ tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 4 mL dose.
If your child weighs 24 to 35 lbs or 10.5 to 15.5 kg:
- For infant drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 2.5 mL dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 1 tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 5 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 2 tablets.
If your child weighs 36 to 47 lbs or 16 to 21 kg:
- For infant drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 3.75 mL dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 1½ tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 7.5 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 3 tablets.
If your child weighs 48 to 59 lbs or 21.5 to 26.5 kg:
- For infant drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 5 mL dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 2 tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 10 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 4 tablets.
- For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, give 2 tablets.
If your child weighs 60 to 71 lbs or 27 to 32 kg:
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 2½ tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 12.5 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 5 tablets.
- For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, give 2½ tablets.
If your child weighs 72 to 95 lbs or 32.5 to 43 kg:
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 3 tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 15 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 6 tablets.
- For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, give 3 tablets.
If your child weighs 96 lbs or 43.5 kg or more:
- For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 4 tsp dose.
- For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 20 mL dose.
- For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, give 8 tablets.
- For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, give 4 tablets.
Try giving your child the medicine with food to avoid stomach upset. If you are not sure how much to give your child, call your health care provider.
Do not give ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age, unless directed by your provider. You should also check with your provider before giving ibuprofen to children under age 2 years or less than 12 pounds or 5.5 kilograms.
Make sure you don't give your child more than one medicine with ibuprofen. For example, ibuprofen can be found in many allergy and cold remedies. Read the label before giving any medicine to children.
You should not give medicine with more than one active ingredient to children under age 6 years.
There are important child medicine safety tips to follow.
- Carefully read all of the instructions on the label before giving your child medicine.
- Make sure you know the strength of the medicine in the bottle you purchased.
- Use the syringe, dropper, or dosing cup that comes with your child's liquid medicine. You can also get one at your local pharmacy.
- Make sure you are using the right unit of measurement when filling medicine. You may have the option of milliliters (mL) or teaspoon (tsp) dosing.
- If you are not sure what medicine to give your child, call your provider.
Children with certain medical conditions or taking certain medicines should not take ibuprofen. Check with your provider.
Be sure to post the number for the poison control center by your home phone. If you think your child has taken too much medicine, call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
It is open 24 hours a day. Signs of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and abdominal pain.
Go to the nearest emergency room. Your child may need:
- Activated charcoal. Charcoal stops the body from absorbing the medicine. It has to be given within an hour. It does not work for every medicine.
- To be admitted to the hospital to be monitored.
- Blood tests to see what the medicine is doing.
- To have his or her heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure monitored.
Call your provider if:
- You are not sure what dose of medicine to give your infant or child.
- You are having trouble getting your child to take medicine.
- Your child's symptoms do not go away when you would expect.
- Your child is an infant and has signs of illness, such as fever.
Motrin; Advil
American Academy of Pediatrics website. Ibuprofen dosage table for fever and pain. Healthychildren.org. www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/medication-safety/Pages/Ibuprofen-for-Fever-and-Pain.
aspx. Updated May 23, 2016. Accessed January 15, 2021.
Aronson JK. Ibuprofen. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:5-12.
Theobald JL, Kostic MA. Poisoning. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 77.
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Fever and Your Baby - HealthyChildren.org
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Health Issues
Health Issues
When your baby has a
fever, especially if it's their first one, it can be alarming.
Keep in mind that fever, which is
sign or symptom of illness, is usually a good sign that the body is fighting off an infection. But it's important to figure out the cause of your baby's fever so it can be treated, and to help keep your child
hydrated and comfortable.
What's considered a fever?
A child's normal temperature can vary, depending on age and activity level. Time of day can also affect the reading. Body temperature is highest in the late afternoon and early evening, for example, and lowest at night and early morning. Plus, infants tend to have higher temperatures than older children. Generally, these are considered true fevers:
How do I know if my baby has a fever?
Whenever you think your child has a fever, take their temperature with a
thermometer. Feeling their forehead or other parts of the body is not accurate, especially if your baby is having chills. Using temperature sensitive tape or "fever strips" also is not reliable.
Avoid using an ear thermometer for babies under 6 months old, since their ear canals are too small to allow an accurate reading.
Causes of fever in babies
Fever in babies can develop with illnesses such as:
Ear infections
Common colds
Urinary tract infections
Throat or sinus infections
Intestinal (bowel) infections
RSV
Croup
Influenza (flu)
Pneumonia
The most serious conditions that can cause fever are infections blood (sepsis) and the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).
Fever in newborns
Infants younger than two months old who have a fever need immediate medical attention, even if they appear well and show no other signs of being ill. The challenge is to find the cause of the fever quickly while avoiding putting the baby through unnecessary tests or hospitalizations.
About 10% of young infants with fever are found to have urinary tract infections. The rate is even higher in uncircumcised boys. That's why having a urine sample checked is important. However, young infants can have more serious underlying infections that can rapidly progress. If your newborn develops a fever, contact your health care provider, without delay, and discuss steps needed to evaluate and treat your baby.
Febrile convulsions
In children between 6 months old and five years of age, fever can trigger seizures. These are called
febrile convulsions. A child may get an odd look on their face for a few moments, then stiffen or twitch, roll their eyes, and become unresponsive for a short time. Febrile convulsions typically last less than a minute—or even just a few seconds--though it can seem forever to a frightened parent. Thankfully, febrile convulsions are not common and almost always are harmless, causing no lasting damage to the brain or nervous system.
However, if your baby has a febrile convulsion, be sure to tell your pediatrician promptly.
Raised body temperature from heatstroke
Fever should not be confused with heat-related illness, or heatstroke. This is not caused by infection. Instead, this dangerous condition is caused by surrounding heat in their environment and dehydration. With heatstroke, body temperature can rise to dangerous levels (above 105 degrees Fahrenheit [40.5 degrees Celsius]). Dozens of children die each year when left unattended in closed, overheated cars, for example. Never leave your baby alone in closed car, even for a few minutes. Babies can also develop heatstroke if overdressed in hot, humid weather.
If you think your child has heatstroke, call 911 or go to the emergency department right away.
Does teething cause fever?
Teething, which often starts at about 6 months of age, can cause a slight rise in your baby's body temperature within the normal range.
However, research shows teething does not cause a true fever.
More information
- How to Take a Child's Temperature
- Fever without Fear: Information for Parents
- Symptom Viewer: Fever
Fever in Newborns: Treatment for Babies Who Otherwise Seem Well
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
Paracetamol and ibuprofen: what from what?
BBC News, Russian ServiceSkip to content
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Image copyright, Thinkstock
Image caption,Paracetamol has been at the service of mankind since the 19th century, ibuprofen was synthesized in the middle of the 20th century
scientists.
Long-term use of the latter, they argue, can lead to reproductive disorders in male children. nine0016
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh have found that the use of paracetamol by pregnant women for seven days blocks the production of testosterone in the fetus, which can have a detrimental effect on the formation of male reproductive organs.
Until now it has been thought that paracetamol during pregnancy, although undesirable, can be used for a short time - these are the recommendations of the British National Health Service.
It turns out that both ibuprofen (the most famous drug based on it is Nurofen) and paracetamol are both quite harmful for pregnant women. nine0003
But what about everyone else? Could the findings of Scottish scientists in any way influence our daily choice between these two most popular painkillers?
We have compiled a small memo where we tried to weigh all the "pros" and "cons" of the use of each of the analgesics.
PARACETAMOL
Image copyright Thinkstock
Image captionParacetamol relieves pain and can bring down fever
Benefits:
- Most commonly used to relieve headaches, toothaches, minor bruises, sunburn and high fever.
- Paracetamol works by blocking enzymes secreted in the body in response to illness and injury, thereby making pain less noticeable to the central nervous system.
- It can be taken by adults and children - with the correct dosage, side effects are minimized.
- An article on AskDrSear.com indicates that the average patient only experiences negative effects at eight times the recommended dose. nine0042
- Paracetamol can be used in combination with many other cold medicines.
Disadvantages:
- Unlike ibuprofen, which begins to act half an hour after taking, the effect of paracetamol must be waited for about 45-60 minutes.
- The duration of the drug is usually limited to four hours, and not six, as is the case with ibuprofen.
- Paracetamol lacks an anti-inflammatory effect and is therefore less suitable for situations where pain is caused by inflammatory processes in the body or bodily injury. nine0042
- Although it is almost safe for the stomach, if the recommended dose is exceeded, it can adversely affect the functioning of the liver.
Ibuprofen
Author photo, ThinkStock
Signature to the photo,Like paracetamol, Ibuprofen has an analgesic effect, but in addition, it is also an anti -inflammatory agent
Advantages: 9000 9000
Disadvantages:
- May have a number of unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and digestive upset. nine0042
- It is not recommended to use it for a long time for those who have stomach problems: ibuprofen can aggravate peptic ulcers and lesions of the gastric mucosa. If you take ibuprofen with or after food, this risk can be reduced.
- Internal bleeding is possible, although this is extremely rare.
- May cause impaired blood clotting, which is dangerous if the patient has a serious wound or bleeding. Then it is better to use paracetamol to relieve pain. nine0042
VERDICT
Photo credit, EyeWire Inc
Image caption,If the pain is tolerable, British doctors recommend not taking painkillers
- Both analgesics are effective painkillers that can also bring down fever.
- Ibuprofen starts working faster and lasts longer. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Paracetamol has fewer side effects: in particular, it is relatively harmless to the stomach. nine0042
- Both drugs can be used simultaneously for a short time. For longer use, a doctor's consultation is necessary.
- The UK National Health Service does not recommend either drug during pregnancy. For minor colds and tolerable headaches, it is better not to take medicine at all.
- British doctors do not recommend that pregnant women take ibuprofen without a doctor's order.
- During pregnancy and lactation, if the patient still needs an analgesic for a short period (to bring down the fever or relieve sharp and short-term pain), paracetamol is usually recommended. nine0042
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When we talk about pain relief in children, there are only two names parents need to remember: paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Let's consider them separately. nine0003 Paracetamol has an antipyretic, analgesic effect. Approved for use from 2 months of age. Dosage of 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, no more than 4 times a day. The duration of action is 4-6 hours.
Ibuprofen , in addition to its antipyretic and analgesic effect, also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it more effective for pain caused by an obvious inflammatory process, swelling, bruises and injuries. Approved for use in children from three months. Dosage 10 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, no more than 3 times a day. The duration of action is 6-8 hours. nine0003
A few points of clarification:
- These drugs are sold by numerous trade names in pharmacies. They come in the form of a suspension, soluble tablets, suppositories, coated tablets, capsules. In children under 6 years of age, a suspension or soluble tablet form is used; over six, if the child can swallow, coated tablets or capsules can be used.
Candles are used when it is impossible to give the drug through the mouth. For example, a child vomits or he refuses to drink medicine in principle. There is no evidence that suppositories are more effective than oral forms. nine0042 - Follow the recommended dosage carefully. If the instructions say no more than 4 times a day, this means no more than 4 times in 24 hours, and not per day. To calculate the required single dose, you need to multiply 15 mg for paracetamol or 10 mg for ibuprofen by the weight of the child in kilograms. For example, the weight of a child is 8200 grams, we multiply 15 by 8, we get 120 mg for paracetamol, or 10 by 8, we get 80 mg for ibuprofen. This is the dose that can be given at one time, no more than 4 times a day for paracetamol, and no more than 3 times for ibuprofen. Once again, first of all, we focus on weight, and not on age, since one child at 8 months weighs 8 kilograms, and the other 11, respectively, the dose for them will be different. Also, do not try to give a smaller dose.
This will only lead to the fact that the drug will not work, or will act for a shorter time. nine0042 - Combination formulations of ibuprofen and paracetamol. I know many parents love these drugs. But meanwhile, there are studies that indicate that the combined form of the drug has no advantages in strength, speed of onset of the effect and its duration. However, there is a higher risk of side effects. In addition, with such drugs it is more difficult to calculate and comply with the correct dose and frequency of use. Using ibuprofen and paracetamol separately, you can alternate them, and if necessary, give antipyretic, painkillers up to 7 times a day in total. nine0042
When can these pain medications be used?
It is logical when something hurts. For headache, toothache. When a child has a sore ear or throat. With bruises, injuries, wounds, sprains. With bites of animals, insects. There is a rule, if something hurts - anesthesia. The only, somewhat controversial point is the pain in the abdomen.
