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In 2002, the FDA began calling for the clarification of the dose instructions and packaging for infant's and children's acetaminophen. This comes in response to the increasing number of infant and child cases of liver failure due to overdose of acetaminophen.

Many parents use Tylenol to treat fever, pain with teething, aches and pains associated with colds and flu, and to reduce the pain and fever with immunizations. While these are all good reasons to use Tylenol, unless it is used properly, accidental overdose can occur. Caregivers and parents do not always realize that there are two types of Tylenol for kids. There are infant drops and children's liquid. Infant drops come in 80 mg/0.8 ml and are three times more concentrated than the children's liquid at 160 mg/5ml. Most cases of accidental overdose happen when the infant is given the children's Tylenol by mistake. Another way for overdose to occur is through giving the child cold medicine with Tylenol. Many of the cold and cough medicines today contain acetaminophen as an active ingredient. If you give your child these cold medicines and give them acetaminophen to help with the aches and pains, you are giving your child too much acetaminophen.

So what are the appropriate doses of acetaminophen for infants and children? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants 0-3 months and weighing 6-11 lbs. should get 0.4 ml of infant drops every four hours. Infants 4-11 months and weighing 12-17 lbs. should receive 0.8 ml of infant drops every four hours. Children 1-2 with a weight of 18-23 lbs. should receive 1.2 ml of infant drops or tsp. of children's liquid. Children 2-3 years of age weighing 24-35 lbs only need 1.6 ml of infant drops or 1 tsp of children's liquid. Always check with your child's pediatrician to see what dosage they recommend for all medicines.

There are a few other things you can do besides reading labels carefully and giving the correct dosage. Do not medicate unless necessary. It is tough taking care of children and infants who are sick but medication is not always needed. For babies who are teething, there are natural tablets that you can buy that dissolve in the child's mouth to relieve the pain and swelling. In infants 0-3 months always check with your doctor first before treating a fever. In older children a low grade fever does not need medication. You can try a cool washcloth on the forehead or a lukewarm bath to bring fevers down. For immunizations can use children's Motrin. There are many more alternative things you can do to make your child comfortable when sick and your child's doctor can go over all of them with you to insure your child is healthy.

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