Children get sick and injured no matter how well adults protect them. It's natural to want to ease their discomfort when they're not feeling well. Acetaminophen, commonly known by the brand name Tylenol, is a popular medicine for relieving pain and fever in children. Adults should carefully follow the guidelines on how much acetaminophen is safe for children and babies.
What Is Infants' Tylenol?
Infants’ Tylenol is an over-the-counter medication used to reduce pain and fever in babies. The name of the drug’s generic version is acetaminophen, and Tylenol is a brand-name version of the drug.
Each dose of Infants’ Tylenol contains 160 mg of acetaminophen.
Infants' Tylenol Uses
Acetaminophen is one of the most common medicines for children in the U.S. When you use the correct dose, it's safe, it works well to reduce fevers and pain, and doctors often recommend it.
Infants’ Tylenol is used to reduce fever and to treat aches and pains from:
- A cold
- Flu
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Teething
This medicine can relieve these symptoms only for a limited time. If they persist, it’s a good idea to check with your child’s pediatrician.
Types of Tylenol
Tylenol is often used to relieve pain and reduce fever. It’s available without a prescription, and it comes in different formats, including pills and gel caps, liquids, dissolve packs, rectal suppositories, and chewable versions. Here are some of the different types of Tylenol.
Adult Tylenol
Adult Tylenol comes in different formulations and different strengths. For example, regular-strength Tylenol tablets contain 325 mg of acetaminophen, and extra-strength Tylenol caplets contain 500 mg. Adult Tylenol also comes in these formats:
- Rapid release, to relieve pain quickly
- Specifically for arthritis pain
- “Dual action” pain relievers that contain both acetaminophen and ibuprofen, another pain reliever
Some combination medicines, such as cough and cold medicines, contain acetaminophen along with other ingredients to treat coughing, congestion, and other symptoms. For more severe pain and sickness, there are higher dosages of acetaminophen and stronger combination medications that doctors can prescribe, such as Tylenol with 3, which contains codeine.
Children's Tylenol
Children’s Tylenol is made for children between the ages of 2 and 11. It comes in liquid, chewable tablets, and a powder format called dissolve packs, and some of these formulations are made for children of certain ages. For example, the dissolve packs are intended for children between the ages of 6 and 11.
Infants' Tylenol
Infants’ Tylenol is for children up to age 3. It comes in a liquid form that you put in your child’s mouth using a plastic syringe. Dye-free versions of both Children’s and Infants’ Tylenol are available.
Infants' Tylenol vs. Children’s Tylenol
Before 2011, acetaminophen came in different strengths for infants and children. The infant formulation, 80 mg per ml, was more concentrated than the one for older children, 160 mg per 5 ml. This meant parents didn't need to give as much liquid per dose to babies. The more concentrated version came with a dropper rather than a syringe.
The infant concentration was changed due to several tragic incidents where adults confused infant acetaminophen with the less concentrated children's formulation. Instead of giving the smaller amount required for the infant concentration, caregivers used the dosing guidelines for older children. As a result, the babies received far more of the active ingredient than they needed. Some of them developed acetaminophen toxicity and needed to be hospitalized.
After 2011, Tylenol and other acetaminophen makers agreed to stop making different concentrations for infants and children. All current products use the same concentrations, with dosing based on weight. The packages show the appropriate acetaminophen dosing chart as well.
If you have older acetaminophen products in your home, check the expiration dates. Medications don’t work as well after their expiration dates, so it's wise to replace expired medicines.
Infants' Tylenol Dosage
The amount of acetaminophen your child needs depends on their age and weight. If your baby is under 12 weeks old, you should not give them acetaminophen unless their doctor tells you to.
For children who are under age 2 or weigh less than 24 pounds, it’s a good idea to ask their pediatrician for the appropriate dose. For 160 mg/5 ml-strength liquid acetaminophen, weight-based dosing guidelines from the the American Academy of Pediatrics are:
- 6-11 lbs: 1.25 ml
- 12-17 lbs: 2.5 ml
- 18-23 lbs: 3.75 ml
For children between ages 2 and 3, who weigh between 24 and 35 pounds, the dose is 5 ml. Children in this range can take either Infants’ or Children’s Tylenol, because both now have the same strength and dosing guidelines.
Infants’ Tylenol comes with a syringe to measure the dose. The dose can be given every four to six hours, but you should not give it to the child more than four times in 24 hours.
Acetaminophen Dosage
For children between 2 and 12 years old, weight-based dosing guidelines for 160 mg/5 ml-strength liquid acetaminophen are:
- 24-35 lbs: 5 ml
- 36-47 lbs: 7.5 ml
- 48-59 lbs: 10 ml
- 60-71 lbs: 12.5 ml
- 72-95 lbs: 15 ml
- 96 lbs and above: 20 ml
When you're measuring out a dose of liquid acetaminophen, you should use a dosing syringe or the measuring spoon that comes in the package. Using kitchen utensils or measuring spoons won't be as accurate as a tool meant to measure medicine. You could end up giving your child more medicine than they should take.
Chewable acetaminophen tablets are only appropriate for children who weigh over 24 lbs. The dosing guidelines for 160 mg chewable tablets are:
- 24-35 lbs: 1 tablet
- 36-47 lbs: 1.5 tablets
- 48-59 lbs: 2 tablets
- 60-71 lbs: 2.5 tablets
- 72-95 lbs: 3 tablets
- 96 lbs and above: 4 tablets
You can also find acetaminophen suppositories, which come in doses of 80, 120, 325, and 650 mgs. Talk to your doctor about the correct dosing of suppositories.
If your child is taking other medicines, check the ingredients before giving them acetaminophen. If they're taking cold medicine that contains acetaminophen, you shouldn't give them more acetaminophen separately. Too much of it can be harmful.
How to Give Infants’ Tylenol
Infants’ Tylenol comes with a plastic syringe that you use to put the medicine in your infant’s mouth. The bottles of Infants’ Tylenol are designed so that you push the air out of the syringe, insert the tip of the syringe into the bottle opening, turn the bottle upside down, and pull the plunger part of the syringe until it gets to the correct dose amount. For other infant acetaminophen products, the bottle may be different.
After the right amount of medication is in the syringe, put the syringe in the child’s mouth, near the inner cheek, and empty the syringe slowly.
Possible Risks of Infants' Tylenol
Although Tylenol is generally considered a safe medication, it does have some possible risks and side effects.
Allergic reactions
Sometimes, acetaminophen can cause allergic reactions. Look out for these symptoms:
- Skin rash
- Itching
- Hives
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
If your child has any of these symptoms, call your child’s health care provider. With swelling, you should get emergency medical attention right away.
Acetaminophen overdose
Taking too much acetaminophen at any age is dangerous. Your liver can't process more than the recommended amount, so taking too much can cause it to build up in the body. Eventually, this leads to acetaminophen toxicity, which can cause liver damage or even death.
Children can overdose on acetaminophen and develop toxicity if they accidentally take too much of it. This can happen if they take too many doses or take more than one medication that contains acetaminophen. Sometimes, children take medicines thinking they are candy and make themselves sick. It's important to keep all medications out of children's reach.
Symptoms of acetaminophen toxicity in children include:
- Nausea, vomiting, and pain in the right side of the abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Dark or bloody urine, or reduced amount or frequency of urine
- Confusion, sleepiness, and loss of consciousness
- Yellowish hue to skin and eyes (jaundice)
- A hard time breathing
- Blurry vision
If you suspect your child has overdosed on acetaminophen, call 911 to get help right away. There are treatments for acetaminophen toxicity depending on how severe it is and how long it has been since your child overdosed.
Stomach pumping. If your child took too much acetaminophen less than 30 minutes ago, emergency room staff can insert a tube into their stomach to empty it. This procedure is called gastric lavage.
Activated charcoal. If the overdose was less than four hours ago, doctors may give your child activated charcoal. This binds toxins in the digestive tract so your child's body won't absorb them.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This medication can prevent liver damage if it's given within eight hours of the overdose. It needs to be given through an IV, and your child may need multiple doses over 72 hours.
Without treatment, acetaminophen toxicity is life-threatening. Children can have kidney failure, pancreatitis, liver damage, or liver failure, which may require a liver transplant.
If you have questions about acetaminophen safety or dosing for children, talk to a doctor. They can help you make sure your child gets the safest and most appropriate treatment.
Drug interactions
Acetaminophen can interact with other drugs. These are a few of the drugs that have been found to interact with acetaminophen:
- Warfarin, a blood thinner,
- Carbamazepine, which is used to treat epilepsy
- Imatinib, used to treat leukemia
- Isoniazid, used to treat tuberculosis
If your child is taking a medication, check with their pediatrician before giving them Tylenol.
Infants' Tylenol Alternatives
Tylenol is one brand of acetaminophen for infants, but others include:
- Genexa
- Feverall
- Panadol
- Tempra
Be sure to follow the package instructions and check with your child’s doctor if you have questions about dosing or how to use the medication.
When to See a Doctor
If you’re giving your child acetaminophen to reduce a fever, you should check with your pediatrician if it doesn’t go away. For a child who is younger than 2, call the doctor if the fever lasts for more than 24 hours. For a child who is 2 or older, call if the fever lasts for more than three days.
Also check with a doctor if:
- The fever goes above 104°F.
- Your child is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 100.4°F or higher.
- You’re giving acetaminophen for pain, but the pain doesn’t go away.
- You have been giving the child Tylenol for three days.
If your child has trouble breathing, or swelling of the tongue, hands, feet, or ankles, get emergency medical care right away.
Takeaways
Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is often used to reduce fever and ease pain in infants and children. You can buy different formulations for infants, children, and adults, and they may come in liquid, pill, and other formats. It’s important to follow dosing guidelines carefully, to avoid an accidental overdose. Check with your health care provider if you’re not sure how much to give your child or how long they should take the medicine.
Infants' Tylenol FAQs
How often can you give Infants' Tylenol?
You can give an infant Tylenol every four to six hours. But you shouldn’t give it more than four times in a 24-hour period.
Can Tylenol make a baby sleepy?
Tylenol doesn’t usually cause sleepiness. But if your baby is unusually tired after taking Tylenol, check with their doctor, because that can be a sign of an overdose.
Is it OK to give a baby Tylenol every night?
You shouldn’t give your baby Tylenol for more than three days without checking with their health care provider.
How quickly does Infants' Tylenol work?
Infants’ Tylenol should start working within 15 to 30 minutes of giving it to your child.
How much Infants' Tylenol can I give for a 4-month-old baby?
The doses for Infants’ Tylenol are based on weight. It’s a good idea to check with your pediatrician, but if your 4-month-old baby weighs between 12 and 17 pounds, the recommended dose is 2.5 ml of infant acetaminophen in liquid form.