Ibuprofen Dosage for Children: It's Easy

Taking ibuprofen (also known as Motrin or Advil) can help children feel better when they have colds or minor injuries. As with all drugs, it is important to provide children the right dose. Ibuprofen is safe when taken as directed. However taking too much of this medicine can be harmful.

How Ibuprofen can Help Your Child

Ibuprofen is a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It can assist:

Minimize aches, pain, sore throat, or fever in children with a cold or the flu
Eliminate headaches or toothaches
Reduce pain and swelling from an injury or broken bone

Ibuprofen Dosage for Children

Ibuprofen can be taken as liquid or chewable tablets. To provide the right dosage of ibuprofen, you need to know your child’s weight.

You also need to understand how much ibuprofen is in a tablet, teaspoon (tsp), 1.25 milliliters (mL), or 5 mL of the item you are using. You can check out the label to learn.

For chewable tablets, the label will tell you how many milligrams (mg) are discovered in each tablet, for instance 50 mg per tablet.

For liquids, the label will inform you how many mg are found in 1 tsp, in 1.25 mL, or in 5mL. For instance, the label may check out 100 mg/1 tsp, 50 mg/1.25 mL, or 100 mg/5 mL.

For syrups, you require some kind of dosing syringe. It may feature the medicine, or you can ask your pharmacist. Make sure to clean it out after every usage.

Dosage of Ibuprofen Based on Child’s Weight

If your child weighs 12 to 17 pounds (lbs) or 5.4 to 7.7 kilograms (kg):

For baby drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, offer a 1.25 mL dose.
For liquid that says 100 mg/1 teaspoon (tsp) on the label, offer a 1/2 tsp dose.
For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, provide a 2.5 mL dosage.

If your child weighs 18 to 23 pounds or 8 to 10 kg:

For baby drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, offer a 1.875 mL dosage.
For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, provide a 3/4 tsp dose.

For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, offer 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 dosage.

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, provide a 5 mL dosage.
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 baby drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, provide a 3.75 mL dose.
For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, give a 1 1/2 tsp dose.

For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, offer a 7.5 mL dosage.
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:

Information verified by the iytmed.com team.

For baby drops that say 50mg/1.25 mL on the label, give a 5 mL dosage.
For liquid that says 100 mg/1 tsp on the label, provide a 2 tsp dose.
For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, provide a 10 mL dose.

For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, provide 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, provide a 2 1/2 tsp dose.
For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, offer a 12.5 mL dosage.
For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, offer 5 tablets.

For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, provide 2 1/2 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, provide a 15 mL dosage.
For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, provide 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, provide a 4 tsp dosage.
For liquid that says 100 mg/5 mL on the label, give a 20 mL dosage.

For chewable tablets that say 50 mg tablets on the label, provide 8 tablets.
For junior-strength tablets that say 100 mg tablets on the label, give 4 tablets.

Attempt providing your child the medication with food to prevent stomach upset. If you are not sure how much to provide your child, call your health care service provider.

DO NOT provide ibuprofen to children under 6 months of age, unless directed by your provider. You must likewise consult your provider before providing ibuprofen to children under 2 years of ages or less than 12 pounds or 5.5 kilograms.

How to Give Medicine to Children Properly?

Make certain you don’t provide your child more than one medicine with ibuprofen. For instance, ibuprofen can be discovered in many allergy and cold solutions. Check out the label before offering any medication to children. You should not provide medicine with more than one active ingredient to children under age 6.

There are very important child medication safety pointers to follow.

Carefully read all the guidelines on the label prior to providing your child medicine.
Make sure you understand the strength of the medication in the bottle you bought.
Use the syringe, dropper, or dosing cup that includes your child’s liquid medication. You can likewise get one at your local drug store.
Make sure you are using the right system of measurement when filling medicine. You may have the choice of milliliters (mL) or teaspoon (tsp) dosing.
If you are uncertain what medication to give your child, call your provider.

Children with particular medical conditions or taking particular medicines should not take ibuprofen. Consult your provider.

Ibuprofen Overdose in Children

Make sure to post the number for the poison nerve center by your home phone. If you believe your child has actually taken too much medication, 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 nearby emergency clinic. Your child may require:

Triggered charcoal. Charcoal stops the body from absorbing the medication. It has to be given within an hour. It does not work for every medicine.
To be admitted to the healthcare facility to be kept track of.
Blood tests to see what the medication is doing.
To have his or her heart rate, breathing rate, and high blood pressure monitored.