Children Fever Chart Page 4
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4Consumer Health Information
What Should You Do?
may have a new dosing device in the
It is important to understand that
box, such as an oral syringe.
Adding to the confusion is the fact
there is no dosing amount specified
But this is a voluntary change and
that that the box and the bottle may
for children younger than 2 years of
some of the older, stronger concen-
look much the same for both old
age. If you have an infant or child
trations of acetaminophen marketed
and new versions of the medication,
younger than 2 years old, always
for infants are still available and may
Holquist says.
check with your healthcare provider
remain available.
Read the Drug Facts label to tell
for dosing instructions.
“There is still some on store shelves;
the difference between the two liquid
Acetaminophen is marketed for
there is still some in homes; and there
acetaminophen products:
infants under brand names such
is still some in distribution,” says
• Look for the “Active ingredient”
as Little Fevers Infant Fever/Pain
Holquist.
section of the Drug Facts label
Reliever, Pedia Care Fever Reducer
usually printed on the back of
Pain Reliever and Triaminic Infants’
Why does this pose a danger?
an over-the-counter medication
Syrup Fever Reducer Pain Reliever.
If a pediatrician prescribes a 5 mL
package.
There are also store brands on the
dose of the less concentrated liq-
• If the package says “160 mg per 5
shelves.
uid acetaminophen, but the parents
mL” or “160 mg (in each 5 mL)”,
administer a 5 mL dose of the more
then this is the less concentrated
concentrated liquid acetaminophen,
liquid acetaminophen. This
Find this and other Consumer
the child can receive a potentially
medication should come with an
Updates at
fatal overdose during the course of
oral syringe to help you measure
ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates
therapy, Holquist explains.
the dose.
Conversely, if a physician pre-
• If the package says “80 mg per 0.8
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scribes a dose based on the more
mL” or “80 mg per 1 mL,” then
subscriptions at
concentrated liquid acetaminophen
this is the more concentrated
consumer/consumerenews.html
and the less concentrated medication
liquid acetaminophen. This
is used, the child might not receive
product may come with a dropper.
enough medication to fight a fever,
she says.
If the dosing instructions provided by
FDA has issued a Dr ug Safety
your healthcare provider differ from
Communication ( Drugs/
what is on the label, check with a
DrugSafety/ucm284741.htm) with more
healthcare professional before admin-
information for consumers about
istering the medication. Do not rely
how to avoid confusion and potential
on dosing information provided from
dosing errors with the different con-
other sources such as the Internet, old
centrations of liquid acetaminophen.
dosing charts, or family members.
2 / F D A C o n s u m e r H e a l t h I n f o r m a t i o n / U . S . F o o d a n d D r u g A d m i n i s t r a t i o n
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