Category: Education

Medications for Fever

Fever is not harmful. Only treat a fever to make your child comfortable. Most fevers will respond to either acetaminophen or ibuprofen, given once every 6 hours or up to 4 times daily.

For high fevers that do not respond to a single medicine, you can alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen at 3-hour intervals (Give each single medicine only once every 6 hours.)

PLEASE NOTE THE CONCENTRATION CHANGE UNDERWAY FOR INFANTS’ ACETAMINOPHEN PRODUCTS. CHECK YOUR BOTTLE LABELS CAREFULLY!

ACETAMINOPHEN (TYLENOL) DOSING
Weight	Age	Drops – old (80mg/0.8ml)	Susp – new (160mg/5ml)	Tabs (80mg)	Elixir (160mg/tsp)	Caplets (160mg)
6-11 lbs	0-3 mo	0.4 ml	1.25 ml
12-17 lbs	4-11 mo	0.8 ml	2.5 ml		½ tsp
18-23lbs	12-23 mo	1.2 ml	3.75 ml		¾ tsp
24-35 lbs	2-3 yr	1.6 ml	5 ml	2	1 tsp
36-47 lbs	4-5 yr			3	1½ tsp
48-59 lbs	6-8 yr			4	2½ tsp	2½
60-71 lbs	9-10 yr			5	2½ tsp	2½
72-95 lbs	11 yr			6	3 tsp	3
> 95 lbs	12-14 yr					4

 

IBUPROFEN (MOTRIN) DOSING
Weight	Age	Drops (50mg/1.25ml)	Susp (100mg/5ml)	Chew (50mg)	Chew (100mg)	Caplets (100mg)
12-17 lbs	6-11 mo	1.25 ml	½ tsp
18-23lbs	12-23 mo	1.875 ml	¾ tsp
24-35 lbs	2-3 yrs		1 tsp	2
36-47 lbs	4-5 yrs		1½ tsp	3
48-59 lbs	6-8 yrs		2 tsp	4	2	2
60-71 lbs	9-10 yrs		2½tsp	5	2½	2½
72-95 lbs	> 11 yrs		3 tsp	6	3	3

Childhood Immunizations

The vaccines that protect your children against serious, often life-threatening diseases are sometimes associated with annoying side effects such as soreness at the injection site or fever. Uncommonly, they may be associated with more severe side effects.  The risk of the vaccine is always far less than the risk of the disease against which it protects.  Most vaccines are required by state law in order for a child to attend school. For details on each vaccine, please see the information on the bottom of this page.

VACCINE	PROTECTS AGAINST	AGE GIVEN
DaPT	Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus	2, 4, 6, 18 mo, 4-5 yrs
Tdap	Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus	11-12 yrs
IPV	Polio Virus	2, 4, 6 mo, 4-5 yrs
HIB	Haemophilus Influenza Type B	2, 4, 6, 15 mo
Hepatitis B	Hepatitis B	Birth, 2, 6-9 mo
Prevnar	Pneumococcus (13 varieties)	2, 4, 6, 12 mo
MMR	Measles, Mumps, Rubella	12 mo, 4-5 yrs
Varivax	Chicken Pox	15 mo, 4-5 yrs
Influenza	Influenza A and B	6 mo – 18 yrs (yearly)
Menactra, Menveo	Meningococcal Disease	11 yrs (if high risk, >2 yrs), 16-17 yrs
Gardasil	Human Papilloma Virus	>9 yrs
Rotateq	Rotavirus	2, 4, 6 mo (Rotateq) 2, 4 mo (Rotarix)
Hepatitis A	Hepatitis A	12-18 mo, 24 mo