Important Update: Dosing and Concentration Changes
Important Update: Dosing and Concentration Changes
Dosing and Concentration Changes for OTC Infants’ Acetaminophen Products
Companies are changing the concentration of their medications for infants, and there are new dosing directions for these products.
What you should know:
There may be a time when both the old and new concentrations of infants’ acetaminophen products are in stores and also in homes.
For children under 2 years of age, no dose is provided on the OTC label — caregivers are instructed to call their doctor for dosing instructions.
What you can do:
- Clarify the concentration of infants’ acetaminophen product you are using.
- Identify the product concentration and dose for your child’s weight/age from the appropriate
chart below.
| Infants’ Acetaminophen Concentrated Drops — “Old” Concentration 80 mg/0.8 mL | Infants’ Acetaminophen Oral Suspension — “New” Concentration 160 mg/5 mL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Dosing schedule continues to provide approximately 10-15 mg/kg for children in the 10th-90th decile for weight. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Infants’ Acetaminophen Concentrated Drops The enclosed dropper is designed to provide 0.4 mL (40 mg) increments |
Infants’ Acetaminophen Oral Suspension The enclosed syringe is designed to provide 1.25 mL (40 mg) increments |
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Important Reminders
- Infants’ Acetaminophen Concentrated Drops are 3x more concentrated than Acetaminophen Oral Suspension
- Always read and follow the label
- Keep medicines out of the reach of children
- Never give adult medicines to children
- Use only the dosing device that comes with the product
Brought to you as a service of the American Pharmacists Association www.pharmacist.com/acetaminophen