Children's TYLENOL® and Children's MOTRIN® are over-the-counter medications that help reduce fever and ease pain. Pain and fever medications are safe and effective when administered according to the manufacturer's instructions or are given under the care of your child's pediatrician. Kids Health recommends speaking with your child's doctor before giving her TYLENOL® or MOTRIN® for the first time and to be on the look out for potential side effects that could require medical attention.
Step 1
Read the instructions on the Children's TYLENOL® or Children's MOTRIN® package. Review the dosing directions to determine how much medication to give your child based on his age and weight, recommends Healthy Children.
Step 2
Shake the medication if it is in liquid form. Turn the bottle over a few times to make sure the medicine is fully mixed throughout.
Step 3
Measure out the proper amount of liquid medicine using the measuring cap that came with the product. If using chewable tablets, measure out the correct number of tablets determined by the instructions written on the package.
Step 4
Administer the medication to your child. Liquid medicine can be put into a medicine dropper and then squeezed into your child's mouth. Or help your child drink the medicine directly from the measuring cap. For chewing tablets, help your child put the tablets into her mouth and carefully oversee her chew and swallow the contents.
Step 5
Check to see that your child took the full dose. Look in your child's mouth to see if she swallowed all of the liquid or fully chewed and swallowed the tablets. Offer a glass of water so your child can rinse her mouth.
Step 6
Write down on a piece of paper the time that you gave your child the medicine and use it to calculate when the next dose should be given. Prevent over medicating your child by referring to the time sheet to determine the correct frequency of dosage.
Tips and Warnings
- If your child has an upset stomach in addition to pain or fever, Kids Health recommends offering a small amount of food with the medication.
- Keep all medications out of reach of children. Do not give more than the recommended dosage in 24 hours because an overdose can cause liver damage, says Kids Health. Throw away expired medication. If your child has certain allergies, ask her pediatrician before administering any type of medicine. If she has a reaction, discontinue using the medicine and call a health care provider right away.
Things You'll Need
- Children's TYLENOL® or MOTRIN®
- Medicine dispenser
- Glass of water
- Clock
- Pencil
- Paper
