How do you alternate motrin and tylenol

Ibuprofen is commonly dosed every six hours. As a result, timing can become confusing for busy parents. I checked in with our lead pharmacist at our hospital and she indicated that the problem with alternating medications is that it is so easy to get confused and given an extra dose of one or both medicines.

In some children, especially if they are dehydrated or having other medical problems, giving both medications can cause serious side effects, especially affecting the kidneys. Pick one medication or the other and use consistent dosing following the guidance on the labels to provide the best care for your child. Below is a list of common things parents do to fight fevers in their children that could actually be harmful.

Special Note for Parents If your child has chronic illnesses such as kidney or liver disease, asthma or is on other medication, consult your doctor regarding the best course of treatment for a fever.

One thing that parents should always remember—treating a child is different than treating an adult. Fever care is no different. Like to Share? Have you heard of other fever treatments which I have not covered? Like to know more? RN Remedies. Avoid using measuring cups or spoons from your kitchen drawer. Instead, use measuring devices from your pharmacist to be more accurate. Do not give more medication than the dosage listed. Do not give your child fever medication more than five times a day.

Acetaminophen vs. Ibuprofen: Which is Better? You should not base your judgment on how high the fever is but rather on how your child is feeling. If your child has a fever but is still playing, drinking well and is happy, it may not be necessary to use medication to treat their fever. Acetaminophen e. It is best to use only one of these medications to treat a fever. You can choose which one you prefer to use, both work equally well. The correct dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for a child is based on their body weight.

An estimated dose is usually provided on the medication package. Note that acetaminophen and ibuprofen have different doses and different lengths of time between doses. Also it may take up to an hour for the medication to start helping.

If using only one of these medications is not helping to make your child feel more comfortable or bring down their fever, you can try giving the two medications together. This may help make your child feel more comfortable because acetaminophen and ibuprofen help to treat fever in different ways. These medications are safe to take at the same time, or within a short amount of time of one another. Doses of acetaminophen e. Doses of ibuprofen e. There are limits on how much of each medication can be given in a hour period.

Please look at your medication bottle for daily dosage limits or ask your pharmacist. When you are giving acetaminophen and ibuprofen to your child it is important to keep track of which medication you have given, how much you have given and when you gave it. Others may not cross check the information and give their child too much Tylenol. I know your message is for children, but when my wife had surgery on her foot, the anesthesiologist also recommended alternating between Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen as an alternative to some of the nastier opiates oxycodone, e.

Worked great for her! Seattle Children's complies with applicable federal and other civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude people or treat them differently based on race, color, religion creed , sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin ancestry , age, disability, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

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Make sure you have the proper dosing device syringe, usually for each medicine. Start with one medicine and then always offer the other medicine next, and so on. Offer a new, alternate med every 3 to 4 hours. October 21, at am. August 25, at pm. Claire says:. December 4, at pm.