When thinking about giving your infant a cough or cold medicine, remember that the FDA reports that "questions have been raised about the safety of these products and whether the benefits justify any potential risks from the use of these products in children, especially in children under 2 years of age."
That statement, plus the fact that most infant cold medicines have been taken off the market, means that you won't need to know the dosages of too many medicines when your baby is three months old.
It can be helpful to know a few though, including:
- Tylenol (acetaminophen) - according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the dose of Tylenol for younger infants is:
- 0.4 ml of Concentrated Tylenol Infants' Drops for infants who are under 3 months old and who weigh 6 to 11 pounds
- 0.8 ml of Concentrated Tylenol Infants' Drops for infants who are 4 to 11 months old and who weigh 12 to 17 pounds
- Mylicon Infants Gas Relief Drops: 0.3 ml after meals and at bedtime for gas
- Poly-Vi-Sol Multivitamin Supplement Drops with Iron: 1 ml each day
Medication Reminders
In addition to remembering the infant cold medicine alerts and giving the correct dosage of any medication that you do give your baby, it can help to keep your child safe if you:
- avoid products with ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) until your infant is at least 6 months old -- the age for which it is approved
- review medicine dosages with your pediatrician
- use the dosing device that came with the medicine, a medicine dropper, or dosing syringe to give your child medicine, instead of a regular teaspoon
- keep track of when all medicines you give your child and make sure that different medicines don't have the same ingredient in them
Sources: FDA Public Health Advisory. Nonprescription Cough and Cold Medicine Use in Children. August 15, 2007. AAP. Your Baby's First Year.
