Preschool Medicine Cabinet

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Children's Pain and Fever Reducers

Main > Medicine Cabinet > Preschool > Preschool Medicine Cabinet

Remember that most of these medicines, especially the cold remedies, will not make your child get better any faster. They should be used only if they are making your child more comfortable and are not causing bothersome side effects. If your child is not improving after a few days of being on an over the counter medicine or if he is getting worse, you should call your doctor.

NEWS ALERT: on November 6, 2000 the FDA recommended that consumers not use medications, including many over the counter and prescription cold remedies, with the ingredient "phenylpropanolamine" or PPA because of the risk of stroke. For more information see the Phenylpropanolamine Information Page. Although new medications are PPA free, be sure to throw out any older medications with PPA that you still have.

over the counter medicines

Medications that you should have handy and can use under a doctor's supervision include:

antibiotic creams for minor cuts and scratches
baby lotion (nonperfumed) if your baby has very dry skin
decongestant drops - see below
hydrogen peroxide
pain and fever relievers - see below
rehydration fluids, usually Pedialyte or Infalyte for persistent vomiting or diarrhea
saline nasal drops
skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream (0.5%) or calamine lotion to be used for itchy rashes or bites.
topical protectant creams for diaper rashes (most contain varying concentrations of zinc oxide:
- A & D Original Ointment or with Zinc Oxide
- Baby Diaper Rash Ointment (J & J)
- Balmex Diaper Rash Ointment
- Daily Care Ointment (Pfizer)
- Desitin Creamy or Ointment
antifungal creams to treat ringworm
- Desenex cream, spray or powder
- Lamisil cream
- Lotrimin AF cream, spray, powder, or lotion
- Micantin creams, powder, or spray
- Tinactin cream, powder, lotion or spray

pain and fever relievers

Name	2-3 years 24-35 lb.	4-5 years 36-47 lb.
Tylenol drops (80mg/0.8ml) (Acetaminophen)	2 droppers (1.6ml) every 4-6 hours
Tylenol elixir (160mg/5 ml) (Acetaminophen)	1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours	1 1/2 teaspoons every 4-6 hours
Tylenol Chewable Tablets (80mg) (Acetaminophen)	2 tablets every 4-6 hours	3 tablets every 4-6 hours
Junior Strength Tylenol Caplets/Chewable Tabs (160mg) (Acetaminophen)	1 tablets every 4-6 hours	1 1/2 tablets every 4-6 hours
Children's Motrin Drops (50mg/1.25ml) (Ibuprofen)	2 droppers (2.5ml) every 6-8 hours
Children's Motrin Oral Suspension (100mg/5ml) (Ibuprofen)	1 teaspoon every 6-8 hours	1 1/2 teaspoons every 6-8 hours
Children's Motrin Chewable Tablets (50mg) (Ibuprofen)	2 tablets every 6-8 hours	3 tablets every 6-8 hours
Junior Strength Motrin Caplets/Chewable Tabs (100mg) (Ibuprofen)		1 1/2 tablets every 6-8 hours
Pediatric Advil Drops (50mg/1.25ml) (Ibuprofen)	2 droppers (2.5ml) every 6-8 hours
Children's Advil Suspension (100mg/5ml) (Ibuprofen)	1 teaspoon every 6-8 hours	1 1/2 teaspoons every 6-8 hours
Junior Strength Advil (100mg) (Ibuprofen)		1 1/2 tablets every 6-8 hours
Pediacare Fever Drops (50mg/1.25ml) (Ibuprofen)	2 droppers (2.5ml) every 6-8 hours
Tempra Quicklets (80mg) (Acetaminophen)	2 tablets every 4-6 hours	3 tablets every 4-6 hours
Tempra Quicklets (160mg) (Acetaminophen)	1 tablets every 4-6 hours	1 1/2 tablets every 4-6 hours
Feverall Suppositories (80mg, 120mg, 325mg) (Acetaminophen)	120mg suppository every 4-6 hours	Two 120mg suppositories every 4-6 hours

cold, cough and allergy medicines

NEWS ALERT: on November 6, 2000 the FDA recommended that consumers not use medications, including many over the counter and prescription cold remedies, with the ingredient "phenylpropanolamine" because of the risk of stroke. For more information see the Phenylpropanolamine Information Page.

Medications (including prescription and over the counter medicines) that include phenylpropanolamine, and should be avoided until they are reformulated.

Instead, look for decongestant and cold medications that have either pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine as an active ingredient.

Name Notes 2-6 years

Benadryl Allergy Liquid or Chewables Runny nose, congestion and itching 1 — 1 1/2 teaspoon every 6 hours

Delsym Cough Formula 12 hour cough relief 1/2 teaspoon every 12 hours

Dimetapp Cold & Allergy Chewable (or Quick Dissolve) Tablets Stuffy and runny nose (has antihistamine) 1 tablet every 6 hours

Dimetapp DM Cough, stuffy and runny nose (has antihistamine) 1 teaspoon every 6 hours

Dimetapp Elixir Stuffy and runny nose (has antihistamine) 1 teaspoon every 6 hours

Pediacare Cough-Cold Liquid or Chewables Stuffy and runny nose & cough (has antihistamine) 1 teaspoon /tablet every 4-6 hours

Robitussin CF Runny nose & cough 1/2 teaspoon every 4 hours

Robitussin DM Cough 1/2 — 1 teaspoon every 4 hours

Robitussin Maximum Strength Cough/ Cough & Cold Cough/ Runny nose & cough 1/2 teaspoon every 6-8 hours

Robitussin PE Runny nose 1/2 teaspoon every 4 hours

Robitussin Pediatric Cough/ Cough & Cold Cough/ Cough & runny nose 1 teaspoon every 6-8 hours

Robitussin Pediatric Drops Runny nose and cough 2.5 ml every 4 hours

Robitussin Pediatric Night Relief Cough & runny nose plus antihistamine 1 teaspoon every 6-8 hours

Sudafed Cough & Cold Liquid Runny nose & cough 1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Sudafed Nasal Decongestant Liquid/ Chewables Runny nose 1 teaspoon/chewable tablet every 4-6 hours

Triaminic AM Cough & Decongestant Formula (Non Drowsy) Runny nose & cough 1 teaspoon every 6 hours

Triaminic AM Decongestant Formula (Non Drowsy) Runny nose 1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Triaminic DM (Dark Red) Runny nose & cough 1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Triaminic Expectorant (Yellow) Runny nose 1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Triaminic Night Time (Purple) Runny nose & cough
(has antihistamine)
1 teaspoon every 6 hours

Triaminic Sore Throat (Purple) Runny nose & cough plus Tylenol for pain 1 teaspoon every 6 hours

Triaminic Syrup Cold & Allergy (Orange) Runny nose
(has antihistamine)
1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Triaminic Triaminicol Cough & Cold (Red) Runny nose & cough
(has antihistamine)
1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

Children's Tylenol Cold Multi Symptom Plus Cough Chewable Tablets and Liquid Runny nose & cough
(has antihistamine) plus Tylenol for pain or fever
1 teaspoons or 2 chewable tablets every 4-6 hours

Children's Tylenol Cold Multi Symptom Chewable Tablets and Liquid Runny nose (has antihistamine) plus Tylenol for pain or fever 1 teaspoons or 2 chewable tablets every 4-6 hours

Children's Tylenol Flu Liquid Runny nose & cough
(has antihistamine) plus Tylenol for pain or fever
1 teaspoon every 6-8 hours

Children's Tylenol Sinus Liquid Runny nose plus Tylenol for pain or fever 1 teaspoon every 4-6 hours

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Updated: March 5, 2003

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Important disclaimer: The information on keepkidshealthy.com is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.