We know our community has been feeling the stress of the recent Infant's and Children's Tylenol shortage, and we are here to help!
Did you know it is a safe option to use adult pills for your children, as long as you split and crush them? All you need is a pill splitter, pill crusher or a spoon to crush, and apple sauce or juice to mix it in. See below for more information, and as always, reach out to your Kidology practitioner if you have any questions or concerns!
Tylenol options during the shortage:
(Side note, it is always better to use child specific products if they are available to you. However, if you cannot find any during this shortage, this is an option to help you get through) :)
Using Tylenol regular strength tablets of 325mg, or Extra Strength 500mg tablets, we can split them to make doses that are appropriate for smaller children.
After using a pill splitter and splitting the tablets in half, or into quarters (split in half twice), you can crush the tablets using the back of a spoon or purchase an inexpansive pill crusher. Then mix the powder from the crushed tablet with applesauce and spoon feed it to the child, or mix it with juice and suck it up into a syringe to give to child.
Example of Pill Splitter:
Example of pill crusher: (or you can use the back of a spoon as these tablets are quite easy to crush).
These products (or generic equivalent) are safe to crush:
325 mg dose
500 mg dose
Weight: | Dose: | Product to use: | Instructions: |
6-11 lbs | Use liquid infants tylenol, (do not use adult tablets) | Infants liquid (160mg/5ml) | 1.25 ml every 4 hrs as needed |
12-17 lbs | 80 mg per dose | Tylenol 325mg tablet | Split tablet into quarters (split in half twice). Give child one quarter of tablet every 4 hours as needed |
18-23 lbs | 120 mg per dose | Tylenol 500mg tablet | Split tablet into quarters (split in half twice). Give child one quarter of tablet every 4 hours as needed |
24-35 lbs | 160 mg per dose | Tylenol 325mg tablet | Split tablet in half. Give child one half of tablet every 4 hours as needed |
36-47 lbs | 240 mg per dose | Tylenol 500mg tablet | Split tablet in half. Give child one half of tablet every 4 hours as needed |
48-59 lbs | 320 mg per dose | Tylenol 325mg tablet | Child can take full tablet every 4 hours as needed |
60-71 lbs | 400 mg per dose | Tylenol 500mg tablet | Split tablet in quarters (split in half, then in half again). Give child 3 quarters every 4 hours as needed. (It is also OK to give one 325 mg tablet if that is easier, it's just a little under recommended dose) |
72-95 lbs | 480 mg per dose | Tylenol 500mg tablet | Child can take full tablet every 4 hours as needed |
Remember, use child specific products if available (liquid suspension, chewable tablets, powder packets or suppositories). Use this info if you are unable to obtain any Children’s or Infant's products.
Only crush regular tablets- do not crush any “extended release” tablets, or any capsules, or tablets containing medications other than Tylenol (acetaminophen). (for example "Tylenol Cold and Sinus")
If you have any questions about this information, do no hesitate to contact our office!
-Dr. Patel, Dr. MacPherson and Patrick