Proper Dosing Instructions for Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen in Children

Introduction to Medication Management

• Parents should be instructed to use either acetaminophen every 4-6 hours OR ibuprofen every 6-8 hours as single-agent therapy for fever and pain management in children, rather than routinely alternating between the two medications, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics 1, 2

Critical Safety Messages for Parents

• The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to never use aspirin in children due to the risk of Reye syndrome 1
• The American Academy of Pediatrics states that antipyretics do not prevent febrile seizure recurrence, so they should not be given for this purpose 2