
Tylenol maker McNeil Consumer Healthcare warns that poisonings occur when parents give babies a potentially deadly teaspoon-full instead of a safe dropper-full.
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Taking too much of the right medication, can have disastrous consequences for children.-
“Too much Motrin can cause stomach upset, reflux or bleeding in the stomach.”
-Dr. Waldschmidt- ER Doctor
One common mistake the emergency room doctors see is parents giving their children too high a dose of over-the-counter medications or re-dosing their children too soon. “We’re seeing a lot more situations where parents don’t know how much medication to give their child,” Dr. Poulose said. “For instance, they may look at vitamins as a way for their child to get well. So they figure if one vitamin is good, three vitamins are even better.” Parents and other caregivers often endanger children by medicating them incorrectly, noted Mari Poulose, D.O., Medical Director of the Emergency Department at
At recommended doses, acetaminophen is one of the safest drugs. In excessive doses, it can seriously damage the liver…. Acetaminophen overdose, in fact, is the leading cause of acute liver failure, which may be fatal….More than 25,000 accidental overdoses of acetaminophen in children are reported annually… Extra vigilance with the use of acetaminophen-containing products can prevent many needless accidental overdoses and potential harm to your child's health. -Richard Harkness is a consultant pharmacist, natural medicines specialist, and author of eight published books.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association group's president, Linda Suydam said, "It is important to point out that these medicines are safe and effective when used as directed, and most parents are using them appropriately." Even if parents use the correct acetaminophen strength, the measurement of the dose may be incorrect, especially if they use a household teaspoon. The term "droppersful" also is misleading and may be misunderstood to mean "full dropper." …Extra doses are another possibility…a parent may not know that another parent or caregiver has already given the child a dose. In addition, children may consume more than one product containing acetaminophen, especially if the outer carton of a combination product has been thrown away and the immediate container does not clearly list the active ingredients and strength (as with Infants' Tylenol Cold Concentrated Drops). –Institute for Safe Medication practices
Overdoses can also result when multiple caretakers give extra doses of medicine, McKeown says. She recommends caretakers write down the time that each medicine is given so that the next caretaker will know exactly when to give the next dose. -

The American Association of Posion Control shows the following statistics for reported acetaminophen poisonings:
· Total reported exposures: 57,516
Reported exposures, under 19 yrs: 40,774
· Overdoses: 55,707 in one year
Weight (lb) Age (yr) Dose Under 24 months Under 2 yrs Ask a Doctor 24-35 lbs 2-3 yrs 1 tsp or 5 mL 36-47 lbs 4-5 yrs 1 1/2 tsp or 7.5 mL 48-59 lbs 6-8 yrs 2 tsp or 10 mL 60-71 lbs 9-10 yrs 2 1/2 tsp or 12.5 mL 72-95 lbs 11 yrs 3 tsp or 15 ml ![]()
Children's Motrin & Tylenol Recommended Dosing Chart
(tsp or mL)
* *Children's Tylenol can be given every 4 hours and Children's Motrin can be given every 6-8 hours according to labels on both products.
Make sure you use the Dose Keeper to track down and record when dosages were given to your child or an elderly.
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If you have a poisoning emergency, call
1-800-222-1222.
If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911 TRUE STORY:
If your child or loved one has a reaction to any medication, make sure you take the Dose Keeper with you so the doctor can see what he/she has been taking and how often.
The Dose Keeper can play an instrumental role in helping your doctor understand what dosages and medications your child has been on. Dose Keeper might help save your loved one's Life!
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Alvarez gave her son McNeil-PPC Inc.'s Infant Tylenol Cold Decongestant Plus Cough and Walgreen-brand Pediatric Drops-Cough Plus Cold, according to the lawsuit. Both contain dextromethorphan. A coroner's report says Devon Mehlberg-Alvarez died of dextromethorphan intoxication, with tests showing his system metabolized the ingredient slowly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels, according to the lawsuit.