Children & Acetaminophen Dosing—did Google go to Med school?

July 28th, 2009. By AbiK

Here’s something scary. Type this into Google search: How much Tylenol do I give?—just for the heck of it. I just did. I figured with all the news lately on acetaminophen and the FDA Advisory Panel recommending more stringent warnings on OTC acetaminophen, there must be some worthy sites getting the word out on safe dosing, right?

Here are the 9 links listed on the first page of my search results: 

pediatrics.about.com (they have a dosing “calculator”, then tell you to check the answer with your doctor)

plateaupediatrics.com (a local pediatrician’s office in TN)

wiki.answers.com (yes, those pages where anyone can contribute info)

abcnews.go.com (ok, it has a video of a doctor answering the question)

thelaboroflove.com (a having babies site—and I’m having to work too hard for an “about us” page)

fda.gov (it doesn’t give the answer to my question, but at least it’s from the FDA)

answers.yahoo.com (to date, the “best answer” by voters is from a user named “Courage”; No, I’m not kidding.)

cafemom.com (bunch of moms helping moms; most say talk to your doc)

forum.baby-gaga.com (a site to help you “embrace the craziness” of pregnancy & parenting)

Now, I’m all for homegrown practical tips and word-of-mouth, “viral” sharing with my trusted “friends” online, but imagine someone who’s seriously trying to seek out this information? If I want pharmacological dosing information, there are 3 places I’m going for it: my doctor, my pharmacist or the monograph of the drug itself. Unfortunately, these are not always the most convenient options—so many will try the easy route: Google search.

Here’s something else interesting. I have a bottle of Children’s Tylenol right in front of me (Very Berry Strawberry for those wondering). It gives the dosages for kids by both weight (the doctor-recommended method) and age. The maximum dose listed is for a child weighing 72-95 pounds, or who is 11 years old. And the dose is 3 teaspoons—the equivalent of 480 mg of acetaminophen. Contrast this with what’s written over at medicinenet.com:

DOSING: The oral dose for adults is 325 to 650 mg every 4 to 6 hours. The maximum daily dose is 4 grams. The oral dose for a child is based on the child’s age, and the range is 40-650 mg every 4 hours.

When administered as a suppository, the adult dose is 650 mg every 4 to 6 hours. For children, the dose is 80-325 mg every 4 to 6 hours depending on age.

Wait a minute—the maximum single dose for a child is as high as 650 mg? Tylenol says right on the package it’s 480 mg—what gives?

Ok, so maybe medicinenet.com defines “child” as up to 14 or 16 years of age. Or maybe their recommendation is in reference to what a child with a more serious condition (e.g., in the hospital) might receive? I don’t know. And that’s the point. You don’t know.

My recent blog on acetaminophen and personal responsibility spoke to this—it’s buyer beware and it’s up to you to ensure you’re reading your labels and talking to your doctor. Until Google (and the other search engines) hangs their framed Med school diploma off their homepage logo, seek out your doctor first for medical advice.

Tags: Acetaminophen

This was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 12:21 pm and is filed under Drugs/Medical . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.