By January of this year we’ve already had a cold and the flu twice and with having small children it’s easily passed around everyone in our house.
I know to always stay prepared with the many items we need during cold and flu season but I never did make sure to stay safe and prepared with the correct knowledge for dosing my children when they are sick.
One of the most common drugs in the U.S. is acetaminophen. It is found in more than 600 different over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medicines. It’s safe and effective when used as directed, but there’s a limit to how much you can take in one day and parents should be aware of correct dosage amounts.
First up, double check all dosing amounts also make a note what medicines in your cabinets for cold and flu you are using having acetaminophen in them.
I still remember the night my oldest daughter was 5 and I had a newborn. We were sick and we were awake all night. I can think of a few nights like this where I wasn’t watching how much I was actually dosing.
A research study published earlier this year shows that the odds of Americans taking more than the FDA-recommended maximum dose of 4,000 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen in one day increased 24 percent during cold and flu season. That means that I have probably given my children too much acetaminophen without realizing it.
The best thing you can always do is write down how many doses you have given throughout the day. Plus make sure you always use the dosing device that comes with the medicine. Also make sure you are only taking one medicine with acetaminophen in it.
I know as a parent I want my girls to just feel better fast and no parent wants to harm their child in any way. This is just another reminder to slow down and take notice even when our kiddos are sick. Making sure each dose is proper is just as important as fighting the fevers.
It’s really all about happy healthy children and this is a great reminder for cold and flu season.
Learn more about proper dosing at KnowYourDose.org this cold and flu season.
Thank you for this post. Great reminder as we all weather the cold and flu season. I personally try to avoid medicines and try to pump more vitamins and probiotics to dodge the colds as much as possible. But, with a daughter in preschool and a baby still building their immune system, medicine can be difficult to avoid. When my girls spike a high fever I always give medicine to bring it back down. Love your suggestion about writing it down…don’t know how many times I’ve struggled to remember exactly when I gave the last dose.
I will have to share this post on my facebook page. More often than not, some people self-medicate unknowingly causing more harm than healing. Thanks for writing this article. It is such a great resource!
I am so glad you are talking about this. It is so important to know what the correct dosage for our children is. While we want them to feel better we don’t want to overdose them
Yeah the dosage amount is pretty scary if not given the exact proper amount. Thanks for educating this could save some families in the future.
Thank you for this reminder and for letting me know about KnowYourDose.org. I will check it out and bookmark the site. This is a valuable reference for families. Sharing it with friends and family too.
Knowing the correct doses in both children and adults can be the difference between curbing the symptoms, or a trip to the ER. Great info you posted here.
We keep a dosing chart on the inside of our medicine cabinet at all times. Very important reminders; thank you!
This is such vital information to have this time of year. I always follow the directions on the label, as well as the time it was taken.
I think taking the right amount or dosage is taken for granted… usually when ingesting pills. As adults, we may somewhat be able to tolerate some misdosages but for kids, this can be very dangerous.
Our children are our greatest treasures, so we must be vigilant at keeping them safe, especially when they aren’t feeling so well. Proper dosage guidelines as so important to be aware of when administering medicines to our kids.
such an educational, much needed post especially with flu season in full swing. being preventative is key but having the right meds on hand is important too so that if you get hit with the flu your bases are covered!
This is such an important post. With the season of sick upon us, we’ll be using lots of medicine. It’s important to ALWAYS administer it properly.