A parent’s shelf of trusted answers

Doses depend on your child’s weight, age, and health history. When in doubt, call us at 910-484-3121 before giving medication.

Tylenol (acetaminophen)

Infants’ and children’s liquids are the same strength: acetaminophen 160 mg per 5 mL. Chewables are 160 mg per tablet.

Every 4 hours as needed. Do not give more than 5 doses in 24 hours. If possible, use weight to dose; otherwise use age.

Do not use with any other product containing acetaminophen. Use only the dosing syringe or cup that came with the product.

Motrin (ibuprofen)

Every 6–8 hours as needed. Do not give more than 4 doses in 24 hours. If possible, use weight to dose; otherwise use age.

Infants’ concentrated drops — ibuprofen 50 mg per 1.25 mL:

Children’s oral suspension — ibuprofen 100 mg per 5 mL:

The infants’ drops are more concentrated than the children’s suspension. Use only the dosing device that came with the product.

Download the PDF chart

Doses depend on your child’s weight, age, and health history. When in doubt, call us at 910-484-3121 before giving medication.

Cold & allergy liquid — brompheniramine maleate 2 mg, phenylephrine HCl 5 mg. For nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.

Up to 4 doses in 24 hours.

Download the PDF chart

Doses depend on your child’s weight, age, and health history. When in doubt, call us at 910-484-3121 before giving medication.

Children’s liquid — diphenhydramine 12.5 mg per 5 mL. For itchy throat or nose, sneezing, runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes.

Download the PDF chart

What it is

• Bulging of the ear drum, or tympanic membrane.
• Cloudy fluid behind the ear drum, called middle ear infection.
• Not swimmer’s ear — water going into the ear canal from a bath or pool cannot cause a middle ear infection, but it may cause swimmer’s ear, an outer ear infection.

Symptoms a child may show

• Pulling or poking at the ears, or holding hands near the ears.
• Increased fussiness, less playfulness, and decreased appetite.
• Mild vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Sometimes no symptoms at all.

The majority of infants and toddlers will have at least one ear infection before the age of 2 years.

Factors that lead to middle ear infections

• More frequent colds.
• Anatomy of the ear, nose, and throat that promotes mucus or fluid pooling in the middle ear space.
• Pooled fluid leads to the overgrowth of bacteria.
• This leads to inflammation of those anatomical parts.
• Fluid and bacteria are not able to drain out of the middle ear.

As children get older, an ear infection may clear on its own some of the time.

Other factors that may increase ear infections

• Feeding while lying back.
• Smoking in the environment, including in the car.
• Allergy symptoms.
• Possibly pacifier use.

Treatments that will likely help

• Tylenol, or Motrin/Advil for 6 months and older.
• Antibiotics — but not always necessary.

Tubes may be recommended if

• Fluid stays in the middle ear for a prolonged period of time.
• There are repeated ear infections in a short period of time.
• An ear infection shows no resolution.
• A hearing deficit or learning or language delays are noted.

Follow up

• Because middle ear fluid may persist.
• Because hearing and language delays can occur after ear infections.

Call our office at any time for concerns, day or night, 910-484-3121.

Cough is a normal and important reflex of the body. It helps us clear the airway and keeps us from breathing things into the airways and lungs that could cause problems.

Occasional cough is normal, but sometimes it can be a symptom of an illness or another serious condition. A cough can be “wet” if a child brings up mucus, or “dry” if she does not.

Frequent causes of cough

• Infections of the airway, including the common cold.
• An object stuck in an airway.
• Asthma.
• Lung problems some children are born with.
• Coughing out of habit — this cough usually goes away when the child is asleep.
• Exposure to cold or smoke.

The common cold

• Caused by a virus.
• Usually mild and self-limiting.
• Symptoms usually peak on day 2–3 of illness and gradually improve over the next 7–14 days (a longer course in younger children).
• Cough is a symptom of the common cold and may linger in some children for 3–4 weeks.
• Young children may have 6–8 colds a year on average.

When your child needs to see a doctor

• A blue or dusky color to the lips, tongue, or face.
• Trouble breathing, noisy breathing, or fast breathing.
• Cough after choking on food or another object — even if the choking happened days or weeks ago.
• Coughing up blood, or yellow or green mucus.
• Has a fever and is not acting like themselves.
• Refusing to drink anything for a long time.
• Vomiting with cough.
• Cough for 2 weeks that is not getting better.
• Younger than 4 months of age.

How you can help your child’s cough

• Have your child drink plenty of fluids — warm fluids may work better.
• Use a cool mist humidifier in their room and clean it frequently. Hot water vaporizers are not recommended due to the risk of serious scalds or burns.
• Stay with your child in a steamy bathroom while running hot water.
• You may give honey to children 1 year of age and older — half to 1 teaspoon, straight or diluted in liquids.
• Cough drops or lozenges for children 4 years and older.
• A yearly flu vaccine for children aged 6 months and older.

What to avoid

• Over-the-counter cold and cough medications in children under 6 years of age, due to the risk of adverse reactions and because they are likely not helpful.
• Aspirin in children younger than 18 years of age, due to the potential for serious liver complications (Reye Syndrome).

Treatment of cough

• Supportive care for viral infections — the best prescription for a cold is patience.
• Antibiotics for bacterial infections.
• Steroids and bronchodilators like albuterol to open up the airway.
• Bronchoscopy to look for and remove an object stuck in the airway.
• Cough suppressants can be prescribed rarely, usually for older children.

Call our office at any time for concerns, day or night, 910-484-3121.