Featured, Health Tips

Dosing: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Motrin) for Kids & Infants

January 13, 2026•Read Time: 9 min

Find the Right Dosing for Your Child: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Motrin)

Fever and aches have a way of showing up at the worst possible times: bedtime, weekends, the night before picture day. If you’re staring at a medicine bottle thinking, “How much do I give… and am I doing this right?” you’re in good company.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®) are two of the most commonly used medicines to help kids feel better when they have pain (like sore throats, earaches, or headaches) and to bring down a fever. They don’t treat the underlying virus or infection, but they can make your child more comfortable while their body does its job.

The key is dosing correctly. Kids’ medicine isn’t “one size fits all,” and it’s easy to make mistakes. Don’t give a little extra “just to be safe” or switch back and forth between medicines every few hours.

Below, you’ll find

Weight-based dosing charts for acetaminophen and ibuprofen
Clear guidance on how often to give each one
Why we do not recommend alternating between the two

How to Use These Dosing Charts

If you need to give your child one of these medicines, the clinicians at Zarminali Pediatrics recommend following these steps:

Find your child’s weight in the chart below to help understand what dose is suggested.
Use the correct dose for each medicine and write down each dose as you give it.
NEVER give any medicine—including fever medicine—to a baby younger than three months old without contacting our clinic first.
Use only the dosing syringe or cup that comes with the medicine.
Contact your clinician if your child is not improving or if you have questions.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Dosage Chart for Infants & Kids By Weight

Weight	Infant or Children’s Liquid Medicine (160 mg/5 mL)	Chewable Tablet (80 mg)	Junior Strength Chewable Tablets or Capsules (160 mg)
5-10 lbs	1.25 mL
11-17 lbs	2.5 mL
18-23 lbs	3.75 mL
24-29 lbs	5 mL	2 tablets	1 tablet or capsule
30-35 lbs	6.25 mL	2.5 tablets	1 tablet or capsule
36-40 lbs	7.5 mL	3 tablets	1.5 tablets or capsules
41-46 lbs	8.75 mL	3.5 tablets	1.5 tablets or capsules
47-52 lbs	10 mL	4 tablets	2 tablets or capsules
53-58 lbs	11.25 mL	4 tablets	2 tablets or capsules
59-64 lbs	12.5 mL		2.5 tablets or capsules
65-69 lbs	13.75 mL		2.5 tablets or capsules
70-76 lbs	15 mL		3 tablets or capsules
77-81 lbs	16.25 mL		3 tablets or capsules
82-87 lbs	17.5 mL		3.5 tablets or capsules
88-93 lbs	18.75 mL		3.5 tablets or capsules
Over 94 lbs	20 mL		4 tablets or capsules

Ibuprofen (Motrin) Dosage Chart for Infants & Kids By Weight

Important: Ibuprofen should not be given to children under 6 months of age.

Weight	Infants’ Drops (50 mg/1.25 mL)	Children’s Liquid Medicine (160 mg/5 mL)	Children’s Chewable Tablet (50 mg)	Junior Strength Chewable Tablets or Capsules (100 mg)
11-21 lbs	1.25 mL	2.5 mL	1 tablet
22-27 lbs	2.5 mL	5 mL	1 tablet	1 tablet or capsule
28-32 lbs		6.25 mL	2 tablets	1 tablet or capsule
33-38 lbs		7.5 mL	3 tablets	1.5 tablets or capsules
39-43 lbs		8.75 mL	3 tablets	1.5 tablets or capsules
44-54 lbs		10 mL	4 tablets	2 tablets or capsules
55-65 lbs		12.5 mL		2.5 tablets or capsules
66-76 lbs		15 mL		3 tablets or capsules
77-87 lbs		17.5 mL		3.5 tablets or capsules
Over 88 lbs		20 mL		4 tablets or capsules

How Often to Give Your Child Tylenol or Motrin

Each medication has a different time frame for safely giving another dose:

Acetaminophen: Dose every 4–6 hours as needed for fever or pain
Ibuprofen: Dose every 6–8 hours as needed for fever or pain

Can I alternate between Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen? Or Give Them Together?

For most children, the American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT recommend alternating between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin) every few hours. For example: Don’t give a child acetaminophen at 8 a.m., ibuprofen at 11 a.m., and switch back to acetaminophen at 2 p.m. Doing this can increase the risk of overdose or giving the wrong dose.

Likewise, don’t give your child acetaminophen and ibuprofen together at the same time.

Instead, use just one medication at a time, and follow the dosing schedule (every 4–6 hours for acetaminophen; every 6–8 hours for ibuprofen) if they need more.

“Your pediatrician’s guidance may be different if your child has chronic conditions or a history of frequent/high fevers or febrile seizures. They may suggest alternating or taking both at the same time to control fevers and reduce the risk of seizure. Talk to your pediatrician first before taking these steps,” notes Dr. Matthew Hornik, who sees families at Zarminali Pediatrics & Urgent Care - West Bloomfield.

Medication Concerns or Questions?

If you have questions about giving your child medications or finding the right dose, contact your pediatrician.

Think you have given your child more medication than you should to your child? Get immediate guidance by calling poison control at 1-800-222-1222. Based on your situation, they may recommend you go to the ER, visit your pediatrician, or monitor your child at home.