FDA Advisers Urge Infant Doses for Kids' OTC Fever Relievers  

Using infant doses of acetominophen (Children's Tylenol) for kids under two years old would better protect children, according to expert US health advisors.

A unanimous 21-0 vote across the panel of U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers called for adding dosing information for children 6 months to 2 years old to over-the-counter medicines such as Children's Tylenol and similar products containing acetaminophen, according to an Associated Press article. 

Current label information guides parents to dosages for children two and older, however recommends asking a doctor for children younger.  This has brought concern to the FDA's advisers as parents can become confused at how much medicine to dose an infant.

This is troublesome as overdoses of the medicine in the infant to two age range has increased over the past decade.   In 2010, American Assoc. of Poison Control Centers reported nearly 270,000 overdoses of acetominophen, which 3% accounted to children's acetaminophen.

Concordant with the guidance and rules given to us from our pediatrician, the panel recommended unanimously that these medicines should also include dosing information based on children's weight -- considered the most accurate way to determine the proper dose.  Weight is the preferred metric--even over age.

The  American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as well as drug manufacturers are both strongly in favor of giving parents the additional dosing information. 

Note: of course they are. It makes parents more knowledgeable and responsible and lessens the liability of physicians and the drug-makers.  A smart move.  Knowledge, responsibility and control go together very well.

Although the evidence shows that acetaminophen is safe for young children, parents have to be careful with it, pediatricians noted. Giving too much can be toxic to the liver, causing poisoning and even liver failure. 

Ideally, parents would call their pediatrician or their pharmacist to get proper dosing information, however many end up guessing.

Parents should still be encouraged to consult with their physicians before giving medication to younger children, especially those under the age of 3 months. Fevers of more than 100.4 degrees need to be taken very seriously in infants, whose immune systems are not fully developed and whose vaccinations haven't yet fully kicked in.

SOURCES: Associated Press 

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