What Are the Dangers of Tylenol for Children?

When deciding to treat your child with any medication, it's important to know the risks associated with the drug. One of the leading pain and cold medications for children is Tylenol. While giving the correct dosage to a child can relieve pain or symptoms associated with cold or flu, too much of the medication can cause life-threatening effects.

Types

• Although it is still primarily used as a pain medication, Tylenol now comes in many different forms. Infants' Tylenol and Children's Tylenol are two of the forms that can be used for a child's pain, fever, or cold or flu symptoms. Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is a toxin that can seriously harm a young child's body.

Effects

• If a child is given too much acetaminophen, it can have horrendous effects. Acetaminophen overdose is one of the leading causes of liver damage and liver failure in young children. Here are some of the ways that overdose frequently occurs: acetaminophen being administered over several days for treatment of pain or fever; mixing other drugs with acetaminophen to relieve multiple symptoms; using multiple medications that contain acetaminophen to treat different symptoms; and misreading the dosage.

  Any of these factors can lead to acetaminophen overdose. It is very important to recognize the symptoms of overdose. The following are the early signs of overdose: lethargy, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. If you notice these signs within 24 hours of administering the medication, you should call your local poison control center immediately.

Dosage

• When using any medication, it's important to make sure to read the dosage very carefully, even if you have used the same or a similar product before. When alternating between giving your child (ages 2 and older) Children's Tylenol and giving your infant Infants' Tylenol, be sure to remember that the infant drops are more concentrated and much stronger than children's liquid Tylenol. If you are unsure of the dosage amount, be sure to contact your child's pediatrician before administering the drug.

Prevention

• In order to prevent accidental overdoses, there are some steps that you must take to ensure your child's safety when administering medication. Read the dosage several times. Make sure that you give the absolute correct dosage. Do not exceed the dosage amount for the day. Read the ingredients to every medication you administer along with the Tylenol. Make sure that the other medications do not also contain acetaminophen.

Warning

• If you are unsure about administering any medication to your child, be sure to call your pediatrician and ask for advice. A single phone call or visit can prevent many misunderstandings and possible fatal occurrences.