Pediatric Fever Dosing Sheet

Enter your child's weight and age group to calculate correct doses of Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin) across all formulations.

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What is a Fever?

≥ 38.0°C Rectal (most accurate)
≥ 38.0°C Temporal / Ear
≥ 37.5°C Oral
≥ 37.2°C Axillary (least accurate)
When to give fever medication: You may give Tylenol or Advil when your child has a confirmed fever and appears uncomfortable, irritable, or is having difficulty sleeping or eating. A fever alone does not always require medication — it is part of the body's natural immune response. Seek medical attention if: your child is under 3 months with any fever, the fever lasts more than 2–3 days, your child appears very unwell or has difficulty breathing, a febrile seizure occurs, or you are concerned for any reason.
Tylenol dose
— mg
15 mg/kg per dose
Advil dose
— mg
10 mg/kg per dose
Tylenol — Max Single Dose
— mg
Absolute max 1,000 mg/dose
Tylenol — Max Daily
— mg/day
Every 4–6 h · max 5 doses/day
Advil — Max Single Dose
— mg
Absolute max 600 mg/dose
Advil — Max Daily
— mg/day
Every 6–8 h · max 4 doses/day
Tylenol®
Acetaminophen
Dose: 15 mg/kg · q4–6h · max 5×/day
Formulation Give This Amount How Often Who It's For
Advil® / Motrin®
Ibuprofen — ≥ 6 months only
Dose: 10 mg/kg · q6–8h · max 4×/day
Formulation Give This Amount How Often Who It's For

Ibuprofen (Advil / Motrin) is NOT safe for infants under 6 months of age

Ibuprofen should not be given to any child younger than 6 months old. For fever management in infants under 6 months, Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the only recommended over-the-counter option — and only with physician guidance for newborns under 3 months of age.

Important: If your infant under 6 months has a fever ≥ 38.0°C (rectal), contact your doctor or go to the emergency department promptly. Fever in young infants can indicate serious infection and requires immediate medical evaluation.

Example Dosing Schedule — Starting at 8:00 AM

Staggered Tylenol + Advil — 3 hours apart

Give Tylenol first, then Advil 3 hours later, and continue alternating. This provides more continuous fever control than either drug alone. Each drug still respects its own minimum interval: Tylenol every 4 h minimum, Advil every 6 h minimum.

Acetaminophen — Key Points

  • Safe from birth (physician guidance for < 3 months)
  • Every 4–6 hours as needed; max 5 doses/24 h
  • Do not exceed 75 mg/kg/day (max 4,000 mg/day)
  • Avoid with liver (hepatic) problems
  • Check cold/flu combination products for hidden acetaminophen

Ibuprofen — Key Points

  • Not for infants < 6 months
  • Every 6–8 hours as needed; max 4 doses/24 h
  • Do not exceed 40 mg/kg/day (max 2,400 mg/day)
  • Give with food or milk to reduce stomach upset
  • Avoid if dehydrated, or with kidney or bleeding problems