Ibuprofen/Motrin

Remember these important points:
  1. Please call our office for any child with fever over 100.4 for four or more  consecutive  days, even if the child has already been seen for the fever.
  2. When reporting a fever, please state exactly what the thermometer read and where the thermometer was placed; never add or subtract degrees.
  3. Never give  any  medicine, including fever medicine, to a baby younger than 3 months without calling our office first.
  4. The following doses may differ from other information that you have at home.  The doses found below include  our  recommendations, which are both safe and effective.
The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of Tylenol® and Motrin® to be used on an alternating dosage schedule. Ibuprofen (Motrin) is not recommended for children under six (6) months of age.  Our office follows these recommendations.
 

Ibuprofen = Motrin® = Advil®

Dose every 6 to 8 hours as needed for fever or pain

Weight Infants' Drops
50 mg / 1.25 mL 		Suspension Liquid
100 mg / 5 mL 		Junior Strength Chewable Tablets or Caplets
100 mg tabs or caps
11–16 lbs. 1.25 mL 2.5 mL  
17–21 lbs. 1.875 mL 3.75 mL  
22–27 lbs. 1.25 mL + 1.25 mL 5 mL 1 tab or cap
28–32 lbs.   5 mL + 1.25 mL 1 tab or cap
33–38 lbs.   5 mL + 2.5 mL 1½ tabs or caps
39–43 lbs.   5 mL + 3.75 mL 1½ tabs or caps
44–54 lbs.   10 mL 2 tabs or caps
55–65 lbs.   10 mL + 2.5 mL 2½ tabs or caps
66–76 lbs.   15 mL 3 tabs or caps
77–87 lbs.   15 mL + 2.5 mL 3½ tabs or caps
Over 88 lbs.   20 mL 4 tabs or cap
 

Ibuprofen (Motrin® / Advil®)

Dose every 6–8 hours as needed for fever or pain

11–16 lbs

  • Infants' Drops (50 mg/1.25 mL): 1.25 mL
  • Liquid (100 mg/5 mL): 2.5 mL
  • Junior Strength (100 mg): —

17–21 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: 1.875 mL
  • Liquid: 3.75 mL
  • Junior Strength: —

22–27 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: 1.25 mL + 1.25 mL
  • Liquid: 5 mL
  • Junior Strength: 1 tablet or caplet

28–32 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 5 mL + 1.25 mL
  • Junior Strength: 1 tablet or caplet

33–38 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 5 mL + 2.5 mL
  • Junior Strength: 1½ tablets or caplets

39–43 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 5 mL + 3.75 mL
  • Junior Strength: 1½ tablets or caplets

44–54 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 10 mL
  • Junior Strength: 2 tablets or caplets

55–65 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 10 mL + 2.5 mL
  • Junior Strength: 2½ tablets or caplets

66–76 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 15 mL
  • Junior Strength: 3 tablets or caplets

77–87 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 15 mL + 2.5 mL
  • Junior Strength: 3½ tablets or caplets

Over 88 lbs

  • Infants' Drops: —
  • Liquid: 20 mL
  • Junior Strength: 4 tablets or caplets
   * CAUTION: We recommend that you use the dropper or dosage cup that comes with your medicine to avoid overdosage. Dosage recommendations on bottles may vary from the recommendation on these pages. We would like you to use our recommended dosages unless your health care provider has given you a different (usually higher!) dosage. Aspirin should not be given to your child.