Giving your Children Medicine

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before you give your child prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Here are some important tips to remember before giving your child medicine.

What you should know about your childs medications:

• The name of the medication
• What the medication is used to treat
• How often and for how long the medicine should be given
• The dose
• How the medicine should be given
• Where to store the medicine: Does it need to be refrigerated?
• Common side effects
• What to do if you miss giving your child a dose.

Child medication administering tips:

• If you are not sure how much medicine to give your child, ask your child's doctor or pharmacist.
• Always check to make sure you have the correct medication. Many bottles look the same.
• Only use the measuring spoons, syringes, or cups that are meant for measuring medication. Don't use spoons or cups from your kitchen.

Child medication safety:

• Don't share prescription medicines with other children, including family members.
• Don't give cough and cold medicine to babies or children who are 2 years old or younger. Always follow the age recommendations on the product label as some products are not recommended for younger children, such as those under 4 years of age.
• Keep all medicines, including herbs, vitamins and supplements, out of reach of children, or in a locked cabinet.
• Be careful if you give your child more than one OTC cough or cold medication. They may have the same “active ingredient” and could hurt your child.
• Share your child's medicine list with grandparents, babysitters, and his or her school.
• If you think that your child may have taken too much medicine or the wrong medicine, call the U.S. Poison Center right away at 1-800-222-1222.

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Check the label:

• Never give children medicines meant for adults.
• Don't give cough and cold medicine to babies or children who are 2 years old or younger.
• Be sure to read all of the instructions. Prescription and OTC products typically come with printed information about common side effects and instructions on how to take the medicine.

See also:

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Drug information

• Vitamins Information for Consumers
• Side Effects of Vitamins (detailed)

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AHFS® Patient Medication Information is used with permission. ©2025, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. (ASHP). The ASHP Data is a part of the AHFS Drug Information®️; ASHP is not responsible for the accuracy of transpositions from the original context.