Parent Resources
Symptom guides, medicine dosage charts, trusted websites, and community resources we recommend to our families.
Medicine Dosage Charts
For fever and pain medicines, dose by weight, not age. Allergy medicines follow the age or weight shown on each chart below. Use the measuring syringe or cup that comes with the medicine, not a household spoon. When in doubt, call the office.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
One dose every 4 hours. No more than 5 doses in 24 hours.
| Weight | Age | Infants' Liquid / Syringe160 mg / 5 mL | Children's Liquid / Teaspoon160 mg / 5 mL | Chewable80 mg | Jr. Tablet160 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6–11 lbs | 0–3 mo | 1.25 mL | — | — | — |
| 12–17 lbs | 4–11 mo | 2.5 mL | ½ tsp | — | — |
| 18–23 lbs | 12–23 mo | 3.75 mL | ¾ tsp | — | — |
| 24–35 lbs | 2–3 yr | 5 mL | 1 tsp | 2 | — |
| 36–47 lbs | 4–5 yr | — | 1½ tsp | 3 | — |
| 48–59 lbs | 6–8 yr | — | 2 tsp | 4 | 2 |
| 60–71 lbs | 9–10 yr | — | 2½ tsp | 5 | 2½ |
| 72–95 lbs | 11 yr | — | 3 tsp | 6 | 3 |
| 96+ lbs | 12+ yr | — | — | — | 4 |
- • Infants' and Children's liquids are the same concentration: 160 mg / 5 mL.
- • Do not give more than 5 doses in 24 hours.
Ibuprofen (Advil / Motrin)
One dose every 6–8 hours. Do not use under 6 months of age.
| Weight | Age | Infants' Drops / Syringe50 mg / 1.25 mL | Children's Liquid / Teaspoon100 mg / 5 mL | Chewable50 mg | Jr. Tablet100 mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12–17 lbs | 6–11 mo | 1.25 mL | — | — | — |
| 18–23 lbs | 12–23 mo | 1.875 mL | — | — | — |
| 24–35 lbs | 2–3 yr | 2.5 mL | 1 tsp | 2 | — |
| 36–47 lbs | 4–5 yr | — | 1½ tsp | 3 | — |
| 48–59 lbs | 6–8 yr | — | 2 tsp | 4 | 2 |
| 60–71 lbs | 9–10 yr | — | 2½ tsp | 5 | 2½ |
| 72–95 lbs | 11 yr | — | 3 tsp | 6 | 3 |
- • Do not use ibuprofen under 6 months of age.
- • Do not give aspirin to children for fever or pain.
- • 5 mL = 1 teaspoon. Use measuring devices, not household spoons.
Cetirizine (Zyrtec)
Once a day, dosed by age.
| Age | Dose | Max Daily Dose |
|---|---|---|
| 6–23 months | 2.5 mg once daily | 2.5 mg |
| 2–5 years | 2.5 mg once daily (may increase to 5 mg/day) | 5 mg |
| 6–11 years | 5–10 mg once daily | 10 mg |
| 12+ years | 10 mg once daily | 10 mg |
- • Common formulations — Liquid: 1 mg/mL or 5 mg/5 mL · Chewable: 5 mg · Tablet: 10 mg.
- • Slightly more sedating than loratadine (Claritin) or fexofenadine (Allegra) in some children.
Why we now prefer Zyrtec over Benadryl for allergies: read Dr. Halpern's allergy medication Q&A .
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
One dose every 6–8 hours as needed for allergies or itching.
| Weight | Age | Liquid (12.5 mg/5 mL) | Chewable (12.5 mg) | Tablet (25 mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 lbs | — | 4 mL | — | — |
| 25–37 lbs | — | 5 mL | 1 | ½ |
| 38–49 lbs | — | 7.5 mL | 1½ | ½ |
| 50–99 lbs | — | 10 mL | 2 | 1 |
| 100+ lbs | — | — | 4 | 2 |
- • Not recommended under age 1 for allergies.
- • Not recommended for colds at any age.
- • Children under 4 should not receive Benadryl. Under 6, avoid multi-ingredient products.
- • Adult dose is 50 mg (two 25 mg tablets).
Forms & Documents
New patient forms are available on the new patients page.
Trusted Resources
General Health Information
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- HealthyChildren.org (AAP)— AAP's parent-facing resource
- KidsHealth
- MedlinePlus
Immunization Information
Parenting Resources
Community Resources
NJ Services & Helplines
- NJ 211— Statewide helpline for social services
- FindHelp.org— Free & reduced-cost services near you
- Feeding America / Food Pantries
- SNAP
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline— Call or text 988
- NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault
- NJ Domestic Violence Hotline
- SPAN Advocacy Network— Special education & disability resources
- NJ Autism Resources
- Autism Travel Directory
- IBCCES Accessibility Card
Symptom Guides
When to call the doctor, when to head to the ER, and what you can do at home.