Why you wake up at 3 a.m., and what to eat before bed
Blood sugar dips, cortisol answers, you're awake. How to read the pattern and the two dinner changes that quiet it.
How this calculator works
Enter your child's weight in pounds or kilograms. The calculator finds that weight on the standard US Drug Facts label for children's acetaminophen oral suspension, 160 mg per 5 mL, and shows the label's dose band in milliliters and milligrams. It never computes a custom milligrams-per-kilogram number or adjusts for age or symptoms.
The label is built on weight because weight, not age, determines how a child handles acetaminophen. The Tylenol label and the American Academy of Pediatrics both say: dose by weight if you know it, by age only if you do not.
Concentration matters as much. Until 2011, infant drops were 80 mg per 0.8 mL, more than three times as concentrated as the children's liquid. The FDA then asked manufacturers for a single strength, and Infants' and Children's liquids are now both 160 mg per 5 mL. Old bottles turn up, so read the Drug Facts panel every time. If it does not say 160 mg per 5 mL, this chart does not apply.
Measure with the syringe or cup from the box; the markings are in mL and sized for that product. Ibuprofen (Children's Motrin, Advil) has its own chart and concentration and is not covered here.
How to read your result
The table below is the manufacturer's label chart for Children's Tylenol Oral Suspension, 160 mg per 5 mL. Store-brand children's acetaminophen at the same concentration uses the same chart.
| Weight (lb) | Weight (kg, approx.) | Age on label | Dose (mL) | Acetaminophen (mg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 24 lb | Under 11 kg | Under 2 years | Ask a doctor | Ask a doctor |
| 24 to 35 lb | 11 to 16 kg | 2 to 3 years | 5 mL | 160 mg |
| 36 to 47 lb | 16 to 21 kg | 4 to 5 years | 7.5 mL | 240 mg |
| 48 to 59 lb | 22 to 27 kg | 6 to 8 years | 10 mL | 320 mg |
| 60 to 71 lb | 27 to 32 kg | 9 to 10 years | 12.5 mL | 400 mg |
| 72 to 95 lb | 33 to 43 kg | 11 years | 15 mL | 480 mg |
| Over 95 lb | Over 43 kg | 12 years and older | Adult products; ask a clinician | — |
The label says to repeat the dose every 4 hours while symptoms last and to give no more than 5 doses in 24 hours. Write down every dose; an early repeat by a second caregiver is the usual way children go over the limit.
Tylenol dosage for a 2-year-old or a 30-lb child
A 30-lb child sits in the 24-to-35-lb band: 5 mL, which is 160 mg. A 2-year-old under 24 lb is below the chart, and the label sends you to a doctor.
Where the number misleads
Acetaminophen is safe at label doses and dangerous above them.
Under 12 weeks with a fever: call first
A rectal temperature of 100.4°F or higher in a baby under 12 weeks can be the only sign of a serious infection. Do not medicate and wait; call your pediatrician or go to urgent care first, because the fever is the information the doctor needs.
Under 24 lb or under 2 years
The label leaves this row blank on purpose: pediatricians do dose infants, but they want to set the amount for your child. A call to the nurse line usually settles it.
How many days
Do not give acetaminophen for more than 3 days for fever or 5 days for pain without checking with a clinician. A fever still running on day 4 needs a diagnosis, not another dose.
The liver, and the overdose that does not look like one
Acetaminophen overdose is a leading cause of acute liver failure, and a child who has had too much may seem fine for a day while the window for the antidote narrows. If you suspect a double dose, a swallowed bottle or a concentration mix-up, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. It is free and open around the clock.
Hidden acetaminophen in other bottles
Acetaminophen is in hundreds of over-the-counter and prescription medicines, including children's cold, flu and cough liquids, so Children's Tylenol plus a multi-symptom cold medicine is a quiet double dose. Give only one acetaminophen product at a time. The AAP advises against multi-ingredient products under age 6.
Chewables and tablets are a different chart
This calculator is for the 160 mg per 5 mL liquid only. Chewables are now standardized at 160 mg, but 80 mg products have been sold, so follow the count on that box. Adult 325 mg and 500 mg tablets are never split into a weight-based child dose; the FDA says no 500 mg products under age 12 at all. And never a kitchen teaspoon, which holds anywhere from 3 to 7 mL.
What to do with it
- Confirm the concentration on the Drug Facts panel: 160 mg per 5 mL, or this page does not apply.
- Weigh, then look up the band. Draw the mL into the syringe from the box and check the line at eye level.
- Log the time where the other caregiver will see it.
- Treat the child, not the number. A playful, drinking child at 101°F may not need any; a listless one at 100.8°F needs a call regardless.
- Recover afterward. Sick-kid nights wreck adult sleep; see why you wake up at 3 a.m., and keep the short walk after meals going.
Products we like
Not a ranking, in no particular order. How we make money.
around $6 · Amazon, Walmart, pharmacies
The cheap option: clearly marked 10 mL syringes with a bottle adapter, so a 7.5 mL or 12.5 mL dose is one clean pull; the syringe in the Tylenol box is fine too if you still have it.
around $40 · Amazon, Walmart, Target
Fast ear readings with an age-adjusted fever display, which is why so many pediatric offices use it; for babies under 3 months a rectal reading with a $15 digital stick thermometer such as the Vicks ComfortFlex is still the reference.
around $12 · Amazon, Staples, Walmart
Sticks to the fridge as a dose log (time, mL, who gave it) so two tired caregivers never double up; a sheet of paper taped to the medicine cabinet does the same job for free.
Frequently asked questions
How much children's Tylenol can I give by weight?
For the 160 mg per 5 mL liquid, the US label gives 5 mL at 24 to 35 lb, 7.5 mL at 36 to 47 lb, 10 mL at 48 to 59 lb, 12.5 mL at 60 to 71 lb and 15 mL at 72 to 95 lb. Below 24 lb or under age 2 the label says to ask a doctor. Repeat no sooner than every 4 hours and give no more than 5 doses in 24 hours.
What is the Tylenol dose for a 2-year-old?
It depends on weight, not age. A 2-year-old who weighs 24 to 35 lb gets 5 mL (160 mg) of the 160 mg per 5 mL liquid. A 2-year-old under 24 lb is below the label chart, so call your pediatrician for the dose rather than estimating.
Is infant Tylenol the same strength as children's Tylenol?
Yes, since the 2011 change to a single concentration. Both Infants' and Children's Tylenol liquid are 160 mg per 5 mL; the infant product comes with a smaller syringe. Before 2011, infant drops were 80 mg per 0.8 mL, so check the Drug Facts panel on any older bottle before using this chart.
How often can a child take Tylenol, and how many doses a day?
The label for the children's liquid says every 4 hours while symptoms last and no more than 5 doses in 24 hours. Write down the time of every dose so a second caregiver does not repeat it early. Do not give it for more than 3 days for fever or 5 days for pain without talking to a clinician.
Can I use a kitchen teaspoon to measure children's Tylenol?
No. Household teaspoons hold anywhere from about 3 to 7 mL, which can nearly double a dose. Use the oral syringe or dosing cup that came in the box, read it at eye level, and ask the pharmacist for a marked syringe if you have lost it.
What should I do if my child got too much acetaminophen?
Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away, even if your child seems fine. Early overdose symptoms can be absent for a day, and liver damage becomes harder to treat with time. Have the bottle in hand so you can read the concentration and estimate the amount.
Sources
- Tylenol (Kenvue). Dosing Chart for Children & Infants TYLENOL. 2026 — Manufacturer label chart: weight bands, mL doses, every 4 hours, no more than 5 doses in 24 hours, under 24 lb/under 2 years ask a healthcare provider
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Acetaminophen Dosage Table for Fever and Pain. HealthyChildren.org, updated 2026 — Dose by weight first, single 160 mg strength since 2011, fever in first 12 weeks needs immediate medical attention, no multi-ingredient products under 6, no 500 mg products under 12
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Acetaminophen. 2025 — Overdose can lead to liver failure; found in hundreds of OTC and prescription drugs; use only one acetaminophen product at a time; use the dosing device provided, not a kitchen spoon
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Questions and Answers: Important change in concentration for OTC liquid acetaminophen marketed for infants. 2011, updated 2016 — Infant liquids moved from 80 mg/0.8 mL and 80 mg/mL to 160 mg/5 mL; read the Drug Facts label for concentration; never mix and match dosing devices
- National Capital Poison Center. Acetaminophen: Take it safely. Poison.org — Acetaminophen overdose is an important cause of liver failure in the US; concentration mix-ups and household spoons in children; Poison Help 1-800-222-1222
This calculator is for general information and is not medical advice. Results are estimates from population formulas and can be off for you personally. Talk to a clinician before acting on a number, especially if you take medication or have a diagnosed condition. Editorial policy · Medical disclaimer
