What Dosage?

Updated on September 05, 2008
K.H. asks from Dover, DE
19 answers

I bought childrens Dimetapp, as my 6 year old has had a yucky cold. I normally use pediacare, but they didn't have any at the store...so I got this instead, which I have never used. It says 2 tsp for 6-under 12...which is fine for my eldest, but not my youngest who is 3 (28 lbs) is getting the same thing, and it says 2- under 6 ask a doctor...and wanted to know if anyone already knew what dosage is appropriate? I have called the clinic to ask, but I am guessing there is a good chance I wont even hear from them today.

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L.D.

answers from Norfolk on

Hi there~
We've used that for every cold since my son was 9 mos old. At that weight I'd start w/a tablespoon and look at the results. You could go up to 1.5 Tablespoons which is what we use at 35 pounds.

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E.S.

answers from Richmond on

K.,
From experience with my 5 children I have always taken the does and divided it in half for the younger ones as long as they were over the age of 2. I have also had my peds tell my this as well as the pharmacist that I used to work for as a tech. I have been told to rub the children vicks vapor run on their feet at night and put socks on them, this helps with the congestion and helps them sleep better. I have done with with all of my children and it really does help. Good luck, my 10 year old has this cold as well, I think her body is trying to adjust to Virginia weather as we recently moved from New York and it is just alittle different!

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S.C.

answers from Norfolk on

go to askdrsears.com in the medicine cabinet part of the site they give dosages for everything you might ever need to give your child .

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Washington DC on

I give my 18 month old one tsp... he's about 26 lbs. I checked with our Pediatrician, and she said it was just fine... maybe just under a tsp. It really helps him. I use the grape flavored Cold and Allergy one.

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A.H.

answers from Norfolk on

try www.askdrsears.com

I use their website for just about everything. There's a section called "medicine cabinet" which gives you dosages by weight. My ped has ok'ed my use of the website too.

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D.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Call your local pharmacy - they should be able to help with dosage.

Hope your little one is feeling better soon.

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L.A.

answers from Charlottesville on

I give my 3 year old the Children's Diamatapp and the ped told me to give her 1 tsp for each dose. She is 29 #'s so close in weight. The pharmacy may also be able to tell you...they are kind of picky these days with not wanting to give cold meds.

Hope this helps!

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R.A.

answers from Norfolk on

If you call a pharmacist, such as at Walgreens or Rite Aid, they can tell you.

Good Luck - R. A

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A.K.

answers from Norfolk on

Definitely call & ask your pharmacist. They will be able to tell you the correct dosage.

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B.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I too would suggest 1 tsp., but I am learning and experiencing more with Boiron products that run the gammet for acute illness. This is a homeopathic alternative for adults, children and babies. It has been remarkable for me. As well, there are other natural (or call them homeopathic too) alternatives. Another choice, for the cold, is "B&T" (Boericke & Tafel) Cough & Bronchial Syrup, that says on box, "Natural Homeopathic." That product was actually suggested to my by my pediatrician. While this next alternative doesn't have anything to do with a cold, I found "Homeopathic Ear Pain Relief Drops" in the generic form from Walgreens (that says on the box "Compare to SIMILASAN (homeopathic) Earache Relief").

I am a normal mom with 3 kids ranging from 8 to 13. When they were younger, I too used the standard, over the counter, cold, cough, fever, etc. products. A lot, though, has been found in these products regarding dyes, inactive ingredients, etc.

Boiron Muscle Relief Cream was suggested to me by my surgeon (to expedite healing, scarring and bruising, as well as give pain relief to the site), I used it and it does all that it says it does. Relief for all of those symptoms were immediate and what I liked was that it was topical and went right to work.

The entire line of Boiron products are available at Whole Foods. I'm not one of those homeopathic gurus--I still take doctor's prescriptions--but I thought offering alternatives for you may be of some use and, perhaps, something to explore and think about.

You may want to Google "Homeopathic Remedies" and make your own choice(s). As well, you may want to consult with your doctor before you try them for your kids.

Hope this helps shine some light on your question.

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E.O.

answers from Washington DC on

My doctor actually gave me a form with the dosages. at 2 they are getting 1 tsp. at 3 they are getting 1 1/2 tsp. It has worked for me as something seems to be going around. I am giving my 2 yr old the dimatap cold for the runny/stuff nose, cough and sneezing. All my friends kids are getting it. we are all wondering whats up. Good luck, trust your instincts!

E.

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A.K.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi there,
I have the same issues w/ my two kids when it comes down to colds and medicine. However I'm not a big fan of decongestants..... There is a great product Zicam cold remedy and it's homeopathic!!!!!! It totally works for both my kids and I give them the gel swabs for their noses and the rapid melts as well and it works wonders!!!!! You should give it a go,

A.

L.M.

answers from Dover on

Half the older kid dosage should be ok but you really should ask your doctor. It is based more on weight than age...as an example, my daughter recently had to take children's clariton and based on the box I would have given her 1/2 tsp but the doctor said just 2 ml which is less than the 1/2 tsp I would have guessed(she is one the high side of avearge for weight).

Hope the kids are all better soon.

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V.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I would avoid giving OTC cold medications to your 3 year old. "An expert advisory panel to the FDA has recommended that parents refrain from giving the medications to children younger than 6." This was a big issue last year when infant and children's cold remedies were pulled from most store shelves. That's probably why you can't find many brands, although some stores still sell them. Here's a recent article about the debate:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67826.html

Asking other moms about dosages is probably one of the behaviors the experts are worried about. You should only dose the exact amount required by your child, not some estimate. Honey has been proven to be a better cough suppressant that Robitussin too. Give it a try.

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T.H.

answers from Norfolk on

does it list weight. go by weight not age.

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K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I believe 1 tsp should be okay. That's what I give my 2 year old (28 pounds also) when I need to give him something not specifically for a 2 year old.

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H.H.

answers from Washington DC on

I follow the dosage for childrens tylenol for the weight not the age. I would use 1 tsp.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

You should be able to ask any pharmacist about dosing for an over-the-counter medication. Call any local pharmacy -- you don't have to know the pharmacist to ask this. or ask in person at the counter; most pharmacies now have a counter where pharmacists come to answer questions.

You might consider doing without the Dimetapp etc. if it's truly just a cold. I know you want to relieve symptoms, but a good humidifier in the bedroom all room all night can help with that, and for us at least, cold meds have never done squat. Then came the reports that they don't really work and/or are hard to dose, especially in younger kids. We go with humidifiers, warm drinks, less dairy (which some people find increases congestion), etc. Good luck!

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E.D.

answers from Richmond on

K.,

My kids are 4 and almost 2 and I've always given them 1/2 the recommended dosage for their age. For a 6 year old, you give 2 tsp, for a 3 year old 1 tsp and for a 1 year old 1/2 a tsp. My doctor told me to do it this way. So based on these figures, I give my 4 year old 1 tsp and my 2 year old 1/2 a tsp. Hope this helps.
Just to be safe though, wait for your doctor to call. A cold takes 10-14 days to clear, it's just the symptoms that can go away earlier.

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