What Are The Side Effects Of Motrin?

Posted on Fri, 10 Apr 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 Answered on

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I work 3rd shift and have a 3 month old, we were out of infant Motrin so babysitter gave 1 ml of children's Motrin to baby, it calls for 5 for a two year old... she thought 1 ml would be no harm..... but paranoid mommy, me, is not so sure should I be worried and what should I be watching for, she seems happy and alert, but as I mentioned still in paranoid mommy mode.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Pradeep Kumar Jain (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
I won't worry as children's Motrin is less concentrated

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for the query

Motrin contains ibuprofen and the usual dose is 10 mg/kg/dose. Children's motrin and infant motrin differs only in concentration. The concentration of children's motrin is 100 mg/5 ml and so 20 mg/ml. While the concentration in infant motrin is 40 mg/ml.

It can be used in any age, but in children below 4 months of age physician prescription is needed.

The average weight of a 3 month old baby is around 4-5 kg. So the dose will be about 50 mg, equivalent to 2.5 ml of children's motrin and 1 ml of infant's motrin.

Now you can see that the children's one is more diluted.The babysitter has given her 1 ml of children's motrin,so the chances of overdosing has been ruled out.
So in the current scenario I won't be worried.

I will be glad to answer if you have any further query.
Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj