Enter the child’s details

Use the concentration printed on the bottle. Never combine products that contain the same medicine.

How weight-based liquid doses are estimated

Children’s liquid medicine doses are commonly calculated from body weight because children of the same age can have very different sizes. This page uses a simple educational estimate: 15 milligrams of paracetamol per kilogram per dose, or 10 milligrams of ibuprofen per kilogram per dose. It then divides the medicine amount by the concentration on the bottle to display millilitres. A stronger bottle needs a smaller volume, which is why selecting the exact strength matters.

The frequency shown is a general reference, not a personal prescription. Paracetamol is commonly spaced four to six hours apart, while ibuprofen is often spaced six to eight hours apart. The calculator also shows a conservative daily planning limit based on the selected medicine. Do not use the result to treat a child younger than the product label permits, a child who is dehydrated, or a child with a medical condition without professional guidance.

Always read the product leaflet and use the measuring syringe supplied with children’s medicine. Household teaspoons are not reliably accurate. Check the active ingredients of cold, flu, and combination products to avoid giving the same medicine twice. If a child has trouble breathing, is unusually sleepy, has a seizure, shows signs of dehydration, or may have taken too much medicine, seek urgent medical help.

Important safety warning: This calculator is educational only. Verify every dose, interval, age restriction, and maximum with a doctor or pharmacist before giving medicine.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a kitchen spoon?

No. Use an oral syringe or the measuring device supplied with the product.

Can ibuprofen be given to every child?

No. Age, dehydration, allergies, asthma, kidney problems, and other factors can matter. Ask a pharmacist or doctor.

Why does bottle strength change the answer?

The same milligram dose occupies different volumes when the liquid concentration changes.

Reading the result safely

The displayed millilitre amount is derived from the weight entered, a medicine-specific milligram-per-kilogram estimate, and the concentration selected from the bottle list. Weight in pounds is converted to kilograms before the calculation. The concentration is then used to turn milligrams into millilitres. This explains why the same child can receive different volumes from different bottles even when the medicine and weight-based milligram amount are similar.

Before using any result, compare the selected strength with the physical label. Check whether the bottle states milligrams per 5 millilitres, whether it is a combination product, and whether the child’s age is within the label’s range. Do not assume that a familiar brand always has the same concentration. If the label, calculator option, and clinician’s instruction do not match, stop and ask a pharmacist or doctor rather than trying to convert it yourself.

Example of a label check

A parent might enter a child’s measured weight in kilograms, select paracetamol 120 mg/5 mL, and receive a single-dose volume. That volume is valid only for the selected concentration and the assumptions displayed by this educational tool. Choosing a 250 mg/5 mL bottle instead would change the millilitre result. The parent should use the product syringe, record the time given, and follow the minimum interval and maximum daily amount on the current label or clinician’s instruction.

When to seek help

Contact a healthcare professional for a child with persistent fever, severe pain, dehydration, breathing difficulty, unusual sleepiness, a seizure, a serious medical condition, or symptoms that are worsening. Seek urgent help if too much medicine may have been given, even if the child appears well. Do not give an additional product simply because it has a different brand name; inspect active ingredients first.

Keep medicines out of children’s reach, use the supplied measuring device, and keep the package available when asking for advice. This calculator supports a careful conversation but cannot replace a diagnosis, prescription, or poison-control instruction.

Before giving a dose

Write down the child’s weight, medicine name, bottle strength, dose time, and amount. This simple record helps prevent accidental double dosing when more than one adult is caring for the child. Never use an adult formulation or share another child’s prescription without professional advice.

Keep the medicine package beside you while checking the result, and contact a pharmacist when the label wording, strength, age range, or dosing interval is unclear. Do not combine two products until you have checked whether they contain the same active ingredient.