Ibuprofen Dosage Calculator

Determines the dose that can be safely given to infants and children based on their weight, as solution or tablet.

Refer to the text below the tool for more information about dosing ibuprofen to infants and children.


Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain (e.g. pain from inflammation or injury) and can help reduce fever. It can be administered to infants above the age of 6 months and is dosed based on the child’s actual body weight, not age, without exceeding 3 or 4 doses per day, at 6 to 8 hours apart.

It’s recommended to give the lowest dose that’s effective for the shortest period of time. Safe dosing guidelines are crucial in avoiding overdosing or poisonous ingestion.

Please note this Ibuprofen Calculator is for information purpose only and you should speak to your doctor for qualified advice.


The oral dose of ibuprofen for infants and children is: 10 mg/kg per dose, to a maximum of 0.6 g per dose, every six to eight hours with a maximum of 30-40 mg/kg daily, without exceeding 2.4 g daily. Ibuprofen is not recommended to infants younger than 6 months and with a weight of 5kg (11lbs) or lower.

Examples of ibuprofen formulas include:

  • Infant Suspension 50 mg/1.25 mL
  • Children’s Suspension 100 mg/5 mL
  • Chewable tablets 50 mg
  • Chewable tablets 100 mg
  • Adult tablets 200 mg

Infant/Child Age
Infant/Child Weight
Ibuprofen Formula
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Steps on how to print your input & results:

1. Fill in the calculator/tool with your values and/or your answer choices and press Calculate.

2. Then you can click on the Print button to open a PDF in a separate window with the inputs and results. You can further save the PDF or print it.

Please note that once you have closed the PDF you need to click on the Calculate button before you try opening it again, otherwise the input and/or results may not appear in the pdf.


 

Ibuprofen Paracetamol Dosing

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain (e.g. pain from inflammation or injury) and can help reduce fever. It can be administered to infants above the age of 6 months and is dosed, as is the case with most other pediatric dosings, based on the child’s actual body weight, not age, without exceeding 3 or 4 doses per day, at 6 to 8 hours apart.

The oral dose of ibuprofen for infants and children is: 10 mg/kg per dose, to a maximum of 0.6 g per dose, every six to eight hours with a maximum of 30-40 mg/kg daily, without exceeding 2.4 g daily. Ibuprofen is not recommended to infants younger than 6 months and with a weight of 5kg (11lbs) or lower.

Examples of ibuprofen formulas include:

  • Infant Suspension 50 mg/1.25 mL (suitable from 6 to 24 months);
  • Children’s Suspension 100 mg/5 mL (suitable from 24 months to 6 years);
  • Chewable tablets 50 mg (suitable from 6 to 11 years);
  • Chewable tablets 100 mg (suitable from 6 to 11 years);
  • Adult tablets 200 mg (suitable from 11 years).

It’s recommended to give the lowest dose that’s effective for the shortest period of time. Perhaps you should seek your doctor’s opinion if the child needs to take ibuprofen for more than 2 days.

Ibuprofen is administered 3 or 4 times a day (ideally with or just after a meal):

  • If given 3 times a day: these should be in the morning, early afternoon and evening with waiting for at least 6 hours before the next dose (e.g. 7am, 1pm and 7pm).
  • If given 4 times a day: these should be first thing in the morning, midday, late in the afternoon and at bedtime (7am, midday, 4pm and 8pm).

Safe dosing guidelines are crucial in avoiding overdosing or poisonous ingestion. Liquid ibuprofen solutions should be measured using an oral syringe or graded medicine spoon. Do not use a kitchen spoon as reference, as individual dimensions may vary.

Paracetamol has pain relief and antipyretic but no anti-inflammatory activity, being less irritant to the stomach than ibuprofen. Ibuprofen on the other hand, has anti-inflammatory effects and may be more effective than paracetamol in inflammation pain reduction.

Do not routinely use paracetamol and ibuprofen together at the same time or alternatively. Use paracetamol if child appears unwell, move to ibuprofen if there is no response to paracetamol.

 

References

Paul IM, Sturgis SA, Yang C, Engle L, Watts H, Berlin CM Jr. Efficacy of standard doses of Ibuprofen alone, alternating, and combined with acetaminophen for the treatment of febrile children. Clin Ther. 2010; 32(14):2433-40.

de Martino M, Chiarugi A, Boner A, Montini G, De' Angelis GL. Working Towards an Appropriate Use of Ibuprofen in Children: An Evidence-Based Appraisal. Drugs. 2017; 77(12):1295-1311.

Kanabar DJ. A clinical and safety review of paracetamol and ibuprofen in children. Inflammopharmacology. 2017; 25(1):1-9.

Li SF, Lacher B, Crain EF. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen dosing by parents. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2000; 16(6):394-397.


Specialty: Pharmacology

Article By: Denise Nedea

Published On: July 2, 2020 · 12:00 AM

Last Checked: July 2, 2020

Next Review: July 2, 2025