# Significant differences between adult and child medications (outside of dosage)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 11, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344 "2019-02-11T16:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/1 "2019-02-11T16:49:37Z")
So my older son has become old enough and heavy enough to take 12.5 mg of 100mg/5ml child ibuprofen liquid. Which is all well and good, but kid ibuprofen liquid and the chewable tablets are kind of expensive relative to the adult stuff. So it occurred to me that a regular old grownup ibuprofen tablet is 200 mg, which is a little less than the full 12.5 mg dose, but we already have those laying around, and for most things like growing pains or mild headaches, are probably adequate anyway. Is there any real reason we can’t just give him one ibuprofen tablet instead of the kid liquid, since the dosage is actually less on the tablet? ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/2 "2019-02-11T17:29:31Z")
I just realized this weekend that regular strength Tylenol has dosage instructions for kids 6-12, but extra strength (the kind I usually buy) does not. I was giving my son a dose of kid’s tylenol equivalent to one regular strength pill, and paying 5x the price for the grape flavor he hates. There are ibuprofen dosage charts online that include dosages for kids \<100lbs. [Here is an example.](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/medication-safety/Pages/Ibuprofen-for-Fever-and-Pain.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/3 "2019-02-11T17:42:55Z")
> [@bump](#): > > So my older son has become old enough and heavy enough to take 12.5 mg of 100mg/5ml child ibuprofen liquid. Which is all well and good, but kid ibuprofen liquid and the chewable tablets are kind of expensive relative to the adult stuff. > > So it occurred to me that a regular old grownup ibuprofen tablet is 200 mg, which is a little less than the full 12.5 mg dose, but we already have those laying around, and for most things like growing pains or mild headaches, are probably adequate anyway. > > Is there any real reason we can’t just give him one ibuprofen tablet instead of the kid liquid, since the dosage is actually less on the tablet? I’m guessing you meant to write 12.5 **mL** instead of 12.5 mg in the above post. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/4 "2019-02-11T18:17:44Z")
> [@robby](#): > > I’m guessing you meant to write 12.5 **mL** instead of 12.5 mg in the above post. Yeah, I did. Basically it’s 100 mg per teaspoon (5 ml). He gets 2.5 teaspoons worth(12.5 ml), and a tablet is 200 mg. So I’d be short-changing him by 50 mg or a half-teaspoon for the sake of convenience. Which is still a lot larger dosage by weight than I end up with taking two of the things. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/5 "2019-02-11T18:55:56Z")
There can certainly be differences other than dosage between a liquid and a pill. How the active ingredient is delivered will affect how quickly it’s absorbed, and where in the body, which can be very significant. How is this relevant to the difference between an adult and a child? Ask a pediatric pharmacologist. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/6 "2019-02-11T20:25:22Z")
Obvious question - is your son old enough to take a tablet? I mean, that’s the reason (one of them) that there are liquid formulations for kids. There may be a non-zero choking risk that you have to take into account here. j ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/7 "2019-02-12T03:31:00Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Obvious question - is your son old enough to take a tablet? I mean, that’s the reason (one of them) that there are liquid formulations for kids. There may be a non-zero choking risk that you have to take into account here. > > j Yeah, he’s 7 and a half. I’m sure he can handle a pill. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/8 "2019-02-12T03:43:35Z")
We switched our kids from kid-intended liquids to tablets sold for adults as soon as the kids were old enough to swallow a tablet. This was for prescription medication, and when we asked the pediatrician if we could give them tablets he said. “so long as they can swallow them, sure.” He wrote the prescription for pills, and asked us to get back to him for a liquid if they had any trouble with the pills. Pills are way easier. No fussy measuring, no refrigeration needed, and you can swallow them without tasting the medicine. All the liquids taste nasty under the sweet fake fruit flavors. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/9 "2019-02-12T03:46:24Z")
> [@](#): > > If you follow proper dosing, a child can safely use adult tablets and an adult can safely use children’s liquid. [https://healthproadvice.com/medication/Can-my-kid-use-adult-ibuprofen](https://healthproadvice.com/medication/Can-my-kid-use-adult-ibuprofen) ---
**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/10 "2019-02-13T05:27:28Z")
If they are both immediate release forms of the medication, then the only difference is the form it comes in. 10 mL of the regular liquid Ibuprofen (100mg/5mL) is the same as 2 chewable tablets, is the same as 1 adult tablet, they are all 200mg. This will be the same for most immediate release forms of most medications. If the dose is appropriate, there is nothing stopping an adult from taking the children liquid, or a child taking a tablet. Just make sure you give the appropriate dose, dosed by the child’s body weight. For certain extended release formulations, this might not be true. Double check with a pharmacist if you’re giving an adult extended release medication to a child under 12 to make sure it is appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/11 "2019-02-13T13:56:02Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Yeah, he’s 7 and a half. I’m sure he can handle a pill. Yea, that is what I thought when I tried to give my 7 year old a pill. 15 minutes and many tears later, I surrendered. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2019, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/12 "2019-02-13T23:44:01Z")
My kids switched to pills about age 3. And we were all happier for it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/13 "2019-02-14T05:17:30Z")
In the ER we choose liquid or pills solely on their ability to swallow pills. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/14 "2019-02-14T05:57:24Z")
Don’t use an ibuprofen tablet to find out if your kid can swallow pills. Use Tic Tacs, or some other small candy. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/15 "2019-02-14T06:28:17Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Don’t use an ibuprofen tablet to find out if your kid can swallow pills. Use Tic Tacs, or some other small candy. Ideal for this are mini baking M&M’s. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/16 "2019-02-14T06:43:47Z")
I used the tiny cake decor sprinkles for my kids to practice swallowing pills. The fun shapes–flowers, crowns, fish–made it fun, and I wasn’t tempted to eat up the “practice pills.”🙂 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2019, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-differences-between-adult-and-child-medications-outside-of-dosage/829344/17 "2019-02-14T06:54:32Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > I used the tiny cake decor sprinkles for my kids to practice swallowing pills. The fun shapes–flowers, crowns, fish–made it fun, and I wasn’t tempted to eat up the “practice pills.”🙂 Even better!