How To Take Tylenol
Tylenol is taken by mouth as a tablet or gel capsule. When taking a Tylenol tablet, caplet, or gel capsule:
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Read the instructions and warnings printed on the package or package insert.
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Take two tablets or capsules with a full glass of water.
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Tylenol can be taken with food or on an empty stomach.
When taking or administering Tylenol, you may want to consider the following safety tips:
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Always check the expiration date. If the medicine has passed its expiration date, dispose of it safely and purchase a new bottle.
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Always check the directions for the correct dose and schedule. Different strength Tylenol products have different doses and dosing schedules, so dont assume that directions on one Tylenol product apply to other Tylenol or generic acetaminophen products.
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To prevent acetaminophen overdose or poisoning, check all other medications youre taking to make sure they do not contain acetaminophen. When taking Tylenol,
do not
take any other acetaminophen products.
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You may want to avoid taking Tylenol if you regularly consume three or more alcoholic drinks a day. Regular alcohol use
of acetaminophen in the liver.
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To avoid unintended overdose, keep a medication diary or use an app to record when you take each dose. Dont take another dose until the proper time.
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When taking a pill or capsule, try to avoid lying down for at least a half-hour to allow the pill to pass through the esophagus.
Tylenol Dosage For Childrens & Infants Medicine
Children’s medicines are formulated to deliver the right amount of medicine to your little one. No matter the medicine or brand, always read and follow the label on the bottle before giving a dosage.
Only the dosing device provided with the product should be used to measure the proper amount of medicine.
Do not use more than one product containing acetaminophen at the same time. Ask your healthcare professional about dosages for children under 2 years of age.
For more information on administering TYLENOL® Children’s & Infants medication, see our guide below or ask your pediatrician.
If possible, use weight to dose, otherwise use age. Do not exceed more than five doses in 24 hours.
What Are Some Side Effects That I Need To Call My Doctor About Right Away
WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:
- Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash hives itching red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever wheezing tightness in the chest or throat trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking unusual hoarseness or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Signs of liver problems like dark urine, feeling tired, not hungry, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes.
- Signs of high blood pressure like very bad headache or dizziness, passing out, or change in eyesight.
- Chest pain or pressure or a fast heartbeat.
- A heartbeat that does not feel normal.
- Very nervous and excitable.
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What Should I Avoid While Taking Tylenol Children’s Plus Cold
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while taking acetaminophen, and can increase certain side effects of chlorpheniramine.
This medicine may cause blurred vision or impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
Children’s Tylenol Cold + Cough + Runny Nose

Drug Facts
Active ingredients | Purposes |
---|
- temporarily relieves the following cold/flu symptoms:
- minor aches and pains
This product contains acetaminophen. Severe liver damage may occur if your child takes
- more than 5 doses in 24 hours, which is the maximum daily amount
- with other drugs containing acetaminophen
Allergy alert: acetaminophen may cause severe skin reactions.
Symptoms may include:
- rash
If a skin reaction occurs, stop use and seek medical help right away.
Sore throat warning: if sore throat is severe, persists for more than 2 days, is accompanied or followed by fever, headache, rash, nausea, or vomiting, consult a doctor promptly.
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Tylenol Children’s Plus Cold Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction:hives difficulty breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking Tylenol Children’s Plus Cold and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have:
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chest pain, rapid pulse, fast or uneven heart rate
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confusion, hallucinations, severe nervousness
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easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness
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little or no urinating
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nausea, pain in your upper stomach, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice or
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dangerously high blood pressure .
Side effects such as dry mouth, constipation, and confusion may be more likely in older adults.
Common side effects may include:
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dry mouth, nose, or throat
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constipation
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sleep problems
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What Are Some Other Side Effects Of This Drug
All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
Applies to acetaminophen/chlorpheniramine/dextromethorphan/phenylephrine: oral liquid, oral suspension, oral tablet
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What Are Some Other Side Effects Of Tylenol Childrens Cold/cough
All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:
- Dizziness.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Feeling sleepy.
These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-332-1088. You may also report side effects at https://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
What Happens If I Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of acetaminophen can damage your liver or cause death.
Early signs of acetaminophen overdose include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sweating, or weakness. Later symptoms may include upper stomach pain, dark urine, and yellowing of your skin or eyes.
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What Is The Maximum Dosage For Tylenol
Because acetaminophen damages the liver, the maximum daily acetaminophen dosage should not exceed 4 grams . However, the manufacturer of Tylenol and the FDA have set the maximum daily Tylenol dosage to 3 grams . This provides a window of safety to prevent accidental or unintended acetaminophen overdose.
Tylenol Dosage For Adults
Tylenol Regular Strength has a standard dose of two tablets or capsules taken every four to six hours.
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Standard Tylenol for adults and adolescents 12 or older: Two tablets or gel capsules every four to six hours while symptoms last.
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Maximum Tylenol dosage for adults and adolescents 12 or older: No more than 10 tablets in 24 hours. Do not use for longer than 10 days.
The FDA has set the maximum daily dose for acetaminophen at 4,000 mg. However, healthcare professionals and the manufacturers of Tylenol strongly advise that people take no more than 3,000 mg per day to reduce the risk of accidental overdose and liver poisoning
Consult a doctor about the appropriate acetaminophen dosage if you have liver disease, kidney disease, or are taking drugs that may interact with acetaminophen.
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When Your Child Is 4 Or Older
Children’s cough and cold medicines are considered safe for kids 4 and over. But the FDA recommends you follow these commonsense rules:
- Always read the package label and follow directions carefully. Many of these medicines contain several drugs. If you’re giving a cold medicine to your child that has a painkiller, fever reducer or decongestant in it, make sure you don’t give them more of those separately. Too much medicine could be risky, and your child can get an overdose of medicine.
- Never increase the dose or give it to your child more frequently than it says to on the package. Too much can cause serious and life-threatening side effects.
- Don’t give adult medicines to kids. Children should only take products marked for use in babies, infants, or children, sometimes called “pediatric” use on the package.
- There are many natural and herbal remedies available on the market. Use caution, and check with your physician prior to using them if you are unsure or if your child is under age 4.
- Ask your child’s doctor if you’re not sure if a medicine is right for your child. Remember, cough and cold medicines come in many different strengths.
- Tell your child’s doctor about any other medications your child takes. That way they can check if the cold medicine works safely with them.
- Always use the measuring device that comes in the medicine package. A teaspoon from your kitchen isn’t accurate.
Children’s Tylenol Cold + Cough + Sore Throat Side Effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives difficult breathing swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
In rare cases, acetaminophen may cause a severe skin reaction that can be fatal. This could occur even if you have taken acetaminophen in the past and had no reaction. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have skin redness or a rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling. If you have this type of reaction, you should never again take any medicine that contains acetaminophen.
Stop using the medicine and call your doctor at once if you have:
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redness or swelling
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new or worsening symptoms
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an ongoing cough with a rash or headache or
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liver problems–loss of appetite, stomach pain , tiredness, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice .
Common side effects may include:
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confusion or
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drowsiness.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Ways To Treat Colds In Infants And Children
Coughs are a normal symptom of a cold and help the body clear the mucus out of the airway and protect the lungs. Non-drug treatments for coughs include drinking plenty of fluids, especially warm drinks to soothe the throat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers these tips for relieving cough and cold symptoms in infants and children:
A cool mist humidifier makes breathing easier by decreasing congestion in nasal passages. Do not use warm mist humidifiers because they can cause nasal passages to swell and make breathing more difficult.
Saline nose drops or sprays keep nasal passages moist and help avoid stuffiness.
Nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe or a similar product, with or without saline nose drops, works very well for children younger than a year old. You can use them on older children, too, but they often resist bulb syringes.
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used to reduce fever, aches, and pain. Carefully read and follow the products instructions on the Drug Facts label or talk to your pharmacist or health care provider about dosage.
Encourage children to drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated.
Stop Use And Ask A Doctor If
- nervousness, dizziness, or sleeplessness occur
- pain, nasal congestion or cough gets worse or lasts more than 7 days
- fever gets worse or lasts more than 3 days
- redness or swelling is present
- new symptoms occur
- cough comes back or occurs with rash or headache that lasts
These could be signs of a serious condition.
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Giving Children Cough And Cold Medicines
Over-the-counter medicines are available to treat cough and cold symptoms. The FDA doesnt recommend OTC medicines for cough and cold symptoms in children younger than 2 because they could cause serious and potentially life-threatening side effects. Manufacturers voluntarily label these cough and cold products to state: Do not use in children under 4 years of age.
Numerous OTC cough and cold products contain many ingredients that can lead to accidental overdosing. Learn about what drugs are in a product by reading the Drug Facts label.
Nonprescription cough and cold products can be harmful to children if:
- They get more than the recommended dose or take the medicine too often.
- They take more than one product containing the same drug. For example, taking both a pain reliever containing acetaminophen and cough and cold medicine containing acetaminophen.
How can you be sure to give the correct dose? The FDA encourages drug manufacturers to provide a dosing instrument, such as a syringe or a cup, marked with the correct measurements. Use themand not household spoons or tools from other medicationsto measure medication.
Dont give children medicines that are packaged and made for adults because adult medicines may overdose a child.
More About Tylenol Childrens Cold + Flu
1. “Product Information. Coricidin .” Schering-Plough Healthcare Products, Memphis, TN.
2. “Product Information. Chlortrimeton .” Schering-Plough, Liberty Corner, NJ.
3. “Product Information. Ah-Chew D .” WE Pharmaceuticals Inc, Ramona, CA.
4. Schuller DE, Turkewitz D “Adverse effects of antihistamines.” Postgrad Med 79 : 75-86
5. Bantz EW, Dolen WK, Chadwick EW, Nelson HS “Chronic chlorpheniramine therapy: subsensitivity, drug metabolism, and compliance.” Ann Allergy 59 : 341-6
6. Polles A, Griffith JL “Dextromethorphan-induced mania.” Psychosomatics 37 : 71-4
7. Stubb S, Reitamo S “Fixed-drug eruption due to dextromethorphan .” Arch Dermatol 126 : 970-1
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How To Ease Symptoms Without Cold Medicines
Cough and cold medicine isn’t the only way to relieve your child’s symptoms. You can also try this:
- Use pain relievers such as children’s Tylenol or Motrin for body aches. Don’t use ibuprofen in children under age 6 months. And don’t give aspirin to any child because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious disease.
- Try saline drops in their nose to clear out mucus. If your child is young enough, you may be able to bulb suction some of the mucous.
- Make sure your child gets plenty to drink. It helps thin their mucus.
- Use a humidifier in your child’s room to add moisture to the dry air, especially during winter when the air is drier.
- If they have asthma or wheezes, talk to the doctor. Your child may need prescription medicine to open up swollen airways. Avoid cold/cough medicines in children with asthma they can aggravate asthma symptoms.
What Should I Avoid While Taking This Medicine
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any other cold, allergy, pain, or sleep medication. Acetaminophen is contained in many combination medicines. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much acetaminophen which can lead to a fatal overdose. Check the label to see if a medicine contains acetaminophen or APAP.
Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of liver damage while you are taking acetaminophen, and can increase certain side effects of chlorpheniramine.
This medication may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly.
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What Should I Discuss With My Healthcare Provider Before Taking This Medicine
Do not use this medicine if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include furazolidone, isocarboxazid, linezolid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen , chlorpheniramine, or dextromethorphan.
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you have any medical condition, especially:
- if you take potassium .
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not use cough and cold medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are pregnant.
This medicine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Antihistamines may also slow breast milk production. Do not use cough and cold medicine without a doctor’s advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Artificially sweetened liquid medicine may contain phenylalanine. Check the medication label if you have phenylketonuria .
Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children.
How To Use Children’s Tylenol Cold

See also Warning section.
If you are taking the over-the-counter product, read and follow all directions on the package label. If your doctor has prescribed this medication for you, take as directed by your doctor. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth with or without food or as directed by your doctor. If stomach upset occurs, it may help to take this medication with food or milk. Drink plenty of fluids when you use this medication unless otherwise directed by your doctor. The fluid will help loosen the mucus in your lungs.
If you are using the liquid form of this medication, carefully measure the dose using a special measuring device/spoon. Do not use a household spoon because you may not get the correct dose. If your liquid form is a suspension, shake the bottle well before each dose.
If you are taking extended-release capsules, swallow them whole. Do not crush or chew extended-release capsules or tablets. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, increasing the risk of side effects. Also, do not split extended-release tablets unless they have a score line and your doctor or pharmacist tells you to do so. Swallow the whole or split tablet without crushing or chewing.
If you are taking the chewable form of this medication, chew it thoroughly before swallowing.
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