Can children take adult pain medicine? Experts urge caution as shortage continues

Pharmacists say parents should be cautious when substituting children's pain medications with drugs like Advil and Tylenol for adults amid pediatric drug shortages in Canada.

With an ongoing shortage of children’s pain medication in Canada, pharmacists say parents should be cautious in substituting pediatric medications with drugs like Advil and Tylenol made for adults.

Pharmacists have been fielding an increase in requests for help from parents in navigating the shortage, including questions about whether it is safe to give their children adult versions of ibuprofen or acetaminophen — the generic names for Advil and Tylenol respectively — to help with high fever or pain.

Barry Power, a pharmacist and editor-in-chief of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, says parents can give children adult Advil and Tylenol, but it’s important to ensure the proper dose is administered.

He says he is concerned about accidental overdoses of children given too much of these adult medications.

“It’s easy to give the wrong amount,” he said.

A full regular strength tablet or pill should only be given to children aged 12 or older. For younger children, pills can be cut into halves or smaller pieces and either swallowed or crushed in soft foods like applesauce to help mask the flavour, he said.

However, figuring out the right dosage or how much of an adult tablet should be used can be tricky, as it depends on the weight, rather than the age of the child.

Giving children, or anyone, too much of these medications can lead to liver damage, he said.