PSA: Infant Ibuprofen has been recalled at CVS, Walmart and Family Dollar.
According to the recall announcement, some concentrations were potentially too high and could be dangerous if consumed. The result of too much ibuprofen in a child could result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, gastrointestinal pain, ringing in ears, and headache. Luckily, no adverse effects have yet to be report. However, for your safety, below are the National Drug Codes, Lot Numbers, and Expiration Dates of the potentially contaminated medicines for your to cross reference with your home supply:
Walmart
National Drug Code: 49035-125-23
Lot Number: 00717009A, Expiration: Feb2019
Lot Number: 00717024A. Expiration: Aug2019
CVS
National Drug Code: 59779-925-23
Lot Number: 00717024A, Expiration: Aug2019
Family Dollar
National Drug Code: 55319-250-23
Lot Number: 00717024A, Expiration: Aug2019
**If you are in possession of any medication with these drug codes/lot numbers, be sure to dispose of them immediately.
This recall stresses the importance of ensuring the correct dosage is given when administering ibuprofen to children. Do you know when ibuprofen is appropriate? And how to safely give ibuprofen to a child? Ibuprofen is an over-the-counter medicine that is used to treat fever, aches, and pains. Most drug brands have their own version of ibuprofen, including Advil and Motrin. Ibuprofen comes in liquid, chewable and tablet form, choosing which form to use depends on the age and preference of the child. When used correctly, this drug and be very effective for these kinds of symptoms. However, an overdose of ibuprofen can lead to serious illness. The most accurate way to ensure the correct dosage is to do so by child’s weight, however most charts include age and weight specifications:
Here is some other helpful information to keep in mind when considering giving a child ibuprofen:
- Always check the expiration date before administering ibuprofen to a child.
- Many cough, cold, and allergy medicines include ibuprofen as an active ingredient. If your child is already on another kind of medication, be sure to check with their primary care pediatrician before giving them another drug. Mixing medicines could cause adverse effects and result in stomach/intestinal damage.
- Never “eye ball” the dosage, always use the dropper, syringe, or cup that comes with the product.
- Consider the age of the child when using ibuprofen to treat for fever. Use the following as a rule of thumb and consult a doctor immediately for:
- fever higher than 100.4F in children under 3 months.
- fever higher than 102.2F in children 3 months – 3 years.
- Never give a child more than four doses of ibuprofen in 24 hours.
If you have more questions about ibuprofen dosages, call the Your Kid’s Urgent Care office closest to you. And as always, our experienced and knowledgeable staff is in the office every day until 11pm to treat any unexpected, non-life threatening emergencies that arise unexpectedly.
