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Why a kitchen spoon is the wrong tool for medicine
💡 Measure children's liquid medicine in milliliters with the included syringe or cup — never a kitchen spoon — and dose fever medicines by weight when you can.
When your child needs liquid medicine, the spoon in your cutlery drawer is surprisingly risky. Household teaspoons and tablespoons aren't standardized — a random "teaspoon" can hold anywhere from about 3 to 7 mL, even though a true teaspoon is 5 mL. Studies of parents dosing medicine have found that spoon users are far more likely to give the wrong amount, usually too much.
The fix is to dose by milliliters (mL) using the tool that comes with the medicine — the oral syringe, dropper, or dosing cup. A syringe is the most accurate because you can see the liquid pull to an exact line, and it squirts past a toddler's taste buds. Always read the dose off the package in mL, and match the numbers on your measuring device.
For common fever-and-pain medicines like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, dose by your child's weight, not their age, when a weight-based amount is available — a small 2-year-old and a large 2-year-old can need different amounts. If the medicine didn't come with a measuring device, or the markings don't match the dose, ask your pharmacist rather than guessing with silverware.