Can I Give My Baby Tylenol & Orajel?

When your baby is sick or in pain, your biggest priority is helping him to feel better. However, illnesses often take time to heal, and you're constantly trying to find ways to help alleviate his suffering. You may be wondering whether you can give your baby medicines such as Tylenol and Orajel to cure his ailments.

Medication for Infants

Most adults rely on over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol to fight everyday aches and pains. Similar medication is available for infants. Infant Tylenol can be used in a similar fashion to the way adults use Tylenol, and Baby Orajel can be useful while your baby is teething.

Infant Tylenol

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Infant Tylenol is an acetaminophen that is specifically tailored for the needs of children younger than 2 years old. Because the recommended dosage is very small, Infant Tylenol comes in a dropper. Like regular Tylenol, Infant Tylenol should only be taken every 4 to 6 hours.

As of April 30, 2010, Infant Tylenol is under voluntary recall by McNeil Consumer Healthcare due to some batches of product not meeting quality standards. While Infant Tylenol is under recall, store-brand acetaminophen can serve as a replacement.

Baby Orajel

Baby Orajel is a medication whose active ingredient is benzocaine and that is intended exclusively for teething relief. Baby Orajel comes in many different varieties, including a gel and swabs, both of which are applied directly to the baby's gums. Baby Orajel's website claims that its product starts to act more quickly than acetaminophen; however, the site does not link to a study confirming this.

Infant Tylenol and Baby Orajel Combined

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Because Infant Tylenol and Baby Orajel are commonly used to treat infants, many parents wonder whether the two can be used together. While you should always ask your pediatrician before giving your baby any type of medical treatment, there is not a conflict between the active ingredients in Baby Orajel and Infant Tylenol. Furthermore, because Baby Orajel only works on your baby's gums, he can use the Infant Tylenol to counteract the other pains and symptoms that arise from teething.

Medications to Avoid

While Infant Tylenol and Baby Orajel can be useful in caring for your child, not all medications intended for children are safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents refrain from giving cold medicine to children younger 5 years old, stating that these medicines not only are ineffective in small children, but lend themselves to over-medication of kids. If Infant Tylenol or Baby Orajel won't do the trick, check with your pediatrician to see whether she can recommend anything else.