Every year, more than 10,000 parents call poison control centers because they gave their child the wrong amount of medicine. Not because they forgot, not because they were careless - but because they used a household spoon to measure liquid medication. It sounds harmless. Maybe even practical. But that teaspoon you grab from the drawer? It’s not the same as the one your doctor or pharmacist means.
Why Household Spoons Are a Hidden Danger
A real medical teaspoon holds exactly 5 milliliters (mL). A tablespoon? Exactly 15 mL. Simple, right? But your kitchen spoon? It holds anywhere from 3 mL to 7 mL - sometimes more, sometimes less. That’s a 40% difference. For a child, that’s not a small mistake. It’s the difference between a medicine working and a child ending up in the ER.Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that nearly 4 in 10 parents make dosing errors when using kitchen spoons. And it’s not just about getting too much. Underdosing is just as dangerous. If your child gets too little antibiotics, the infection won’t clear. Too much acetaminophen? That can cause liver damage. Children’s bodies are smaller, more sensitive. Even a few extra milliliters can push them into overdose territory.
What the Experts Say - And Why They’re Urgent
The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned against using kitchen spoons since 1978. The CDC, FDA, and the World Health Organization all agree: spoons are for soup, not medicine. Dr. Shonna Yin, lead researcher on a landmark 2014 study published in Pediatrics, put it plainly: “Parents confuse medicine spoons with kitchen spoons. Errors are much less likely when parents use medicine droppers and oral syringes calibrated in milliliters.”It’s not just about knowledge - it’s about labeling. A 2016 study in Academic Pediatrics found that when medicine labels said “teaspoon” or “tsp,” one in three parents considered using a kitchen spoon. When the label said “mL,” less than 10% did. The word “teaspoon” triggers a mental shortcut - your brain thinks of the spoon in your drawer. “Milliliter” doesn’t. It’s abstract. And that’s the point.
The Right Tools for the Job
There are only two tools you should ever use to give liquid medicine to a child: an oral syringe or a dosing cup that came with the medicine.- Oral syringes are the gold standard. They measure down to 0.1 mL. Perfect for doses like 2.5 mL or 4.7 mL - the kind your pediatrician writes on the prescription. They’re easy to use: draw up the right amount, gently squirt it between the cheek and gum. No swallowing, no choking.
- Dosing cups are okay if they’re the one that came with the medicine and have clear mL markings. But avoid ones that only show 5 mL, 10 mL, 15 mL. If your child needs 3 mL? You’re guessing. And guessing kills.
- Medicine droppers are fine for babies, but harder to control for older kids. They’re not as precise as syringes.
Never use a regular kitchen spoon, a soup spoon, a dessert spoon, or a coffee spoon. They’re not designed for medicine. They’re not calibrated. They’re not safe.
How to Get It Right Every Time
Follow these steps every single time you give liquid medicine:- Check the label - Is the dose written in mL? If it says “tsp” or “teaspoon,” ask the pharmacist to rewrite it in mL. Most will do it.
- Use the right tool - Always use the syringe or dosing cup that came with the medicine. If you lost it? Ask your pharmacist for a new one. They’ll give you one for free.
- Measure at eye level - Don’t hold the syringe above the counter. Don’t look down. Bend down so your eyes are level with the markings. A tilted view can make 5 mL look like 6.
- Don’t guess - If the dose is 3.5 mL and your syringe only has marks at 3 and 4? Go with 3.5. Don’t round up or down. If your syringe doesn’t go that low? Get a new one.
- Administer safely - Squeeze the medicine slowly between the cheek and tongue. Don’t squirt it into the back of the throat. That can cause choking or coughing fits.
Why This Problem Still Exists
You’d think after 45+ years of warnings, people would get it. But here’s the truth: 75% of Americans still use kitchen spoons to measure kids’ medicine. Why? Because it’s what they’ve always done. Because it feels familiar. Because the label says “teaspoon” and their brain says, “Oh, I know that.”Pharmacies are slowly changing. More now include oral syringes with every liquid prescription. But not all. And not all labels have been updated. The FDA and AAP are pushing for mandatory milliliter-only labeling on all pediatric liquid medications. That’s coming. But until then, it’s on you to demand the right tool.
What to Do If You’ve Been Using a Spoon
If you’ve been using a kitchen spoon - stop. Right now. Don’t wait. Don’t feel guilty. Just change.- Call your pharmacy. Ask for an oral syringe. They’ll give you one.
- Throw out any dosing cups that don’t have mL markings.
- Write “mL” on your child’s medicine bottle with a permanent marker if the label says “tsp.”
- Keep a syringe in your diaper bag, your purse, your car. Always have one ready.
Medicine isn’t a guess. It’s science. And science demands precision - especially for kids.
What Happens When You Don’t
A child gets 10 mL of ibuprofen instead of 5 mL because the parent used a tablespoon thinking it was a teaspoon. That’s double the dose. Within hours, the child is vomiting, drowsy, pale. The ER visit. The blood test. The liver function panel. The hours of worry. All because of a spoon.Or a child gets 2 mL of amoxicillin instead of 4 mL. The ear infection doesn’t clear. The fever comes back. Two weeks later, they need a different antibiotic - stronger, with more side effects. All because a teaspoon was used when a syringe was needed.
These aren’t rare cases. They happen every day. And they’re preventable.
Can I use a kitchen teaspoon if I don’t have a syringe?
No. Even if you think you’re being careful, kitchen spoons vary too much in size. A teaspoon from your set might hold 4 mL, another might hold 6 mL. That’s a 50% difference. For a child, that’s dangerous. Always ask your pharmacist for a free oral syringe - they’re required to give you one if you need it.
What if the prescription says “teaspoon”?
Ask the pharmacist to rewrite it in milliliters (mL). Most pharmacies will do this without charge. If they refuse, ask for a different pharmacy. The CDC, AAP, and FDA all recommend milliliter-only labeling. You have the right to request it.
Are dosing cups better than spoons?
Only if they’re the ones that came with the medicine and have clear mL markings. Many dosing cups only show 5 mL, 10 mL, 15 mL - which makes it impossible to measure 3.5 mL accurately. Oral syringes are always more precise, especially for doses under 5 mL.
Can I reuse an oral syringe?
Yes - but only if you clean it properly. Rinse it with warm water after each use. Don’t use soap unless it’s labeled as dishwasher-safe. Let it air dry. Never use the same syringe for different medicines unless you’ve cleaned it thoroughly. Store it in a clean, dry place.
Why don’t all pharmacies give syringes with every prescription?
Some still don’t, because of cost, habit, or outdated policies. But you have the right to ask. If they say no, ask why - and if they still refuse, go to another pharmacy. Your child’s safety is worth it. Many pharmacies now provide syringes automatically - you just need to ask.
I used to use a spoon until my nephew got sick after a dose. Now I keep three syringes in my diaper bag-one for each kid. It’s not a hassle, it’s just smart.
Stop guessing. Just do it.
OH MY GOD. I just realized I’ve been using a soup spoon for my daughter’s amoxicillin for SIX MONTHS. I’m literally going to vomit. I thought ‘teaspoon’ meant the little one, but I’ve been using the big one. I’m such a terrible parent. My kid could’ve died. I’m going to the pharmacy right now. I’m so ashamed. Someone please tell me I’m not the only one. I feel like a monster.
Let me guess-the pharmaceutical industry paid the AAP to push this ‘milliliter’ nonsense so they can sell you $12 syringes. They’ve been poisoning kids with ‘teaspoon’ labels since the 70s because it’s cheaper to make bottles without clear markings. And now they want you to buy their plastic toys to measure medicine? Classic. They’re monetizing fear. The FDA? They’re in bed with Big Pharma. Don’t fall for it. Use your spoon. It’s been fine for 500 years. They just want your money.
And don’t you dare trust a ‘pharmacist’-they’re just corporate drones with white coats.
This is one of those posts that makes you pause and think. I never realized how much variation there is in household spoons. I’ve always used the dosing cup that came with the medicine, but I didn’t know why it mattered so much. Thanks for laying it out so clearly. It’s not just about following rules-it’s about protecting the people who can’t protect themselves.
Small changes, big impact.
I’ve been a nurse for 18 years. I’ve seen kids come in with liver damage from acetaminophen overdoses because someone used a coffee spoon. It’s heartbreaking. And it’s 100% preventable.
Just use the syringe. It takes 10 seconds. It’s free. Your kid deserves that much.
OMG I JUST REALIZED I DID THIS 😭😭😭 I’m so sorry to every child I might’ve hurt. I’m throwing out my dosing cup right now and grabbing a syringe. Also, I’m texting my whole family to do the same. This is wild. Why is this not on every medicine bottle? 🤯 #SafetyFirst #NoMoreSpoons
Interesting how the word ‘teaspoon’ triggers such automatic behavior. I used to think I was being careful because I’d ‘look at the spoon.’ But you’re right-it’s not about intention. It’s about design. The system is set up to fail us.
Still, I’m glad someone’s pushing for change. Even if it’s slow.
USA is full of overreacting hypochondriacs. You think a 1 mL difference kills kids? In Australia, we use spoons and no one dies. You’re all addicted to over-engineering simple things. Go outside. Let your kid be a kid. Stop treating medicine like rocket science. It’s just liquid. Use a spoon. Chill out.
As a pediatric nurse and a mother of three, I can’t stress this enough: your child’s life is not a guessing game. If your pharmacy refuses to give you a syringe, go to CVS, Walgreens, or even a dollar store-they sell them for $1.50. This isn’t a privilege. It’s a basic right.
And if you’re still using a spoon after reading this? You’re not just ignorant-you’re endangering someone who can’t speak for themselves. I’m not being harsh. I’m being honest.
Do better.
Let’s be real-this is just another way for the medical-industrial complex to profit. Why don’t they just make medicine taste bad so parents don’t want to give it? Or better yet, why not make pills for kids? Oh wait-they don’t, because pills are cheaper to produce. The whole ‘milliliter’ push is a marketing ploy. They want you to buy syringes, then charge you $20 for them. Meanwhile, in every other country, parents use spoons and kids survive. This isn’t science. It’s fearmongering dressed up as public health.
I used to think this was overblown. Then my neighbor’s 2-year-old ended up in the hospital because she gave 10 mL of Tylenol thinking it was 5. She used a soup spoon. She’s not a bad person. She was just following what everyone does. But now? She carries a syringe everywhere. And so do I.
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being responsible.
Stop using spoons. Just stop.