Is Aleve ok for 11 year old children?
Executive summary
Aleve (naproxen/naproxen sodium) is available OTC for adolescents 12 years and older at about 220 mg every 8–12 hours; manufacturers and drug references say do not give Aleve to children under 12 without a prescription [1] [2]. Hospital and specialist dosing for younger children exists for specific conditions (e.g., juvenile arthritis) based on weight (about 5 mg/kg twice daily), but that use is clinician‑directed and not the same as OTC self‑medication [3] [2].
1. The short answer parents want: age limits from labels and consumer guidance
Retail and consumer-facing guidance for Aleve warns that the nonprescription product should not be given to children younger than 12 years without a prescription; for adolescents 12 and older, parents may follow the adult/OTC dosing guidance [1] [4]. OTC dosing charts aimed at the public mirror that cutoff: self‑medication guidance typically starts at age 12 [4] [5].
2. What clinicians and pediatric formularies say: weight‑based dosing for younger children
Pediatric hospital formularies and prescribing references show naproxen can be used in children younger than 12 for specific medical indications — for example, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis — at weight‑based doses (commonly reported around 5 mg/kg twice daily, which for some 10‑ or 11‑year‑olds can approximate a single 220 mg dose) [3] [2]. That use is medical, not OTC, and must be prescribed and supervised by a provider [3] [2].
3. Safety and why labels draw the line at 12
Labels and drug guides stress clinician involvement for younger children because dosing should be weight‑based and because NSAIDs carry risks (gastrointestinal bleeding, renal effects, and other adverse events) that require clinical judgment, especially in smaller children or those with underlying conditions [6] [7]. Consumer sites reiterate the manufacturer/label age cutoff to reduce dosing errors or inappropriate OTC use [1] [5].
4. Practical implications: what a parent should do today
If your child is 11 years old, available consumer guidance says do not give OTC Aleve unless a doctor has prescribed it; ask your pediatrician about weight‑based naproxen dosing or choose alternatives approved for younger children such as age‑appropriate ibuprofen or acetaminophen per pediatric dosing charts (available sources note OTC Aleve starts at 12; they also provide pediatric dosing guidance for other drugs) [1] [8]. If a clinician prescribes naproxen, they will calculate a mg/kg dose and monitor for side effects [3] [2].
5. Conflicting or nuanced viewpoints in the record
Some clinicians quoted in specialty forums or hospital formularies acknowledge that naproxen is used in children under 12 in practice for certain diagnoses and that a 5 mg/kg twice‑daily regimen may be appropriate [3]. Consumer-facing manufacturer guidance and OTC dosing charts, however, maintain a hard 12‑year OTC cutoff to prevent unsupervised use [1] [4]. Both perspectives appear in the sources: one reflects supervised, condition‑specific prescribing (clinical/formulary), the other reflects broad public safety policy (OTC labeling).
6. Limits of the available reporting and what’s not said
Available sources do not mention specific safety comparisons between naproxen and other OTC options for every pediatric age group beyond general warnings (not found in current reporting). Sources provided do not include the full manufacturer label text or an FDA pediatric approval history in this dataset, so I cannot cite regulatory approval details beyond the OTC age guidance and formulary dosing excerpts included here (not found in current reporting).
7. Bottom line — responsible next steps
Do not give OTC Aleve to an 11‑year‑old without a clinician’s prescription; contact your pediatrician if you think naproxen is needed — they will calculate a weight‑based dose (commonly cited as about 5 mg/kg twice daily in pediatric formularies) and consider risks vs benefits [3] [2]. For routine fever or pain, follow pediatric dosing charts or use alternatives that are explicitly dosed for younger children unless a clinician advises otherwise [8] [1].