pediatric dosages for antibiotics

[groker2009]

I never wrote a pediatric prescription before and I just don't get it. For amoxicillin, I know that it is 8-33 mg/kg tid, with a max limit of 25-100 mg/kg per day.

Assuming you have a 40 pound ( 18.5 kg ) child who has an abscess around the lower primary second molar, how exactly do I write this patient's amoxicillin prescription? What about for clindamycin?

Much thanks.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[aphistis]

I never wrote a pediatric prescription before and I just don't get it. For amoxicillin, I know that it is 8-33 mg/kg tid, with a max limit of 25-100 mg/kg per day.

Assuming you have a 40 pound ( 18.5 kg ) child who has an abscess around the lower primary second molar, how exactly do I write this patient's amoxicillin prescription? What about for clindamycin?

Much thanks.

Pediatric dosing generally maxes out at 50kg. You should never weight-dose a prescription in excess of the drug's adult dose. Also, you need to know the available formulations for the drug you're prescribing so you're not writing for doses that don't exist.

For the scenario you described, I'd round the child's weight up to 20kg to simplify the arithmetic. From there, a 250mg tablet of amoxicillin works out to 12.5mg/kg/dose, which is right in the ballpark. For that child, I'd write for amoxicillin 250mg x 21, i q8h until gone, NR. Using that example, see if you can come up with a clindamycin prescription on your own.

On the other hand, a more effective, less mathematically and gastrointestinally involved solution would be to just inject a cartridge of lidocaine and extract the tooth.

 

[groker2009]

For the scenario you described, I'd round the child's weight up to 20kg to simplify the arithmetic. From there, a 250mg tablet of amoxicillin works out to 12.5mg/kg/dose, which is right in the ballpark. For that child, I'd write for amoxicillin 250mg x 21, i q8h until gone, NR. Using that example, see if you can come up with a clindamycin prescription on your own.

Can you explain instances when cc and ml units are involved?

 

[Theillestill]

your kidding me right?

 

[DrJeff]

Can you explain instances when cc and ml units are involved?

I hope that you know this already, if not PLEASE go spend a minute reviewing basic pharamcology notations

1cc=1ml

 

[Praziquantel86]

Can you explain instances when cc and ml units are involved?

From a pharmacy perspective, round the dose to the nearest teaspoon (5mL). Even with a calibrated dropper or oral syringe, a lot of parents have a real tough time measuring anything other than standard dosages.

Amoxicillin suspension is supplied as 125/5, 200/5, 250/5 and 400/5. Using that selection, you'll be able to find a dose well within the range you're looking for and you won't be forcing parents to measure out wonky amounts like 3.47mL.