core · Allied Health & Nursing
Pediatric Weight-Based Dosing & Safe-Range Verification
Meet the worker
Pharm Tech Ana — Pediatric Pharmacy Tech
outpatient clinic
A 33-lb child needs amoxicillin 45 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses. Suspension is 400 mg / 5 mL.
What they'll need
- Scale (kg)
- Suspension bottle
- Oral dosing syringe
- Label printer
How it's done — step by step
- 1
Convert weight
Pounds ÷ 2.2 = kg. 33 / 2.2 = 15 kg.
- 2
Daily dose
45 mg/kg × 15 kg = 675 mg/day.
- 3
Per-dose amount
675 / 2 doses = 337.5 mg per dose.
- 4
Convert to mL
(337.5 / 400) × 5 mL = 4.2 mL twice daily. Label & dispense.
Amoxicillin 25 mg/kg/day divided q8h for a 44 lb child. Safe range: 20–40 mg/kg/day. Convert lb → kg, compute daily and per-dose, verify within safe range, and check the dispensed volume against the suspension strength (250 mg/5 mL).
Weight
20.0 kg
Daily total
500 mg
Per dose
166.7 mg
(44 lb / 2.2) × 25 mg/kg/day ÷ 3 = 166.67 mg/dose
Tap Show next step to reveal the math one piece at a time.
Worked Example
Amoxicillin for a 44 lb child
Given: 25 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses
- 1
lb → kg
44 ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg
Worked Example
Tylenol for a 33 lb child
Given: 10 mg/kg/dose, suspension 160 mg/5 mL
- 1
lb → kg
33 ÷ 2.2 = 15 kg