Cefdinir Dosing for 33.62 kg Child
For a child weighing 33.62 kg, administer cefdinir 250 mg/5 mL suspension as 5 mL twice daily (q12h) or 10 mL once daily (q24h), depending on the infection type. 1
Dosing Calculation
The FDA-approved total daily dose for pediatric patients is 14 mg/kg/day, up to a maximum of 600 mg per day 1. For this 33.62 kg child:
- Total daily dose: 14 mg/kg × 33.62 kg = 471 mg/day
- Using the 250 mg/5 mL suspension: 471 mg ÷ 50 mg/mL = 9.4 mL total daily
Practical Dosing Regimens
Based on the FDA dosage chart 1, this child falls between the 27 kg (60 lbs) and 36 kg (80 lbs) weight bands:
Twice-Daily Dosing (7 mg/kg q12h):
- 5 mL (250 mg) every 12 hours = 500 mg/day total
Once-Daily Dosing (14 mg/kg q24h):
- 10 mL (500 mg) every 24 hours = 500 mg/day total
Infection-Specific Considerations
Once-daily dosing is appropriate for 1:
- Acute bacterial otitis media (10 days)
- Acute maxillary sinusitis (10 days)
- Pharyngitis/tonsillitis (5-10 days)
Twice-daily dosing is REQUIRED for 1:
- Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections (10 days)
- Once-daily dosing has not been studied for skin infections
Important Clinical Caveats
Food effects: While high-fat meals reduce cefdinir absorption by 33-44% from suspension 1, the magnitude is not clinically significant since pediatric efficacy studies were conducted without regard to meals. Administer without regard to food 1.
Renal insufficiency: If creatinine clearance <30 mL/min/1.73 m², reduce dose to 7 mg/kg once daily 1.
Storage: After reconstitution, suspension remains stable for 10 days at room temperature; shake well before each dose 1.
Gastrointestinal tolerance: Higher doses (25 mg/kg/day) are associated with 20% incidence of diarrhea 2, though the standard 14 mg/kg/day dose is generally well-tolerated.