From the FDA Drug Label
Posology and method of administration Posology ... Infants: Children weighing less than 10 kg should be given 1/10 of the content of one vial per kg body weight per day. The recommended dose of vitamin C per kilogram of body weight in pediatric patients is:
- For children weighing less than 10 kg: 1/10 of the content of one vial per kg body weight per day 1
- For children weighing 10 kg or more: the dose is not specified per kg, as the recommended daily dosage is the content of one vial 1
From the Research
The recommended dose of vitamin C for pediatric patients is 10-20 mg/kg/day, with a maximum of 1000 mg per day, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study 2.
Key Considerations
- For infants, the recommended dose is lower, typically 35-50 mg per day.
- For treatment of vitamin C deficiency (scurvy), higher doses of 100-300 mg/day may be used for several days, followed by maintenance dosing.
- Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis, wound healing, immune function, and acts as an antioxidant in the body.
- Children require adequate vitamin C for proper growth and development.
- The body cannot synthesize vitamin C, so it must be obtained through diet or supplementation.
Important Details
- Vitamin C is water-soluble, so excess amounts are generally excreted in urine, making toxicity uncommon.
- However, very high doses may cause gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
- When administering vitamin C to children, it's essential to consider their weight for proper dosing and to ensure they're receiving an age-appropriate formulation.
- A study published in 2021 2 found no evidence of clinical efficacy or inferior clinical outcomes in double-blind randomized controlled trials, and no reported harmful effects with high-dose vitamin C in pediatric patients.
Recommendations
- Pediatric patients should receive 10-20 mg/kg/day of vitamin C, with a maximum of 1000 mg per day.
- Infants should receive a lower dose, typically 35-50 mg per day.
- Higher doses may be used for treatment of vitamin C deficiency, but should be done under medical supervision.