Recommended Dosage of Clindamycin for Adults and Children
The recommended dosage of clindamycin for adults is 150-300 mg every 6 hours for serious infections and 300-450 mg every 6 hours for more severe infections, while for children the recommended dosage is 8-16 mg/kg/day divided into three or four equal doses for serious infections and 16-20 mg/kg/day for more severe infections. 1
Adult Dosing
- For adults with serious infections, clindamycin should be administered at 150-300 mg orally every 6 hours 1
- For more severe adult infections, the dosage should be increased to 300-450 mg orally every 6 hours 1
- When administering oral clindamycin, it should be taken with a full glass of water to avoid esophageal irritation 1
- The normal half-life of clindamycin is approximately 2-3 hours, supporting the 6-hour dosing interval 2
Pediatric Dosing
- For children with serious infections, clindamycin should be dosed at 8-16 mg/kg/day (4-8 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses 1
- For more severe pediatric infections, the dosage should be increased to 16-20 mg/kg/day (8-10 mg/lb/day) divided into three or four equal doses 1
- For children with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections who are stable without ongoing bacteremia, clindamycin can be administered at 10-13 mg/kg/dose IV every 6-8 hours (to administer 40 mg/kg/day total) 3
- For parenteral administration in pediatric MRSA infections, clindamycin is dosed at 40 mg/kg/day divided every 6-8 hours 3
- For oral administration in pediatric MRSA infections, clindamycin is typically dosed at 30-40 mg/kg/day divided into 3-4 doses 3
Special Considerations
- Clindamycin should be dosed based on total body weight regardless of obesity 1
- For β-hemolytic streptococcal infections, treatment should continue for at least 10 days 1
- Clindamycin capsules are not suitable for children who cannot swallow them whole; clindamycin palmitate oral solution should be used in these cases 1
- In patients with mild to moderate renal impairment, no dosage adjustment is necessary 4
- For patients with severe renal failure, dosage modification may be prudent, and monitoring of serum levels is recommended 4
Pathogen-Specific Dosing Considerations
- For Group A Streptococcus infections in children, oral clindamycin can be administered at 40 mg/kg/day in 3 doses 3
- For methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infections in children, oral clindamycin should be given at 30-40 mg/kg/day in 3-4 doses 3
- For methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections that are susceptible to clindamycin, the preferred oral dosage is 30-40 mg/kg/day in 3-4 doses 3