Rocephin (Ceftriaxone) IV Dosing for a 10kg Child
For a 10kg child, the recommended IV dose of Rocephin (ceftriaxone) is 50-75 mg/kg/day, which equals 500-750 mg per day, given once daily or divided every 12-24 hours depending on the severity of infection. 1, 2
Dosing by Infection Type
Standard Infections
- For less severe infections: 50-75 mg/kg/day (500-750 mg for a 10kg child) given once daily or divided every 12-24 hours 2, 1
- Total daily dose should not exceed 2 grams for skin/soft tissue infections and other serious non-meningitis infections 1
Severe Infections
- For meningitis: 100 mg/kg/day (1000 mg for a 10kg child) given once daily or divided every 12 hours 1, 2
- For severe pneumonia: 50-100 mg/kg/day (500-1000 mg for a 10kg child) given once daily or divided every 12-24 hours 2
- For bacteremia or arthritis: 50 mg/kg/day (500 mg for a 10kg child) given daily for 7 days 3
Administration Guidelines
- Intravenous doses should be administered over 30 minutes in children 1
- For IV administration, reconstitute with appropriate diluent to a concentration between 10-40 mg/mL 1
- Do not use diluents containing calcium, such as Ringer's solution or Hartmann's solution 1
Clinical Considerations
- Once-daily dosing is effective for most infections due to ceftriaxone's long half-life 4, 5
- For critically ill children, a 100 mg/kg once-daily dose provides adequate coverage for most susceptible pathogens 6
- For pathogens with higher MICs or in patients with enhanced renal clearance, consider divided dosing (50 mg/kg twice daily) for better target attainment 6
- Ceftriaxone has shown excellent clinical cure rates (94-98%) in pediatric studies with once-daily dosing 4, 7
Monitoring and Side Effects
- Monitor for potential side effects including diarrhea, rash, fever, eosinophilia, and thrombocytosis 5
- In young infants, be aware of potential gut flora alterations 4
- No dosage adjustment is necessary for patients with impaired renal or hepatic function unless severe 1
Duration of Therapy
- Generally, continue therapy for at least 2 days after signs and symptoms of infection have disappeared 1
- Usual duration is 4-14 days; for complicated infections, longer therapy may be required 1
- For streptococcal infections, continue therapy for at least 10 days 1
Ceftriaxone's long half-life allows for convenient once-daily dosing in most pediatric infections, making it an excellent choice for both inpatient and outpatient management of serious bacterial infections in children 8, 7.