Is Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate) 600-42.9 suitable for a 6-year-old child weighing 25 kg?

Augmentin 600-42.9 Dosing for a 6-Year-Old Child Weighing 25 kg

Yes, Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate) 600-42.9 is appropriate for a 6-year-old child weighing 25 kg, as this formulation provides the recommended dose of amoxicillin for respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients.

Dosing Recommendations for Amoxicillin/Clavulanate

• For children weighing less than 40 kg with respiratory tract infections, the recommended dosage of amoxicillin is 45 mg/kg/day divided into two doses (every 12 hours) for moderate to severe infections 1
• The high-dose formulation Augmentin ES-600 (600 mg amoxicillin/42.9 mg clavulanate per 5 mL) provides 90 mg/kg/day of amoxicillin in two divided doses, specifically designed for pediatric patients with persistent or recurrent acute otitis media 2, 3
• For a 25 kg child, this would provide approximately 1125 mg of amoxicillin per day (45 mg/kg/day), which falls within the appropriate dosing range 1

Weight-Based Considerations

• For children weighing 10-25 kg, amoxicillin/clavulanate formulations are considered appropriate, with dosing based on mg/kg calculations 3
• At 25 kg, the child is at the upper limit of the weight range where standard pediatric dosing is typically used before transitioning to adult formulations 3

Clinical Indications

• Augmentin 600-42.9 (ES-600) was specifically developed for pediatric use in persistent or recurrent acute otitis media where there are risk factors for beta-lactamase-producing strains or Streptococcus pneumoniae with reduced penicillin susceptibility 2
• This formulation provides a 14:1 ratio of amoxicillin to clavulanate, which maintains the same daily dose of clavulanate as regular strength formulations while increasing the amoxicillin component 3
• The higher dose of amoxicillin is particularly beneficial for treating infections caused by organisms with reduced susceptibility to penicillin 2, 3

Administration Considerations

• Augmentin should be taken at the start of a meal to minimize gastrointestinal intolerance 1
• The suspension should be shaken well before using and can be administered directly or mixed with formula, milk, fruit juice, or water 1
• Any unused portion of the reconstituted suspension must be discarded after 14 days 1

Potential Adverse Effects

• Common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting 2
• The safety profile of high-dose formulations is not significantly different from conventional formulations 2

Clinical Pearls

• Treatment should be continued for a minimum of 48 to 72 hours beyond the time that the patient becomes asymptomatic 1
• For infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, treatment should continue for at least 10 days to prevent acute rheumatic fever 1
• The high-dose formulation addresses the need to combat increasing antimicrobial resistance, particularly from Streptococcus pneumoniae with reduced susceptibility to penicillin 2, 3