Cefixime Dosing for an 8-Year-Old Child Weighing 24kg
The recommended dose of cefixime for an 8-year-old child weighing 24kg is 8 mg/kg/day, which equals 192 mg per day. 1, 2
Dosing Calculation and Administration
- For a 24kg child, the total daily dose would be 8 mg/kg × 24kg = 192 mg per day 1
- This can be administered as a single daily dose or divided into two doses (4 mg/kg every 12 hours) 1
- Based on the FDA-approved dosing chart, a child weighing between 20.6kg and 28kg should receive 200 mg daily (which aligns closely with the calculated 192 mg) 1
- This corresponds to 5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL oral suspension formulation 1
Clinical Considerations
- Cefixime is FDA-approved for children 6 months of age or older 1
- The medication can be administered without regard to food 1
- For streptococcal infections, a full 10-day course is recommended to ensure complete eradication 1
- For most other indications, treatment duration is typically 7-10 days 2
Indications for Cefixime
- Cefixime is effective for respiratory tract infections, including those caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae 1, 3
- It is particularly useful for pharyngitis/tonsillitis, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and otitis media 1, 3
- The drug has good activity against many Enterobacteriaceae, H. influenzae, S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, and Branhamella catarrhalis 3
Important Considerations and Precautions
- Cefixime has a relatively long elimination half-life (approximately 3 hours), which permits once or twice daily administration 3
- The medication should be reconstituted properly if using the oral suspension formulation 1
- After reconstitution, the suspension may be kept for 14 days either at room temperature or under refrigeration 1
- The most common adverse effects are gastrointestinal disturbances (particularly diarrhea), which are usually mild to moderate and transient 3
- Dose adjustment is necessary in patients with significant renal impairment (creatinine clearance <60 mL/min), but this is not typically a concern in otherwise healthy children 1
Alternative Cephalosporins if Needed
- If cefixime is unavailable, alternative oral cephalosporins with similar spectrum include cefpodoxime (8-10 mg/kg/day divided in 2 doses) 4, 5 or cefuroxime axetil (20-50 mg/kg/day divided in 2 doses) 2
- For more severe infections requiring parenteral therapy, ceftriaxone (50-100 mg/kg/day) or cefotaxime (150-200 mg/kg/day) would be appropriate alternatives 2, 6