Co-Amoxiclav Dosing for 10kg Child (1 year 4 months)
Give 5 mL of Co-amoxiclav suspension 156.25mg/5mL every 8 hours for 7 days.
Dosing Rationale
- For a child aged 1 year and 4 months weighing 10kg, the appropriate dose falls within the 1-6 years age category, which requires 5 mL of 125/31 suspension three times daily 1
- Your available suspension is 156.25mg/5mL, which is equivalent to the 125/31 formulation (125mg amoxicillin + 31.25mg clavulanic acid per 5mL) 1
- The standard dosing for this age group is 5 mL administered three times daily (every 8 hours) 1
Weight-Based Verification
- At 10kg body weight, this child receives approximately 31.25 mg/kg/day of the amoxicillin component (156.25mg × 3 doses = 468.75mg total daily dose ÷ 10kg) 1
- This falls within the acceptable range for mild to moderate infections, which typically require 25-45 mg/kg/day 2
- For severe infections or high-resistance areas, higher dosing up to 90 mg/kg/day may be warranted, but standard dosing is appropriate for most respiratory and soft tissue infections 2
Administration Instructions
- Use an appropriate measuring device such as a 5-mL oral syringe for accurate measurement 3
- Administer the medication every 8 hours (three times daily) to maintain therapeutic levels 1
- The medication can be given with or without food, though administration with meals may improve gastrointestinal tolerability 4
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not use adult formulations or attempt to calculate pediatric doses by scaling down adult doses, as this leads to dosing errors 1
- Avoid using weight-based calculations alone without considering age-appropriate formulations, as children under 2 years have different pharmacokinetic properties than older children 5
- Do not underdose by using the infant formulation (2.5 mL/kg), as this child has crossed into the 1-6 year age bracket 1
Expected Adverse Effects
- Common gastrointestinal disturbances including diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting may occur 1
- Rash and hypersensitivity reactions are possible, particularly in patients with penicillin allergy history 1
- Monitor for clinical improvement within 48-72 hours; if no improvement occurs, reevaluation is necessary 2