Cefixime Dosing for a 12.5 kg Patient
For a patient weighing 12.5 kg, the recommended dose of cefixime is 100 mg daily, which can be administered as 5 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension once daily or divided as 2.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension every 12 hours. 1
Weight-Based Dosing Calculation
- The standard pediatric dose of cefixime is 8 mg/kg/day for patients 6 months or older 1
- For a 12.5 kg patient: 8 mg/kg × 12.5 kg = 100 mg daily 1
- This falls within the FDA dosing table range for patients weighing 10.1 to 12.5 kg 1
Administration Options
Single daily dosing:
- 5 mL of the 100 mg/5 mL suspension once daily 1
Divided dosing (every 12 hours):
- 2.5 mL of the 200 mg/5 mL suspension twice daily 1
- This divided approach may reduce gastrointestinal adverse effects compared to once-daily dosing 2
Clinical Considerations
- Both once-daily and twice-daily regimens are equally effective for most indications, as demonstrated in pediatric otitis media trials 3, 4
- The suspension formulation is preferred over tablets/capsules in pediatric patients, as it achieves higher peak blood levels at equivalent doses 1
- For otitis media specifically, the suspension must be used rather than tablets or capsules due to superior pharmacokinetics 1
Treatment Duration
- Standard infections: Continue for the full course appropriate to the infection type 1
- Streptococcus pyogenes infections: Minimum 10 days of therapy required 1
Important Precautions
- Cefixime may be administered without regard to food, though giving with meals may improve gastrointestinal tolerability 1
- Ensure prescriptions specify both dose in mL and concentration (100 mg/5 mL vs 200 mg/5 mL) to prevent dosing errors 1
- Monitor for diarrhea and stool changes, which are the most common adverse effects but typically mild and transient 3