Cefuroxime 250mg Dosing for a 15kg Pediatric Patient
A dose of 250mg cefuroxime twice daily is appropriate and guideline-recommended for a 15kg pediatric patient aged 2-12 years. 1
Age-Based Dosing Recommendation
The appropriateness of this dose depends critically on the patient's age:
For children aged 2-12 years weighing 15kg: 250mg twice daily (oral) is the standard recommended dose according to multiple British Thoracic Society/British Infection Society guidelines 1
For children aged 1-24 months weighing 15kg: 125mg twice daily (oral) is the recommended dose, making 250mg potentially excessive for this younger age group 1
Weight-Based IV Dosing Alternative
If intravenous administration is required:
The recommended IV dose is 20-30 mg/kg three times daily for all pediatric ages 1
For a 15kg patient, this translates to 300-450mg IV every 8 hours 1
For severe infections or meningitis, doses up to 200-240 mg/kg/day divided every 6-8 hours may be required, though third-generation cephalosporins are generally preferred for meningitis 2
Clinical Context Considerations
The 250mg oral dose is specifically indicated for:
- Respiratory tract infections in children 2-12 years old 1
- Skin and soft tissue infections in this age group 1
- Urinary tract infections in children 2-12 years 1
Critical Pitfall to Avoid
Do not use the 250mg dose in infants under 24 months of age, as the guideline-recommended dose for this younger population is 125mg twice daily, regardless of weight 1. The age cutoff at 24 months is more important than weight alone in determining the appropriate dose.