Salbutamol Syrup Dosing for 3-Year-Old, 12.1 kg
For a 3-year-old female weighing 12.1 kg, the recommended dose of salbutamol syrup is 1 mg (0.1 mg/kg) administered three times daily, which translates to 2 mL of the standard 2 mg/5 mL syrup formulation given three times per day.
Weight-Based Dosing Calculation
- Standard pediatric dosing for oral salbutamol syrup is 0.1 mg/kg per dose, administered 3-4 times daily 1
- For this child at 12.1 kg, the calculated dose is: 12.1 kg × 0.1 mg/kg = 1.21 mg per dose, which should be rounded to 1 mg per dose for practical administration 1
- This falls into the lowest weight category (≤15 kg) for pediatric medication dosing, requiring careful calculation to prevent overdosage while maintaining efficacy 1
Practical Administration
- Using the standard 2 mg/5 mL syrup concentration: 1 mg dose = 2 mL of syrup 1
- Administer three times daily, approximately 8 hours apart, to maintain therapeutic bronchodilator levels 1
- The maximum single dose should not exceed 2 mg (4 mL), and the maximum daily dose should not exceed 12 mg total 1
Route Considerations
- While inhaled salbutamol is generally superior to oral administration for bronchodilation in asthma, oral syrup remains appropriate for young children who cannot reliably use inhalers 2
- Oral salbutamol has slower onset (30-60 minutes) but longer duration of action (4-6 hours) compared to inhaled formulations 3
Monitoring and Safety
- Administer with meals to improve gastrointestinal tolerability 1
- Monitor for dose-related adverse effects including tachycardia, tremor, and behavioral changes, which are more common in children under 3 years of age 1, 4
- Clinical improvement should be expected within 48-72 hours; if no improvement occurs, reassess diagnosis or consider alternative therapies 1
- Avoid exceeding recommended doses as side effects (palpitations, tremor, tachycardia) are dose-dependent 4
Important Caveats
- This dosing applies to oral syrup formulation only—nebulized or inhaled salbutamol requires different dosing calculations 3
- For acute asthma exacerbations, inhaled or nebulized routes are preferred over oral administration due to faster onset and greater efficacy 2
- Children in this weight range are at the lower end of dosing guidelines and may be more sensitive to medication effects, necessitating close observation 1