Paracetamol Dosing for an 8-Year-Old Weighing 16kg
For this 8-year-old child weighing 16kg, administer paracetamol at 15 mg/kg per dose (240 mg), given every 4-6 hours, not exceeding 60 mg/kg/day (960 mg total daily dose) or four doses in 24 hours.
Weight-Based Dosing Calculation
The recommended single dose is 10-15 mg/kg, with 15 mg/kg being the optimal dose for achieving effective analgesic and antipyretic effects in children 1, 2.
For a 16kg child, this translates to:
- Minimum dose: 160 mg per dose (10 mg/kg)
- Optimal dose: 240 mg per dose (15 mg/kg)
- Maximum single dose: 240 mg (15 mg/kg)
The dosing interval should be every 4-6 hours, with a maximum of four doses per 24 hours 3, 1.
Maximum Daily Dose Limits
The total daily dose must not exceed 60 mg/kg/day, which equals 960 mg/day for this 16kg child 3, 1.
This maximum daily limit is critical to prevent cumulative toxicity and hepatotoxicity 4.
Single ingestions exceeding ten times the recommended dose (>2400 mg in this case) are potentially toxic, while chronic exposures greater than 140 mg/kg/day for several days carry risk of serious liver toxicity 3.
Practical Dosing Recommendations
Use 15 mg/kg (240 mg) per dose rather than the lower 10 mg/kg dose, as clinical and pharmacokinetic data support this as the optimal amount for efficacy 2.
Administer doses at 4-hour intervals when treating acute fever or pain, ensuring no more than four doses are given in any 24-hour period 3, 1.
Parents should carefully record all dose times to avoid accidentally exceeding the maximum recommended dose, as studies show 8% of children may inadvertently receive excessive doses 5.
Important Safety Considerations
Paracetamol has linear pharmacokinetics at therapeutic concentrations, meaning the dose is independent and remains constant with repeated administration 1.
The drug is remarkably well-tolerated when used at recommended doses, with few side effects in children 3.
No dosage adjustment is typically needed based on age alone for an 8-year-old, though younger infants (under 3 months) require different considerations 4.
If fever or pain persists beyond 48 hours or worsens, medical evaluation is warranted rather than continued self-medication 5.