Augmentin Suspension Dosing for a 1-Year-Old
For a 1-year-old child, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 5 mL of 125/31 suspension three times daily for standard infections, or high-dose therapy at 90 mg/kg/day of the amoxicillin component divided into 2 doses for severe infections or when resistant organisms are suspected. 1
Standard Dosing Regimen
For children aged 1-6 years, the recommended dose is 5 mL of 125/31 suspension three times daily, providing approximately 125 mg of amoxicillin per dose (375 mg total daily). 1
This standard regimen is appropriate for most common pediatric infections including uncomplicated respiratory tract infections and soft tissue infections. 1
High-Dose Regimen Indications
High-dose amoxicillin-clavulanate (90 mg/kg/day of amoxicillin with 6.4 mg/kg/day of clavulanate in 2 divided doses) is strongly indicated for 1-year-old children with specific risk factors: 1
- Age under 2 years (which applies to all 1-year-olds) 1
- Daycare attendance 1
- Recent antibiotic use within the previous 30 days 1
- Incomplete Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination (less than 3 injections) 1
- Geographic area with high prevalence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (>10%) 1
- Moderate to severe illness 1
Weight-Based Calculation for High-Dose Therapy
For a typical 1-year-old weighing approximately 10 kg, the high-dose regimen would be 900 mg of amoxicillin per day (90 mg/kg × 10 kg), divided into 2 doses of 450 mg each. 1
The high-dose formulation provides a 14:1 ratio of amoxicillin to clavulanate, which causes less diarrhea than other preparations while maintaining efficacy against resistant organisms. 1, 2
Treatment Duration
The standard treatment duration is 10 days for most pediatric respiratory infections, including acute otitis media, pneumonia, and acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. 1, 3
Clinical improvement should be evident within 48-72 hours; if no improvement or worsening occurs after 72 hours, reevaluation and consideration of switching antibiotics or further investigation is necessary. 1, 3
Critical Dosing Considerations
Always verify the suspension concentration (125/31 vs 250/62) before calculating volume to avoid dosing errors. 1
The high-dose regimen achieves middle ear fluid concentrations adequate to overcome penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae with predicted clinical efficacy of 90-92%. 1, 2
Using standard doses when high-dose therapy is indicated leads to treatment failure with resistant organisms. 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Underdosing is a critical error—subtherapeutic doses fail to achieve adequate serum and tissue concentrations and promote antimicrobial resistance. 1
Most upper respiratory tract infections are viral and do not require antibiotics at all; ensure bacterial infection criteria are met before prescribing. 1
The twice-daily high-dose regimen (90/6.4 mg/kg/day) has better compliance and similar or lower rates of diarrhea compared to three-times-daily standard dosing. 1, 4