Ibuprofen Dosing Calculation for 35 kg Child
For a 35 kg child prescribed ibuprofen at 5 mg/kg/day using the 100mg/5ml formulation, administer 8.75 ml once daily (175 mg total daily dose). 1
Dose Calculation
- Total daily dose: 35 kg × 5 mg/kg = 175 mg per day 1
- Volume calculation: 175 mg ÷ (100 mg/5 ml) = 8.75 ml per day 1
Critical Context About This Prescription
This prescribed dose of 5 mg/kg/day is substantially below standard therapeutic recommendations and will likely be ineffective. 1, 2, 3
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends ibuprofen at 10 mg/kg per dose (not per day), administered every 6-8 hours 1
- Clinical trials demonstrate the effective dose range is 7.5-10 mg/kg per dose, with maximum daily doses of 30-40 mg/kg/day 2, 3
- A 35 kg child would typically receive 10 ml (200 mg) per dose using the 100mg/5ml formulation, administered 3-4 times daily for a total daily dose of 300-400 mg 1, 3
Standard Therapeutic Dosing for Reference
If this were a standard ibuprofen prescription (which it is not):
- Per dose: 10 mg/kg = 350 mg = 17.5 ml of the 100mg/5ml formulation 1
- Frequency: Every 6-8 hours (3-4 times daily) 1, 3
- Maximum daily dose: 30-40 mg/kg/day = 1,050-1,400 mg/day 3
Clinical Pitfall
- The prescription as written (5 mg/kg/day rather than per dose) represents only 50% of a single standard dose and 12-15% of typical daily therapeutic dosing 1, 2, 3
- Verify the prescription with the prescriber before dispensing, as this may represent a transcription error where "per dose" was mistakenly written as "per day" 1