Albendazole Syrup Dosing for a 2-Year-Old Child (10–12 kg)
For a 2-year-old child weighing 10–12 kg, administer albendazole 400 mg as a single oral dose for common soil-transmitted helminth infections (hookworm, ascariasis, enterobiasis). 1
Standard Dosing Regimen
Single-dose therapy: Albendazole 400 mg given once is the standard treatment for children ≥24 months with common parasitic infections including hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm). 1
Administration: Give albendazole with food to improve absorption, particularly with fatty meals for enhanced bioavailability. 2, 3
Formulation: Albendazole is available as oral suspension (syrup), which is ideal for young children who cannot swallow tablets. 3
Age-Specific Considerations
Children aged 12–24 months can receive albendazole when local epidemiology justifies treatment, though the evidence base is most robust for children >24 months. 1
At 2 years of age (24 months), this child falls into the well-supported age range for standard 400 mg single-dose therapy. 1
Infection-Specific Dosing Variations
For most common helminths (single-dose regimen):
- Ascaris lumbricoides: 400 mg single dose achieves 98–100% cure rate. 4, 5
- Hookworm: 400 mg single dose achieves 88–98% cure rate. 4, 5
- Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm): 400 mg single dose. 1
For infections requiring extended therapy:
- Strongyloidiasis: 400 mg once daily for 3 consecutive days; consider repeat course at 8 weeks to eradicate larvae that mature into adults. 1
- Taenia species (tapeworm): 400 mg once daily for 3 days per WHO recommendations. 1
- Trichuris trichiura (whipworm): Single 400 mg dose has limited efficacy (cure rate 27–63%); consider 400 mg daily for 3 days or alternative therapy if this is the primary target. 4, 5, 6
Important Safety Considerations
Do not use in children <12 months unless treating a life-threatening infection under specialist supervision. 1
Monitoring for prolonged therapy: If treatment extends beyond 14 days (rare in routine practice), monitor for hepatotoxicity and leukopenia. 2
Combination therapy caution: If considering albendazole plus ivermectin for empirical treatment of eosinophilia, first exclude Loa loa infection in children with travel to endemic regions to avoid severe adverse events. 1
Follow-Up Recommendations
Repeat dosing: For certain helminths like Strongyloides or schistosomiasis, a repeat treatment at 8 weeks may be necessary because immature stages are relatively resistant to single-dose therapy. 1
Treatment failure: If symptoms persist or reinfection is suspected, repeat stool examination and consider extended regimens (3-day courses) or alternative agents, particularly for T. trichiura which responds poorly to single-dose albendazole. 6, 7
Clinical Pearls
Single-dose albendazole 400 mg is highly effective for Ascaris (>95% cure rate expected) and hookworm (>90% cure rate expected), but substantially less effective for Trichuris (50–65% cure rate). 5, 7
The weight-based dosing of 15 mg/kg/day divided twice daily (maximum 800 mg/day) is reserved for specific conditions like hydatid disease or neurocysticercosis requiring prolonged therapy, not for routine helminth treatment. 3
For this 10–12 kg child with routine soil-transmitted helminths, the flat 400 mg single dose is appropriate and does not require weight-based calculation. 1, 3