Salbutamol Syrup Dosing for 11-Month-Old Infant
For an 11-month-old infant, salbutamol syrup should be dosed at 0.1 mg/kg per dose (equivalent to approximately 0.4 mL/kg of standard 2 mg/5 mL syrup), given 3-4 times daily as needed for bronchospasm. 1
Weight-Based Dosing Approach
- For infants under 1 year, weight-based dosing is essential rather than fixed doses, as elimination pathways differ significantly from older children and adults 2
- For a typical 11-month-old weighing approximately 9-10 kg, this translates to 0.9-1.0 mg per dose (approximately 2.25-2.5 mL of 2 mg/5 mL syrup) 1
- The dose can be administered every 4-6 hours as needed for routine bronchospasm 1
Acute Exacerbation Dosing
- For acute severe bronchospasm or wheezing, the dose is higher: 0.15 mg/kg (minimum 2.5 mg) every 20 minutes for 3 doses, then every 1-4 hours as needed 1
- This would be approximately 1.5 mg (3.75 mL of 2 mg/5 mL syrup) for a 10 kg infant during acute episodes 1
Administration Considerations
- Use an accurate measuring device such as a 3-mL or 5-mL oral syringe for precise measurement in infants, rather than household spoons 3
- Nebulized salbutamol (0.63 mg/3 mL) may be preferred over syrup for children under 5 years with acute symptoms, as it provides more rapid bronchodilation with fewer systemic side effects 1, 4
Important Clinical Caveats
- Monitor for dose-related side effects including tachycardia, tremor, and irritability, which increase with higher doses 4
- Infants have prolonged elimination half-lives compared to adults, necessitating careful dose titration based on clinical response 2
- Nebulized formulations are generally preferred over oral syrup in this age group when available, as they provide superior bronchodilation with reduced systemic absorption 4, 5