Question

A physician orders tylenol suspension 10 mg/kg q4-6h po for a child who weighs 45 lb. using children's tylenol 160 mg/5 ml, what is the measurable amount of medication the child should receive per dose?

Answer 1

To determine the dosage of Children's Tylenol for a 45 lb child, convert the weight to kilograms, calculate the mg needed per dose, and determine the volume needed based on the suspension's concentration. The result is approximately 6.39 mL per dose.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question involves calculating the correct dosage of Children's Tylenol for a child based on their weight. To calculate the dosage, we must convert the child's weight into kilograms (since the dosage is given in mg/kg) and then calculate the amount of medication using the concentration of the Tylenol suspension.

First, convert the child's weight: 45 lb = 45 / 2.2 = approximately 20.45 kg. The ordered dosage is 10 mg/kg, so the child should receive 10 mg/kg × 20.45 kg = 204.5 mg per dose. Since the suspension is 160 mg/5 mL, we use a proportion to find the volume of the suspension needed: (160 mg/5 mL) = (204.5 mg/x mL). Solving for x gives us x ≈ 6.39 mL.

Therefore, the child should receive approximately 6.39 mL of the Tylenol suspension per dose.