Question

You arrive at a residence approximately 20 minutes after a 7-year-old boy, who weighs 22 kg, ingested a bottle of Advil. He is conscious and alert and has stable vital signs. Medical control orders you to administer activated charcoal and then transport the child at once. The appropriate maximum dose of activated charcoal for this child is:

A. 11 g.
B. 22 g.
C. 36 g.
D. 44 g.

Answer 1

The appropriate maximum dose of activated charcoal for a child who weighs 22 kg is 44 g, which aligns with the 2 g/kg dosing guideline at the high end of the range.

Step-by-step explanation:

The appropriate maximum dose of activated charcoal for a child weighing 22 kg is based on the general dosing guideline of 1 g/kg to 2 g/kg. For this 7-year-old boy who weighs 22 kg, the dose would therefore be between 22 g (1 g/kg) and 44 g (2 g/kg). Since we need to provide the maximum dose, we would select the higher end of the dosing range, which is 44 g. It is crucial that dosage instructions be followed precisely in pediatric cases to prevent complications.

This is because pediatric patients have a smaller body mass and may be at a higher risk of complications from ingesting large amounts of activated charcoal. Therefore, the appropriate maximum dose of activated charcoal for this child would be 36 g.