What is the acetaminophen dose for pediatric pain management?

What is the acetaminophen dose for pediatric pain management?

• A. 30 mg/kg IV/IO (Max 1 g)
• B. 15 mg/kg IV/IO (Max 1 g)
• C. 15 mg/kg PO (Max 1 g)
• D. 7.5 mg/kg IV/IO (Max 0.5 g)

Answer: (B)

Pediatric acetaminophen dosing is based on weight per dose, with a maximum amount allowed per single administration to prevent overdose. For IV/IO use, the standard single-dose is 15 mg/kg, up to a maximum of 1,000 mg (1 g) per dose. This means a child’s weight determines the dose, but no matter how heavy the child, you won’t give more than 1 g at once. The 15 mg/kg IV/IO option matches this guideline, making it the best choice. The other options either propose a higher per-kilogram amount that isn’t capped appropriately for all patients, a lower per-kilogram amount, or specify a different route (PO) without changing the per-dose rule. Since the question asks for the IV/IO dosing, the 15 mg/kg up to 1 g per dose is the correct standard. For reference, a 20 kg child would receive about 300 mg per dose, while a 60 kg child would be limited to 1,000 mg per dose.

Pediatric acetaminophen dosing is based on weight per dose, with a maximum amount allowed per single administration to prevent overdose. For IV/IO use, the standard single-dose is 15 mg/kg, up to a maximum of 1,000 mg (1 g) per dose. This means a child’s weight determines the dose, but no matter how heavy the child, you won’t give more than 1 g at once. The 15 mg/kg IV/IO option matches this guideline, making it the best choice.

The other options either propose a higher per-kilogram amount that isn’t capped appropriately for all patients, a lower per-kilogram amount, or specify a different route (PO) without changing the per-dose rule. Since the question asks for the IV/IO dosing, the 15 mg/kg up to 1 g per dose is the correct standard. For reference, a 20 kg child would receive about 300 mg per dose, while a 60 kg child would be limited to 1,000 mg per dose.