The dose of a medicine differs between adults and children because their bodies handle drugs in very different ways. Children are still growing, and their organs, especially the liver and kidneys, which are responsible for drug metabolism and elimination are not fully mature. As a result, medicines may stay longer in a child’s body or act more strongly.
Children also have a lower body weight and different body composition, such as a higher percentage of body water and less body fat, which affects how drugs are distributed in the body. Because of these differences, giving an adult dose to a child can cause toxicity or serious side effects, while too small a dose may fail to treat the illness.
Therefore, paediatric doses are carefully calculated based on age, weight (mg/kg), or body surface area, ensuring that the medicine is safe, effective, and appropriate for the child’s stage of development.
“If children process medicines differently, should they ever receive the same dose as adults?”
MBH/PS