Question

Description:

Seven-year-old Chris’s mother brings him to the clinic today because he has a sore throat and has had a fever since yesterday. Although Chris is home-schooled, he went to a friend’s birthday party last week. According to the friend’s mother, her son is displaying similar symptoms. You check and record Chris’s vital signs as follows: BP 110/64, T 101.8, P 96, R 20, Ht. 48 inches, and Wt. 49.5 lb. During the physical exam, the physician notes that Chris’s lymph nodes are swollen and he has some drainage from the tonsillar area. She orders a rapid strep test, which is positive, and diagnoses streptococcal pharyngitis. She writes a prescription for an antibiotic and tells Chris to take it easy until his symptoms subside.

Discussion Questions:

1. The physician ordered amoxicillin 50 mg/kg/day po q8h. What is Chris’s weight in kilograms?

2. The medication on hand is amoxicillin oral suspension 200 mg per 5 mL. How much medication, in milliliters, should Chris receive for each dose?

3. Name at least three things you can do to ensure that Chris receives a safe and accurate dose of medication.

Answer 1

1. Chris weight is 49.5lb = 22.4 kg

1kg =2.205 pounds

2. 50 mg Amoxicillin /day for 1 kg

For 22.4 kg body weight - Amoxicillin 50×22.4= 1120 mg/day

oral solution of Amoxicillin 200 mg/5 ml

Chris receive Amoxicillin 28ml/ day

So after every 8 hours Chris receive 9.33 ml Amoxicillin (each dose)

3. For accurate dose ,Carefully measure dose of Amoxicillin using special device or spoon . Do not use a household spoon because he will not get accurate dose

Shake the bottle well before each dose

Any antibiotics show maximum effects when it's concentration remain constant in blood, so we should take Amoxicillin in evenly spaced interval

Stopping medication early May allow bacteria to continue to grow which may result in return of infection. So Chris should not skip or stop medication