Pediatric Dosage Calculator
Children's medication doses are almost always calculated by body weight because a standard adult dose would be too much for a smaller body. Enter your child's weight and the prescribed mg/kg dose to calculate the correct amount per dose and per day, with optional max dose safety checks.
Pediatric dosing by weight (mg/kg) is the foundation of safe prescribing for children. Unlike adults, who often receive standardized doses, children span a wide weight range from 3 kg newborns to 80+ kg teenagers, making fixed doses impractical and potentially dangerous.
There are two common ways prescriptions are written. "mg/kg/dose" means each individual dose equals the child's weight multiplied by the prescribed amount -- for example, 10 mg/kg/dose given 3 times daily for a 20 kg child means 200 mg per dose, 600 mg per day. "mg/kg/day" means the total daily amount equals weight times the prescribed amount, then divided among doses -- the same 20 kg child at 30 mg/kg/day divided into 3 doses also gets 200 mg per dose.
Maximum dose caps are critical safety checks. Even though a heavy child might calculate to a very high dose by weight, most medications have absolute maximum single and daily doses. For example, ibuprofen is dosed at 10 mg/kg but should not exceed 400 mg per dose or 1200 mg per day regardless of weight. Always verify maximum doses in a current drug reference.
DISCLAIMER: This calculator is for educational reference only. Pediatric medication dosing should always be verified by a pharmacist or prescribing physician. Dosing errors in children can have serious consequences. Never administer medication to a child without proper medical guidance.