A 4-year-old child with acute otitis media is prescribed paracetamol for pain with dosing every 4-6 hours. Which dose is most appropriate?

A 4-year-old child with acute otitis media is prescribed paracetamol for pain with dosing every 4-6 hours. Which dose is most appropriate?

• A. 120 mg
• B. 240 mg
• C. 480 mg
• D. 60 mg

Answer: (B)

Dosing paracetamol in children is handled by weight, with a usual dose of about 10-15 mg per kilogram per dose given every 4-6 hours, and a daily maximum around 60 mg/kg. For a 4-year-old, who generally weighs about 16 kg, a 240 mg dose corresponds to roughly 15 mg/kg. This sits squarely in the expected per-dose range and keeps total daily use within safe limits when spaced as advised. A 480 mg dose would be about 30 mg/kg for this weight and exceeds typical per-dose recommendations. Smaller doses like 60 mg or 120 mg would likely be insufficient for analgesia in a child of this size. So 240 mg is the best-fit single dose.

Dosing paracetamol in children is handled by weight, with a usual dose of about 10-15 mg per kilogram per dose given every 4-6 hours, and a daily maximum around 60 mg/kg. For a 4-year-old, who generally weighs about 16 kg, a 240 mg dose corresponds to roughly 15 mg/kg. This sits squarely in the expected per-dose range and keeps total daily use within safe limits when spaced as advised. A 480 mg dose would be about 30 mg/kg for this weight and exceeds typical per-dose recommendations. Smaller doses like 60 mg or 120 mg would likely be insufficient for analgesia in a child of this size. So 240 mg is the best-fit single dose.