Cefdinir Oral Suspension Dispenser
Pediatric Dosing Information
The current Prescribing Information (PI), for the administration of cefdinir oral suspension for pediatrics recites; a recommended daily dosage of 14.0 mg/kg/day in a single dose or in equally divided doses every 12 hours depending on the infection.1
The PI dosing chart (table 1), and product label describe the cefdinir dosage equivalent of 125 mg/5ml or 250 mg/5mL of cefdinir and the label directions indicate dosing in teaspoons.1 Conversely, the PI does not describe the extrapolation of 7.0 mg/kg or 14.0 mg/kg from the 5 mL – 125mg suspension and/or teaspoon, nor for the subsequent conversion to an individual kilogram patient dose as prescribed.
Moreover, dozens of studies conclude that a household teaspoon is not an adequate measuring device.2 According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), among other health agencies, non-standard kitchen spoons are not recommended as a dosing apparatus for medicinal solutions. 2,3,4,5
More importantly, the directions obviate any dosing directions for children between these defined weights as well as any method for obtaining the optimal dosing for the 7 mg/kg divided dose or the single dose of 14 mg/kg as prescribed. The preparation and administration directions solely provide for a recommended daily dose based upon a weight range in 10-kilogram increments and not to a child’s specific kg body weight, see table 1.
This dosing regimen provides highly variable subtherapeutic dosing to children within the defined weight ranges. The recommended dosing does not provide a consistent accurate milligram dose to a child’s individual body weight as clinically recommended for cefdinir suspension for pediatric use, see table 2.
The Dose-Weight Syringe® is specifically calibrated to administer a patient specific dose of cefdinir oral suspension to the optimal dose of 7.0 mg/kg or 14.0 mg/kg to an individualized pediatric patient weight as recommended.
Table 1.
Table 2. Current dosing verses Dose-2-Weight ® Dosing
