What's in a teaspoon? Underdosing with acetaminophen in family practice.
A study was made of 100 paediatric encounters in which an accompanying parent stated that the child had been given acetaminophen syrup during the preceding 24 hours. In 80% of cases a household teaspoon had been used to determine the amount of medication required. The volumes of these spoons were measured using a syringe. The range was from 1.5 to 5 cm3 with 79% containing 2 to 3 cm3. The mean volume was 2.95 cm3 (SD 0.79) and the median was 2.5 cm3. The mean dose administered was 62% of that recommended when the calculation was made according to age and 64% according to body weight. Much of the underdosing observed was due to parents' assumption that a household teaspoon contains 5 cm3 of acetaminophen syrup and also to a failure to correct for advancing age and increasing weight.
Hyam
E
E
Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of the Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beersheba, Israel.
Brawer
M
M
Herman
J
J
Zvieli
S
S
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D008508:Medication Errors; D012646:Self Administration; D014505:Urban Population
D000082:Acetaminophen