Abstract
Many barriers exist to determine and deliver the correct medication dose to a child. Obtaining an accurate weight, which serves as the foundation for appropriate dosing in the pediatric population, remains the critical first step. However, restricted resources in developing countries can limit the accuracy and consistency with which providers can obtain this essential information. In these settings, providers often rely upon weight estimation methods. Understanding the strengths and limitations of various estimation strategies should help health care providers identify which tool is most closely suited to the needs of their population. Additional challenges in pediatric drug delivery surround measuring and administering the correct dose. While several dosing devices are currently available to facilitate pediatric dosing, newer more innovative strategies are needed to improve drug delivery in children.
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Children are often hailed as the hope and future of humanity, but they don’t benefit enough from pharmaceutical research and technology. Too often, the right medicines for children, in the right dosages and formulations are missing from the spectrum of available treatment options. [Dr Howard Zucker, Assistant-Director General at World Health Organization, 2006]
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Goldman, J.L., Ojoo, A., Abdel-Rahman, S.M. (2015). Challenges in Pediatric Oral Dosing. In: MacLeod, S., Hill, S., Koren, G., Rane, A. (eds) Optimizing Treatment for Children in the Developing World. Adis, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15750-4_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15750-4_4
Publisher Name: Adis, Cham
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