Which guidelines does this reference follow?

Doses follow APLS and Resuscitation Council UK paediatric guidance. Each entry is expressed per kilogram with adult maximum caps applied, and volumes are calculated from the standard ampoule concentrations used in UK emergency settings. Always confirm against your own local protocols.

Why enter weight only once?

In a paediatric emergency, time matters and re-typing weight for each drug invites error. Entering the weight a single time and reading a full pre-calculated table reduces cognitive load and the risk of arithmetic mistakes during resuscitation or rapid sequence intubation.

What does the max label mean next to a dose?

Several drugs have an adult ceiling dose. When a child's weight-based dose would exceed that ceiling, the table shows the capped maximum and labels it max. This prevents overdosing larger children and adolescents whose weight-based calculation would otherwise exceed the adult dose.

How are the volumes calculated?

For drugs with a standard ampoule concentration, the volume in millilitres is the calculated dose divided by the concentration. For example, adrenaline 1:10,000 contains 100 micrograms per millilitre, so a 100 microgram dose is 1 millilitre. Drugs without a single standard concentration show a dash.

Can I rely on this instead of a formulary?

No. This is a fast bedside reference to support, not replace, formal prescribing. Doses are rounded for display, individual patient factors are not considered, and a registered clinician with a second checker remains responsible for every dose given.

Paediatric Emergency Drug Dose Reference

Paediatric emergency dosing from one weight

In a paediatric resuscitation, almost every drug is weight-based, and doing the maths under pressure is where errors creep in. This reference takes the child’s weight once and instantly produces a full table of doses and draw-up volumes for the common arrest, seizure and rapid-sequence-intubation drugs, following APLS and Resuscitation Council UK guidance.

How it works

Each drug stores a per-kilogram dose, an adult maximum cap, and where relevant a standard ampoule concentration. For a given weight the tool computes:

dose   = per_kg_dose × weight   (capped at the adult maximum)
volume = dose ÷ concentration   (when a standard concentration exists)

For example, cardiac-arrest adrenaline is 10 mcg/kg of 1:10,000 (100 mcg/mL), so an 18 kg child needs 180 mcg, drawn up as 1.8 mL. Adenosine, atropine, amiodarone, lorazepam, midazolam, ketamine, suxamethonium, rocuronium, dextrose, bicarbonate, calcium, salbutamol, hydrocortisone, mannitol and fluid boluses are all handled the same way.

Notes and safety

Doses are rounded for readability and the max label marks any value that has hit its adult ceiling — important for larger adolescents. Use a measured weight whenever possible; age-based estimates are a fallback, not a substitute.

This tool is a quick reference to reduce calculation load, not a prescribing authority. Always confirm against your local formulary, apply a second checker, and account for patient-specific factors before any drug is given.