Pediatric dose calculations by age MCQs With Answer

Pediatric dose calculations by age MCQs With Answer help B. Pharm students master core pediatric pharmacotherapy skills. This topic covers age-based dosing rules such as Young’s rule, Dilling’s formula, and Fried’s rule for infants; contrasts them with weight-based (mg/kg) and body surface area (BSA) methods; and highlights practical issues like rounding, maximum dose limits, and safe prescription notation. Understanding developmental pharmacokinetics, age categories (neonate, infant, child, adolescent), and the limitations of age-based estimates is essential for safe, evidence-based pediatric dosing. Keywords: pediatric dose calculations, age-based dosing, Young’s rule, Dilling’s formula, Fried’s rule, mg/kg, BSA method, pharmacy calculations, B. Pharm, pediatric pharmacotherapy. Now let’s test your knowledge with 30 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. Which formula defines Young’s rule for pediatric dose from an adult dose?

• Age in years / (Age in years + 12) × Adult dose
• Age in years / 20 × Adult dose
• Weight (lb) / 150 × Adult dose
• BSA (m²) / 1.73 × Adult dose

Correct Answer: Age in years / (Age in years + 12) × Adult dose

Q2. Using Young’s rule, what is the dose for a 6-year-old if the adult dose is 600 mg?

• 150 mg
• 200 mg
• 250 mg
• 300 mg

Correct Answer: 200 mg

Q3. Using Young’s rule, calculate the dose for a 4-year-old when the adult dose is 250 mg.

• 50 mg
• 62.5 mg
• 75 mg
• 100 mg

Correct Answer: 62.5 mg

Q4. Which formula defines Dilling’s rule for pediatric dose from an adult dose?

• Age in years / (Age in years + 12) × Adult dose
• Age in years / 20 × Adult dose
• Age in months / 150 × Adult dose
• BSA (m²) / 1.73 × Adult dose

Correct Answer: Age in years / 20 × Adult dose

Q5. Using Dilling’s rule, what dose is recommended for a 10-year-old if the adult dose is 400 mg?

• 150 mg
• 180 mg
• 200 mg
• 240 mg

Correct Answer: 200 mg

Q6. For a 12-year-old by Young’s rule, what fraction of the adult dose is used?

• 40% of adult dose
• 50% of adult dose
• 60% of adult dose
• 75% of adult dose

Correct Answer: 50% of adult dose

Q7. Which formula defines Fried’s rule for infant dosing from an adult dose?

• Age in months / 150 × Adult dose
• Age in years / 20 × Adult dose
• Age in years / (Age + 12) × Adult dose
• Weight (lb) / 150 × Adult dose

Correct Answer: Age in months / 150 × Adult dose

Q8. Using Fried’s rule, calculate the dose for a 9‑month-old if the adult dose is 120 mg.

• 6 mg
• 7.2 mg
• 9 mg
• 12 mg

Correct Answer: 7.2 mg

Q9. Using Fried’s rule, what is the dose for a 6‑month-old when the adult dose is 500 mg?

• 10 mg
• 15 mg
• 20 mg
• 25 mg

Correct Answer: 20 mg

Q10. Which age range best defines an “infant” for dosing considerations?

• 0–28 days
• 1–12 months
• 1–5 years
• 6–12 years

Correct Answer: 1–12 months

Q11. A child needs 62.5 mg. Syrup concentration is 125 mg/5 mL. What volume should be given?

• 2 mL
• 2.5 mL
• 3 mL
• 5 mL

Correct Answer: 2.5 mL

Q12. A drug is prescribed 10 mg/kg/day in two divided doses. An 8‑year‑old weighs 25 kg. How many mg per dose?

• 100 mg per dose
• 125 mg per dose
• 150 mg per dose
• 250 mg per dose

Correct Answer: 125 mg per dose

Q13. Why are simple age-based rules unreliable for neonates and young infants?

• They underestimate tablet splitting error only
• They ignore developmental PK variability and maturation differences
• They always overestimate doses
• They cannot be computed without BSA

Correct Answer: They ignore developmental PK variability and maturation differences

Q14. What is the BSA method to derive a pediatric dose from an adult dose?

• (Weight in kg / 70) × Adult dose
• (BSA in m² / 1.73) × Adult dose
• (Age in years / 20) × Adult dose
• (Age in months / 150) × Adult dose

Correct Answer: (BSA in m² / 1.73) × Adult dose

Q15. Height 120 cm, weight 25 kg. Adult dose 500 mg. Using Mosteller BSA and BSA method, approximate pediatric dose?

• 230 mg
• 264 mg
• 300 mg
• 450 mg

Correct Answer: 264 mg

Q16. Paracetamol at 15 mg/kg for a 5‑year‑old weighing 18 kg. What single dose is appropriate?

• 180 mg
• 225 mg
• 270 mg
• 300 mg

Correct Answer: 270 mg

Q17. For ages 2–12, which rule generally gives a more conservative (lower) fraction in younger children?

• Young’s rule
• Dilling’s rule
• Fried’s rule
• Clark’s rule

Correct Answer: Young’s rule

Q18. The dose is 200 mg. Syrup is 250 mg/5 mL. What volume should be administered?

• 3 mL
• 4 mL
• 5 mL
• 6 mL

Correct Answer: 4 mL

Q19. Which notation best minimizes pediatric dosing errors?

• .5 mg
• 5.0 mg
• 500 µg
• 500 micrograms (avoid µg symbol)

Correct Answer: 500 micrograms (avoid µg symbol)

Q20. Which statement correctly describes Clark’s rule?

• Age in months / 150 × Adult dose
• Age in years / 20 × Adult dose
• Weight (lb) / 150 × Adult dose
• BSA (m²) / 1.73 × Adult dose

Correct Answer: Weight (lb) / 150 × Adult dose

Q21. When both adult dose and patient anthropometrics are available, which approach is preferred for accuracy?

• Age-based rule only
• Fixed percentage of adult dose (e.g., 50%)
• Use mg/kg or BSA-based dosing from pediatric references
• Empirical halving then rounding up

Correct Answer: Use mg/kg or BSA-based dosing from pediatric references

Q22. Using Young’s rule, what is the calculated (pre-rounding) dose for a 7‑year‑old if the adult dose is 800 mg?

• ≈240 mg
• ≈275 mg
• ≈295 mg
• ≈320 mg

Correct Answer: ≈295 mg

Q23. If only 100 mg scored tablets are available, what is a practical rounded dose for the 7‑year‑old above (≈295 mg)?

• 200 mg
• 250 mg
• 300 mg
• 400 mg

Correct Answer: 300 mg

Q24. Using Young’s rule, estimate the dose for a 14‑year‑old when the adult dose is 40 mg.

• 18 mg
• 20 mg
• 22 mg
• 28 mg

Correct Answer: 22 mg

Q25. What is a key limitation of age-based pediatric dosing rules?

• They require complex laboratory tests
• They ignore variability in weight, BSA, and organ maturation
• They always underestimate the correct dose
• They cannot be used with liquids

Correct Answer: They ignore variability in weight, BSA, and organ maturation

Q26. For a preterm neonate, which dosing approach is most appropriate?

• Dilling’s rule
• Young’s rule
• Fried’s rule only
• Evidence-based neonatal mg/kg (or mg/m²) dosing by GA/PMA with monitoring

Correct Answer: Evidence-based neonatal mg/kg (or mg/m²) dosing by GA/PMA with monitoring

Q27. Which rule is specifically intended for infants under 1 year?

• Young’s rule
• Dilling’s rule
• Fried’s rule
• Clark’s rule

Correct Answer: Fried’s rule

Q28. Using Dilling’s rule, what dose is recommended for a 5‑year‑old if the adult dose is 1 g?

• 200 mg
• 250 mg
• 300 mg
• 350 mg

Correct Answer: 250 mg

Q29. Using Fried’s rule, calculate the dose for a 3‑month‑old when the adult dose is 100 mg.

• 1 mg
• 2 mg
• 3 mg
• 5 mg

Correct Answer: 2 mg

Q30. Ibuprofen is 10 mg/kg per dose with a usual adult single-dose max of 400 mg. For a 13‑year‑old weighing 50 kg, what single dose should be given?

• 300 mg
• 400 mg
• 500 mg
• 600 mg

Correct Answer: 400 mg

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