Adrenaline in children with anaphylaxis
For teachers or parents giving adrenaline in the community the dosage has to be very clear, and the route is usually intramuscular. In this instance the dose is:
Doses of emergency drugs for anaphylaxis and angio-oedema (1,2):
Drugs | Adult or child older than 12 years | Child aged 6-12 years | Child aged 6 months - 6 years | Child aged under 6 months |
Adrenaline (IM*) 1:1000 (repeat after 5 minutes if no better) | 500 micrograms (0.5 mL) (give 300 micrograms IM [0.3 mL] in a child who is small or prepubertal) | 300 micrograms (0.3 mL) | 150 micrograms (0.15 mL) | 100-150 micrograms (0.1 to 0.15 mL) |
* IM: intramuscular
Notes:
- the majority of anaphylaxis episodes occurring in a community setting will respond to initial treatment with IM adrenaline, although currently around 10% receive more than one dose (2)
- this may sometimes be due to the use of auto-injectors which cannot deliver an age/weight-appropriate dose in most patients
- less than 1% of reactions are refractory to initial adrenaline treatment, and intensive care admissions for anaphylaxis are uncommon
Reference:
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