Pediatric Dose Calculator
Work out a child's weight based dose, the daily total, and the liquid volume.
Awaiting Data
Enter your details and tap Calculate to see your results appear here.
Your result appears here.
What it measures
Children are dosed by body weight, not by a flat adult amount. A milligram per kilogram figure, set by the medicine, turns the child's weight into a safe single dose. Multiply by the daily frequency and you get the total for the day.
This tool also turns a dose into a liquid volume when you enter the syrup strength. It is for learning only. Always confirm any real dose with a pharmacist or doctor.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the child's weight.
- Enter the dose in mg per kg.
- Enter how many doses per day.
- Add the liquid strength for a volume, then Calculate.
The formula used
Daily total = single dose × doses per day
Volume = single dose / liquid strength
- weight
- The child's body weight.
- mg per kg
- Dose set by the medicine.
- strength
- Milligrams per millilitre of syrup.
Understanding Your Results
Tips to Improve
- Use an exact, current weight.
- Read the medicine's mg per kg carefully.
- Never round up to be safe.
- Confirm with a pharmacist before giving.
Why weight rules pediatric dosing
A toddler and a teenager need very different amounts of the same medicine. Weight based dosing solves that, scaling the dose to the child in front of you. The milligram per kilogram figure comes from the drug label, and a current weight keeps it accurate. Guesswork has no place here.
This tool also turns milligrams into millilitres once you add the syrup strength, which removes a common source of error at home. For dosing weights in special cases, see our Adjusted Body Weight and Lean Body Weight tools.
Check before you give
Small mistakes carry weight in children, so confirm every figure. Match the dose to a current weight, read the label twice, and never round up to feel safe. A pharmacist can verify the plan in moments. For pediatric care standards, the World Health Organization publishes clear guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Children vary widely in size, so weight keeps doses safe and effective.
Leave it blank. You still get the dose in milligrams.
No. It is educational. A professional must approve real doses.
Scientific References
- Kliegman, R. M., et al. (2020). Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics (21st ed.).
- World Health Organization. (2022). Pocket book of hospital care for children.