Medication | Child Dose | Adolescent dose | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Albuterol MDI with spacer (90 mcg/puff) | 4-8 puffs at 1-2 minute intervals every 20 minutes for 3 dosing cycles, then every 1-4 hours. Use spacer/holding chamber. | As effective as nebulizer therapy if patient is able to coordinate (Cates 2000 [M]) | |
Albuterol Nebulizer 0.5 mL (2.5 mg) albuterol 0.5% solution in 2.5 mL normal saline, or 3ml of 0.083% unit dose vial or 1 mL (5 mg) albuterol 0.5% solution in 2.5 mL normal saline |
2.5 mg up to 5 mg every 20 minutes for 3 doses, then 2.5 mg up to 5 mg every 1-4 hours as needed. (May be given continuously to those in severe distress.) |
Prefer use of nebulizer when ipratropium bromide is also likely to be administered. For optimal delivery, dilute aerosols to 3 mL at gas flows of 6-8 L/min. (Oxygen, if available, is preferable to compressed air.) |
|
Epinephrine 1:1000 (1mg/mL) | 0.01 mg/kg subcutaneous up to 0.3-0.5 mg | 0.3-0.5 mg subcutaneous | See Note 4 under Short-acting inhaled beta2-agonists. |
Terbutaline (1mg/mL) | 0.01 mg/kg subcutaneous up to 2.5 mg. | 0.25 mg subcutaneous |