What is the correct individual dose of ibuprofen oral suspension for an 8-year-old?

• A. 200 mg
• B. 100 mg
• C. 300 mg
• D. 400 mg

Answer: (A)

Ibuprofen dosing in children is usually weight-based, but for most children aged 6–11 years, a standard single dose is 200 mg given every 6–8 hours as needed, with a maximum of about 600 mg in 24 hours. For a common oral suspension strength of 100 mg per 5 mL, a 200 mg dose corresponds to 10 mL per dose. This aligns with typical pediatric dosing charts for this age group and avoids under-dosing or overdosing.

Why the other amounts don’t fit as well: 100 mg is generally too low for effective analgesia/fever reduction in an 8-year-old when using standard labeling. 300 mg or 400 mg per dose exceed the typical single-dose recommendation for children 6–11 years and would be more appropriate for older children or higher weight categories.