Oral Salbutamol Dosing for Children

Dosing Guidelines

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a weight-based dosing approach for oral salbutamol in children 1
The standard pediatric oral dose is 0.15 mg/kg per dose 1
For a 31 kg child: 0.15 mg/kg × 31 kg = 4.65 mg per dose 1
Using the 2 mg/5 ml concentration: 4.65 mg × (5 ml/2 mg) = 11.6 ml per dose 1

Oral salbutamol should be used for maintenance therapy rather than acute exacerbations 2
For acute exacerbations, inhaled salbutamol via nebulizer or metered-dose inhaler is preferred due to faster onset of action and fewer systemic side effects 3

If the child is experiencing an acute exacerbation, consider switching to nebulized therapy at 0.15 mg/kg (minimum 2.5 mg) every 20 minutes for up to 3 doses 1
For children with persistent asthma requiring regular bronchodilator therapy, controller medications should be considered rather than relying solely on oral salbutamol 3
Regular use of salbutamol exceeding twice weekly for symptom control indicates poor asthma control and need for controller medication adjustment 4