In pediatric patients, acetaminophen and ibuprofen dosing should primarily be based on which of the following?

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Weight in kilograms is the best basis for dosing acetaminophen and ibuprofen in children because drug exposure scales most reliably with body size. mg/kg dosing accounts for differences in body weight and how a child’s body handles the medication, leading to safer, more predictable effects across a wide range of ages and sizes. Relying on age can misestimate dose since two kids the same age can differ greatly in weight, which could cause underdosing for a heavier child or overdosing for a lighter one. Height and gender don’t provide a reliable cue for how much drug to give, so they’re not used to determine the dose. In clinical practice, you calculate the dose from the child’s weight and then apply the standard per-dose and daily maximum limits for each medication.