[Amoxicillin and paracetamol dosing in children: playing safe].

Amoxicillin and paracetamol are the two most widely prescribed and recommended medicines in children. Due to lack of scientific evidence of the most effective dosage, dosing instructions of both medicines are often unclear. In this article we challenge general practitioners, paediatricians, child-health clinic physicians, ENT specialists, pharmacists and guideline committees to critically evaluate the current dosing instructions of these two medicines. The Netherlands paediatric formulary, the Kinderformularium, should become the primary formulary for children in the Netherlands, but it has to be more in line with daily practice, and basic dosing instructions should be less ambiguous: (a) dosing instructions based on body weight instead of age; b) in case of pain, paracetamol should be given 60 mg/kg/day in four divided doses; (c) in case of common uncomplicated infections, amoxicillin should be given orally 60 mg/kg/day in two divided doses; (d) the following should be mentioned on the antibiotic prescription: the daily dose, the number of divided doses, the duration of therapy, the indication for the prescription, and the child's weight. This will result in safe prescription of medicines for children, with fewer unnecessary disruptive consultations between prescriber and pharmacist.