Can you space amoxicillin 4 hours between doses?

[JarvisSprocker]

Just wondering if this is possible? I gave my DS his first dose at 16:30 when we got back from the GP. Could he have another dose at 20:30?

How many doses is he meant to have a day?

As a one-off I can't think how giving a second dose within 4 hours would cause harm unless your son is a baby.

But I am not a doctor. Much better (and faster) to phone the prescriber, or a pharmicist.

Pharmacist - I can spell it, honest! I am also not a pure random - I'm an ex-physio who worked on a unit where I got to listen to a pharmacist talking dosages of things very regularly.

It would be best to leave it 8 hours if possible.

He’s 4 years old.

He’s meant to have 3 doses a day.

It works better if the doses are evenly spaced out so around 8 hours between each dose.

@celestialsphere

Would another dose this evening be a problem? Then start spacing them further apart tomorrow? I’m thinking 6 hours then he can have one dose with breakfast at 7, one after lunch at 1 and one dose at bedtime after dinner 7pm.

It should be on the leaflet.

For adult minimum of 4 is ok iirc. Check the part about children

Can you wake him up a bit later?

It probably won't be a problem as it's the first dose. It works better if spaced out as near to 8 hours between doses after that though.

What is the dose and how old is he?

This is an excellent website referred to in the BNF for children:
www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/medicines/amoxicillin-for-bacterial-infections/

@Usplusone

Says between 4-6 hours on here.

Isn't that for adults though? We were told 8 hrs for DC when they were that age, but it could be a different dose/dose regimen now!

It's adult doses that are 8 hours apart, child doses are 3 in 24 hours so keep to that and you're fine. It's not so easy to space doses evenly in children!

If it's any reassurance in addition I suspect they're on a 250mg dose which is standard for a 4year old. The maximum dose however is 30mg/kg which works out in the region of 500mg for most 4year olds. Going on just try to space evenly through the day. Don't forget to shake the bottle.

Full info here with more advice

www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/medicines/amoxicillin-for-bacterial-infections/#how-should-i-give-it