Dose of zinc in diarrhea for a 1-year-old child?

Appeared in: NHM MP Staff Nurse-2019

Explanation

The recommended dose of elemental zinc for a 1-year-old child (who is older than 6 months) with acute diarrhea is 20 mg once daily.
This recommendation is based on WHO and UNICEF guidelines for the management of acute diarrheal disease in children.
The supplementation should be continued for 10-14 days to reduce the severity of the current episode and prevent future episodes of diarrhea.

Option A: This is not a standard therapeutic dose for zinc in the management of acute diarrhea in any pediatric age group.
Option B: This dose is recommended for infants younger than 6 months of age, not for a 1-year-old child.
Option C: This is not a standard recommended dose according to WHO/UNICEF guidelines for treating acute diarrhea.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Pharmacological management of pediatric diarrhea with zinc supplementation to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Administering the correct dose of zinc is a critical public health intervention that reduces the duration and severity of diarrheal episodes, a leading cause of childhood mortality.
Nurses play a key role in educating caregivers about the correct dosage, duration, and administration of zinc, alongside continued ORS and feeding, to ensure effective treatment and prevent malnutrition.
What if the child was 5 months old? In that case, the correct dose would be 10 mg daily, as the guideline changes for infants under 6 months of age.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information in the question: the drug (zinc), the condition (diarrhea), and the patient's age (1 year).
Recall that the dosage of zinc for diarrhea in children is age-dependent.
Remember the two main age categories for dosing: infants under 6 months and children from 6 months to 5 years.
A 1-year-old child (12 months) falls into the category of 6 months to 5 years.
Select the dose corresponding to this age group, which is 20 mg.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pharmacological management of pediatric diarrhea with zinc supplementation.
Stem keywords: Dose, zinc, diarrhea, 1-year-old child
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Clinical cues: Patient age of 1 year is the key determinant for dosage.

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E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi Essentials 9e Part 3 p. 8-10

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 1791-1793

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