What dose of Vitamin A should be given in the booster dose at the age of 36 months?

Appeared in: NIA - 29 January 2023

Explanation

The National Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme recommends a dose of 2 Lakh IU for all booster doses.
Booster doses are administered every 6 months starting from 16-18 months up to the age of 5 years.
A child aged 36 months (3 years) falls within this schedule for a 2 Lakh IU booster dose.

Option A: 1 Lakh IU is the initial dose, not the booster dose for a 36-month-old child.
Option B: 5 Lakh IU is not a standard dose within the National Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme.
Option D: 5 Lakh IU is not a standard dose and would be an overdose according to the national schedule.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing National Vitamin A Prophylaxis Schedule helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a crucial role in administering Vitamin A, educating caregivers about the schedule, and preventing nutritional blindness.
Accurate dosing and record-keeping are essential to ensure child safety and public health effectiveness.
What if the child was 9 months old? The correct dose would be 1 Lakh IU, administered along with the first dose of the measles vaccine.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key components of the question: the supplement (Vitamin A), the type of dose (booster), and the child's age (36 months).
Recall the National Immunization Schedule, specifically the Vitamin A prophylaxis component.
Remember the two-tier dosage: the initial dose at 9 months is different from the subsequent booster doses.
Determine the correct dose for the specified age (36 months) based on the schedule.
Select the option that matches the recalled dose (2 Lakh IU).
Eliminate other options by identifying them as either the initial dose or non-standard doses.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 143-145

E6 One Stop Resource all for your Exam Needs in Biochemistry (pp 6-135 of 140) p. 76-78

Practise the full NIA - 29 January 2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.