About this PDF
Utilizing herbal medicine for children can be safe with the proper dosing, good clinical judgement, and the supervision of a licensed practitioner. This PDF serves as a guide to dosing herbs in children, general tips for using herbs in children, indications and safety of key herbs studied for use in children, and herbs best avoided in children.
Dosing herbs in children is safe as long as the dose is adjusted appropriately. There are several universally accepted pharmacological rules that apply when calculating herbal doses for pediatric cases; however, dosing in children always requires good clinical judgement, under supervision of a properly licensed practitioner, and should be tailored to each individual case. Dosing rules and calculations can be applied based on either age, weight, or body surface area (BSA), with weight and BSA-based formulas likely being the most relevant and clinically useful.
Disclaimer:
The following information is meant for medical professionals only and is not a substitute for individualized medical care or be taken as specific advice for any patient. It is recommended that practitioners always consult the medical literature before making a decision about the use of herbs in children.