Iron Syrup Pediatric Dose Calculator (Elemental Iron)

Weight-based iron dosing for children — 3–6 mg/kg/day once daily · max 120 mg/dose. Enter age and weight for the dose in mg and syrup mL or tablets.

Category: NutritionalAges: Birth – adultUpdated: 2026-09-27For: clinicians

Pediatric dosing

Iron-deficiency anaemia — treatment

3–6 mg/kg/day once daily · max 120 mg/dose — once daily (between meals)

Duration: Continue for 3 months after haemoglobin normalises · Once-daily (or alternate-day) dosing is as effective and better tolerated than divided doses. Recheck haemoglobin after 4 weeks (expect a rise of ≥1 g/dL).

Prevention / supplementation

1–2 mg/kg/day once daily · max 30 mg/dose — once daily

Duration: Per programme · India (Anemia Mukt Bharat): 6–59 months 1 mL IFA syrup twice weekly; 5–9 years 45 mg weekly; 10–19 years 60 mg weekly.

Iron (elemental iron) dose chart by age and weight

Iron-deficiency anaemia — treatment. Weights are WHO/IAP reference medians for age — always dose on the measured weight.

Computed with the PediaRx dose engine from the regimen above; caps and age limits applied.
Age	Weight	Dose (mg)	Syrup 25 mg elemental iron/5 mL (brands vary — check label)	IFA syrup: 20 mg elemental iron + 100 mcg folic acid per mL (Anemia Mukt Bharat)	Frequency
15 days	3.8 kg	11.4 mg	2.3 mL	0.57 mL	Once daily (between meals)
1 month	4.3 kg	12.9 mg	2.6 mL	0.65 mL	Once daily (between meals)
3 months	6.1 kg	18.3 mg	3.7 mL	0.92 mL	Once daily (between meals)
6 months	7.6 kg	22.8 mg	4.6 mL	1.1 mL	Once daily (between meals)
9 months	8.6 kg	25.8 mg	5.2 mL	1.3 mL	Once daily (between meals)
1 year	9.3 kg	27.9 mg	5.6 mL	1.4 mL	Once daily (between meals)
18 months	10.6 kg	31.8 mg	6.4 mL	1.6 mL	Once daily (between meals)
2 years	11.8 kg	35.4 mg	7.1 mL	1.8 mL	Once daily (between meals)
3 years	14.1 kg	42.3 mg	8.5 mL	2.1 mL	Once daily (between meals)
4 years	16.2 kg	48.6 mg	9.7 mL	2.4 mL	Once daily (between meals)
5 years	17.5 kg	52.5 mg	10.5 mL	2.6 mL	Once daily (between meals)
6 years	19 kg	57 mg	11.5 mL	2.9 mL	Once daily (between meals)
8 years	24.4 kg	73.2 mg	14.5 mL	3.7 mL	Once daily (between meals)
10 years	31.1 kg	93.3 mg	18.5 mL	4.7 mL	Once daily (between meals)
12 years	39.4 kg	118.2 mg	23.5 mL	5.9 mL	Once daily (between meals)

Strengths in the calculator

Syrup 25 mg elemental iron/5 mL (brands vary — check label) (Oral)
IFA syrup: 20 mg elemental iron + 100 mcg folic acid per mL (Anemia Mukt Bharat) (Oral)
Tablet ≈60 mg elemental iron (e.g. ferrous sulfate 200 mg ≈ 65 mg) (Oral)

Different strength on your bottle? Use “Different strength on the bottle?” under the result.

Safety

Contraindications and cautions

Haemochromatosis or iron overload; repeated transfusions.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Legacy FDA category A. Standard antenatal iron–folic acid supplementation per national programme.

Compatible with breastfeeding.

Clinical notes

All doses are elemental iron — salts differ widely (ferrous sulfate 200 mg ≈ 65 mg elemental). Stools turn black. Keep out of reach of children: iron overdose is dangerous.

Adult and adolescent (≥40 kg) dose

60–120 mg elemental iron — Once daily or on alternate days (max 120 mg per dose).

Other names and brands

Also known as Ferrous sulfate, Ferrous fumarate, Iron polymaltose, Iron syrup, IFA.

Brand examples only — products and strengths vary by country. Always check the label.

Frequently asked questions

What is the iron dose for children?

Iron-deficiency anaemia — treatment: 3–6 mg/kg/day once daily · max 120 mg/dose. Usual duration: Continue for 3 months after haemoglobin normalises. Always use the child's measured weight and check the strength on the bottle.

How many mL of syrup 25 mg elemental iron/5 mL (brands vary — check label) for an 11.8 kg child?

For iron-deficiency anaemia — treatment, an 11.8 kg child (about 2 years) needs 35.4 mg per dose — 7.1 mL of Syrup 25 mg elemental iron/5 mL (brands vary — check label), once daily (between meals). Recalculate with the child's actual weight.

From what age can iron be given?

Age range in PediaRx: Birth – adult. Each indication can have its own age and weight limits, shown with its regimen.

Is iron safe in pregnancy?

Legacy FDA category A. Standard antenatal iron–folic acid supplementation per national programme.

Sources and editorial process

IAP guidelines on iron-deficiency anaemia — Indian Academy of Pediatrics
Guideline: daily iron supplementation in infants and children (2016) — World Health Organization
Anemia Mukt Bharat — intensified national iron plus initiative (2018) — Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India

Dosing data last updated 2026-09-27. PediaRx is built and maintained by Dr. Shounak Pal, MBBS (Medical Officer, Government of West Bengal, India — founder and developer of PediaRx). Every regimen is encoded with explicit units, maximum doses and age/weight limits and is checked by automated tests before publication. Report an error: hello@pediarx.com.

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Clinical disclaimer: reference tool for qualified health professionals. Verify every dose against current guidance and the product label before prescribing.

Open Iron in the full calculator →