Prednisolone Pediatric Dose Calculator

Q: What is the prednisolone dose for children?

Asthma exacerbation: 1–2 mg/kg/dose · once daily in the morning · max 40 mg/dose. Usual duration: 3–5 days (no taper needed). Always use the child's measured weight and check the strength on the bottle.

Q: How many mL of syrup 5 mg/5 mL for an 11.8 kg child?

For asthma exacerbation, an 11.8 kg child (about 2 years) needs 11.8 mg per dose — 12 mL of Syrup 5 mg/5 mL, once daily in the morning. Recalculate with the child's actual weight.

Q: From what age can prednisolone be given?

Age range in PediaRx: 1 month – adult. The calculator does not calculate a dose below 1 month. Each indication can have its own age and weight limits, shown with its regimen.

Q: Is prednisolone safe in pregnancy?

Legacy FDA category C. Short courses are acceptable when clinically needed.

Weight-based prednisolone dosing for children — 1–2 mg/kg/dose · once daily in the morning · max 40 mg/dose. Enter age and weight for the dose in mg and syrup mL or tablets.

Category: CorticosteroidAges: 1 month – adultUpdated: 2026-09-27For: clinicians

Pediatric dosing

Asthma exacerbation

1–2 mg/kg/dose · once daily in the morning · max 40 mg/dose

Duration: 3–5 days (no taper needed) · GINA maximum for ≤5 years: 20 mg (<2 years) or 30 mg (2–5 years).

Croup (alternative to dexamethasone)

1 mg/kg/dose · single dose (may repeat after 12–24 hours) · max 40 mg/dose

Duration: Single dose

Nephrotic syndrome — initial episode (specialist)

2 mg/kg/dose · once daily · max 60 mg/dose

Duration: 6 weeks daily, then 1.5 mg/kg (max 40 mg) on alternate days for 6 weeks · Body-surface-area dosing (60 mg/m²/day) is preferred in obese or very small children. Specialist supervision.

Prednisolone dose chart by age and weight

Asthma exacerbation. 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 5 mg/5 mL	Syrup 15 mg/5 mL (forte)	Frequency
1 month	4.3 kg	4.3 mg	4.3 mL	1.4 mL	Once daily in the morning
3 months	6.1 kg	6.1 mg	6.1 mL	2 mL	Once daily in the morning
6 months	7.6 kg	7.6 mg	7.6 mL	2.5 mL	Once daily in the morning
9 months	8.6 kg	8.6 mg	8.6 mL	2.9 mL	Once daily in the morning
1 year	9.3 kg	9.3 mg	9.3 mL	3.1 mL	Once daily in the morning
18 months	10.6 kg	10.6 mg	10.5 mL	3.5 mL	Once daily in the morning
2 years	11.8 kg	11.8 mg	12 mL	3.9 mL	Once daily in the morning
3 years	14.1 kg	14.1 mg	14 mL	4.7 mL	Once daily in the morning
4 years	16.2 kg	16.2 mg	16 mL	5.4 mL	Once daily in the morning
5 years	17.5 kg	17.5 mg	17.5 mL	5.8 mL	Once daily in the morning
6 years	19 kg	19 mg	19 mL	6.3 mL	Once daily in the morning
8 years	24.4 kg	24.4 mg	24.5 mL	8.1 mL	Once daily in the morning
10 years	31.1 kg	31.1 mg	31 mL	10.5 mL	Once daily in the morning
12 years	39.4 kg	39.4 mg	39.5 mL	13 mL	Once daily in the morning

Strengths in the calculator

Syrup 5 mg/5 mL (Oral)
Syrup 15 mg/5 mL (forte) (Oral)
Tablet 5 mg (Oral)
Tablet 10 mg (Oral)
Tablet 20 mg (Oral)

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

Safety

Contraindications and cautions

Untreated systemic infection; live vaccines during high-dose courses.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Legacy FDA category C. Short courses are acceptable when clinically needed.

Compatible with breastfeeding.

Clinical notes

Give with food in the morning. Courses up to 5 days can be stopped without tapering. Consider exposure to varicella or measles in non-immune children.

Adult and adolescent (≥40 kg) dose

40–50 mg — Once daily for 5 days (asthma) (max 50 mg per dose).

Other names and brands

India: Omnacortil, Wysolone

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

Frequently asked questions

What is the prednisolone dose for children?

Asthma exacerbation: 1–2 mg/kg/dose · once daily in the morning · max 40 mg/dose. Usual duration: 3–5 days (no taper needed). Always use the child's measured weight and check the strength on the bottle.

How many mL of syrup 5 mg/5 mL for an 11.8 kg child?

For asthma exacerbation, an 11.8 kg child (about 2 years) needs 11.8 mg per dose — 12 mL of Syrup 5 mg/5 mL, once daily in the morning. Recalculate with the child's actual weight.

From what age can prednisolone be given?

Age range in PediaRx: 1 month – adult. The calculator does not calculate a dose below 1 month. Each indication can have its own age and weight limits, shown with its regimen.

Is prednisolone safe in pregnancy?

Legacy FDA category C. Short courses are acceptable when clinically needed.

Sources and editorial process

BNF for Children — Prednisolone — NICE / BMJ Group / Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention — Global Initiative for Asthma
IPNA clinical practice recommendations for steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (Trautmann et al., Pediatr Nephrol 2023) — International Pediatric Nephrology Association

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.

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