NREMT Paramedic Cognitive ExamAirway, Respiration & VentilationHard
A 5-year-old child weighing 44 lbs (20 kg) is experiencing severe respiratory distress due to an asthma exacerbation. After administering albuterol via nebulizer, the patient's condition has not improved, and he remains tachypneic with significant retractions and diffuse wheezing. What is the appropriate dose of intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone to administer?
- A60 mg IV
- B40 mg IV
- C20 mg IV
- D10 mg IV
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. 20 mg IV
For severe asthma exacerbations in children, the typical dose of IV methylprednisolone is 1 mg/kg. For a 20 kg child, this equates to 20 mg. Corticosteroids reduce airway inflammation, which is crucial in asthma management.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 60 mg (3 mg/kg) is an excessively high dose for initial administration in this pediatric scenario.
- B. 40 mg (2 mg/kg) is a higher dose, typically not the initial dose for methylprednisolone in this scenario unless extreme severity or specific protocols dictate.
- D. 10 mg would be an insufficient dose for a 20 kg child with severe asthma exacerbation.
Pediatric Methylprednisolone for Asthma
Intravenous methylprednisolone is a corticosteroid used in pediatric severe asthma exacerbations to reduce airway inflammation. The typical dose is 1 mg/kg IV.
- Corticosteroid for inflammation.
- Dose: 1 mg/kg IV.
- Used in severe asthma exacerbations.
Memory trick: For a 'severe asthma blast', 'one mg per kg' of 'methylprednisolone' will 'act fast'.