Individualized dosing guidelines for children

• Despite well-known differences in drug response between children and adults, dosing guidelines for children are usually developed by extrapolating the results from studies in adults. • Instead of body weight, insight into the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs should serve as the basis for dosing in children. • In studies into drug dosing in children, the 'population approach' should be chosen to minimize the burden for the child. • With a population approach, the covariates that affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs can be identified in a covariate analysis; examples of covariates include body weight, age, degree of illness and genetic factors. • Drugs that serve as a model for a specific elimination route provide the basis for individualized dosing guidelines for children.