Dose Finding
A particular problem in paediatrics consists in finding the appropriate drug dose for paediatric patients. Generally speaking the dose is calculated according to the body surface area (BSA) as this parameter correlates well with others which are important for processing drugs. The relation between BSA and body weight of newborns and toddlers is significantly different to adults. Therefore an unmodified dose calculation on the basis of the BSA can result in an overdose in newborns and toddlers; cp. Henze 2007: 113ff.
Henze, Guenter (2007): Dose Finding in Pediatric Patients. In: Venitz, Jurgen / Sittner, Wolf (eds.): Appropriate Dose Selection - How to Optimize Clinical Drug Development. Berlin: Springer (Ernst Schering Research Foundation Workshop 59), 111-121.
Boos, Joachim (2010): Medizinische Aspekte der Forschung mit Minderjährigen. (Medical aspects of research with minors) In: Boos, Joachim / Heinrichs, Bert / Spranger, Tade M.: Forschung mit Minderjährigen. Series "Ethics in the life sciences – DRZE expert reports", vol. 12. Freiburg i.B.: Alber. Online Version (German)