As an herbalist, I am often asked questions about dosages for children when it comes to tinctures. Because of this, I created this blog post to send to people when they ask.
I have pulled this handy chart from Rosemary Gladstar’s book, Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health, for your convenience.
The charts and suggestions below may be used in determining the appropriate amount of herbal remedy to give to children.
Please keep in mind, however, that these are just guidelines. The weight and overall health of the child must be taken into consideration, as well as the strength and quality of the herbs to be given, along with the nature of the child’s illness.
TEAS
When the adult (age 12 and over) dose is 1 cup (8 oz) of tea, the following is recommended for children:
Age — Dosage
Younger than 2 years — 1/2 to 1 teaspoon
2 to 4 years — 2 teaspoons
4 to 7 years — 1 tablespoon
7 to 11 years — 2 tablespoons
TINCTURES
When the adult dose is 2 droppers full (50-60 drops), the following is recommended for children:
Age — Dosage
Younger than 3 months — 2 drops
3 to 6 months — 3 drops
6 to 9 months — 4 drops
9 to 12 months — 5 drops
12 to 18 months — 7 drops
18 to 24 months — 8 drops
2 to 3 years — 10 drops
3 to 4 years — 12 drops
4 to 6 years — 15 drops
6 to 9 years — 24 drops
9 to 12 years — 30 drops
Other ways to determine dosage:
Young’s Rule – Add 12 to the child’s age. Divide the child’s age by this total. Example: dosage for a 4 year old: 4 divided by 16 (4+12) = .25, or 1/4 of the adult dosage.
Cowling’s Rule – Divide the number of the child’s next birthday by 24. Example: dosage for a child who is 3, turning 4 would be: 4 divided by 24 = .16, or 1/6 of the adult dosage.
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