藥英文：兒童並非縮小版的成人（Children are not Small Adults）

◎文╱藥師黃彥銘

maturation [ˌmætʃəˈreɪʃən]
成熟；發育成熟

metabolize [məˈtæbəlaɪz]
代謝

eliminate [ɪˈlɪməneɪt]
排除；清除

Children are not small adults. As they grow, organ maturation affects how medicines are absorbed, metabolized, and eliminated. A child’s dose depends on body weight, but age and development also matter.
兒童並不是縮小版的成人。隨著兒童成長，器官逐漸發育成熟，會影響藥物在體內的吸收、代謝與排除。兒童的用藥劑量除了考量體重，也需要考量年齡與發育程度。