How can I break down a 300mg capsule of Clindamycin HCL into 20mg liquid form.

Question

6 year old with tooth infection and facial swelling.  I dont have the money to take her to the dentist but have some Clindamycin HCL 300 mg capsules I recently used for a tooth infection.  Can I break them down to 20 mg to give to my child?

Answer 1

First, clindamycin is a strong antibiotic with potentially serious side effects. It may not be optimal in your situation and should not be give to a child without medical supervision.

Second, how did you come up with the dose of 20 mg? This sounds incorrect.

Third,  even if the dose you had in mind were correct (which it probably isn't), it is very easy to make a mistake when measuring small doses on your own without proper training.

If you cannot afford a dentist, perhaps you could take your child to the emergency room or find some sort of free dental clinic (many university hospitals have them). Improvising a treatment of potentially serious infection yourself is unwise.