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A chewable pediatric preparation of ibuprofen is palatable and acceptable to children
Steven Barnett1, Aomesh Bhatt2
1Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare Hull UK.
Insights
New soft chewable ibuprofen capsules were palatable and acceptable for children aged 7-12. Most children and caregivers would use this child-friendly formulation for pain and fever relief.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pharmacology
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Pain Management
Background:
- Developing palatable analgesics for children is challenging due to their sensitivity to bitter tastes.
- Oral medications are common, necessitating child-friendly formulations for better adherence and acceptance.
- Ibuprofen is a widely used analgesic, but its palatability in pediatric populations requires improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the palatability and acceptability of a novel soft chewable capsule formulation of ibuprofen in children.
- To evaluate caregiver acceptance of this new ibuprofen preparation for pediatric use.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 100 healthy children aged 7-12 years.
- Investigated the palatability and acceptability using a hedonic facial scale.
- Assessed adherence to a full therapeutic dose and willingness to re-administer the medication.
Main Results:
- 97% of children adhered to the full therapeutic dose.
- 72% of children rated the preparation as acceptable on a hedonic facial scale.
- 83% of children would take the medication again, increasing to 87% for future illness; 92% of parents/guardians would administer it.
Conclusions:
- Soft chewable ibuprofen capsules are palatable and acceptable to most children and their caregivers.
- This novel formulation offers a convenient and easy-to-dose option for pediatric pain and fever relief.
- The formulation may improve medication adherence and therapeutic outcomes in pediatric patients.
Abstract:
The development of palatable and acceptable analgesics for children is a major challenge. Given the majority of medications are administered orally, and children are more sensitive to and less tolerant of bitterness, novel "child-friendly" preparations need to be developed and tested specifically in this patient population. This study investigated the palatability and acceptability of a therapeutic dose of ibuprofen in the form of soft chewable capsules in 100 healthy children aged 7-12 years of age and the acceptability of this novel preparation to their caregivers. About 97% of children adhered to a full therapeutic age-related dose, with 72% of these participants rating the preparation as acceptable on a hedonic facial scale. Despite 22% of children noting a "hot, spicy, or burning" sensation, consistent with known chemesthetic effects of ibuprofen, 83% of children confirmed they would take the medication in future, which rose to 87% in the context of future illness. In addition, after observing their children ingesting the medication, 92% of parents/guardians confirmed that they would be happy to administer this preparation of ibuprofen to their child if they were unwell. In conclusion, ibuprofen administered in the form of soft chewable capsules was palatable and acceptable to the majority of children and their parents/guardians and may provide a convenient and easy to dose preparation to reduce fever and relieve pain in children.
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