Which malaria prevention tablets can be given to babies and young children?
A. Both chloroquine and proguanil can be given from birth. Chloroquine is available as syrup but proguanil will need to be crushed and given with jam or food. Mefloquine can be given to infants weighing 5 kg or more (see SPC). Atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone®) can be given to infants weighing 11 kg or more; paediatric tablets are available. Doxycycline is unsuitable for children under 12 years. One of the main challenges in giving malaria prevention tablets to babies and young children will be the practical aspects of administration. All dosages for malaria prevention tablets in children are published in Chapter 4 of the malaria guidelines, and in the British National Formulary (BNF). The dose for children will be dependent on the weight / age of the infant or child. Mosquito bite avoidance is extremely important for this age group.
