Children and the elderly, as well as those who have a history of being sensitive to vitamins or medications generally need much smaller doses. Those who are sensitive are often advised by practitioners to use a step-wise dosing system to slowly work up to the dosage recommended on the label over the course of one to two weeks. Check with a licensed health care practitioner trained in the use of herbs to see if this is an appropriate strategy for you.

If you are considering using an herbal product for a child, find out about the safety of the herbs in the product. If the herbs are considered to be safe for children, you can figure the child's dosage by using this standard formula. Divide the child's weight by 150 pounds, then use the number you get to figure a percentage of the adult dosage. For example:

For a 50 pound child, dividing her weight by 150 pounds = 3

The adult dosage on the product label says 3 capsules, 3 times per day. The total adult dosage would be 9 capsules per day. Divide 9 capsules by 3 to obtain the child's dosage of 3 capsules per day.

The child's dosage would be 1 capsule, 3 times per day.

Note that if you were to have ended up with a number like 2 capsules per day, you could give either 1 capsule, 2 times per day or a fraction of a capsule three times per day. The number of times that the supplement is given per day is not as important as the total overall daily dosage.

The above standard formula is often used for pets as well. Not only do pets need a smaller dose due to size; most animals are much more sensitive to supplements than humans. If you feel you need help, click on the link to the left to access our practitioner directory or check with your local holistic veterinarian.