▁st om ach . ▁Ne on ates ▁and ▁young ▁inf ants ▁have ▁increased ▁st om ach ▁p H ▁due ▁to ▁decre ased ▁acid ▁secret ion , ▁thereby ▁creating ▁a ▁more ▁basic ▁environment ▁for ▁dru gs ▁that ▁are ▁taken ▁by ▁mouth . ▁Ac id ▁is ▁essential ▁to ▁de grad ing ▁certain ▁or al ▁dru gs ▁before ▁system ic ▁absor ption . ▁Therefore , ▁the ▁absor ption ▁of ▁these ▁dru gs ▁in ▁children ▁is ▁greater ▁than ▁in ▁adult s ▁due ▁to ▁decre ased ▁break down ▁and ▁increased ▁pres ervation ▁in ▁a ▁less ▁acid ic ▁g astr ic ▁space . ▁ ▁Children ▁also ▁have ▁an ▁extended ▁rate ▁of ▁g astr ic ▁empty ing , ▁which ▁slow s ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁drug ▁absor ption . ▁ ▁D rug ▁absor ption ▁also ▁depends ▁on ▁specific ▁en zym es ▁that ▁come ▁in ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁or al ▁drug ▁as ▁it ▁travel s ▁through ▁the ▁body . ▁Supp ly ▁of ▁these ▁en zym es ▁increase ▁as ▁children ▁continue ▁to ▁develop ▁their ▁g astro int est inal ▁tract . ▁Ped iat ric ▁patients ▁have ▁under develop ed ▁prote ins , ▁which ▁leads ▁to ▁decre ased ▁met abol ism ▁and ▁increased ▁ser um ▁concentr ations ▁of ▁specific ▁dru gs . ▁However , ▁prod ru gs ▁experience ▁the ▁opposite ▁effect ▁because ▁en zym es ▁are ▁necessary ▁in ▁allowing ▁their ▁active ▁form ▁to ▁enter ▁system ic ▁circul ation . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁ ▁Per cent age ▁of ▁total ▁body ▁water ▁and ▁ext rac ell ular ▁fluid ▁volume ▁both ▁decrease ▁as ▁children ▁grow ▁and ▁develop ▁with