Medicine dosing by weight in the home: Can parents accurately weigh preschool children? A method comparison study

Costelloe, C. , Montgomery, A. , Redmond, N. , Fletcher, M. , Hollingworth, S. , Peters, T. and Hay, A. (2011) Medicine dosing by weight in the home: Can parents accurately weigh preschool children? A method comparison study. Archives Diseases in Childhood, 96 (12). pp. 1187-1190. ISSN 0003-9888

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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2011-300600

Abstract

Objective To determine the accuracy with which parents can estimate preschool children's weight using home scales in order to calculate antipyretic dose. Design Cross-sectional, method comparison study. Setting and participants 156 preschool children aged 6 months to 6 years recruited from primary care and the community to an antipyretic strategies trial and managed at home. Comparison and outcome measures Research nurse weight estimate using Seca 835-2 digital paediatric scales compared with parental weight estimate using usual home scales. Results Parents of 62 (40%) preschool children had home scales. Research scale estimated weights were heavier than home scale weight estimates, with a mean difference of 0.41 kg (95% CI −0.24 to 0.74 kg), with 95% limits of agreement of −2.44 to 1.47 kg. Conclusion Weight can be estimated accurately enough to calculate antipyretic medicine doses by the minority of parents having scales that can be used to estimate their child's weight.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	medicine, dosing, weight, home, parents, preschool, children
Faculty/Department:	~Pre-2012 Faculty Structure > Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Centre for Clinical and Health Services Research
ID Code:	16092
Deposited By:	C. Foyle
Deposited On:	01 Dec 2011 16:32
Last Modified:	19 Feb 2013 14:34