Parents associated with children in measuring acute and delayed nausea and vomiting

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between parents and children in measuring children's acute and delayed nausea and vomiting induced by cancer chemotherapy. Twenty parent-child dyads participated in the study. Both instruments: Adapted Rhodes Index of Nausea and Vomiting by parent and by child (8-18 years old) were used every 12 h. The reliability and validity of these instruments have been established. There were significantly moderate to strong associations between parents and children in measuring these symptoms from Day 1 to Day 3 (total scores: r = 0.85-0.93; nausea scores: r = 0.67-0.93; and vomiting scores: r = 0.91-0.99, all P < 0.01). Therefore, parents' observation of their children's symptoms was strongly associated with their child's self-report of symptoms. Parents were able to assess their children's acute and delayed nausea and vomiting because in this sample almost all parents accompanied their children all day long.