Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026
09:36
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Mid-arm circumference can be used to estimate children's weights
G N Cattermole1, P Y M Leung, P S K Mak
1Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. gncattermole@cuhk.edu.hk
Resuscitation
|July 13, 2010
Summary
Mid-arm circumference offers a reliable method for estimating children's weight, outperforming age-based methods in school-aged children. This simple formula provides an alternative to existing tools for rapid weight estimation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Anthropometry
- Clinical Biometrics
Background:
- Accurate pediatric weight estimation is critical in resuscitation for drug dosing and equipment selection.
- Current methods include age-based formulas and height-based tools like the Broselow tape.
- Alternative anthropometric measures such as foot-length and mid-arm circumference have been proposed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the strongest correlate of weight among age, height, foot-length, and mid-arm circumference in healthy children.
- To develop a simple weight-estimation formula based on the strongest correlate.
- To compare the performance of the new formula against existing weight-estimation tools.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study involving Hong Kong Chinese children aged 1-11 years.
- Measurements included weight, height, foot-length, and mid-arm circumference.
- Multiple and linear regression analyses were used to derive and validate the weight-estimation formula.
Main Results:
- Mid-arm circumference demonstrated the strongest relationship with weight, which strengthened with age.
- A formula, weight [kg]=(mid-arm circumference [cm]-10) x 3, was derived.
- This formula was comparable in accuracy and precision to the Broselow tape and superior to age-based methods in school-aged children, but not pre-schoolers.
Conclusions:
- A mid-arm circumference-based weight-estimation formula is reliable for school-aged children.
- An arm-tape utilizing this formula could serve as a viable alternative to the Broselow tape for this age group.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Temperature Measurement Sites
A thermometer measures body temperature. The common sites for measuring body temperature are the oral cavity, axillary region, temporal artery, and skin surface, such as the forehead, abdomen, and axilla. True core body temperature is assessed in the rectum, tympanic membrane, pulmonary artery, esophagus, and urinary bladder.
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...
01:07Midrange
A somewhat easy to compute quantitative estimate of a data set’s central tendency is its midrange, which is defined as the mean of the minimum and maximum values of an ordered data set.
Simply put, the midrange is half of the data set’s range. Similar to the mean, the midrange is sensitive to the extreme values and hence the prospective outliers. However, unlike the mean, the midrange is not sensitive to all the values of the data set that lie in the middle. Thus, it is prone to outliers and...
Simply put, the midrange is half of the data set’s range. Similar to the mean, the midrange is sensitive to the extreme values and hence the prospective outliers. However, unlike the mean, the midrange is not sensitive to all the values of the data set that lie in the middle. Thus, it is prone to outliers and...
01:10Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure
Accurate blood pressure assessment is crucial for diagnosing and managing various health conditions. To ensure the reliability of these measurements, healthcare professionals must adhere to standardized pre-procedural guidelines. These guidelines enhance patient safety and improve the overall quality of healthcare. The following steps are essential for obtaining accurate and consistent blood pressure readings, from using the appropriate tools to ensuring effective communication with the patient.
02:16Measures of Central Tendency
The "center" of a data set is also a way of describing location. The two most widely used measures of the "center" of the data are the mean (average) and the median. The words "mean" and "average" are often used interchangeably. The substitution of one word for the other is common practice. The technical term is "arithmetic mean" and "average" is technically a center location. However, in practice among non-statisticians, "average" is commonly accepted for "arithmetic mean."
01:23Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)
Measuring blood pressure is a fundamental skill in healthcare that aids in diagnosing and monitoring hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions. An aneroid sphygmomanometer, commonly used in clinical settings, offers a manual and precise method for blood pressure measurement. The technique for using this instrument involves specific steps that must be carefully executed to ensure accuracy. The following detailed description outlines a two-step technique for assessing blood pressure using...
01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Axilla
Procedural Guide for Assessing Axillary Body Temperature using a Digital Thermometer:
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves to maintain infection control and prevent cross-contamination.
Step 2: Prepare the patient by explaining the procedure to ensure understanding and cooperation. Ensure privacy, expose the axilla, and inform the patient that minimal movement is crucial for an accurate reading.
Step 3: Adjust the patient’s clothing to expose only the axilla. It minimizes...
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and put on clean gloves to maintain infection control and prevent cross-contamination.
Step 2: Prepare the patient by explaining the procedure to ensure understanding and cooperation. Ensure privacy, expose the axilla, and inform the patient that minimal movement is crucial for an accurate reading.
Step 3: Adjust the patient’s clothing to expose only the axilla. It minimizes...