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

Céire Costelloe1, Alan A Montgomery, Niamh M Redmond

  • 1Academic Unit of Primary Health Care, NIHR National School for Primary Care Research, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK. ceire.costelloe@bristol.ac.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|August 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A minority of parents can accurately estimate preschool children's weight using home scales for calculating antipyretic (fever-reducing) medicine doses. However, home scale accuracy varied, impacting precise medication calculations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pharmacology
  • Clinical Measurement
  • Medication Dosing Accuracy

Background:

  • Accurate weight estimation is crucial for pediatric medication dosing.
  • Home scales are commonly used by parents but their accuracy for medication dosing is not well-established.
  • Antipyretic medication dosing relies on precise weight measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the accuracy of parental weight estimations using home scales for preschool children.
  • To determine if these estimations are sufficient for calculating antipyretic doses.
  • To compare parental home scale weight estimates with research-grade pediatric scales.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional, method comparison study was conducted.
  • 156 preschool children (6 months to 6 years) participated.
  • Parental weight estimates from home scales were compared to research nurse estimates using digital pediatric scales.

Main Results:

  • Only 40% of parents had home scales suitable for weight estimation.
  • Home scale estimates were lighter than research scale estimates (mean difference 0.41 kg).
  • Wide limits of agreement (-2.44 to 1.47 kg) indicate significant variability.

Conclusions:

  • A minority of parents possess scales that provide sufficiently accurate weight estimates for antipyretic dosing.
  • The variability in home scale accuracy poses a risk for incorrect medication calculations.
  • Further research may be needed to improve home-based weight measurement for pediatric dosing.
Abstract

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