Assessing the Reliability and Accuracy of a Digital Ultrasonic Height Measurement Device for Children Aged Under Five Years in Melbourne, Australia

Accurate height measurement is essential for monitoring child growth. Our aim was to assess the reliability and accuracy of a handheld ultrasonic measurement device compared with a standard measurement board, with experts measuring 57 children aged 0-5 years in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia using a methods-comparison study design. The ultrasonic device demonstrated a similar reliability to the board with a technical error of measurement (TEM) of 0.23cm (95%CI: 0.21, 0.28cm) and 0.19cm (95%CI: 0.17, 0.22) respectively, both within current standards. F-test ratios (ultrasonic vs. board) intra-measurer TEMs showed a close agreement for children ≤2 years 1.20 (95%CI: 0.94, 1.51; p=0.14); and >2 years at 1.39 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.87; p=0.03). The ultrasonic device measured children slightly taller than the board (mean difference 0.19 cm; 95% CI: 0.09–0.29; SD=0.78; p