Development and Validation of Indian Children Length-based Tape (InChiTape) for Use in Critically Sick Children

Background and aim: Length-based tapes are extremely useful in critically sick children to estimate weight, emergency drug dosages, size of the equipment, and dose of defibrillation/cardioversion.The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), Advanced Life Support (ALS), and Basic Life Support (BLS) group felt the need to develop an indigenous tape for Indian children.A color-coded length-based tape [Indian Children Lengthbased Tape (InChiTape)] was planned to develop and later validate it. Patients and methods:The population included children admitted to the emergency in the age range of 1 month-12 years and weight range of 2.5-40 kg.A color-coded length-based tape was developed using the World Health Organization (WHO) weight-for-length/height charts for boys (≤5 years) and the IAP weight-for-length/height charts for boys (>5 years).The median weights/lengths, corresponding +2SD and -2SD lengths, were marked on the charts for boys starting from 2.5 kg onward.Results: Fourteen centers from all zones of India pooled the data of 1,595 children.The majority of children were in the age range of 1-3.9 years (30%) and weight range of 5-9.9 and 10-14.9kg (24.9 and 24.4%, respectively).The actual weight of children corresponded to the correct weight range/band on the InChiTape in 69.1% (n = 1,102) children, ranging from 56.6 to 78.4% in different age-groups and 55.5 to 76.3% in different weight ranges.There was a good correlation between actual weight and the average of respective weight range/band on the InChiTape (Pearson correlation of 0.95, p < 0.001).Conclusion: The InChiTape is a rapid, reliable, and accurate method of estimating the weight of Indian children weighing 2.5-40 kg in an emergency.