Testing the feasibility of a novel growth monitoring smartphone app
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Testing the feasibility of a novel growth monitoring smartphone app (GMSA)
IRAS ID
286683
Contact name
Helen Storr
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Growth is an excellent marker of childhood health and well-being. Failure of normal childhood growth is often the first indicator of serious disease and its early detection is critical to allow early access to the best treatment(s), minimise the impact of the disease and ensuring optimal adult height and quality of life.Currently in the UK, routine screening for poor growth is inadequate in school age children and non-existent in preschool children. As a consequence, many short children have delayed diagnosis or unrecognised illness and suffer as a result.
Our vision is to enable parents and carers to provide accurate height measurement data on their children at home via mobile phone app technology, to enable early detection of growth disorders and provide timely and individualised management advice, as a cost-effective alternative to growth monitoring in primary care.
We aim to develop a free smartphone app for accurate, simple growth monitoring to allow parents to record and height and weight measurements. The app will provide ‘live’ feedback, confirming normal growth or recommending appropriate medical contact. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy, usability and effectiveness of the growth monitoring smartphone app (GMSA) over a year.
We will recruit a cohort of 100 children attending paediatric clinics at Barts Health Trust having height measurements as part of their normal care in the Children's hospital out-patient department.
Summary of Results
There was no appreciable differences between paired study team app and stadiometer height measurements, with a mean of the differences of 0.11 cm. There was no evidence of greater bias occurring for either shorter/younger children or taller/older children. The 2 methods of measurements were highly correlated.
GrowthMonitor iPhone application measurements performed by parents in clinic and at home were slightly less accurate.Conclusion: GrowthMonitor iPhone application provides the potential for parents/carers and health care professionals to capture serial height measurements at home and without specialized equipment. Reliable interpretation and flagging of abnormal measurements indicate the potential of this technology to transform childhood growth monitoring
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/WM/0032
Date of REC Opinion
22 Feb 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion