Here are some really important figures and facts to remember in clinic when dealing with your pediatric patients. Try printing this out and keeping it in your lab coat!
1. DOSING MEDICATIONS
Dosing – (1 tsp = 5ml // 2.2 lbs=1kg)
Young’s Rule (based on age) —
Peds dose= Adult dose x age (years)/(age+12)
Clark’s Rule (based on weight) —
Peds dose= Adult dose x wt (lbs)/150
2. PATCHING
Patching regimen (suggested by Gregg) —
One hour per day per month of age up to a maximum of 8 hours per day until two years of age.
3. VISUAL ACUITY
Forced Preferential Looking to estimate VA’s of children. Diagnostic Stripe Widths to VA —
1-2 MONTHS —40’—20/800
3 MONTHS —30’— 20/600
4 MONTHS —20’— 20/400
6 MONTHS —5’— 20/100
9 MONTHS —2.5’— 20/50
Operant Preferential Looking Stereoacuity Age Norms —
| Age (months) | Stereoacuity (seconds of arc) |
| 18-23 | 250 |
| 24-29 | 225 |
| 30-35 | 125 |
| 36-53 | 100 |
| 54-65 | 60 |
4. AMBYLOGENIC REFRACTIVE ERROR
Refractive error most likely to bring about Amblyopia —
| Refractive Error | Isometropia | Anisometropia |
| Astigmatism | >2.50D | >1.50D |
| Hyperopia | >5.00D | >1.00D |
| Myopia | >8.00D | >3.00D |
5. BIRTH WEIGHT
The most significant risk factor for visual anomalies in infancy is low birth weight —
Normal BW = 5.5 – 8.8 lbs (2500-3500 grams)
LBW = 3.3 – 5.4 lbs (1500-2499 grams)
VLBW = 2.2-3.2 lbs (1000-1499 grams)
ELBW = <2.2 lbs (<1000 grams)
