An instrument for observational assessment of nausea in young children.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Keller Index of Nausea (KIN), a new instrument for observational assessment of nausea in children 1 through 5 years of age. The KIN and the University of Wisconsin Children's Hospital Pain Scale were used to assess children brought to a general pediatric outpatient clinic for a variety of health problems. There were statistically significant positive point biserial correlations between the KIN scores and three criteria: (a) a medical diagnosis consistent with the presence of nausea, (b) a chief complaint per parent consistent with the presence of nausea, and (c) the parent's statement that the child is experiencing nausea.