J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther. 2020;25(2):131-138. doi: 10.5863/1551-6776-25.2.131.
Examining a New Scale for Evaluating Taste in Children (TASTY).
The journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG
Jennifer A Wagner, Gabriela Pabon, David Terrill, Susan M Abdel-Rahman
PMID: 32071588
PMCID: PMC7025747 DOI: 10.5863/1551-6776-25.2.131
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Pediatric medication taste impacts adherence, and current recommendations advocate for direct input from pediatric patients on medication taste during drug development. However, the lack of a widely used, validated measurement tool limits taste assessments. This protocol examines the validity of, and preferences for, a newly created self-report taste rating scale designed with images centered on taste (TASTY), compared with 2 existing hedonic taste scales.
METHODS: This study was a prospective, single-center, randomized survey of child-parent dyads recruited from pediatric ambulatory care clinics and ancillary service waiting rooms. Parents facilitated the survey by identifying foods that they perceived their child would recall as pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant. Children were asked to rate each of the 3 food items on each of 3 different faces scales presented in random order. Parents and children were also asked which scale they preferred and why.
RESULTS: Ninety child-parent dyads completed this study (mean child age was 6.7 ± 2.9 years, 58% female). All 3 scales performed comparably with no significant differences (p > 0.05). However, concordance between parental assignment and child rankings was markedly lower in 3-year-olds (r < 0.4) and 4-year-olds (r < 0.6) than for children 5 years and older (r > 0.9). TASTY was preferred by both parents and children when compared with the other scales.
CONCLUSIONS: This novel hedonic taste scale for pediatric use is equally valid and preferred to comparable faces scales. The TASTY scale may be beneficial in developing standardized methodology for evaluating drug palatability.
Copyright Pediatric Pharmacy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, [email protected]. The copyright for the TASTY scale illustrated in Figure 1 is held by Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City. Contact Dr. Abdel-Rahman, corresponding author, for permission to use this figure. 2020.
Keywords: acceptability; hedonic scale; palatability; pediatrics; taste scale
Conflict of interest statement
Disclosure This work was supported by grant 16-3800-7001 from the National Endowment for the Arts (Abdel-Rahman PI). The authors declare no other conflicts or financial interest in any product or serv
References
- Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1987 Aug;42(2):137-41 - PubMed
- Acta Neurol Scand. 2012 Mar;125(3):e14-8 - PubMed
- Paediatr Drugs. 2017 Jun;19(3):223-233 - PubMed
- Pak J Pharm Sci. 2008 Oct;21(4):438-50 - PubMed
- Pediatr Emerg Care. 2007 Jun;23(6):384-6 - PubMed
- Pain. 2016 May;157(5):997-1001 - PubMed
- Arch Dis Child. 2005 Mar;90(3):269-70 - PubMed
- Eur J Pediatr. 1984 Feb;141(4):243-7 - PubMed
- Pediatr Nurs. 1993 May-Jun;19(3):209-13 - PubMed
- Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1997 Jun;151(6):599-602 - PubMed
- Clin Ther. 2008 Nov;30(11):2120-32 - PubMed
- Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2006 Apr;45(3):245-50 - PubMed
- Int J Pharm. 2015 Mar 1;480(1-2):55-62 - PubMed
- Pain. 2001 Aug;93(2):173-83 - PubMed
- Pediatr Nurs. 1988 Jan-Feb;14(1):9-17 - PubMed
- J Pain. 2017 Sep;18(9):1017-1026 - PubMed
- Int J Pharm. 2018 Feb 5;536(2):570-581 - PubMed
- Eur J Pediatr. 2009 Jul;168(7):851-7 - PubMed
- Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000 Dec;19(12 Suppl):S174-80 - PubMed
- Pain. 2006 Jan;120(1-2):16-23 - PubMed
- J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2016 Jun;22(3):387-95 - PubMed
- J Pediatr Nurs. 1996 Dec;11(6):368-74 - PubMed
- Acad Emerg Med. 2016 Nov;23(11):1243-1247 - PubMed
- Acad Emerg Med. 2010 Jan;17(1):50-4 - PubMed
- Pediatrics. 2002 Apr;109(4):e61 - PubMed
- Pain Res Manag. 2009 May-Jun;14(3):233-7 - PubMed
- Pediatrics. 2010 Nov;126(5):e1168-98 - PubMed
- ANS Adv Nurs Sci. 1991 Dec;14(2):32-41 - PubMed
- Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2015 Sep;49(5):647-658 - PubMed
- Child Care Health Dev. 2003 Jul;29(4):281-90 - PubMed
- Pain. 1999 Oct;83(1):25-35 - PubMed
- Clin Ther. 2013 Aug;35(8):1225-46 - PubMed
- AAPS J. 2013 Oct;15(4):1072-81 - PubMed
- J Pediatr. 2008 Nov;153(5):599-604, 604.e1-2 - PubMed
- Arch Dis Child. 2012 Mar;97(3):293-7 - PubMed
- Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2017 Dec;83(12):2789-2797 - PubMed
- Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001 Jun;155(6):683-6 - PubMed
- Pediatr Nurs. 2003 Jan-Feb;29(1):54-9 - PubMed
- Pharmacoeconomics. 1996 Dec;10(6):552-74 - PubMed
- Value Health. 2013 Jun;16(4):461-79 - PubMed
- Pain. 1998 Oct;78(1):27-37 - PubMed
Publication Types