Dear Editor

Whilst agreeing wholeheartedly with the authors that accurate assessment of growth in the early neonatal period is vital,[1] I should point out that the 'novel' piece of equipment is in fact very similar to the already commercially available 'Pedobaby' ruler (JMB, 2 Avenue Ducerf-Volant, 1170, Brussels, Belgium), distributed in the UK by the Child Growth Foundation, (CGF, 2 Mayfield Avenue, Chiswick, London W4 1PW) at a cost of £38, which has been available for many years and used in Sheffield for our routine monitoring of premature baby length in incubators.[2]

Conflict of Interest Statement

I have no financial or other vested interest neither in the Child Growth Foundation nor the manufacturers of the Pedobaby device.

References

1. Lawn CJ, Chavasse RJ, Booth KA, Angeles M, Weir FJ. The neorule,: a new instrument to measure linear growth in preterm infants. Archives of Disease in Childhood. Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2004; 89: F360-F363.

2. Wales JKH, Carney S, Gibson AT. The measurement of neonates. Hormone Research 1997; 48 (suppl): 2-10.