What is STAMP?

"
THE DELIVERY OF QUALITY NUTRITIONAL CARE IS A FUNDAMENTAL OF GOOD HEALTHCARE. WE CALL FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN ALL SETTINGS TO BE SCREENED AND MONITORED FOR MALNUTRITION.
"

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive and General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing

The reported prevalence of hospital acute malnutrition in children varied between 6% and 40% depending on the defining criteria and geographical location.1 However, in children with an underlying disease studies have revealed the incidence of chronic malnutrition is higher, between 44 and 64%.2

Undernutrition in childhood has been associated with poor growth and development, and possible implications on adult health and performance.2

Malnutrition in hospitalised children has been linked to unfavourable clinical outcomes, prolonged length of hospital stay, delayed recovery and increased care costs.1,2

ESPEN, ESPGHAN and BAPEN recommend the use of nutritional screening in hospitalised children to identify those patients that are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.2,3

STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics) is a validated nutrition screening tool for use in hospitalised children from 2 weeks to 16 years of age.4,5

STAMP is a simple 5-step tool that was developed by a team from Royal Manchester Children’s Hospitals and the University of Ulster, the lead investigator being Helen McCarthy, former Lecturer and Honorary Paediatric Dietitian.

The work was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Abbott Nutrition. Everything you need to complete a STAMP screening is available on this website, free of charge.

All you need to do is click on the 'START SCREENING' button at the top of the page, and follow the instructions.

All documents related to STAMP may be printed and copied for clinical use on condition that the copyright is retained in full.

ESPEN
:
European Society of Enteral and Parental Nutrition

BSPGHAN
:
European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition

BAPEN
:
British Association for Parental and Enteral Nutrition

References:
1.
Marino L et al. Screening tools for paediatric malnutrition: are we there yet? Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2018, 21:184-194.

2.
Hartman C et al. Malnutrition screening tools for hospitalized children. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2012; 15:303–30.

3.
BAPEN Statement: Cases of child malnutrition in England double in last six months. July 2020. https://www.bapen.org.uk/bapen-statements/child-malnutrition-in-england-doubles (Accessed September 2021).

4.
McCarthy H et al. The development and evaluation of the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP©) for use by healthcare staff. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2012, 25, 311–318.

5.
Carey A et al. A pilot study evaluating the use of STAMP© nutrition screening tool in hospitalised infants. Abstracts/Clin Nut. ESPEN 10 2015. E174-E212, Oc 34.