Children Under-five Years Research Articles

Respiratory virus surveillance in hospitalized children less than two-years of age in Kenema, Sierra Leone during the COVID-19 pandemic (October 2020- October 2021).

Globally, viral pathogens are the leading cause of acute respiratory infection in children under-five years. We aim to describe the epidemiology of viral respiratory pathogens in hospitalized children under-two years of age in Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, during the second year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We conducted a prospective study of children hospitalized with respiratory symptoms between October 2020 and October 2021. We collected demographic and clinical characteristics and calculated each participant´s respiratory symptom severity. Nose and throat swabs were collected at enrollment. Total nucleic acid was purified and tested for multiple respiratory viruses. Statistical analysis was performed using R version 4.2.0 software. 502 children less than two-years of age were enrolled. 376 (74.9%) had at least one respiratory virus detected. The most common viruses isolated were HRV/EV (28.2%), RSV (19.5%) and PIV (13.1%). Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 were identified in only 9.2% and 3.9% of children, respectively. Viral co-detection was common. Human metapneumovirus and RSV had more than two-fold higher odds of requiring O2 therapy while hospitalized. Viral pathogen prevalence was high (74.9%) in our study population. Despite this, 100% of children received antibiotics, underscoring a need to expand laboratory diagnostic capacity and to revisit clinical guidelines implementation in these children. Continuous surveillance and serologic studies among more diverse age groups, with greater geographic breadth, are needed in Sierra Leone to better characterize the long-term impact of COVID-19 on respiratory virus prevalence and to better characterize the seasonality of respiratory viruses in Sierra Leone.

Anemia prevalence and its predictors among children under-five years in Ghana. A multilevel analysis of the cross-sectional 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey.

Despite the implementation of anemia control interventions in Ghana, anemia prevalence is still high in children under-fives. Reducing the prevalence of anemia requires identifying and targeting associated critical risk factors. This study seeks to identify predictors of anemia among children under-fives in Ghana. Nationally representative data from the 2019 Ghana Malaria Indicator Survey was used in this study. Both fixed and random effects (multilevel) logistic regression models were applied to 2434 children to identify critical factors associated with anemia. In this study, 54% (95% confidence interval [CI] 52.0-57.0) of children under-5 years were anemic. Infants were more likely to be anemic (66.7%) compared with other children below 5 years. In the multivariable multilevel model, the risk of anemia was found to be higher in younger children especially 6-11 months old (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.59, CI: 2.54-5.08) and 12-23 months old (aOR = 2.97, CI: 2.08-4.23), children who had malaria (aOR = 1.53, CI: 1.13-2.06), children whose mothers were not registered but not covered with health insurance (aOR = 1.45, CI: 1.21-1.74) or were not even registered for insurance (aOR = 1.49, CI: 1.15-1.93), children born to adolescent mothers (aOR = 2.21, CI: 1.36-3.57), children born to non-Christian mothers (Islam [aOR = 1.53, CI: 1.17-2.00]), children born to families of poorer households (poorest [aOR = 3.01, CI: 1.64-5.51]; poorer [aOR = 2.56, CI: 1.65-3.98]); middle (aOR = 2.03, CI: 1.32-3.11) and richer (aOR = 1.78, CI: 1.19-2.64), and children who lived in either Upper East (aOR = 2.03, CI: 1.26-3.26) or Central (aOR = 2.52, CI: 1.42-4.47) regions. Significant unobserved community-level differences in anemia prevalence were observed. The probability of anemia in children under-fives differs substantially from one community to another, and the prevalence remains high. The identified critical risk factors should be addressed. Multifaceted and targeted approaches are needed to help reduce the anemia prevalence in this setting to achieve the multiple United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, which are related to risk and prevalence of anemia by 2030.

Risk Factors for Community-acquired Pneumonia among Children Under-five Years in Asia: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies

Background: Pneumonia is the leading cause of death among less than 5 year-old children worldwide, mainly in Asia in the form of community-acquired pneumonia. As primary prevention is considered crucial in combating the disease, risk factors need to be analyzed. Methods: Based on the PRISMA guidelines, observational studies were explored systematically by the PubMed MEDLINE database with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The studies retrieved are then assessed with the STROBE method. Results and Discussion: A total of 8 studies were included, with total participants of 16.862 children. STROBE score results range from 12.2 to 19.6. Several risk factors were associated with pneumonia and risk factor; the highest odds ratio are daytime abnormal behavior (OR: 11.06, 95% CI: 1.51-81.26, p=0.018), asthma diagnosis (OR: 5.85, 95% CI: 4.83–7.08), poor economic status (OR = 4.95, 95% CI: 2.38 to 10.28, p<0.05), and smoke-related cooking process (OR = 3.97, 95% CI: 2.00-7.88, p<0.05). Conclusion: The most associated host risk factor was health-related conditions while the most associated environmental risk factor was the smoke-related environment. Daytime abnormal behavior, the risk factor with the highest odds ratio. Latar Belakang: Pneumonia adalah penyebab kematian nomor satu pada anak usia di bawah 5 tahun di seluruh dunia, terutama di Asia, dalam bentuk community-acquired pneumonia. Pencegahan primer penyakit ini sangat penting; Oleh karena itu, perlu dilakukan analisis faktor risiko pneumonia pada anak usia di bawah 5 tahun. Metode: Berdasarkan pedoman PRISMA, tinjauan literatur untuk studi observasional dilakukan melalui database PubMed MEDLINE dengan kriteria inklusi dan eksklusi yang telah ditetapkan. Studi yang diperoleh dinilai menggunakan metode STROBE. Sebanyak 8 penelitian memenuhi kriteria dengan total subjek 16.862 anak. Hasil: Skor STROBE berkisar antara 12,2 hingga 19,6. Beberapa faktor risiko yang berhubungan dengan pneumonia; faktor risiko dengan odds ratio tertinggi adalah perilaku abnormal di siang hari (OR: 11,06; 95% CI: 1,51-81,26; p=0,018), asma (OR: 5,85; 95% CI: 4,83-7,08), status ekonomi buruk (OR=4,95; 95% CI: 2,38-10,28; p<0,05), dan proses memasak yang menghasilkan asap (OR=3,97; 95% CI: 2,00-7,88; p<0,05). Simpulan: Faktor risiko yang paling banyak dikaitkan adalah kondisi kesehatan subjek, sedangkan faktor risiko lingkungan yang paling banyak dibahas adalah lingkungan yang berhubungan dengan asap. Perilaku abnormal di siang hari yang merupakan faktor risiko dengan odds ratio tertinggi.

Predictive Model and Risk Factors of Under-five Mortality in Nigeria: A Study Based on 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey

The death of children under-five years is one of the critical issues in public health and the need for improving child survival continues to be a matter of urgent concern. In this study, we develop a predictive model in order to examine the risk factors of under-five mortality in Nigeria. The study utilized data from 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health survey. The demographic and mortality data of 127,545 children were extracted and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed. The results revealed that under-five mortality was 143 deaths per 1,000 live births in Nigeria. The likelihood of death was higher among males compared to females children (OR = 1.893, P<0.05). First and second birth order have a lower chances of decreasing odds of under-five children (OR = 0.737, P<0.05) and (OR = 1.888, P<0.05).The under-five mortality was higher among children born to mothers who belong to other religions compared to Christians. Islam (OR = 1.689, P<0.05) and traditionalist (OR = 2.705, P<0.05) respectively. Public servant (OR = 1.881, P<0.05) and unmarried mother (OR = 1.896, P<0.05) were increased the odds of dying chances of under-five mortality in Nigeria. Children of mothers without education experienced more death compared to mothers who attended post-secondary education (OR = 3.372, P<0.05). Sex of child, birth order, religion, marital status, maternal occupation and maternal education were significant factors associated with under-five mortality in Nigeria. Thus, planning and implementing relevant strategies that focus on those identified risks factors of under-five mortality is required for improvement of child survival in Nigeria.

Correlation Between Climate Variations and Rotavirus Diarrhea in Under-Five Children in Sidoarjo District Year 2016 – 2019

Introduction: Rotavirus infection is one of the main causes of severe diarrhea and dehydration in toddlers. Climate variation is one of the factors that influence the outbreak of infectious diseases. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between climate variations and the incidence of rotavirus diarrhea among patients at the Soerya Mother and Child Hospital, Sidoarjo District in 2016 – 2019. Methods: This study used an ecological study with the Pearson correlation test. Rotavirus infection data was taken from the Viral Diarrhea Laboratory, Institute of Tropical Diseases, Universitas Airlangga, which was derived from fecal samples of patients with acute gastroenteritis with the unit of analysis at the individual level living in Sidoarjo district. Meanwhile, climate variation data were obtained from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency Indonesia official website with units of analysis at the population level. Results and Discussion: The number of rotavirus diarrhea for 48 months as many as 149 cases with an average air temperature of 28.2℃, rainfall of 191.4 mm², humidity of 77.31%, and wind speed of 2.82 knots. There was a weak correlation between rainfall and the incidence of rotavirus diarrhea (p=0.01 r=0.367) and a weak correlation with humidity (p=0.016; r=0.347). Meanwhile, the air temperature (p=0.909 r=0.017) and wind speed (p=0.272 r=-0.162) had no relationship with the incidence. Conclusion: Rainfall and high humidity are factors associated with the prevalence of rotavirus diarrhea in children under-five years in the Sidoarjo District.

Caregivers' perception and acceptance of malaria vaccine for Children.

Malaria is a disease of public health concern and in endemic areas, pregnant women and children under-five years are vulnerable to the disease. The introduction of the pilot program of a malaria vaccine for children under-five years in Ghana is an intervention to further reduce the burden of the disease. However, the availability of the vaccine does not necessarily mean it will be accepted by the public. This is why the perceptions and acceptance of the vaccine among mothers of these children are worth exploring. A descriptive qualitative study, with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide, was utilized in collecting data from ten (10) purposively sampled mothers whose children were taking the malaria vaccine in a municipality in Ghana. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analyzed into themes describing their perceptions and acceptance. Participants were aged between 22 and 40 years with eight (8) of them married. Three themes emerged from the study. "Awareness of malaria and the malaria vaccine" (1), "Insight into the malaria vaccine" (2), where participants communicated the beliefs and judgments formed on the vaccine, its benefits, and the need for vaccinating their children. With the third theme "Reaction to vaccine" (3), participants communicated their motivation to vaccinate their children and their concerns about the administration of the vaccine. The caregivers had positive perceptions about the malaria vaccine for children, with fewer hospital admissions and saving money as some benefits. Healthworkers played a significant role in influencing the acceptance of the vaccine. However, the fear of the unknown concerning the side effects of the vaccine serve as a possible barrier to recommending the vaccine to other caregivers. Health education must also address the fears of caregivers in order to enhance recommending the malaria vaccine to other caregivers and promote uptake of the vaccination.

KEBERHASILAN DAN TANTANGAN PENURUNAN KASUS STUNTING DI INDONESIA: UPAYA MENCAPAI TARGET SDGS

Reducing cases of stunting among children under five years is an indicator of the success of the SDGs, especially goal 2. Various policies and programs to reduce stunting cases of children under five years are still being implemented, but the prevalence is still high. This article discusses the challenges faced by the governments of Indonesia to reduce stunting among children under-five years in achieving the SDGs using published secondary data. Data include RISKESDAS 2013 and 2018, SSGI 2021, policy documents, previous studies, and other pertinent documents. Important findings from this paper are (1) the reduction in the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia has not met the targets mandated in the RPJMN (2) efforts to reduce stunting under-fives face the challenge of the gap between stunting cases between regions and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which has hampered the accelerated reduction of stunting. The results of this paper show the need for more innovative management of the stunting program using an approach adapted to the socio-cultural characteristics of the community.

Pneumonia knowledge and care seeking behavior for children under-five years in Jigawa, Northwest Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Between 2013 and 2022, Nigeria did not meet globally defined targets for pneumonia control, despite some scale-up of vaccinations, oxygen and antibiotics. A deliberate focus on community-based programs is needed to improve coverage of protective, preventive and treatment interventions. We therefore aimed to describe caregiver knowledge and care seeking behaviour for childhood pneumonia, in a high child mortality setting in Nigeria, to inform the development of effective community-based interventions for pneumonia control. We conducted a cross-sectional household survey in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, Nigeria between December 2019 and March 2020. We asked caregivers about their knowledge of pneumonia symptoms, prevention, risks, and treatment. A score of 1 was assigned for each correct response. We showed them videos of pneumonia specific symptoms and asked (1) if their child had any respiratory symptoms in the 2-weeks prior; (2) their subsequent care-seeking behaviour. Multivariate regressions explored socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with care seeking. We surveyed 1,661 eligible women, with 2,828 children under-five. Only 4.9% of women could name both cough and difficulty/fast breathing as pneumonia symptoms, and the composite knowledge scores for pneumonia prevention, risks and treatment were low. Overall, 19.0% (536/2828) of children had a report of pneumonia specific symptoms in the prior two-weeks, and of these 32.3% (176/536) were taken for care. The odds of care seeking was higher among children: with fever (AOR:2:45 [95% CI: 1.38-4.34]); from wealthiest homes (AOR: 2:13 [95% CI: 1.03-4.38]) and whose mother first married at 20-26 years compared to 15-19 years (AOR: 5.15 [95% CI: 1.38-19.26]). Notably, the caregiver's knowledge of pneumonia was not associated with care seeking. While some socio-demographic factors were associated with care seeking for children with symptoms of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), caregiver's knowledge of the disease was not. Therefore, when designing public health interventions to address child mortality, information-giving alone is likely to be insufficient.

Norovirus gastroenteritis in children under-five years hospitalized for diarrhea in two cities of northeast India: A retrospective study

PurposeNorovirus gastroenteritis, known to cause ‘winter vomiting disease’ is increasingly being identified as a major cause of viral gastroenteritis worldwide. The impact and prevalence of this viral disease are lacking in many parts of India including northeast India. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and association of norovirus gastroenteritis among under-five-year-old hospitalized children in two cities in northeast India (Dibrugarh in Assam & Dimapur in Nagaland). Materials and methodsA retrospective analysis of 407 randomly selected diarrheal stool samples was conducted using a commercial multiplex probed-based real-time RT-PCR assay capable of detecting six-viral gastroenteritis pathogens including Norovirus GI, Norovirus GII, Rotavirus, Human Adenovirus, Human Astrovirus, and Sapovirus. ResultsResults showed that norovirus was detected in 18.4% of the samples (75/407; 95% CI: 14.8%–22.5%), with norovirus genogroup II being the predominant group in 97.3% of norovirus cases. A significant association of norovirus diarrhea was found with seasonality, with higher prevalence in colder months compared to warmer months (22.4% vs 9.1%, p-value:0.002). Additionally, 66.7% (50/75) of cases of norovirus gastroenteritis had reported vomiting as the major symptom and had a shorter duration of diarrhea (p-value 0.03). Co-infections with other viral pathogens were seen in 45.9% (187/407) of the cases. The detection of rotavirus was 67.1% (273/407), human adenovirus (45.9%; 187/407), sapovirus and astrovirus (5.9%, 24/407 each), and norovirus GI (0.5%, 2/407) among the cases. ConclusionThis study reports the prevalence of norovirus gastroenteritis in northeast India and further highlights that norovirus gastroenteritis is responsible for substantial cases of hospitalization of under-five years children in the region.

Joint effect of water and sanitation practices on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africa.

Diarrhoea remains the major cause of morbidity and mortality of children under five years in Africa. Several studies have shown that inadequate and unsafe water, lack of sanitation, and poor hygiene practices are complex issues for different pathogens and accountable for the occurrence of diarrhoea diseases. We assessed the combined effect of household's source of drinking water and type of toilet facility and residential wellbeing on the incidence of childhood diarrhoea in 33 Sub-Saharan Africa countries while accounting for relevant compositional and contextual factors. The 2010-2019 datasets from the Demographic and Health Surveys were drawn for analyses. The outcome variable used in this study was the incidence of childhood diarrhoea. Three negative log-log generalized linear regression models were then sequentially fitted to the data to examine the joint effect of household water and sanitation practices on child diarrhoea. The results were presented using crude odds ratios (CORs) and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Using ArcGIS software, maps were design to unveil the spatial distribution of key variables. Approximately 16% of the 307,741 mothers interviewed reported an incidence of diarrhoea disease among children under-five years in their households. The results showed that a household depending on an unimproved source of drinking water and with an unimproved type of toilet facility was not significantly associated with childhood diarrhoea. However, those with improved drinking water but an unimproved type of toilet facility had higher odds of reporting childhood diarrhoea (AOR = 1.020, 95% CI = 1.003-1-036) compared to those in households with both improved source of drinking water and type of toilet facility. Across the geographical regions, Eastern (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.084-1.120) and Central Africa (aOR = 1.102, 95% CI = 1.083-1.121) were more likely to experience child diarrhoea. Water and sanitation practices such as the source of drinking water and toilet facility, and geographic region had significant effects on childhood diarrhoea in sub-Saharan Africax. The findings suggest the need for multi-sectoral actions that recognise the geo-spatial and temporal characteristics identified in the study through regional to national policies. Water and sanitation community-based interventions that seek to improve equitable access to safe water and sanitation in the sub-region should be intensified.

Association Between Household Food Insecurity (Access) Scores, Poverty Indicators and Child Malnutrition in Botswana

ABSTRACT In Botswana the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) has been used in studying the urban-poor, but less in rural settings high in poverty, child malnutrition (CM), and social protection beneficiaries. This cross-sectional study compared HFIAS scores, household poverty (HP) and CM in two rural districts: Bobirwa with moderate and Mabutsane with high poverty. Households (n = 872) with children under-five years participated. Most children (87.6%) experienced food insecurity. Mean HFIAS for all households was 11.0 ± 8. HFIAS scores were higher in Mabutsane (p < .001). HFIAS scores were consistently associated with HP and CM in both districts. HFIAS can assist in targeting the rural-poor.

Prevalence and determinants of malnutrition among under-five children in Southwest, Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition refers to deficiencies or excesses in nutrient intake, imbalance of essential nutrients or impaired nutrient utilization. Around 45% of deaths among children under-five years are linked to undernutrition which mostly occurs in low and middle-income countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and assess determinants of undernutrition among under five children in South West of Nigeria. Methods: A cross sectional study design, multi stage sampling method and sample size of 327 under-five children were utilized for the study. Results: The prevalence of underweight was 30.6%, overweight was 2.1% and normal weight for age nutritional status was 67.3%. More males (19.6%) than females (11%) accounted for prevalence of underweight. Majority (25.7%) of underweight under five years children were in the age group of 0-11 months, 4.6% in age group 12-29 months and 0.3% in age group 30-39 months. This study revealed statistically significant association between underweight nutritional status and child’s sex (male, p=0.006), knowledge of importance of vaccination against vaccine preventable diseases (VPD) on nutrition (p=0.01) and presence of clinical signs of malnutrition (hair changes p=0.003, swelling of legs 0.006 and pallor of mucus membrane p=0.006). Conclusions: There is need to implement urgent nutritional intervention to reduce the high prevalence of malnutrition in Ede North LGA. Food security should be improved and high levels of inflation should be reduced to enable mothers to have access to food items. Health education should be intensified to educate mothers on prevention of early malnutrition and importance of vaccination against VPDs.

Prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection by microscopy and its determinants among residents of Ido-Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria.

Asymptomatic malaria infections have received less attention than symptomatic malaria infections in major studies. Few epidemiological studies on asymptomatic malaria infections have often focused on pregnant women and children under-five years of age as the most vulnerable groups. However, there is limitation on data regarding asymptomatic infections among the old adult populations, particularly in the study area. Therefore, this study determined the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria infection by microscopy and its determinants among residents of Ido- Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted between July and September 2021 among 232 consenting apparently healthy individuals aged 40 years and above who were recruited during a free health screening program using a standardised interviewer-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire sought information on respondents' socio-demographics, presence and types of co-morbidity, and the prevention methods being adopted against malaria infection. Venous blood samples were collected and processed for asymptomatic infections using Giemsa-stained blood smear microscopy. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with asymptomatic infections. Of the total 232 respondents, 19.0% (48/232) were confirmed to be infected with Plasmodium falciparum (95% confidence interval (CI): 14.1% - 24.6%). Lack of formal education (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 5.298, 95% (CI): 2.184-13.997), being diabetic (AOR: 4.681, 95% CI: 1.669-16.105), and not sleeping under Long Lasting Insecticide Net (LLINs) (AOR: 4.594, 95% CI: 1.194-14.091), were the determinants of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection. The prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum was 19%. Lack of formal education, being diabetic, and not sleeping under LLINs were the determinants of asymptomatic infections.

Prevalence and factors associated with incomplete immunization among children aged 12 to 35 months in Eswatini: analysis of the Eswatini multiple indicator cluster survey.

incomplete childhood immunization is a significant public health challenge as children continue to succumb to vaccine-preventable diseases in most developing countries. Studies on childhood immunization conducted in Eswatini are sparse. Therefore, the present study assessed the prevalence of incomplete childhood immunization in Eswatini and further explored associated factors among children aged 12 to 35 months. using data from Eswatini multiple indicator cluster survey 5 (EMICS5), a cross-sectional analysis with 978 children aged 12 to 35 months was conducted. This is the latest available data in the public domain. The survey was conducted from July 2014 to October 2014. The primary outcome variable was incomplete immunization. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the association between selected variables and incomplete immunization. the mean age of the children was 23.45±6.92 months, 50.2% were boys, and 74.1% lived in rural areas. The prevalence of incomplete immunization was 31.5%. Increased child´s age, being a girl, increased caregiver´s age, and increased number of children under-five years in the household and residing in the Manzini or Hhohho region were significantly associated with incomplete immunization. the EMICS 5 revealed a high prevalence of incomplete immunization in Eswatini. Health promotion activities such as empowering women and caregivers of children through health education about child health should be emphasized. Where feasible, outreach services and door-to-door immunization should be strengthened to improve immunization coverage in the country and cover dropouts.

A Study to Assess the Knowledge on Cause, Spread, Prevention and Management of Diarrhoeal Diseases Among Mothers of Under-five Attending SDM Paediatric OPD, Dharwad

Background and Objectives Diarrhoea is a leading cause of illness and death among children in developing countries. About 80 of deaths in the first two years of life are due to diarrhoeal diseases. To assess the knowledge of mothers on cause spread prevention and management of diarrhoeal diseases and to determine the association between the knowledge of mothers and selected socio demographic variables.Methods A descriptive survey research design was used to study the population of mothers with children under-five years of age. The sample size was 60 and the subjects were selected using non-probability purposive sampling method. The Pediatric OPD at SDM College of Medical Sciences amp Hospital in Dharwad served as the studyrsquos location. Data was collected with the help of a structured knowledge questionnaire.Results The mean knowledge score of mothers regarding diarrhoea was 9.87 with a standard deviation of 2.65 and a median of 9.50. According to the findings 50 of mothers had adequate awareness of diarrhoea 48.33 had moderate knowledge and just 1.67 had poor information. Knowledge significantly correlated with socio-demographic status family income and the number of children.Conclusion The present study concluded that mothers have adequate knowledge regarding the diarrhoeal episodes

Study of different types of refractive errors in under-five children born preterm versus full term

Background: Preterm birth potentially plays an important role in visual development. Studies have shown that frequency of myopia, astigmatism, anisometropia, strabismus, and amblyopia in children born preterm is higher than term children.Objective: The aim is to study different types of refractive errors in children under-five years of age born preterm and term.Methods: Comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among 64 children aged 5 years or less. Age, gender, and social status were noted. Children were subjected to refraction according to their age. Detailed anterior segment and posterior segment examination as per the cooperation of the child was conducted with torch light or slit-lamp examination with Ziess, Appasamy AARU 2000. Visual acuity was examined with appropriate methods suitable for age.Results: Fifty percent were preterm and 50% were term. About 50% were male and 50% were female. The most common refractive error was hypermetropia (42%). Among those with compound types of refractive errors, the most common was compound myopic astigmatism ≥2 diopters (17%). Compound types of refractive error were significantly more (62.5%) among the preterm compared to 31.2% among term; significantly more (91.7%) among those born <32 weeks of gestation compared to 45% and 45.5% among those born between 33 and 36 weeks and born >36 weeks of gestational, respectively; significantly more (88.9%) among low birth weight babies compared to 40% among normal birth weight babies. Age and gender were not significantly associated with compound types of refractive errors (P > 0.05).Conclusion: Most common refractive error was hypermetropia. Among those with compound types of refractive errors, the most common was compound myopic astigmatism ≥2 diopters. Being preterm, born at the gestational age of <32 weeks and low birth weight were significant risk factors for compound types of refractive errors.

Perfil nutricional de crianças indígenas menores de cinco anos de idade no Alto Rio Solimões, Amazonas, Brasil (2013)

Abstract Objectives: to characterize the nutritional status of indigenous children underfive years of age living in rural communities in the Upper Solimões River region, inhabited by seven ethnic groups, based on data of december 2013. Methods: weight and height data extracted from SISVAN-I (Indigenous Food and Nutritional Surveillance System) forms filled in 2013 for 7,520 children (86.0% of the estimated children in this age group). The indices height-for-age (H/A), weight-for-age (W/A), weight-for-height(W/H), and body mass index-for-age (BMI/A) were calculated. Growth reference curves proposed by the World Health Organization were used to calculate z-scores. Results: the height-for-age (H/A) index presented the lowest mean z-score values, reaching -1.95 among children between 36 and 60 months. Mean z-score values for the weight-for-age (W/A) index also remained below zero. Mean z-score values for the indices weight-for-height (W/H) and body mass index-for-age (BMI/A) remained slightly above zero, reaching a maximum value of 0.5. Of all children, 45.7% presented low H/A, 9.6% presented low W/A, 4.5% presented low W/H, and 10.7% presented overweight based on BMI/A. Conclusion: our analysis show that in 2013 poor nutritional status persisted as an important health issue among these rural indigenous children.

Nutritional Status of Under-five Children in Sokoto, Nigeria

Background: Malnutrition is the largest risk factor in the world for disability and premature mortality among young children, especially in developing countries. A myriad of socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors have been identified to either improve or negatively affect a child's nutritional status. Objectives: To assess the nutritional status of children under-five years of age in Sokoto, Nigeria, and determine the associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of children aged 6-59 months selected through multistage random sampling. Data was obtained using pretested semi-structured questionnaire and the nutritional indices were determined using WHO anthro v3.2.2. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: Subjects comprised a total of 353 children with a mean (±S.D) age of 26.8 ±14.9 months. Majority 214(60.6%) were females. Most 330(93.5%) of the caregivers were married majority 180(51.0%) were of low socio-economic status. Two hundred and two (57.2%) of the under-fives had normal weight for age, 144(40.8%) of them were severely stunted, most 290 (82.2%) of them had normal weight for height, and 199(56.7%) had normal mid upper arm circumference. Mother/caregiver's age (p=0.012), marital status (p= 0.007), and child's immunization status (p=0.015) were associated with weight for age, marital status (p=0.028) was associated with the weight for height/length, Child's age group category (p&lt;0.001), social class (p=0.036), and community setting (p=0.031) were associated with the height for age, Marital status (p=0.025), child's age group category (p&lt;0.001), history of recent illness (p=0.046), and community setting (p&lt;0.001) were associated with the mid-upper arm circumference. Conclusion: Under nutrition was the main form of malnutrition among the under-fives, with severe stunting predominating. The nutritional status were influenced by some maternal or caregivers' socio-demographic factors, as well as inadequate child immunization and treatment of acute illnesses.

Acute respiratory infections in children under-five years because of the smoking parents: Literature review

Introduction: Acute Respiratory Infection is an infection that occurs in the respiratory tract and is the main cause of death and mortality worldwide, especially in children aged 1-5 years. Air pollution from cigarette smoke is one of the substantial contributing factors to the incidence of ARI. It is estimated that 40-50% of children worldwide are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke, mainly from being around smoking parents. Toddlers who are exposed to cigarette smoke can get much higher substances of toxins and carcinogens than first-hand smoke. Children are more at risk for coughing, wheezing, excessive mucus production, and higher risk for various respiratory infections. Methods: This study used a literature review. of three international databases, there is Pubmed, EBSCO, and Sciencedirect with the keywords "Acute respiratory infection", " children under-five years", and "smoking behavior" that published between 2018-2022. The type of journal is the original and full text, and the design of this research is case-control and cross-sectional research. Result and discussion: There are 272 articles with the discovery of Pubmed 49 journals, EBSCO 72 journals, and Sciendirect is 151 journals. Then the researchers filtered through titles, research methods, and abstracts to find conformity with the relationship between smoke exposure from families of active smokers who have toddlers with the incidence of acute respiratory disease. A total of 17 articles can be employed in this study. Conclusion: It can be concluded that a smoking family can increase the incidence of Acute Respiratory Infection in under-five children.

Acute respiratory infections in children under-five years because of the smoking parents: Literature review

Acute respiratory infections in children under-five years because of the smoking parents: Literature review