Children In Control Group Research Articles

Asymptomatic Middle Ear Dysfunction in Children with Upper Respiratory Infection – Analytical Cross Sectional Study

Introduction Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is the commonest cause of hearing difficulty and one of the most frequent reasons for elective admission to the hospital for surgery during childhood. The condition starts with dysfunction of middle ear due to poor ventilation through Eustachian tube or extension of the inflammatory process from nasopharynx. In the natural history of the disease, there may be a period of the pre-clinical stage without symptoms or signs of OME. If the disease is identified in this stage, the further sequel of it (like persistent hearing difficulty or retraction pocket formation) may be prevented. Materials and Methods A hospital based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among the children below 12 years of age to assess the middle ear function (by tympanometry) in children having upper respiratory tract infection (but no ear related complaints) and comparing them with the middle ear function in children not having such infection or any recent history of the same. Age and sex matched control group having no such symptoms was constructed. There were 25 children in both study and control group selected from Otorhinolaryngology and Pediatrics outpatient department (OPD). So total numbers of children were 50. Results There was no statistically significant difference in background characteristics (age, sex) of the of study and control groups. There was no statistically significant difference when the tympanic membrane retraction or middle ear pressure is taken into account. But significant difference found in the parameters like middle ear compliance (68% children have low compliance in the study group vs 20% in control, with df= 1, ϰ2 = 11.688 and p value was 0.001) and tympanogram curve type (48% in study group have B or C type and 8% have such in control group). Conclusion Early diagnosis of the middle ear dysfunction among the children with upper respiratory infection, by clinical examination and suitable audiological investigation in the pre-clinical stage with appropriate intervention can prevent further progression of the disease, causing hearing loss as well as retraction pocket formation.

Application of deep learning and classical machine learning methods in the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder according to temperament features

AbstractAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms of attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity, with a prevalence of 8%–12% worldwide. Various studies have revealed that there may be a relationship between ADHD and temperament traits in the etiology of ADHD, which has a multifactorial etiology. According to our knowledge, there is no study in the literature that determines the use of machine learning methods in diagnosing ADHD uses a data set created with temperament characteristics. Different methods were used in this first study. The study included 60 ADHD patients and 60 control group children. The test scores of these children were collected from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Medical Faculty, after obtaining the necessary ethics committee permission. ADHD diagnosis was made according to DSM‐5 classification. According to temperament characteristics, the highest classification success in ADHD diagnosis was calculated as 92.5% in decision tree method. Long short term memory (LSTM), one of the deep learning methods, achieved 88% classification success. The success of both methods is quite high and they have been compared with some ADHD classification studies in the literature.

A trial of online ABRACADABRA literacy instruction with supplementary parent-led shared book reading for children with autism

Background/aimsThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for accessible support for children with developmental disabilities. This study explored online literacy instruction with supplementary parent-led shared book reading (SBR) for children with autism. MethodsTwenty-one children with autism (5–12 years) completed a battery of assessments (T1) before being assigned to ability matched Instruction (n = 10) and Control groups (n = 11). Instruction group participants completed 16 h of ABRACADABRA instruction working with a researcher 1:1 online and SBR activities at home with a parent over 8 weeks. All participants were reassessed after the instruction period (T2) and parents of children in the Instruction group were interviewed regarding their views and experiences. ResultsQuantitative analyses showed no significant improvements in reading for Instruction group children relative to Control group children. However, each child successfully participated in 16 online instruction sessions and qualitative data revealed that parents were generally positive about the program, with some observing improvements in their child’s literacy skills and reading confidence. Conclusions and ImplicationsWhile it appears children with autism can participate in online literacy instruction, sixteen hours of online ABRACADABRA instruction with parent-led SBR may not be effective in improving their reading skills. Further research is required to explore whether more intensive and/or extended online instruction may be feasible and effective, and to improve uptake of parent-led book reading activities at home.

Health-Related Quality of Life Assessments by Children and Adolescents with Sickle Cell Disease and Their Parents in Portugal.

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) can be used to measure the impact of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) on the child and their family and is generally reduced. No research has yet measured HRQL in Portuguese pediatric SCD patients. Objectives: (1) Describe and compare HRQL of children with SCD reported by them and their parents; (2) Compare with a pediatric population with no SCD; (3) Find predictive factors of HRQL in SCD children. Methods: Descriptive, case-control study that included sixty-eight children and adolescents with SCD (aged 3 to 18 years) and their parents. Control group—children with no SCD, matched by age, gender and ethnic background. HRQL was assessed using the multidimensional self-report PedsQL® 4.0 Generic Scales. Summary scores for overall HRQL and subscale scores for physical, emotional, social and school functioning were compared within groups (children-parents) and with the control group. Clinical and socio-demographic variables were analyzed to find predictive factors of HRQL in pediatric SCD patients. Results: Children with SCD and their parents had significantly lower overall and all subdomains of HRQL, compared with the control group. Children with SCD also rated lower when compared with their parents (only significant for social functioning), with low to moderate correlations. Children and parent reports declined with increasing age. Higher pain frequency was associated with worse total and psychosocial domains of HRQL. The number of hospitalizations was a predictor of worse school score, and female gender was a predictor of worse emotional score. Conclusions: SCD significantly affects children’s HRQL. Parents can provide a good proxy report, although both evaluations are beneficial. Disease status, like number of hospitalizations and frequency of pain, influences HRQL. Interventions in SCD should consider improvements in HRQL as an important outcome.

The Effect of the "Colorful Eating Is Healthy Eating" Long-Term Nutrition Education Program for 3- to 6-Year-Olds on Eating Habits in the Family and Parental Nutrition Knowledge.

Background: Effective strategies for improving eating habits and dietary intake in preschoolers are essential for reducing the risk of chronic non-infectious diseases in later life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term nutrition education for 3- to 6-year-olds on parental nutrition knowledge. Methods: The study was conducted as part of the “Colorful Eating is Healthy Eating” nutrition education program that has been implemented in kindergartens in Lublin since 2016. A total of 11 kindergartens were involved in this stage of the program, and 733 parents consented to participate in the project. The study was divided into three stages. In the first stage all parents completed a questionnaire containing 54 items. In the next stage, 211 children from four randomly selected kindergartens participated in the “Colorful Eating Is Healthy Eating” educational program that lasted 7 months. In the third stage of the study, the parents of children who had completed the 7-month educational program and the parents of control group children once again completed the questionnaire. Results: A positive outcome of the educational program was that it contributed to a decrease in the consumption of sweetened hot beverages (p = 0.005) and an increase in water intake (p = 0.001). The nutrition education program was also successful in reducing the consumption of sweets. Children’s education improved the parents’ knowledge about dietary sources of fiber and the recommended fiber intake, and it contributed to the awareness that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The program did not enhance the parents’ knowledge about snacking between meals or the role of sweetened beverages in dental caries, overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Long-term multi-stage nutrition education for children aged 3 to 6 years can be helpful in shaping families’ eating habits and improving parental nutrition knowledge. However, the program was less effective in eliminating the respondents’ preference for sweet-tasting foods.

Clinical Study on the Effect of Swarnamritaprashana (Modified Swarna Prashana) on Immunity (IgG) in Children of 3 to 5 years

Background: Owing to reduced immunity, more children are becoming prone to various recurrent infections especially upper respiratory tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections and gastro intestinal tract infections.Swarnamritaprashana has been practiced for many years in many institutions throughout India, and it has been proved that regular administration of Swarnamritaprashana improves immunity. That is the reason this study was taken to evaluate the effect of Swarnamritaprashana on immunity [IgG] in children of 3 to 5 years. Materials and Methods: 60 Children, fulfilling the inclusion criteria and willingly participating under the parental assent between the age group 3 and 5 years, were recruited and were allocated into two groups (Study Group, Control Group), each consisting of 30 children in which study group children were recruited from Swarnamritaprashana Program on every Pushyanakshatra day at Shree Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College of Ayurveda, Hassan, and control group children were recruited from different Anganwadis of Hassan. The 30 children in the study group were administered with Swarnamritaprashana for continuous nine Pushayanakshatra day while another 30 children in control group were not given any medication. Routine blood investigations were done in order to rule out the secondary conditions and IgG levels were also accessed for immunity before and after intervention. General health was also accessed on the basis of recurrent infection episodes.Results: Positive results were seen in the study group while number of recurrent episodes of infection showed a decreasing trend while control group showed an increasing trend. Accelerated growth (anthropometry) was more seen in study group than in control group. Levels of IgG were also seen in near normal range after nine months in study group. Conclusion: Swarnamritaprashana helps in modulating the immunity

A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SNAKE AND LADDER GAME ON THE LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING ORAL HYGIENE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN ALCHEMY PUBLIC SCHOOL, COIMBATORE

Objectives: a) To assess the level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene among school children in experimental group and control group. b) To provide snake and ladder game on oral hygiene among school children in experimental group. c) To assess the effectiveness of snake and ladder game on the level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene among school children in experimental group. d) To compare the pre-test and post test score in experimental and control group. e) To associate the post-test level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene among school children in experimental and control group with their selected demographic variable. Methodology: Research approach: Experimental. Research Design: Descriptive design. Research Settings: study will be conducted at selected alchemy school. Population: children 6 to 8 years of age those who are studying in selected alchemy school. Sample size: 60 students. Sample technique: purposive sampling technique. Result: inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the values. The obtained mean value in post test score was 20.37 in experimental group. And the calculated paired t test value was 16.06 in experimental group. Significant at (p<0.5) There is a significant association between the experimental group in age of the children, class of studying, sources of information, education of father and education of mother in the post-test level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene among children. Conclusion: The study findings the revealed that the effectiveness of snake and ladder game on improving the level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene especially among school children was respective they have learn through the play way method.

Study of the Biological Developmental Characteristics of the Eye in Children After Laser Surgery for the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Study of the Biological Developmental Characteristics of the Eye in Children After Laser Surgery for the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Discourse prominence effects on interpretation of reflexive pronoun “ziji” in children with ASD

The core of language disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the loss of social function in language communication.Futher, the correct use and processing of personal pronouns is the basis of language social function. Therefore, clarifying the mechanism of processing the pronoun reference in children with ASD is a major focus in autism research. Currently, the main contradictory focus of the anaphora processing ability in children with ASD is use of semantic pragmatic information in the process of pronoun processing. Therefore, this study will focus on the effect of semantic cues on pronoun processing in children with autism spectrum disorder. This study uses the Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji" (eg., himself/herself) as the media, because the Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)" is relatively flexible, which is not only restricted by the rule of syntactic rules, but also influenced by the semantic information of the antecedent. This study investigated the processing mechanism of Chinese reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)" in children with autism spectrum disorder by manipulating the position of strong semantic cues. The results showed that participants from both the experimental group (children with ASD) and the two control groups (children with typical development and children with intellectual disabilities) were able to process strong semantic cues. When the second person pronoun "you" or the s participant’s name appears in the remote subject position, children from both the experimental group and the two control groups could use semantic information to make long distance anaphora of the reflexive pronoun "ziji (oneself)". Conversely, when the second person pronoun "you" appeared in the close subject position, the children with autism spectrum disorder and the two control groups would both make close anaphora with the reflexive pronoun “ziji (oneself)”. This study found that children with autism spectrum disorder can process semantic information normally during pronoun anaphora when the semantic cues are sufficiently prominence. The results of this study provide a more comprehensive understanding of the language processing mechanism of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.

Association between household air pollution and nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in Malawian infants (MSCAPE): a nested, prospective, observational study

SummaryBackgroundHousehold air pollution from solid fuels increases the risk of childhood pneumonia. Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae is a necessary step in the development of pneumococcal pneumonia. We aimed to assess the association between exposure to household air pollution and the prevalence and density of S pneumoniae carriage among children.MethodsThe Malawi Streptococcus pneumoniae Carriage and Air Pollution Exposure study was a nested, prospective, observational study of children participating in the cluster randomised controlled Cooking and Pneumonia Study (CAPS) in the Karonga Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) area in northern Malawi. CAPS compared the effects of a cleaner burning biomass-fuelled cookstove (intervention group) with traditional open-fire cooking (control group) on the incidence of pneumonia in children. Eligible children aged 6 weeks or 6 months (those recruited a 6 weeks were also followed up at age 6 months) were identified by the Karonga HDSS centre. Nasopharyngeal swabs were taken to detect S pneumoniae, and infant exposure to particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2·5 μm (PM2·5) exposure was assessed by use of a MicroPEM device. The primary outcome was the prevalence of nasopharyngeal S pneumoniae carriage in all children aged 6 months, assessed in all children with valid data on PM2·5. The effects of the intervention stoves (intention-to-treat analysis) and PM2·5 (adjusted exposure-response analysis) on the prevalence of S pneumoniae carriage were also assessed in the study children.FindingsBetween Nov 15, 2015, and Nov 2, 2017, 485 children were recruited (240 from the intervention group and 245 from the control group). Of all 450 children with available data at age 6 months, 387 (86% [95% CI 82–89]) were positive for S pneumoniae. Geometric mean PM2·5 exposure was 60·3 μg/m3 (95% CI 55·8–65·3) in S pneumoniae-positive children and 47·0 μg/m3 (38·3–57·7) in S pneumoniae-negative children (p=0·044). In the intention-to-treat analysis, a non-significant increase in the risk of S pneumoniae carriage was observed in intervention group children compared with control group children (odds ratio 1·36 [95% CI 0·95–1·94]; p=0·093). In the exposure-response analysis, a significant association between PM2·5 exposure and S pneumoniae carriage was observed; a one unit increase in decile of PM2·5 was found to significantly increase the risk of S pneumoniae carriage by 10% (1·10 [1·01–1·20]; p=0·035), after adjustment for age, sex, 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination status, season, current use of antibiotics, and MicroPEM run-time.InterpretationDespite the absence of effect from the intervention cookstove, household air pollution exposure was significantly associated with the prevalence of nasopharyngeal S pneumoniae carriage. These results provide empirical evidence for the potential mechanistic association between exposure to household air pollution and childhood pneumonia.FundingBill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Behavioral and Emotional Problems of Prisoners' Children Based on the Children's Self-Report.

The aim of the analyses was to investigate the relations between parental incarceration and the levels of behavioral and emotional problems in children of fathers serving prison sentences, based on the children’s self-report. We tested a criterion group and two control groups. The criterion group consisted of children whose fathers were in prison. The children in control group I were from complete families; the level of problem behaviors in these families and the level of psychological resiliency in these children were similar to the respective levels in the criterion group. Finally, control group II consisted of children whose fathers were not in prison; problem behaviors in their families were basically absent or slight, and their level of resiliency was significantly higher compared to prisoners’ children and control group I. Prisoners’ children exhibited a higher level of emotional and behavioral problems than children from families in which the father was not serving a prison sentence and in which the level of dysfunctions was low. As regards prisoners’ children compared to their peers with a similar level of resiliency and a similar level of problem behavior in the family, statistically significant differences were found only in a few categories of emotional and behavioral problems. Parental incarceration proved to be an additional factor increasing the level of behavioral and emotional problems in children and adolescents—particularly girls—whose fathers were imprisoned.

EFFECT OF HIGH-FREQUENCY CHEST WALL OSCILLATION ON CLINICAL INDICES OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN CHILDREN.

The aim: To study the effect of high-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) on clinical indices of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. Materials and methods: The main clinical symptoms were assessed in 107 children (girls - 45.79% and boys - 54.21%) aged 6 to 17 years with acute and uncomplicated course of CAP of moderate severity. The main group (MG) consisted of 55 children who were prescribed basic therapy (BT) in combination with HFCWO procedures. The control group (CG) comprised 52 children who received BT exclusively. Results: In the children of MG, the intensity of cough decreased to 0.28 ± 0.06 points compared with children of CG - 0.5 ± 0.07 points (p <0.05) on the 10th day of treatment. A positive dynamics of CAP in the form of the amount of sputum reduction was revealed in the MG children up to 0.06 ± 0.03 points compared with the CG children - 0.42 ± 0.07 (p <0.05). On the 10th day of therapy the MG children with CAP had decrease in the number of râles in the lungs up to 0.08 ± 0.04 points compared with those of CG - 0.4 ± 0.07 points (p <0.05). Conclusions: High efficacy of HFCWO method in complex treatment of CAP in children is confirmed by the dynamics of the main clinical symptoms, such as reduction of intensity and productivity of cough as well as absence shortness of breath and moist râles in the lungs. The data obtained indicate recovery of mucociliary clearance (MCC) functions and the bronchopulmonary system as a whole.

Research on the Efficacy and Application of Equestrian-Assisted Intervention for Children with Autism

This research aims to discuss the efficacy and application effect of equestrian-assisted intervention for children with autism. Forty cases of children with autism collected from the School of Public Health, Zhejiang University between March 2020 and May 2022 were selected as the subjects of this study and randomly divided into Observation Group (OG) and Control Group(CG), 20 cases in each group. Children in CG were treated with conventional treatment methods such as non-verbal communication, social-emotional communication and attention training in the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) rehabilitation center for six months. The other children in OG were treated with equestrian sports-assisted intervention for six months in addition to the conventional treatment strategies in CG. The frequency of sessions was set to 3 times per week, and the duration of each session was set to 1 hour. The intervention effects of the two groups were compared and analyzed by the end of the six-month treatment. Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the ATEC scores between the two groups (P>0.05). With different treatments, the ATEC scores in both groups decreased after 3 months and 6 months of intervention, compared with those before the intervention. However, the ATEC scores of OG were significantly lower than those of CG, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the SRS and CP-GMFQ scores between the two groups (P>0.05). With different treatments, the SRS and CP-GMFQ scores of children in both groups decreased after 3 months and 6 months of intervention, compared with those before the intervention. The SRS and CP-GMFQ scores of children in the two groups were not significantly different after 3 months of intervention (P>0.05), but the SRS and CP-GMFQ scores of children in OG was significantly lower than that of CG after 6-month intervention, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The assisted intervention of equestrian is an advanced treatment. With the systematic animal-assisted intervention, the social and communication, motor function and cognition level of children with ASD have been significantly improved, as well as the imitation ability. It can be seen that the rehabilitation of children with autism has achieved excellent efficacy with the equestrian-assisted intervention.

Effect of iodine-bromine baths on stress-systems indicators in children with autism spectrum disorders

To evaluate the effect of iodine-bromine baths on stress-system indicators in children with ASD. The study involved 74 children with ASD (F84) aged 3 to 14 years (mean age 6.23±0.37 years) included in the main group (MG). The control group (CG) consisted of 25 healthy children.The examination included detailed history taking, examination by specialists, assessment of disease severity using CARS scale, evaluation of β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol levels in blood serum by ELISA. Thirty-four (45.9%) children had a moderate autism level (total score 30-37), and 40 (54.1%) children had severe autism (total score 37-60). In the MG, there were 27 (36.5%) children with mild symptoms of hyperactivity (subgroup A) and 47 (63.5%) children with severe aggression, tantrums, and increased hyperactivity (subgroup B). All MG patients were assigned into two subgroups by randomization: Subgroup 1: 30 children with ASD received health resort treatment (HRT) without iodine-bromine baths (IB); Subgroup 2: 44 children with ASD received similar HRT and IB. Statistically significant increase of β-endorphin, ACTH and cortisol levels (p<0.01, p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively) in children with ASD (compared to those in CG children) was identified. In children without hyperactivity, a moderate increase of these parameters was noted; significantly higher values were observed in children with severe hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and aggression (p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively). After treatment, there was a statistically significant increase in β-endorphin level in subgroup 1 children who received HRT without IB, while in children of subgroups A and B (p<0.05, p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively), there was a decrease in ACTH level (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001 respectively) and a trend towards a cortisol level decrease. Inclusion of IB in HRT course associated with a significant decrease of β-endorphin level in children of subgroups A and B (p<0.001), a decrease of ACTH level (p<0.001) and cortisol (p<0.001, p<0.01, p<0.001, respectively), which resulted in vicious circle breaking and normalization of relations between stress-limiting and stress-releasing parts of pathogenesis. Most children with autism spectrum disorders showed significant increases in β-endorphin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and cortisol levels, indicating dysfunction between the stress-limiting and stress-releasing systems, as well as between the central and peripheral parts of the stress-releasing chain. The tonic effect of resort treatment was noted, limiting its use in children with autism spectrum disorders, increased hyperactivity, and aggression. The inclusion of iodine-bromine baths in resort treatment has a calming non-medicinal effect and can be recommended for use in children with symptoms of severe hyperactivity.

Роль применения высококомплаентных форм эфирных композиций в профилактике и комплексной терапии ОРИ у детей дошкольного возраста

Aim: to assess the efficacy of the composition of natural essential oils (inhaler patch) for the prevention and complex treatment of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in pre-school children. Patients and Methods: this prospective study enrolled 102 children aged 3–7 attending kindergarten. The study was conducted simultaneously in four groups of children attending pre-schools (study and control groups, respectively). Study group children received passive inhalations of essential oils (inhaler patches), i.e., in combination with complex treatment for ARIs (group 1) or as a preventive measure after contact with sick children (group 3). Control group children (groups 2 and 4) did not receive passive inhalations. The rate of ARIs, disease severity, fever duration, catarrhal period duration, and inhaler patch tolerability were assessed. Results: in children who used inhaler patch to prevent ARI but still got sick (group 3), fever duration was 1.5 days (i.e., 2.3 days shorter than in group 4) irrespective of age. The number of sick children in group 3 was 2.2-times lower than in group 4. The disease was mild, not associated with any complications, and characterized by a shorter duration of the catarrhal period. In group 1 (compared to group 2), body temperature was less than 38°C, and more rapid rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, and cough relief were reported. Conclusions: our findings, in combination with the lack of adverse effects, allow us to recommend an inhaler patch to prevent ARIs during epidemics or seasonal peaks in pre-schools as a highly adherent entity characterized by excellent safety, no addiction, and long-term use. KEYWORDS: prevention, ARIs, essential oils, children, efficacy, inhaler patch. FOR CITATION: Sergeeva I.V. Highly adherent essential oils compositions for the prevention and complex treatment of ARIs in pre-school children. Russian Journal of Woman and Child Health. 2022;5(1):58–62 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2618-8430-2022-5-1-58-62.

The effect of holding a workshop (group and face-to-face training method) on nutrition adjustment on anthropometric indices in children with chronic liver disease

Complications of chronic liver disease (CLD) in children play an important role in mortality and disability. This disease is one of the health problems of the country and due to its chronic and irreversible disease, it needs care and treatment education programs. Therefore, this study was performed to determine the effect of nutrition adjustment training program on anthropometric indices in children with CLD. This clinical trial study was performed on 75 children (45 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group) with CLD in the nutrition clinic of Ghaem Educational-Research Center in Mashhad. Children and caregivers with inclusion criteria entered the study after completing written consent. Anthropometric indices (abdominal circumference, body water level, body fat, height, weight, body mass index, arm circumference) were measured and recorded in children at the beginning of the study. Children and their caregivers were randomly divided into control and intervention groups. The intervention group underwent nutritional adjustment (calculation of energy and carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, vitamins and minerals, calculation and selection of diet) training (face to face) for 6 sessions (each session 90-120 min, three times a week for 2 weeks). Twelve weeks after the start of the study, children in both intervention and control groups were evaluated for anthropometric indices. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 and descriptive and analytical statistical tests (Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon). The results of Wilcoxon statistical test showed that children in the intervention group at the end of the study compared to the beginning of the study had significant changes in scores around the abdomen (P = 0.001), total body water (P = 0.009), total fat (0.001 > P), height (P = 0.001), weight (P < 0.001), body mass index (P < 0.001), arm circumference (P < 0.001). The mean scores at the end of the study increased compared to the beginning of the study, but the mean scores of the studied indices in the control group did not change significantly. The results of this study showed that diet adjustment training program can be effective on anthropometric indices of children with CLD. For this purpose, the use of this educational method is recommended to improve the anthropometric indices of these children.

Efficacy of Ezio Foot Massage Intervention to Reduce the Impact of Chemotherapy Adverse Effects among Children with Hematological and Solid Tumors at AIMS, Kochi, Kerala

FM has been practised for thousands of years in different parts of the world, including Egypt, India and China. Objectives: To identify the level of nausea, vomiting, insomnia, fatigue among the control and experimental group children before chemotherapy administration. 2,3,4,5 are to assess the efficacy of EFM in reducing the CINV, Insomnia, and Fatigue among children with haematological and solid tumours respectively. Materials &amp; methods: The tool consists of 3 sections. I Demographic profile, II Clinical profile, III Modified (NCICTC) version 3.0 was used to explore the AE of chemotherapy and its severity. Sampling technique adopted cluster randomization, the size 140 children the first 70 were selected for the control group and the next 70 were allotted for the experimental group. The Factorial research design was used [2 X 4 X 10 (2 X 5)] with repeated measures for the last variable. Results: The non-significant PCL- AE assessment between the control and experimental groups shows that both groups were more or less similar and comparable. The significant ‘P’ value of the highest order of interaction effect between Assessment, Drug and Group confirms that children in the experimental group who received FM the AE of nausea (P=0.016), vomiting (P=.001), Insomnia (P=0.000) and fatigue (P=0.000) Conclusion: The EFM, significantly, reduces the chemotherapy AE such as nausea, vomiting, insomnia and fatigue.

Evaluation of nocturnal blood pressure changes and urinary electrolyte excretion in children with enuresis.

Monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (MNE) is defined as involuntary nighttime urination of children over five years of age without any congenital or acquired defect in the central nervous system. Many factors, mainly nocturnal polyuria, sleep disorders, decreased bladder capacity, and bladder dysfunctions play a role in the etiology of MNE. Eighty-three children diagnosed with MNE were included in the study. Complete blood cell count, blood biochemistry, renin, and aldosterone levels of all children were obtained. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected separately daytime and nighttime and urinary electrolytes were evaluated. Also, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed for each patient. The results were evaluated by comparing both enuretic children vs. control group and enuretic children with polyuria vs. without polyuria. When we compared the enuretic children and the control group in terms of urinary electrolytes, the fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) and fractional excretion of potassium (FEK) values of the enuretic group were higher than the control. The evaluation of the 24-hour ABPM findings revealed no significant difference in terms of the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during the daytime and nighttime measurements. The daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP), however, was significantly lower in the enuretic group. When enuretic children with and without polyuria and the control group were compared, the nighttime, FENa, FEK, as well as nighttime urinary excretion of calcium and protein were significantly higher in enuretic children with polyuria. No difference was detected on the MAP, SBP, or DBP values. In conclusion, the nighttime urinary solute excretion of enuretic children was found to be higher and this condition may especially be associated with pathogenesis of nighttime polyuria. In enuretic children, nighttime blood pressure changes were not influential in the etiopathogenesis in all patient groups and multiple mechanisms may play a role in the pathogenesis of enuresis.

Vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus status in children with short stature - effect of growth hormone therapy.

The aim of the study was to assess the level of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D in the blood of patients treated for short stature (SS). The study encompassed 110 children treated for somatotropin hypopituitarism (SHP) in the Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology at the Medical University of Lublin. The levels of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D were marked for both groups in the peripheral blood collected on a routine basis for diagnostic examinations. The parameters were compared within the group of children with SHP, both the patients who were about to start the therapy and those in the course of the therapy as well as between the research group (110 children) and the control group. The results obtained were compared with the results in the control group that comprised 41 children with a general good health status, although with nasal septum deviation treated in the Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology at the Medical University of Lublin. On the basis of the research performed, the following conclusions were drawn: 1) children with SHP were characterised with calcium-phosphorus imbalance. The level of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D was diminished. The values did not change due to a several-year hormone growth treatment (HGT). 2) the level of calcium and phosphorus was appropriate in the control group children, but the vitamin D level was considerably lowered. This shows the necessity for vitamin D control and supplementation, not only in children with SS.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Features of Nutritional Provision in Primary School Children

Nutritional Deficiencies and Features of Nutritional Provision in Primary School Children