Fate Of Infants Research Articles

What was Killing Babies in Amsterdam? A Study of Infant Mortality Patterns Using Individual-Level Cause of Death Data, 1856–1904

Based on unique individual-level cause of death data, this article presents an analysis of the development of infant mortality and the underlying cause of death pattern in the city of Amsterdam in the period 1856–1904. We contribute to the discussion on the development of infant mortality and its determinants and test the newly-constructed ICD10h coding system. First, our results demonstrate that the ICD10h and groupings of causes worked quite well for our period and city data. Second, Amsterdam moved from being one of the most lethal cities in the country to one of the healthiest for infants. These improvements in the fate of infants were brought about despite faltering progress in the provision of piped water, and an absence of modern sewerage throughout the period. For the entire period air-borne diseases were a prominent cause of death category, peaking in the 1880s and still making up the major group of diseases by 1904. Water- and food related ailments were also dominating the epidemiological pattern after the 1870s. Vague or ill-defined disease terms were frequent at the start of the study period. These observations suggest that physicians were increasingly better able and more prepared to formulate more precise disease terms by the 1900s. The seasonality analysis of the different disease groups demonstrates strong summer effects on the group of water- and food related causes of death. It testifies to the shortcomings in the city’s hygienic situation and limited breastfeeding.

Original Sin vs. Original Grace: The Adamic Fall and the Primordial Covenant

ABSTRACT The Christian doctrine of original sin—a corollary of the initial Adamic transgression—is the linchpin of the soteriological and eschatological significance of Christ. Construction of a binary opposition between the fall through Adam and redemption through Christ seems pleasing in its symmetry, yet the question of children who die in infancy poses a problem. This article considers the historical positions on this issue and compares them with the Islamic conception of original grace—a state of innate innocence due to the primordial covenant in which all souls attest to the lordship of God before birth. It then uses this concept to shed light on the fate of infants who die before reaching maturity.

Duszpasterska opieka i głoszenie Dobrej Nowiny Chrystusa rodzicom dzieci zmarłych przed urodzeniem

Artykuł opisuje zmiany w duszpasterstwie Kościoła uwarunkowane zmianami w zakresie opinii teologów katolickich na temat losu dzieci, które zmarły bez chrztu. W okresie, w którym dominujące opinie o losie dzieci zmarłych bez chrztu mówiły o piekle lub przynajmniej pozbawieniu uszczęśliwiającej wizji Boga, niemożliwe było głoszenie Dobrej Nowiny o zbawieniu w Jezusie Chrystusie. II Sobór Watykański dał decydujące impulsy do zmiany opinii teologicznej w omawianej kwestii. Obecnie teologowie katoliccy podkreślają nadzieję na zbawienie dzieci, które zmarły bez chrztu. Podstawą tej nadziei są: powszechna zbawcza wola Boga, miłość Jezusa do dzieci, śmierć Chrystusa za wszystkich, nieograniczone miłosierdzie Boga, który w sposób znany tylko sobie może podarować zbawienie dzieciom zmarłym bez chrztu. Inspirowane przez II Sobór Watykański zmiany w prawodawstwie kościelnym oraz obrzędy liturgiczne odnowione na podstawie nauczania soborowego pozwalają aktualnie pochować nieochrzczone niemowlęta i celebrować obrzęd chrześcijańskiego pogrzebu przewidziany dla nich, a także odprawić mszę świętą specjalnie przygotowaną na taką okazję. Wszystkie te argumenty pozwalają głosicielom słowa Bożego zwiastować Dobrą Nowinę rodzicom opłakującym utratę dziecka, które zmarło bez chrztu.

Los dzieci zmarłych bez chrztu – nieznana historia i współczesne pytania

The article presents a brief history of the question concerning the fate of infants who die without the sacrament of baptism. It includes both the theological dimension of this issue and its existential consequences. Such a presentation of the question serves to formulate responses to the ever-arising problems concerning the baptism of children, the lack of this sacrament, theological perplexities or pastors’ and parents’ behavior. The aim is also to understand that God loves and wills to save everyone, especially the smallest representatives of the human race who has no chance to be baptized.

The Development of Doctrine about Infants Who Die Unbaptized

The author traces the history of Catholic doctrine about the fate of infants who die unbaptized: (1) from Augustine's teaching that they are condemned to hell where they suffer “the least of its pains“; (2) to the medieval doctrine of Limbo as the state in which those infants, although excluded from the vision of God, enjoy a natural happiness; (3) to the consoling words that John Paul II, in Evangelium vitae, addressed to a woman who had caused her child to be aborted, that when she had repented and was reconciled to God, she could ask forgiveness from her child who was now “living in the Lord.”

Fate of Infants With Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Listed for Cardiac Transplantation: A Multicenter Study

Infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) commonly undergo cardiac transplantation as primary management. We examined outcomes of primary transplantation for unpalliated HLHS. We analyzed data from the 20 institutions of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group, from January 1, 1993, through December 31, 1998, using actuarial and parametric survival analysis and competing outcomes analysis. During the 6 years studied, 1,234 patients were listed for cardiac transplantation; 262 patients (21.2%) had unpalliated HLHS. The number (and percentage) of patients with HLHS decreased from 58 (27% of patients listed) in 1993 to 30 (14%) in 1998. Overall, 25% of infants with HLHS died while waiting; primary cause of death was cardiac failure (50%). Of the remaining patients awaiting transplantation, 23 (9%) underwent Norwood/Fontan-type surgeries as interim palliation: 52% died. Ultimately, 175 patients underwent cardiac transplantation (67%); 50% received organs by 2 months after listing. Post-transplant actuarial survival was 72% at 5 years, with 76% of deaths (35/46) occurring within 3 months; early mortality was caused primarily by graft failure within the first 30 days after transplantation (in 54%). Among 1-month survivors, survival at 1 and at 5 years was 92% and 85%, respectively. Of the 262 patients listed with unpalliated HLHS, overall survival, taking into account mortality after listing and after transplantation, was 68% at 3 months and 54% at 5 years. Cardiac transplantation offers good intermediate survival for infants with unpalliated HLHS.

Fate of infants with severe coarctation of aorta treated early with balloon angioplasty: A 19-year study

Fate of infants with severe coarctation of aorta treated early with balloon angioplasty: A 19-year study

Fate of infants with neonatal hepatitis: Pediatric Surgeons' dilemma

Thirty-five cases of neonatal hepatitis (20 males and 15 females) were reviewed, 3 of whom were lost during the follow-up, leaving 32 patients for review. There were 10 late deaths and 22 patients survived, 18 of whom with a normal bilirubin level and 4 with a bilirubin level of greater than 1.0 mg/dL. In the 18, jaundice disappeared between the ages of 4 and 7 months. The current lifestyles of the patients include 4 adults aged 19 to 21 who are either working or at university, while the other 18 children are all making good progress at school. Except for moderate growth retardation in 3 children, all are growing well. In all 10 patients who died, liver failure persisted until the time of death. Three died of other causes and 7 died of neonatal hepatitis itself between 4 months and 7 years of age. Four patients ran a fulminating course resulting in death between the ages of 4 and 12 months. All 7 had growth and developmental retardation. A histological examination showed that in those who died, there was significantly more periportal fibrosis, inflammation in the periportal area, and diffuse giant cell transformation. These results indicate that some infants with neonatal hepatitis have a poor prognosis and, therefore, the identification of such a condition requires a careful, long-term follow-up.

Efficacy of oral rehydration solution in correcting serum potassium deficit of children with acute diarrhoea in Bangladesh.

60 children in Bangladesh all under 4 years of age with acute watery diarrhea and moderate dehydration were treated with sucrose based oral rehydration solution (ORS) with 20mEq potassium chloride per liter and monitored to determine the efficacy of this fluid in raising serum potassium level. ORS only was given for the 1st 4 hours and then the child was given diluted mild formula and bread as well. No fruits or potassium rich fluid (e.g. green coconut water) were allowed during the study period. Rehydration as well as maintenance of fluid loss was done with ORS only. The serum potassium dropped significantly at 24 hours from the admission level and remained reduced at that level even after 48 hours of therapy with ORS. Of these 60 patients 22 were hypokalaemic on admission and 10 patients out of 19 remained so after 48 hours of therapy. Thus it appears that the present concentration of potassium in World Health Organization recommended ORS is not sufficient to correct deficits in some patients. The significance of these findings can be appreciated by considering the fate of infants in areas where diarrhea is hyperendemic who may have 3 attacks per year per child on average and who are in addition malnourished. Total potassium depletion may occur in these children during repeated diarrheal episodes resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. These findings suggest the need to raise the potassium concentration in ORS to above 20mEq per liter.

Fate of infants with transposition of the great arteries in relation to balloon atrial septostomy.

The palliation afforded by balloon atrial septostomy to 124 infants with transposition of the great arteries was assessed in terms of survival to 6 months of age without the need for further intervention. Prediction of success or failure in relation to palliation was significantly affected by the presence of associated ventricular septal defect, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, or persistent ductus arteriosus and by the maximum volume of balloon used to perform the septostomy. There was a significant association between balloon volume and size of atrial defect found at subsequent surgery or necropsy.

Tuberculosis in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The author has pointed out how the new treatments for tuberculosis have brought many patients from sanatoria, where they were previously treated, into general hospitals, where the physicians looking after them require guidance such as is contained in this book. The text can be recommended without reservation for general practitioners, obstetricians, and gynecologists and also for phthisiologists. The author speaks from seventeen years of experience in two large tuberculosis hospitals. He gives an excellent review of the treatment of tuberculosis in general and includes good detailed bibliographies. It is interesting to note that between 1946 and 1953 the incidence of tuberculosis complicating pregnancy ranged between 1.5% and 2%. It is important to be given facts, such as "streptomycin is not toxic to the fetus " Interesting sections included are on tuberculosis of the breast, follow-ups on tuberculous patients following pregnancy, and the fate of infants of tuberculous mothers. Dr. Schaefer is

II. PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN INFANTS UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE; A REPORT OF SEVEN CASES AND DISCUSSION OF THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE

Seven infants in whom pulmonary tuberculosis developed before they were 2 years of age have been selected for report from a large group of tuberculous infants seen in the clinic for tuberculosis of the New Haven Hospital. They were selected because they had been followed up over a period of at least four years, during which time repeated clinical and roentgenologic examinations were made. A detailed analysis of these cases has been made to show the course of the disease, with the hope of throwing further light on the ultimate fate of infants infected at this early age. Few instances of recovery from pulmonary tuberculosis acquired in early infancy have been reported in which observation has been extended over a sufficiently long period to furnish reliable data on prognosis for those who survive the first or second year of life. CLINICAL DATA The case histories of the seven infants are