Children Mean Age Research Articles

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 +49A/G polymorphism in Down syndrome children with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Thyroid dysfunction is the most common endocrine disorder in Down syndrome (DS) children. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is one of the immune regulatory genes that correlates with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). However, studies on CTLA-4 +49A/G in DS children with HT are still limited. We aimed to evaluate CTLA-4 +49A/G gene polymorphism in DS children with HT. This case-control study, conducted from February 2020 to February 2022 at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya, enrolled 40 DS children with HT and 50 healthy children. The DNA sequencing was performed to identify the polymorphism (Sanger sequencing). Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (FT4) levels were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mean age of DS children with HT was 1.78 years. Males predominated in the study population. Subjects with GG genotype were diagnosed earliest with hypothyroidism (8 months) compared with other studies. The most common thyroid dysfunction was central hypothyroidism, with TgAb positivity present in all patients. The AA genotype (odds ratio [OR] 0.265, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.094-0.746; P = 0.012) and A allele (OR 0.472, 95% CI 0.309-0.721; P = 0.0002) were significantly more frequent in the control group. The AG genotype (OR 2.65, 95% CI 0.094-0.746; P = 0.003) and G allele (OR 2.116, 95% CI 1.386-3.23; P = 0.003) were more frequent in the DS with HT group. The age of the subjects in this study was younger than in previous studies. The AG genotype and the G allele were more prevalent in the DS with HT group and may be a risk factor in HT development in DS children. Furthermore, the AA genotype may act as a protective factor against HT in DS children.

Effect of Parental Dental Anxiety Level on Acceptance of Non-Pharmacological Behavior Management Strategies used in Pediatric Dentistry

Objective: To determine the effect of parental dental anxiety level on acceptance of non–pharmacological behavior management strategies used in pediatric dentistry Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Pediatric department of FUCDH Pakistan over five months. It was carried out through a pre-validated questionnaire. Behavior management techniques with audiovisual aids were explained to the participants. Patients reporting for routine dental check-ups, on follow up of ongoing dental treatment were included in the study whereas patients with dental trauma, unwilling to be a part of this research, undergoing general anesthesia and medically compromised patients were excluded from the study. Patients are grouped based on age to determine parental behavior in different age groups. Results: 302 parents participated in this study including 130 (43.0%) fathers and 172 (57.0%) mothers. The mean age of children was 7.81±1.92 years, with an age range of 4 – 12 years. The majority of the parents, 297 (98.3%) agreed with behavioral management techniques with 293 (97.0%) parents agreed that the dentist should show videos of behavior management techniques for their understanding. 254 (84.1%) parents agreed to consent for use of sedation and anesthesia. Refusal to sedation technique was significantly more common among parents of children of younger age group as compared to children of older age group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Modest anxiety levels were recorded in parents accompanying pediatric dental patients irrespective of age group thus expressing eagerness for non – pharmacological behavior management strategies with prior explanation and demonstration. However, reluctance to sedation and anesthesia modalities were deciphered by parents particularly evident in parents of younger age group patients.

Common Respiratory Infections in Children Admitted to Aboozar Children's Hospital in Ahvaz City in the First Semester 2021: Frequency, Risk Factors and Clinical Subgroups

Background and Objectives The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of respiratory infections in children admitted to Aboozar Children's Hospital in Ahvaz and the associated risk factors. Subjects and Methods A total of147 children aged 12 years and below admitted to the emergency department were selected for this case-control study, including 96 children with respiratory infections and 51 children without respiratory and/or digestive infections as a control group. Their demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded and statistically compared between the two groups. Results Pneumonia (80.2%), especially pneumonia caused by coronavirus 2019, was the most common type of respiratory infection in children. The prevalence and risk of respiratory complications were significantly higher in boys than in girls (p=0.003). The mean age of children with respiratory infections was also higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). In addition, high body mass index, underlying diseases, low birth weight, reduced or no breastfeeding, a family with many children, parental smoking and air pollution were significantly associated with the high risk of infection (p<0.05). Compared to the control group, the children with respiratory infections had lower levels of red blood cells and lymphocytes, but higher levels of neutrophils (p<0.05). Conclusion Knowledge of diagnostic markers and possible risk factors for respiratory infections in children at the beginning of admission to the ward can play a key role in timely diagnosis and treatment of patients.

Sibling Support and Perceived Daily Hassles in Latino and Non-Latino Families of Children with DD.

Parents of children with developmental delay (DD) report significantly higher levels of parenting stress compared to parents of children with typical development. There is a heightened need for social support among families of children with DD. Siblings play an important role in these contexts as a supportive resource and primary stress buffer. Little to no research has examined how these stress and supportive processes may differ among Latino and non-Latino parents. The current study examined the relation between sibling support and parents' perceived daily hassles between Latino and non-Latino parents of children with DD (N = 146; 65% Latino; mean parent age = 37.39 years; mean child age = 49.63 months; SD = 7.9). Latinos reported significantly greater use of sibling support and lower perceived daily hassles compared to non-Latino counterparts. In the combined sample, greater sibling support was significantly correlated with lower daily hassles. When examined separately in Latino and non-Latino groups, this correlation only remained significant among Latinos. The interaction between ethnicity and sibling support on perceived daily hassles was approaching significance, such that Latinos who reported high levels of sibling support reported lower perceived daily hassles. Findings emphasize the universal importance of familial support systems for the well-being of parents of children with DD and point to the possible protective role of Latino cultural factors that influence the degree to which these supports are employed. Results may inform culturally sensitive adaptations to parenting interventions for Latino families that harness sibling support to target and buffer parenting stress.

Epidemiological features of New-Onset Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in children and adolescent during 2010-2014 in Albania - a unique experience.

Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem worldwide. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the most common metabolic chronic disease in genetically susceptible children and adolescents, due to an autoimmune process characterized by a selective destruction of insulin producing β-cells. The aim is to assess the epidemiological features of new-onset T1DM in children and adolescent at the national level during the period 2010-2014 in Department of Pediatrics, Endocrine Unit, University Hospital Center 'Mother Teresa', Tirana, as the unique center for pediatric endocrinology and diabetology in Albania. Methods: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of 152 patients aged <15 years newly diagnosed with T1D from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014 were studied. T1D was diagnosed according to WHO 2006 criteria and DKA was diagnosed based on ISPAD 2014 criteria. Patients were classified into 3 sub-groups (I: 0-4 years, II: 5-9 years, and III; 10-14 years). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26. Results: The incidence of new-onset of T1DM was 5.012/100.000/year. The mean age of children at diagnosis was 8.3 ± 3.6 years. The patients were mostly diagnosed at ages 5-9 years (40.1%), and 10-14 years (39.5%), followed by the 0-4 years age group (20.4%). Mean duration of symptoms was 23.35 ± 17.16 days; longer in the subgroup 5-9 years (P= 0. 0.013). Three quarters (75%) of children with T1DM live in urban areas. Viral infections or other circumstance triggers were in 41.9% of children aged 0-4 years compared to other subgroups (P=0.002). Most of the children were born in the spring−summer months (53.23%) compared to the autumn−winter months (46.77%). Approximately 1/4 of the children were born and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in each of the seasons of the year and 52.63% of the patients studied were first born. Family history for DMT1 and DMT2 is observed in 15.8% and 17.8% of the children, respectively. Polyuria (99.3%), polydipsia (99.6%) and weight loss (98.1%) were the most common symptoms and 67.8% of patients presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Misdiagnosis was in 21 (13.8%) patients. Mean glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was 11.63%; 11.9 ± 2.0 in DKA positive children and 11.1 ± 2.4 in DKA negative children (p= 0.195). At diagnosis and during follow up of T1DM 25% (38/152) developed associated autoimmune diseases; 68.42% at diagnosis of T1DM and 65.79% (25/38) of patients were female. During follow up children with T1DM developed associated CD and SAT, 2.54, and 2.19 years, respectively. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus is one of the major public health problems worldwide. Albania is a country with middle incidence of T1DM and the age at onset is decreasing. The symptoms lasted significantly longer and mean HbA1c levels were significantly higher in older children. The incidence

Helicobacter Pylori Infection among Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain: A Single Center Study

Background: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a common problem in children. Mostly it is functional, but due to recent advanced diagnostic technologies more organic causes are identifying. Among the organic causes Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is common, especially in developing countries. Early detection and treatment of this infection may prevent some serious gastrointestinal problems in later age. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of H. pylori infection as a cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among the children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in the pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition Department of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital & Institute in Bangladesh from January 2019 to December 2020. A total of 70 patients were included in the study. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters were recorded in a standard data sheet. All the participants underwent to upper GI endoscopy and gastric biopsy were taken in all the patients. Rapid urease test and histopathology of gastric biopsy samples were done to confirm H. pylori infection. Collected data were checked manually and analyzed by SPSS version 22.0. Association of parameters with infection were done by unpaired t-test, chi-square test and fisher’s exact test. Results: Helicobacter pylori infection in children with RAP was 35.7%. Mean age of the infected children was 9.49±2.47 years with male (52%) predominance. There was significant association of infection with lower socioeconomic class (p=0.003). Patients with RAP for>6 months’ duration were significantly associated with infection (p=0.003). Family size and source of drinking water had no effect on results. Most of the RAP patients with positive infection had poor growth (p=0.003). Pallor, abdominal tenderness or vomiting were not significantly associated clinical manifestations of H. pylori infection. Conclusions: Helicobacter pylori infection is ....

Association between maternal polycystic ovary syndrome and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in offspring aged 3-6 years: A Chinese population-based study.

Maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may increase the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring; however, their association remains unexplored in Asian populations. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the association between maternal PCOS and ADHD in offspring aged 3-6 years and whether it differed by offspring sex. This was a district-wide population-based study of 87,081 preschoolers from 234 kindergartens in Longhua District, Shenzhen, China. The parents were invited to complete a self-administrated questionnaire covering information on socio-demographics, maternal disease history, and child behavior. ADHD symptoms were measured with the parent-rating 26-item Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale (SNAP-IV). Logistic regression was performed to examine the associations between maternal PCOS and ADHD symptoms in offspring. The response rate was 80% and 63,390 mother-child pairs were included. Of the mothers, 1,667 (2.6%) reported PCOS diagnoses. The mean age of children at ADHD assessment was 4.86 ± 0.84[SD] years, and 53.6% were boys. Children with maternal PCOS had a higher risk of developing ADHD symptoms than other children (12.0 vs. 9.4%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.13-1.54). The risk estimate was significant in boys (adjusted OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.14-1.66) but not in girls (adjusted OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.94-1.57, P for interaction = 0.391). Treatment of PCOS tended to be associated with a lower risk of ADHD symptoms than untreated PCOS albeit risk confidence intervals were overlapped (treated: adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06-1.54 vs. untreated: adjusted OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08-1.83). Maternal PCOS increases the risk of developing ADHD in offspring, especially boys. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings, and early neurodevelopmental screening may be needed in children born to mothers with PCOS.

Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Improvement in Children with Special Needs Following Comprehensive Dental Treatment under GA: A Saudi-Based Follow-up Study

Introduction: Children with Special Healthcare Needs (CSHCN) are considered difficult to maintain oral hygiene and challenging for caregivers and dentists to attain cooperation in dental treatment under general anaesthesia. Family Impact Scale (FIS) and Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ) are useful tools to assess patient’s oral health quality of life and caregivers perception. Aim: To assess the impact of dental treatment under general anaesthesia on the quality of life and oral hygiene of CSHCNs, as perceived by caregivers. Materials and Methods: This prospective follow-up survey study was carried out at Dammam Medical Complex, Saudi Arabia, from December 5th, 2019 to December 15th, 2021. The CSHCN of either gender, aged 12 years, and falling within the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) definition of special-needs patients referred for invasive procedures under general anaesthesia (American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) class I or II), were included. The baseline and, after a one-year follow-up, information obtained from two surveys that were altered from Thompson’s P-CPQ and FIS were decoded into the numeric ordinal scales Never (“0”), Once or Twice (“1”), Sometime (“2”), Always (“3”), and Daily (“4”). Analysis of the collected data was done by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: A total of 84 participants were caregivers of CSHCN who underwent dental procedures under General Anaesthesia (GA), of whom 77 (91.7%) were mothers and 7 (8.3%) were fathers of the CSHCN. The mean age of children was 8.29±2.14 years (Range= 3-12 years); 38 (45.2%) were males and 46 (54.8%) were females. The median FIS after treatment was zero, compared to the median before treatment which was 2, revealing a significant impact on being absent from work, a child requiring more care, the impact of presence, sleeping disturbances, feeling angry, feeling guilty, and a child disputing or blaming either parent (p<0.001). Following the pattern of one year post-treatment FIS, median was 0 (Never) for all items including halitosis, pain, food trapped in palate and teeth, swallow, breath, time, sleep, irritable, frustrating, nervous, shy, absent, laugh, and continue school (p<0.001). Conclusion: The modified FIS and P-CPQ evaluations before and after dental treatment under GA revealed a significant improvement in the oral health quality of life for those CSHCN, as well as the impact on their caregivers. Regular check-ups would be useful for early and non invasive intervention without GA.

A study on the clinical profile and visual outcome of pediatric ocular trauma in Eastern India.

Ocular trauma in children is the leading cause of ocular morbidity and unilateral blindness. This study aims to analyze the clinical profile and predictors of final visual outcomes of ocular injuries in the pediatric age group presenting to a tertiary care institute in Eastern India. This is a retrospective, observational study conducted on 114 cases of pediatric ocular injuries over 4 years (between 2016 and 2020) at a tertiary care academic hospital in Eastern India. All the data were analyzed based on the demography, nature of the injury, location of the injury, ocular trauma score (OTS), the initial and final visual acuity, and management protocol. The ocular trauma classification was based on the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology and the Ocular Trauma Classification System. Majority of the injuries (n = 51, 44.7%) occurred in children between 6 and 10 years and in males from the rural areas (60.75%). The mean age of children was 9 ± 3.47 years (range: 3-16 years). Most of the injuries occurred during outdoor activities (57.9%). Majority of ocular injuries were caused by sharp objects (34, 30%), followed by blunt objects (24, 21%). Open globe injuries (OGIs) were more common (85, 48.3%) as compared to closed globe injuries (CGIs) (71, 40.3%) and nonglobe injuries (20, 11.4%). Mean OTS was 2.8 in 11-16 years indicating a good final visual outcome. Final visual outcome on multivariate analysis showed that the odds of blindness in CGI were 82% less as compared to OGI (odds ratio [OR] 0.18 [confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.88]; P < 0.03) and that in late presenting (>6 h) group was 47% more (OR 1.47 [0.13-16.47]; P < 0.75) compared to early reporting group. Children with ocular trauma commonly present as emergency cases, especially during the festivals in India. Our study reported OGIs to be more common with high risk for blindness. OTS is a useful tool for predicting the visual outcome of OGIs in children. Hence, strategic planning is needed with a focus on the early detection and intervention and also on creating the awareness activities for its prevention. The primary treatment is the key to a successful visual outcome.

Sleep and Behavioral Problems Among Preschool Children: Correlations from Pakistan Urbanhttps://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/sleep-and-behavioral-problems-among-preschool-children-correlations-from-pakistan-urban/

The study was undertaken to explore patterns, habits, and problems for sleep in preschool children of urban Karachi, Pakistan. Two schools participated with a sample size of 297 preschool children. A cross-sectional study design was implemented. The mean age of children was 4.6 ± 0.71 years, and the male/female ratio was 49:51. The average daily sleep duration (nocturnal + daytime nap) was 9.51 ± 1.21 hours. At least one sleep problem was reported in 73% of children, the most frequently found sleep problems were, bedtime and wakeup resistance (25.6%), sleepy or tired during the day (46%), complains of growing pains in the legs (25%), nocturnal enuresis (19%) and nighttime fears (18%). Sleep problems were found significantly correlated with: child clinging to an adult (r = 0.134, p value 0.021), whining (r = 0.213, p value &lt;0.001), fussing (r = 0.136, p value 0.019), prosocial behavior (r = -0.137, p value 0.019), peer problems (r = 0.151, p value 0.009), hyperactivity (r = 0.216, p value &lt;0.001), conduct problems (r = 0.313, p value &lt;0.001), emotional problems (r = 0.346, p value &lt;0.001) and SDQ total difficulty score (r = 0.398, p value &lt; 0.001). Sleep inconsistencies begin during early years; sleep disorders result from poor sleep habits and poor sleep habits results in insufficient sleep. The findings confirmed raising parental awareness on sleep hygiene to recognize and seek appropriate healthcare as and when needed. It is however recommended to introduce interventions involving schools, healthcare practitioners and parents to improve the situation. Another important recommendation is to plan future research involving objective measures to capture sleep duration in children, such as actigraph or sleep diaries maintained by parents for more accurate ways to measure sleep duration.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Use of Mobile Phones among Children- Need for Concern?

Introduction: The prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is on the rise. Among multiple factors that are linked with ADHD, electronic media use has been gaining considerable attention recently. There is only a limited source of information regarding the burden of ADHD and its association with screen time in the Indian context. Aim: Screening of the children for ADHD and its association with mobile phone use at an outpatient service in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 157 children in the outpatient services in a tertiary care hospital in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, India. School-going children aged between 6 and 11 years were included in the study. ADHD screening was done using Conner’s Abbreviated Rating Scale (CARS). Results: The mean age of children was 8.1±1.9 years. All the participants used mobile phones, and 15 (9.6%) owned one. The mean duration of mobile phone use per day was 1.4±0.7 hours. Among participants, 53 (33.8%) used mobile phones for more than one hour daily. Parents reported that nearly one-fifth of the children use mobile phones late at night (after 10 pm). Among children, 22.9% screened positive for ADHD. The ADHD scores are significantly correlated with the duration of mobile phone use (r=0.368 p&lt;0.001). Among the children who used mobile phones for more than a year, 32.1% screened positive for ADHD (OR=3.21, CI 1.41-7.32). The mean ADHD score was significantly higher among children with &gt;1 hour of mobile phone use/day than those who use &lt;1 hour/day (t-test=-2.27 p-value=0.025). The vast majority, 148 (94.2%), also noticed behavioural changes among children when denied mobile phones. Significant changes included anger (22.9%), sadness (31.8%), withdrawal (20%), frustration (17.8%) and violence (8.9%). Conclusion: In this study, 22.9% of children screened positive for ADHD. Mobile phone use was found to be significantly associated with ADHD.

The Psychosocial Well-being of Children with Fragile X Syndrome: Psychopathology, Autism Spectrum Disorder Comorbidity and the Role of Caregivers' Perceived Social Support

Objective: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a rare genetic disease that can have several intellectual and developmental disabilities. Here, we aim to examine psychopathology in children with FXS and investigate the relationship between children's psychosocial well-being and socio-demographic factors, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comorbidity, and the type and level of caregivers' perceived social support. Materials and Method: Twenty-six children aged 5-18 years with FXS and 26 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were included. DSM-5-based clinical interviews were conducted with all participants. We also collected parent ratings of health-related quality of life indexes and perceived social support levels and types. Results: The mean age of children with FXS was 10.9 ± 3.5 years, and the mean age of healthy comparisons (HC, n= 26) was 11.8 ± 2.6 years. In the FXS group, 84.6% had comorbid psychiatric disorders, and 65.3% had intellectual disability. FXS group displayed lower psychosocial and total quality of life scores than the HC group. Also, there was significant positive correlations between childrens' psychosocial well-being and "significant others" (rp = 0.502, p = 0.009) and total perceived support scores (rp = 0.448, p = 0.022). The most influential factor related to the psychosocial well-being in children with FXS was ASD comorbidity (F= 30.6, R2, 0.543, p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Providing support to mothers of children with FXS may positively affect the children's health outcomes, especially psychosocial well-being.

Bilateral submandibular duct relocation for chronic sialorrhea: a 15 years of experience in children with a neurological disorder

Background: Chronic sialorrhea is a troublesome condition for children with neurological disorders that affect swallowing. Various surgical procedures for reflecting drooling cases are helpful. Some of them could be followed by complications or lead to over–dryness of the mouth. This article aims to highlight the safety and effectiveness of bilateral submandibular duct relocation (BSDR) on fifteen years of experience. Material and methods: A retrospective chart review identified 25 patients with chronic sialorrhea who underwent BSDR. Clinical and demographic data were reviewed. Surgical outcomes were assessed with both Wilkie and Brody's criteria and the Teacher drooling (TDS) scale. Results: The mean age of children was 11.7 years. They had neurological disorders and dribbled saliva with an average of 4.28 according to the TDS which falls to an average of 1.12 after surgery. By referring to Wilkie and Brody's criteria, 88% of the results have been labelled as excellent and good for the others. Conclusion: Our 15 years of experience in managing neurologically impaired children with profuse drooling illuminates and supports our trend for BSDR without sublingual gland excision. This surgical procedure is safe, and effective against drooling, protects oral health, and provides a high rate of success.

Effect of Deep Breathing Exercise using Smartwatch on Behaviour, Anxiety and Pain in Children during Buccal Infiltration Anaesthesia-A Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction: Despite the newer innovation and recent technological advances in modern dentistry, fear and anxiety constitute an important theme in dentistry. They are a usual reaction to stressful conditions that help children while staying alert in situations of an impending threat. Aim: To evaluate the effect of deep breathing exercise in reducing dental anxiety, behaviour and pain using smartwatch during maxillary buccal infiltration in children aged 7-11 years. Materials and Methods: A prospective interventional and single-blinded randomised clinical trial conducted in the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, NDCH, Nellore, Andhra pradesh, India, from November 2019 to October 2020. A total of 70 children of age between 7-11 years. They were randomly allocated into two groups, 35 in each. Children in group I were trained for deep breathing exercise using smartwatch and group II (control group) was traditional tell show do technique. The reaction of children during maxillary buccal infiltration anaesthesia was recorded in terms of behaviour (Frankl behaviour rating scale), anxiety {Facial Image Scale (FIS) and pulse rate}, and pain perception (Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale and face, leg, activity, cry and consolability scale). Data was tabulated using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Kruskal-Wallis for data distribution. Independent Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney test (Quantitative variables) and Chisquare test or Mann-Whitney test (Qualitative variables) were used to test statistical significance using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Results: The mean age of children in smartwatch group was 8.9±1.4 years and in control group was 8.9±1.6 years with no statistical significant difference. Statistically significant decrease in pulse rate was observed in smartwatch group (p=0.003), subjective anxiety and pain was lowered in intervention group. Objective pain was decreased significantly in smartwatch group (p=0.007). Conclusion: Children performing deep breathing exercise using smartwatch had efficiency to reduce dental anxiety and pain perceived during maxillary buccal infiltration anaesthesia.

Factors Associated with Acute Kidney Injury among Children with Severe Malaria at Kiryandongo General Hospital, Uganda.

Malaria remains one of the leading health problems of the developing world, and acute kidney injury (AKI) is a well-recognized complication of severe malaria in adults; but the clinical importance of AKI in paediatric severe malaria is not well documented. Knowledge of the prevalence and factors associated with AKI among children with severe malaria is among the key strategies, which can help to reduce the burden of AKI among this vulnerable group. Methodology. A hospital-based prospective cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study of children with severe malaria was carried out at Kiryandongo General Hospital. The study involved 350 children with severe malaria attending the study site from August to October 2021. Questionnaires were administered to caretakers to obtain sociodemographic characteristics. Medical data were obtained through physical examination followed by laboratory tests. Blood samples were tested for creatinine and blood smear for malaria. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression (bivariate and multivariate) to assess for the factors associated with AKI. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean age of children with severe malaria was 7.0 ± 3.8 years, and 54.3% of them were male. Of the 350 children enrolled, 167 had AKI, giving an overall AKI prevalence of 47.7% (95% CI: 42.5-53.0). The factors that were significantly associated with AKI among children with severe malaria included caretaker with no formal education (aOR = 21.0, 95% CI: 1.68-261.18, p = 0.018), caretaker with primary education level (aOR = 4.5, 95% CI: 1.41-14.12, p = 0.011), age of child < 5 years (aOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.07-2.88, p = 0.025), history of receiving NSAIDs (aOR = 5.6, 95% CI: 2.34-13.22, p < 0.001), moderate anemia (aOR = 3.1, 95% CI: 1.39-6.94, p = 0.006), and severe anemia (aOR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.66-8.55, p = 0.002). The prevalence of AKI was high among children with severe malaria in Kiryandongo General Hospital. Acute kidney injury among children with severe malaria was associated with low level of education of caretakers, age of children less than 5 years, history of receiving NSAIDs, and anemia. The management of severe malaria should include screening for AKI especially in children under five years of age, anemic, and those who have received NSAIDs.

Agreement Level of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptom Reports between Children and Their Parents.

Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently undergo clinical assessments, involving triadic communication between clinician, parent, and child. During such encounters parents are traditionally the main communicator of information on their child's IBD, including subjective symptom reports. The level of agreement between children and their parents for IBD symptoms is poorly understood, and this study aimed to examine this factor. This was a cross-sectional study among children with IBD, and one parent. A validated paediatric IBD symptom report tool (IBDnow) enabled children and their parent to rate seven pain, well-being, and stool metrics, with dyads completing the tool concurrently. Results were assessed using: Individual agreement: proportion of identical symptom reports by each dyad (ideal score >0.7); Category agreement: percentage of identical reports for IBDnow metrics for the cohort; Inter-rater reliability: Gwet's AC1 coefficient with higher scores indicating better reliability (maximum=1). Seventy-four parent/child dyads participated; child's mean age 12.2 years (standard deviation [SD] 2.9, range 6-16), mean time since diagnosis 2.8 years (SD 3), 54% female, 73% had Crohn's Disease. Mean individual agreement level was 0.6, with 27% of dyads agreeing on ≥6/7 IBDnow metrics. Category agreement was reported by 61% of dyads, 20% of parents overestimated, and 19% underestimated, their child's symptoms. Inter-rater reliability ranged from fair to good. These results should improve clinician awareness of how IBD symptom reports from parents may introduce bias. Children should be considered the most important source of symptom reports, and tools such as IBDnow utilised to enhance communication.

Emotional neglect and parents' adverse childhood events.

Emotional neglect means that the child's emotional and developmental needs are not fulfilled by the parents or other caregivers. Adverse childhood events (ACEs) are a risk factor for mental health problems and impaired parenting skills. The objective here was to examine whether parents' ACEs increase the child's risk of experiencing emotional neglect. The participants in the present study were members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986). Emotional neglect experiences were measured in 190 members of this cohort by means of the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS), and ACEs in both parents were measured with a specific questionnaire. A linear regression model was used to examine the association between parents' ACEs and the children's emotional neglect scores. The children's mean emotional neglect score was 8.11 on a scale from 5 to 25. There was no significant difference between males (mean 8.01) and females (mean 8.19). Only father's ACEs were associated with child's emotional neglect score. In the linear regression model, the children's emotional neglect scores increased by 0.3 points for father's ACE. Our findings suggest that father's ACEs may increase the child's risk of experiencing emotional neglect. It seems that childhood adversities are transferred from parents to children, but larger samples would be needed to confirm these findings.

Effect of deferasirox on renal function in thalassemic children

Abstract Background: Iron-chelating therapy causes improvement in the life expectancy of thalassemic patients. Deferasirox (DFX) is an oral iron chelator with an established dose-dependent efficacy, though alteration of renal function has been observed in many studies. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of treatment with DFX on renal function. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was done in the Thalassemia Center of Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute from June 2019 to July 2021, where 50 thalassemia major and E-β thalassemia children aged 2–18 years old were included. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, spot urinary protein creatinine ratio, spot urinary calcium creatinine ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured. If renal functions were normal, DFX was started at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day. After 6 months of DFX treatment, the abovementioned investigations were repeated and analysis was done. The study variables were analyzed by paired t-test. P value &lt;0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of the thalassemic children was 5.21 ± 1.72 years. Before treatment, mean serum creatinine was 39.78 ± 3.12 μmol/L, and after 6 months, serum creatinine was increased but not statistically significant. The mean value was 40.50 ± 3.39 μmol/L after 6 months (P value 0.071). There was no significant change of BUN. Initially, the mean BUN was 3.39 ± 0.76 mmol/L, and 6 months after treatment, it was 3.45 ± 0.70 mmol/L. Initially, the spot urinary protein creatinine ratio was 0.12 ± 0.04, and after 6 months, the mean value was 0.43 ± 0.24. it was significantly increased (P value &lt;0.001). Initially, the spot urinary calcium creatinine ratio was 0.068 ± 0.043, and after treatment, it was significantly raised. The mean value was 0.191 ± 0.168 (P value &lt;0.001). After 6 months of treatment with DFX, 35 patients developed mild proteinuria, and eight patients developed hypercalciuria. There was no significant change of eGFR before and after treatment. Conclusions: In this study, we got significant proteinuria and hypercalciuria but nonsignificant changes in serum creatinine, BUN, and eGFR.

Efficacy of Oral Doxycycline versus Intravenous Doxycycline for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Scrub Typhus in Children: A Prospective Interventional Study

Introduction: Orientia tsutsugamushi causes acute febrile illness known as scrub typhus, which is spread by the bite of the trombiculid mite. Doxycycline is the first-line treatment for clinically diagnosed cases of scrub typhus. If not diagnosed and treated early, it can lead to complications such as acute renal failure, meningoencephalitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and multiple organ failure. However, there have been no trials comparing the effectiveness of oral and Intravenous (i.v.) doxycycline for scrub typhus treatment. Aim: To assess the efficacy of intravenous versus oral doxycycline in managing uncomplicated scrub typhus. Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional research was conducted in the Paediatrics Department at Maharajah’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Vizianagaram, India, from June 2021 to July 2022. Out of a total of 178 children diagnosed with scrub typhus during the study period, 102 children who received either oral or intravenous doxycycline as monotherapy were included. The primary outcome measures studied were the incidence of delayed defervescence and the time of defervescence. The t-test or Mann-Whitney test was applied for continuous data, and the Chi-square test or Fischer’s-exact test was used to compare dichotomous variables. Results: The mean age of children treated with oral doxycycline was 9.5±2.7 years and with i.v. doxycycline was 8.2±2.4 years. Among the 178 children diagnosed with scrub typhus, 102 (57.3%) children treated with doxycycline alone were included in the study. Out of these, 78 (76.4%) cases received oral doxycycline, while 28 (27.4%) cases received intravenous doxycycline. There was no statistically significant difference in the response rate between the two groups. The p-value for time to defervescence was 0.672, and the p-value for the incidence of delayed defervescence was 0.9845. Conclusion: Both oral and intravenous forms of doxycycline demonstrated similar efficacy in the treatment of scrub typhus. Nearly all children in both groups became afebrile within 72 hours after starting treatment.

Alterations in deglutition in children with congenital Zika virus syndrome.

To characterize swallowing in children with congenital Zika virus syndrome in comparison to typical children. This cross-sectional study enrolled 45 children diagnosed with congenital Zika virus syndrome and 45 others with typical development. Swallowing was evaluated through clinical feeding evaluations Protocolo de Avaliação Clínica da Disfagia Pediátrica and using acoustic swallowing parameters (Doppler sonar). The mean age of children with congenital Zika virus syndrome was 26.69 ± 4.46 months and the mean head circumference was 29.20 ± 1.98 cm. Moderate/severe oropharyngeal dysphagia was found in 32(71.1%) of the children with congenital Zika virus syndrome. Significant differences were found between the groups on clinical evaluation: Children with congenital Zika virus syndrome presented insufficient lip closure 42(93.3%) and altered tonus of the tongue 35(77.8%) and cheeks 34(75.6%). In the children in the comparison group, only 6(13.3%) presented insufficient lip closure and 1(2.2%) had inadequate tongue posture. Changes during swallowing with liquid and spoonable food were not observed in the comparison group. When liquid/food was offered, affected children presented difficulties in sipping movements 14(77.8%) and lip/spoon contact 35(75%). The presence of residual food in the oral cavity after swallowing 38(86.4%) and clinical signs indicative of laryngotracheal penetration/aspiration, such as coughing, gagging and/or labored breathing, were also notable. No differences were found between the groups with regard to the acoustic parameters evaluated instrumentally. Children with congenital Zika virus syndrome present alterations in the oral phase of swallowing, as well as clinical signs indicative of pharyngeal phase impairment.