Paediatrics and international child health
-
Paediatr Int Child Health · Aug 2013
Comparative StudyA comparative study of rectal tympanic and axillary thermometry in febrile children under 5 years of age in Nigeria.
Fever alone accounts for over 25% of paediatric emergency room consultations. Accurate determination of temperature is critical for the management of sick children by both parents and health care-providers. ⋯ Mean (SD) rectal temperature was 38.8 (0.7)°C, and mean (SD) tympanic and axillary temperatures were 38.7 (0.7)°C and 38.1 (0.7)°C, respectively. There was no significant difference between rectal and tympanic temperatures (P = 0.14), and a strong correlation was identified between values from these two sites (r = 0.91). At 91.5%, the sensitivity of tympanic thermometry in determining fever was higher than that of axillary measurements (54.0%). A mathematical relationship was demonstrated between rectal/tympanic temperatures and between rectal/axillary temperatures as follows: Rectal temperature (°C) = 6.03+0.85 * Mean tympanic temperature (°C) Rectal temperature (°C) = 11.7+0.71 * Axillary temperature (°C) Conclusion: In febrile children, tympanic temperature better reflects rectal temperature than does axillary temperature; tympanic temperature should therefore be measured when there are no contra-indications for its use.
-
Paediatr Int Child Health · Aug 2012
Association of indoor air pollution with acute lower respiratory tract infections in children under 5 years of age.
Indoor air pollution is an important risk factor for acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in developing countries. ⋯ Indoor air pollution caused by using cooking fuel other than LPG and socio-economic factors are significantly associated with ALRTI.
-
Paediatr Int Child Health · Aug 2012
Case ReportsCervical intramedullary conglomerate tuberculomas with tuberculous meningitis--rapid response to medical therapy.
Common manifestations of tuberculosis of the central nervous system are tuberculous meningitis and intracranial tuberculomas. Cervical intramedullary tuberculomas are very rare in immunocompetent children. An unusual presentation of tuberculous meningitis with hydrocephalus and conglomerate cervical intramedullary tuberculomas in a 4-year-old boy is reported.
-
Paediatr Int Child Health · May 2012
Factors associated with extreme hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates at the University Hospital of the West Indies.
To determine factors associated with extreme hyperbilirubinaemia in neonates at the University Hospital of the West Indies. ⋯ Exclusive breastfeeding, oxytocin use in the mother during labour and G6PD deficiency in the infant were found to be factors associated with extreme hyperbilirubinaemia.