Indian pediatrics
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Assessment of newborn baby's temperature by human touch: a potentially useful primary care strategy.
Fifty healthy term neonates delivered at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital were assessed by three pediatricians for skin temperature to the nearest +/- 0.5 degrees C at the three body sites, i.e., mid-forehead, abdomen and dorsum of right foot by touch. The predicted temperatures at different sites were compared with simultaneously recorded temperatures at the same sites with the help of an electronic thermometer having a sensitivity of +/- 0.1 degree C. Rectal temperature was also recorded in all the babies with a rectal thermister to compare the variations between the core and skin temperatures. ⋯ There was good correlation between core temperature and skin temperature at different sites except forehead. It is amazing that even during the month of May, when ambient temperature was maintained between 26-28 degrees C, nearly one fifth of the healthy term babies were under cold stress as evidenced by greater than 2 degrees C difference between the core and peripheral skin temperatures. It is recommended that health professionals and mothers should be explained the importance of evaluating the core and peripheral skin temperature by touch for early identification of babies under cold stress in order to prevent occurrence of life threatening hypothermia.
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Frontal X-ray pictures of 210 healthy children from birth to twelve years of age with radio-opaque markers at sternal ends and both nipples were reviewed. The position of centre of cardiac silhouette was correlated with sternal areas and internipple line. The heart was found to descend with age, its centre lying beneath mid-sternum during first six months of life and beneath lower sternum after infancy (p less than 0.001). ⋯ External cardiac massage should be applied in relation to sternum and at different locations according to the age. Sites for optimal compression have been suggested. No sexual dimorphism was observed.