Advances in pediatrics
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Advances in pediatrics · Jan 1983
Review Case ReportsEpstein-Barr virus and the X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome.
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In the normal human body, the extracellular fluid pH of 7.40 is closely protected. Any increase in acidity or alkalinity summons forth three lines of defense, starting immediately with the blood buffers, followed soon by the respiratory system's control of CO2, and finally purged by the renal excretion of the excess acid or base. The complex interrelated processes of the renal responses require a few days to accomplish maximum compensation. ⋯ The mechanism of metabolic acidosis in chronic renal failure including metabolic acidosis in children undergoing dialysis and in recipients of kidney transplantation, and its relationships to mineral and electrolyte metabolism have been presented. The pathophysiology of the acidosis related to certain infant formulas and the acidogenic properties of some amino acid solutions employed in total parenteral nutrition have been briefly reviewed. Finally, the metabolic alkalosis seen in a variety of chloride deficiency syndromes, such as Bartter's syndrome and dietary chloride deprivation, has been discussed and a rational approach to evaluation and treatment outlined.
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The pediatrician's role in teenage pregnancy is multifaceted. The problem is a sociologic phenomenon with medical consequences. The pregnant teenager actually represents three patients: the mother, the baby, and the adolescent herself. ⋯ Pediatricians should work to gain acceptance of laws modeled after the American Academy of Pediatrics' health care for minors policy. Lastly, support services to promote proper parenthood and establishment of families can be developed with pediatric input. The entire problem must be viewed in the context of current social patterns, an understanding of adolescent development, the significance of peer pressures, and the biological changes that make it possible for children to bear children.