Acta paediatrica
-
To study the prevalence of posttraumatic stress in parents after an acute admission to a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to determine risk factors for the development of posttraumatic stress. ⋯ The unexpected admission of a child to a PICU is a stressful event associated with parental posttraumatic stress. Treatment should not end after discharge. Follow-up care is warranted and research should be focused on prevention of these symptoms.
-
In certain patients, such as young children or individuals with cerebral palsy or severe mental retardation, it is difficult to perform forced expiratory manoeuvres to measure expiratory flow volume. In such cases, we could evaluate obstructive lung disease through the measurement of airway resistance instead of expiratory flow volume. ⋯ FEV(1), FVC and PEFR were significantly correlated with IOS parameters, in both asthmatic and control subjects, especially for atopic children. IOS could be used as a suitable measure of lung function when spirometry and PEF cannot be performed.
-
The amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) is a useful tool to assess brain function after perinatal asphyxia in term infants. We report a full-term newborn with moderate perinatal asphyxia, who accidentally received an overdose of morphine (5000 microg/kg). The overdose of morphine resulted in a clear and immediate change of aEEG background activity from a continuous (C) to discontinuous (DC) background pattern. After administration of naloxone, the background activity restored immediately to continuous background pattern. The aEEG was used to monitor the stepwise reduction in continuous naloxone infusion. ⋯ An overdose of morphine leads to clear and immediate changes in aEEG which restore after naloxone treatment. The aEEG can be used to monitor naloxone infusion.
-
Comparative Study
Assessment of the prevalence of microaspiration by gastric pepsin in the airway of ventilated children.
Mechanically ventilated patients are at risk for aspiration of gastric contents. The aim of this observational study was to determine the prevalence of micro-aspiration in children with cuffed and uncuffed endotracheal (ET) tubes and with tracheostomies and to assess the effect of feeding status on aspiration. Micro-aspiration was determined by measuring gastric pepsin in tracheal aspirates. ⋯ Measurement of gastric pepsin in tracheobronchial fluid is a sensitive tool to detect aspirations in mechanically ventilated children and to assess the efficacy of preventive measures in PICU settings.
-
The proportion of Scandinavian school children reporting psychosomatic pain and psychological complaints have increased in recent decades. In this study we investigated these symptoms in relation to potential stressors in the school environment. ⋯ School stressors are strongly associated with psychosomatic pain and psychological complaints in school children. Psychological complaints seem to function as mediators in the association of school stressors to psychosomatic pain symptoms to a great extent.