Archives of disease in childhood
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Despite high rates of (adeno)tonsillectomy for upper respiratory infections in western countries, the medical literature offers the physician little support in deciding which child might benefit from the operation. ⋯ All available randomised trials and non-randomised controlled studies into the efficacy of (adeno)tonsillectomy had important limitations. The frequency of sore throat episodes and upper respiratory infections reduces with time whether (adeno)tonsillectomy has been performed or not. (Adeno)tonsillectomy gives an additional, but small, reduction of sore throat episodes, days of sore throat associated school absence, and upper respiratory infections compared to watchful waiting.
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Comparative Study
Neurodevelopmental outcome of hypoglycaemia in healthy, large for gestational age, term newborns.
To evaluate the effects of transient hypoglycaemia on the first day of life in 75 healthy term large for gestational age (LGA) infants, born to non-diabetic mothers, on their neurodevelopmental outcome at the age of 4 years. ⋯ Transient mild hypoglycaemia in healthy, term LGA newborns does not appear to be harmful to psychomotor development at the age of 4 years.
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To assess the impact of measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine on the epidemiology of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in England and Wales. ⋯ The prevention of endemic circulation of measles virus in England and Wales through the high coverage achieved with MMR vaccine, together with the measles/rubella vaccination campaign of 1994, has resulted in the near elimination of SSPE. However, the recent decline in MMR vaccine coverage, with the associated increase in localised measles outbreaks and cases in young infants, is of concern. It underlines the importance of maintaining high vaccine coverage in order to protect indirectly those most vulnerable to SSPE, namely infants too young to be vaccinated.
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Comparative Study
Could nursery rhymes cause violent behaviour? A comparison with television viewing.
To assess the rates of violence in nursery rhymes compared to pre-watershed television viewing. ⋯ Although we do not advocate exposure for anyone to violent scenes or stimuli, childhood violence is not a new phenomenon. Whether visual violence and imagined violence have the same effect is likely to depend on the age of the child and the effectiveness of the storyteller. Re-interpretation of the ancient problem of childhood and youth violence through modern eyes is difficult, and laying the blame solely on television viewing is simplistic and may divert attention from vastly more complex societal problems.
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To investigate the validity and reliability of computerised acoustic analysis in the detection of abnormal respiratory noises in infants. ⋯ The stethoscope is unreliable for assessing respiratory sounds in infants. This has important implications for its use as a diagnostic tool for lung disorders in infants, and confirms that it cannot be used as a gold standard. Because of the unreliability of the stethoscope, the validity of acoustic analysis could not be demonstrated, although it could discriminate between sounds well and showed good within-observer reliability. For acoustic analysis, targeted training and the development of computerised pattern recognition systems may improve reliability so that it can be used in clinical practice.