Paediatric drugs
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Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed in the neonatal period in North America. If untreated, the pain of circumcision causes both short and long term changes in infant behaviours. The most widely studied pharmacological intervention for pain management during circumcision is dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) by injected lidocaine (lignocaine). ⋯ The instrument used to perform the circumcision is also important. The Mogen clamp has been shown to be associated with a shorter procedure time and less pain compared with the Gomco clamp. If circumcision is to be performed on infants, it is, therefore, recommended that combined analgesia and the Mogen clamp technique are used, and nonpharmacological stress reducing interventions such as pacifiers and comfortable restraining chairs should also be employed.
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This is Part II of a 2-part paper on fever of unknown origin (FUO) in children. It examines the aetiology and management of prolonged FUO in children and the difficulties in the management of FUO in children in developing countries. Part I of this paper discussed acute FUO in children and was published in the March 2001 issue of Paediatric Drugs. ⋯ Major difficulties in the management of FUO in children in developing countries include constraints in the availability and reliability of laboratory tests, cost, misuse of antibiotics and difficulties encountered in the diagnosis of malaria and typhoid fever. Malaria and typhoid fever are major aetiological considerations in both acute and prolonged FUO in children in developing countries. The newer quinolones may hold great promise for the treatment of serious bacterial infections, including meningitis, which are associated with prolonged FUO in developing countries.