Children''s nutrient intake at preschool and at home

A preschool-based dietary survey, using 7-d records, was carried out in a suburb of Stockholm. The aim was to assess the intake of food and the quality of the diet of preschool children aged 3-5 y at preschool and at home, and to compare the dietary intake with the Swedish dietary recommendations for preschool children. The respective mean intakes of protein, fat, carbohydrates and sucrose, expressed as a percentage of total energy intake were 14, 38, 50 and 9 at preschool, and at home 14, 36, 52 and 12 on weekdays, 14, 34, 55 and 16 on weekend days. The mean intakes of seven vitamins and minerals were low only for selenium as compared with the recommended level. No differences were found in nutrient density between diet at preschool and diet at home, with the exception of dietary fibre (higher at preschool). On weekdays there was a significantly higher nutrient density for calcium, zinc, selenium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin C and dietary fibre compared with weekend days. Conclusion: The average intakes of energy and nutrients per meal at preschool compared with the recommended levels for children aged 4-6 y were low for all meals (breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack). This, however, was compensated for by home meals.     

Injuries at School

ABSTRACT. One quarter of all injuries in children of school age occur at school. In order to analyse the importance of schoolmate interactions and unsatisfactory schoolmate relationships for the occurrence of injuries at school a case-control study was carried out in 1986 in the comprehensive schools of Linköping. Fifty injured students and 50 controls, matched by grade and sex, were interviewed. Sixty-six percent of all injuries occurred during time not organized by the teachers. In 36% the situation was characterized by brawling or chasing. Injured students demonstrated significantly more often unsatisfactory relationships with schoolmates. In the age group at highest risk (11–13 years) differences between injured and controls were most apparent. Student proposals to prevent injuries most commonly concerned brawling during breaks. The study indicates that interaction between schoolmates and unsatisfactory schoolmate relationships are important determinants of risk of injury at school.     

Resuscitation at birth

It is only in recent years that the techniques used for resuscitation at birth have come under critical review and there have been very few controlled trials to assess their efficacy. Recent studies have indicated that the large majority of asphyxiated term babies can be resuscitated using air rather than 100% oxygen, possibly reducing damage from oxygen free radicals during re-perfusion. Physiological studies have shown that inflation pressures of 25–30 cmH₂O maintained for up to 1 s, only result in approximately 40% of the mean inspiratory volume achieved by babies who breathed spontaneously at birth. These spontaneous inflation volumes can be matched either by maintaining the first inflation for 3 s, or by using pressures of up to 50 cmH₂O for 300 ms, a pattern adopted by spontaneously breathing babies. Bag and mask systems are even less effective, often depending on the Head paradoxical reflex to stimulate respiration rather than producing adequate tidal exchange. Face mask T-piece devices provide more effective ventilatory exchange and are easier to use. Conclusion Although the pattern of ventilatory support in current use often leads to successful resuscitation of asphyxiated babies at birth, more physiological and randomised controlled studies are needed to refine techniques in order to limit babies' exposure to potentially damaging hypoxia to the minimum. Received: 19 January 1998 / Accepted: 19 January 1998     

Injuries at play

The problem of toy-related injuries is a complicated one. The authors detail specific hazards related to toys, playgrounds, skateboards, and baby walkers. Guidelines are provided for toy suitability for children of all ages.     

Proportionality at Birth

ABSTRACT. 501 small (SGA), 330 average (AGA) and 460 large for gestational age (LGA) babies were measured at birth. Head-chest, head-crown-rump length, and chest-crown-rump length ratios were used to evaluate the changing patterns of proportionality with increasing gestational age. The SGA group showed strong negative correlations for head-chest and head-length ratios, and positive correlations for chest-length ratios. The patterns were similar in the AGA group, only less evident. For all three measures of proportionality, correlations with gestational age in the LGA group were close to zero. In each group boys had higher head-chest ratios than girls.     

Management of the mother-infant couple at risk at a joint hospitalization unit

The authors report a four year experience of conjoint mother and child hospitalization in a specialized unit in a child psychiatry department. The intervention on the disorders of the early relation between mother and child is a way of prevention of the psychic pathology of the child and eventually of the adult. The objective is an individual primary (or primo-secondary) prevention among other processes of preventive intervention. The initial project and the actual functioning are described. A retrospective observation suggests the interest of this type of unit in the early medico-psychosocial prevention, in the training of the staff in contact with the infant and in the clinical research in the field of the development of the very young and of his interactions with his mother.     

Nutritional rickets at puberty

Four adolescent Asians with vitamin D deficiency rickets were seen in Derby in the 5 years 1967 to 1971. They had an extremely low intake of vitamin D, and this, combined with the extra metabolic demands of puberty, was judged to be the main cause of the rickets. However, since investigation of their sibs revealed 4 further cases of rickets, it is possible that some of these children had an inherited disability in the metabolism of vitamin D. 2 cases of iron deficiency anaemia were found among their sibs. We suspect that nutritional deficiencies may be widespread in the Asian community in Britain and that prevention depends on dietary education.