Nocturnal enuresis is a common complication following cardiac transplantation.

AIMS: To investigate the incidence of nocturnal enuresis post-cardiac transplantation. METHODS: Seventy two cardiac transplantations have been performed in children under 16 years of age. All recipients who were alive and over 4 years of age at the time of the study received a questionnaire about urinary symptoms; 54 of the 57 eligible children participated. RESULTS: Twenty five children had persistent nocturnal enuresis post-transplantation. Thirteen of them had previously attained reliable night-time dryness but developed secondary nocturnal enuresis following transplantation, with three subsequently regaining dryness at ages 8, 12, and 17 years; 10 were still wetting mean age 12.3. Twelve children had not achieved night-time dryness when transplanted (all were under 4 years of age at the time) and continued to wet. Only one of these children achieved dryness (at age 12 using oxybutynin); the other 11 remained wet at night at a mean age of 9.3 years. Twenty nine children were dry at night post-transplantation, but 21 of them had nocturia at least three times a week. There is a significant difference in age at transplantation between the primary nocturnal enuretic children (mean age 2.0) and the secondary nocturnal enuretic children (mean age 7.4) as well as between the primary nocturnal enuretic children and the non-enuretic children (mean age 9.0). CONCLUSIONS: Transplanting young children frequently delays the normal attainment of night-time continence or causes them to start wetting again. It should not be dismissed as a minor problem as it causes low self-esteem and is socially limiting. It is important families are aware it is a direct result of the transplantation process.     

Nocturnal enuresis is a common complication following cardiac transplantation

Aims: To investigate the incidence of nocturnal enuresis post-cardiac transplantation. Methods: Seventy two cardiac transplantations have been performed in children under 16 years of age. All recipients who were alive and over 4 years of age at the time of the study received a questionnaire about urinary symptoms; 54 of the 57 eligible children participated. Results: Twenty five children had persistent nocturnal enuresis post-transplantation. Thirteen of them had previously attained reliable night-time dryness but developed secondary nocturnal enuresis following transplantation, with three subsequently regaining dryness at ages 8, 12, and 17 years; 10 were still wetting mean age 12.3. Twelve children had not achieved night-time dryness when transplanted (all were under 4 years of age at the time) and continued to wet. Only one of these children achieved dryness (at age 12 using oxybutynin); the other 11 remained wet at night at a mean age of 9.3 years. Twenty nine children were dry at night post-transplantation, but 21 of them had nocturia at least three times a week. There is a significant difference in age at transplantation between the primary nocturnal enuretic children (mean age 2.0) and the secondary nocturnal enuretic children (mean age 7.4) as well as between the primary nocturnal enuretic children and the non-enuretic children (mean age 9.0). Conclusions: Transplanting young children frequently delays the normal attainment of night-time continence or causes them to start wetting again. It should not be dismissed as a minor problem as it causes low self-esteem and is socially limiting. It is important families are aware it is a direct result of the transplantation process.     

Psychosocial Adjustment among Intellectually Gifted Adolescents: the Role of Cognitive-Developmental and Experiential Factors

Levels of psychological adjustment were examined among 51 high achieving, intellectually gifted adolescents with a mean age of 14.1 years. These students were compared with older adolescents matched with them on cognitive maturity (n = 30), and with two groups matched with them on chronological age (CA). One of the CA-matched groups contained children not identified as gifted (n = 47), while the other consisted of athletically talented youngsters (n = 39). All participants belonged to upper middle class families. On multiple indices of adjustment, intellectually gifted adolescents were comparable to older adolescents with similar cognitive skills, but differed from both groups of age mates. Differences between the gifted and non-gifted CA-matched groups were stronger than were those between the gifted group and the athletes of the same age. The findings were interpreted in terms of cognitive-developmental and experiential influences on psychological adjustment. The study also revealed gender effects which appeared to be linked with conflicts faced by gifted females between issues of achievement and those of social acceptance.     

Growth and development in preterm infants during the first 18 months

In a long-term prospective study 46 unselected infants born before 35 completed weeks of gestational age were followed up, and compared to 26 fullterm infants. At 9 and 18 months of chronological age their height and weight were still lower than that of fullterms, but the difference disappeared when age was corrected for gestational age at birth. The motor and neurological maturity and language development was delayed in the preterms still at 18 months, which could possibly also be explained by their lower biological age.

Ten of the preterm infants showed, at one or several occasions during follow up, definite neurological abnormality. At 18 months of age two of them were handicapped, one with retrolental fibroplasia, nearly blind, and another with cerebral palsy (slight spastic diplegia). Five of them had late psychomotor development, while two were borderline and one normal.

We defined pre- and perinatal risk groups, but found that development at 18 months was not correlated to degree of risk. Neither was there any correlation between neurological examination at term and later handicap or psychomotor retardation.

We found more illness, mostly due to common infections, during the first 18 months in the preterm group, as measured by the number of visits to a doctor and days spent in hospital.     

A clinical study of obstructive jaundice among Singapore infants.

Fifty infants with obstructive jaundice were reviewed. Other than jaundice, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were the other common presentations. The mean age of referral was 9.4 weeks. This was unsatisfactory as the prognosis depends on the age of corrective surgery. Majority of the non surgical cholestasis were due to idiopathic hepatitis. These patients did well as all of them were asymptomic and had no evidence of liver disease at 2 years of age.     

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) outbreak in the NICU: description of eight cases

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been recognized as a major nosocomial hazard on pediatric wards. Because of maternally acquired antibodies, symptomatic RSV infection is rare in term neonates. During an outbreak of RSV in our neonatal ICU, 12 infants (gestational age = 34 +/- 5 weeks) remained RSV negative. In contrast, eight preterm infants (gestational age = 28 +/- 2 weeks) became RSV positive. Four infants became very sick with RSV and required mechanical ventilation and support. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) developed in two of them resulting in death of one of them. Control measures were effective in controlling the outbreak. We conclude that during an RSV outbreak in the neonatal ICU, the attack rate is higher in preterm infants born at lower gestational age resulting in significant mortality and morbidity.     

Conservative management of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Fifty-nine children 1 to 24 months of age with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNDO) were treated with local hydrostatic massage and antibiotic eye drops. Children 1 to 12 months of age showed a cure rate of 93.3%; only two of them underwent nasolacrimal probing. Children 13 to 24 months of age had a cure rate of 79.3%, and six underwent probing. The initial probings were successful in both age groups. Fifty-one children (86.4%) were thus spared nasolacrimal probing.     

年龄 体重 剂量对癫癎儿童丙戊酸钠血药浓度的影响

目的：年龄、体重、剂量是丙戊酸钠血药浓度的重要影响因素,它们之间是否存在交互效应以及交互效应对血药浓度有无影响还不清楚。该研究在探讨交互效应的基础上评价年龄、体重、剂量对丙戊酸钠血药浓度的影响情况。方法：132例儿童癫癎病人口服相应剂量丙戊酸钠并测定血药浓度。使用方差分析、相关分析、多元逐步回归分析等研究年龄、体重、剂量与丙戊酸钠血药浓度之间的数量关系。结果：方差分析发现年龄(F=8.630,P<0.01)、体重(F=3.650,P<0.05)、剂量(F=11.720,P＜0.01)及年龄与剂量(F=2.484,P＜0.05)、年龄、体重与剂量(F=4.923,P＜0.01)之间的交互效应对血药浓度影响有显著或极显著统计学意义。回归分析发现剂量、体重进入回归方程。结论：年龄(4月~6岁)、体重(5~25 kg)、剂量(每日10~30 mg/kg)及年龄(4月~6岁)与剂量(每日10~30 mg/kg),年龄(4月~6岁)、体重(5~25 kg)与剂量(每日10~30 mg/kg)之间的交互作用对血药浓度有影响。用药要综合考虑这些因素影响。     

Incidence of heart defects in Down syndrome

Eighty-six patients with Down Syndrome were studied with the main purpose of quantifying the incidence of congenital heart defects and the risk of occurrence according to the mothers age. Thirty-eight patients had the cariotypes determined, 35 of them having trissomy of chromosome 21 and translocation in 3 cases. Congenital heart disease was found in 44 (51%) of the patients, the most common one being ventricular septal defect. An important incidence of Fallot's tetralogy was also found (20%). These 86 children were submitted to 41 surgical procedures, most of them on the cardiovascular system. The maternal mean age was 33 -/+ 8.6 years and the estimated risk of Down Syndrome was 1/590, a lower value than the one reported in other studies.     

A STUDY OF SKELETAL MATURATION IN A GROUP OF MELBOURNE CHILDREN*

The skeletal age of a child can be assessed by assigning to a radiograph of the left hand and wrist, the age at which the observed level of maturity was reached by a group of American children studied by Greulich and Pyle. An atlas, based on their findings, provided the standards by which Melbourne children were assessed. This report shows that these standards are applicable to Melbourne children aged 2 to 13 years and of British origin, and that for them no change in the age scale, as a correcting factor, is necessary.     

隐睾患儿手术年龄变化趋势及相关影响因素分析

目的 本研究拟分析隐睾患儿临床特点及手术年龄的变化趋势,同时探索影响隐睾手术时机的相关因素.方法 回顾性分析上海交通大学医学院附属新华医院2007年1月至2015年10月间接受手术治疗的隐睾患儿.收集患儿的人口统计学数据、合并阴茎发育异常情况、手术时间及其他影响因素等资料.运用t检验及多元线性回归分析对影响隐睾手术时机相关因素进行分析,P＜0.05为差异有统计学意义.结果 共有1 607例隐睾患儿被纳入本研究,其中单侧隐睾1449例(90.17％),合并阴茎发育异常的患儿112例(7％),平均手术年龄为39个月,有81％的患儿于1岁后接受手术治疗.民族、医疗保险类型、家庭收入、城乡差异以及隐睾侧别对手术年龄没有影响.多因素分析结果提示:腹腔内型隐睾(t=3.021,P=0.000)、合并阴茎畸形(t=3.916,P=0.000)、父母文化程度(t=3.563,P=0.000)、等待手术时间(t=2.657,P＜0.05)以及获得专业小儿外科医师治疗意见的时间(t=7.751,P=0.000)明显影响手术时机,结果有统计学意义.结论 在所研究的隐睾患儿中,大多数患儿的手术年龄在1岁以后.对患儿家长以及非专科医务人员进行隐睾知识的健康教育可能会提前隐睾的手术时机.     

DOES OVERNUTRITION OR OBESITY DURING THE FIRST YEAR AFFECT WEIGHT AT AGE FOUR?

ABSTRACT. 226 of 243 infants who took part in a prospective study of nutrition and weight during the first year of life were reviewed at age 4 years. 23 of 243 infants (9%) were obese on one or more controls the first year, and 4 of 226 (2%) at age 4 years. Only 3 of 23 infants remained obese. The weight and length of the children obsese at 0–1 year of age were significantly increased at age 4 years. Overnutrition occurred during the first year in 26 infants and the number of obese infants in this group was significantly increased at age 7–12 months and of overweight children during the first two years of life. At age 4, however, none of them were either obese or overweight.     

Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry: Effect of Postnatal Age

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the postnatal age might affect the accuracy and reliability of transcutaneous bilirubin measurements. A total of 576 transcutaneous bilirubin measurements were performed on 336 Japanese full-term breastfed newborn infants during the first 12 days of life. We divided them into three groups according to postnatal age and studied the effect of postnatal age on the accuracy and reliability of TcB measurements. Our study revealed that the most reliable site for transcutaneous bilirubin measurements changed from the forehead to the sternum with advancing postnatal age (i.e. forehead for0–3 days, chest for4–5 days, sternum for 6 days and later).     

Nebulised sodium cromoglycate in the preschool wheezy child.

A double-blind controlled study of 14 preschool children with recurrent wheezing episodes was performed to show the effectiveness of nebulised sodium cromoglycate in inhibiting exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in this age group. All 14 children showed markedly less exercise-induced bronchoconstruction after nebulised sodium cromoglycate, 13 of them to a degree indistinguishable from results obtained in normal healthy children in the same age group. Nebulised water afforded protection from exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in some children. This study gives further evidence that sodium cromoglycate is an effective therapeutic agent in children under the age of 5 years.     

The relationships between dental age, chronological age and bone age in Turkish adolescents with constitutional delay of growth

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between dental age and bone age in Turkish adolescents with constitutional delay of growth and compare them with a group of normal, healthy adolescents. Left hand and wrist radiographs and dental panaromic radiographs of 33 adolescents (25 boys and 8 girls) aged between 10 and 16 years with constitutionally delayed growth were assessed. The control group comprised 41 healthy adolescents (24 boys, 17 girls) aged between 10 and 16 years. Bone age was determined according to Greulich and Pyle; dental age was assessed using the Demirjian method. In the control group, no statistical difference was found between chronological, bone and dental ages. In the group of adolescents with constitutional growth delay, there was no significant difference between chronological age and dental age, but the differences between dental age and bone age and between chronological age and bone age were found to be statistically significant. It was found that Demirjian's dental age assessment is a valid method for scoring dental age in Turkish adolescents. Adolescents with constitutional delay of growth had dental maturation appropriate for chronological age, but not for bone age.     

Constipation and intestinal neuronal dysplasia type B: a clinical follow-up study

OBJECTIVE: Intestinal neuronal dysplasia type B (IND B) is one of the gastrointestinal motility disorders with a defined malformation of the parasympathetic submucous and myenteric ganglia. The clinical presentation of IND B is variable, ranging from intestinal obstruction in the neonatal period to acute or chronic constipation in childhood. METHODS: Between 1993 and 1996, 105 patients (49 females and 56 males) were treated for constipation, and in all of them an IND type B was confirmed histopathologically. Twenty-two neonates, 42 infants to 6 months of age (38% of them were premature, and 5% had additional malformations), and 41 patients to the age of 4 years were included in this study.All 105 patients had been treated conservatively. Treatment consisted of diet in all patients, cisapride in 70% of them, laxatives in 52%, and repeated anal dilatations in 12% of the patients. The mean duration of their treatment lasted from 3 months to 10 months (mean, 6 months). RESULTS: The clinical follow-up 5 to 9 years later in 89 of the 108 (85%) patients showed daily defecation in 80% of them and every second day in 14% of them. Only 5 (6%) patients experience recurrent constipation, which responds well to diet and laxatives. CONCLUSIONS: In young patients, constipation related to IND B can be treated successfully by conservative treatment regimens, including diet, laxatives, and prokinetic drugs.     

Feminizing surgical management of intersex patients

The studys objective was to evaluate the results of surgical modalities for children with ambiguous genitalia. The records of 55 patients who were reared as females between 1985 and 2001 were reviewed regarding diagnosis, age at surgery, operative procedures, and outcome. The mean age at surgery was 3.5 years, and the follow-up period averaged 4.1 years with a range of 2 months–17 years. The types of reconstructive surgical techniques were clitorovaginoplasty in 29, staging clitoral surgery and vaginoplasty in seven, clitoroplasty in five, total urogenital mobilization (TUM) in three, vaginal bowel substitution in two, clitoridectomy in one, and gonadectomy in six, and two are waiting for vaginal substitution surgery after gonadectomy. The main complications were vaginal stenosis in four patients. All of the TUM patients had good appearances of their urethral orifice and vagina, all of them were continent, and none of them had urinary tract infections. With our limited experience with the TUM procedure, we feel that it is possible to obtain a better cosmetic and functional result with an easier technique. Among the 10 patients of postpubertal age, none of them had had sexual experience. Eight of the postpubertal patients asked questions about their reproductive status. Patients with an intersex disorder should be informed about their problems, especially about their reproductivity.     

Detecting vesico-ureteral reflux in asymptomatic siblings of children with reflux by direct radionuclide cystography

The incidence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) among asymptomatic siblings of children with VUR is much higher than the estimated incidence in the general population. It might be expected that identifying them and keeping them under close observation and/or either surgical or conservative treatment, might reduce the risk of renal scarring. Fifty-three asymptomatic children, all under 6 years of age and all siblings of children with proven VUR, were studied with direct radionuclide voiding cystography (DRVC). There were 31 (58%) boys, and 22 (42%) girls. Nine children (17%) were younger than 1 year, 13 (25%) were between 1 and 2 years of age, while 31 (58%) were older than 2 years. VUR was detected in 22 (42%) of the 53 siblings. The incidence of VUR varied considerably according to the age, and sex of the child, the highest being in boys younger than 1 year. Most of the severe reflux was seen in children under 2 years of age. Out of 11 patients with VUR, grade 2 and 3, there were 10 younger than 2 years, whereas, only 2 of the 11 siblings with VUR, grade 1 were younger than 2 years of age. The mean age of children with VUR grades 2 and 3 was 19 months, compared to the mean age of 50 months for those with VUR grade 1. DRVC, a highly sensitive method, exposes the patient to much less radiation than X-ray voiding cystography. We believe that the benefit of detecting VUR in asymptomatic siblings with DRVC outweights the invasiveness of the procedure. The predictive value of positive family history alone in identifying VUR in our study was 42%. This appears high enough to justify the routine investigation of asymptomatic siblings of children with VUR using DRVC at an early age.     

Moving ahead in language: Observations on a report of precocious language development in 3–4 year old children with spinal muscular atrophy type II

Benony and Benony in a recent issue of this Journal have presented new data on the precocity of language acquisition in children with type II spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), at age 36-47 months. They refer to our interim report of advanced early language development in these motor-impaired children, which covers the age period 18-35 months. Here, we provide more details of our findings and discuss them in relation to their report and our theory of the role of the procedural system in language learning.     

Menarcheal age and growth pattern of Indian girls adopted in Sweden. II. Catch-up growth and final height

Adopted girls (n=107) previously studied regarding menarcheal age in relation to age at arrival, were analysed as to growth pattern and final height related to nutritional status at arrival and menarcheal age. It was found that most girls had catch-up growth regarding height and half of them regarding weight. Faster catch-up and later arrival age in Sweden were associated with earlier menarche. The catch-up growth was, however, incomplete, and lower the initial height for age, lower was the height for age at the succeeding measurements, and the final height. The mean final height was 154 cm, but 8% of the girls were 145 cm or shorter. The data suggest that linear growth and final height is influenced by the preadoptive nutritional condition, as well as by the degree and timing of subsequent catch-up growth, and the timing of puberty. Pubertal onset is related to the degree and timing of catch-up growth.