Rabdomiosarcoma infantil

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in children; it can appear in any part of the body. Its biological behavior varies widely, and despite the absence of specific clinical or radiological characteristics, rhabdomyosarcoma should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of solid tumors in children. This review focuses primarily on the imaging findings and anatomical distribution of the histological subtypes of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma and secondarily on the differential findings in histological studies.     

La danse créative,une approche holistique aux bienfaits rééducatifs

The practice of dance, in the context of rehabilitation, is of growing interest as a global, motivating and beneficial approach. Scientific literature shows that dance leads to favorable motor, cognitive and psychosocial effects for people with neurological disorders, notably, for people with Parkinson's disease. Recent studies have also suggested that dance, as a rehabilitation therapy, is an effective approach, which leads to motor and potential cognitive and psychosocial benefits for those with cerebral palsy. Among the numerous existing dance approaches, the creative dance approach is particularly interesting for its specific pedagogical process that not only includes the dancer's physical and psychological experience of dance, but is also guided by the dancer's own capacities of movement. Creative dance uses a participative, inclusive and playful method that facilitates social link and permits the improvement of self-confidence and empowerment. This approach, based on each individual's ability, enables rehabilitation de be adaptable and specific to the needs of each dancer and each group. Oral testimonies of adolescents with neurological disorders who have participated to creative dance classes in a rehabilitation context have shown that this activity is pleasant and leads to observed benefits both during classes and in daily life. Thus, creative dance appears as a promising therapeutic approach, and easy to implement in a rehabilitation context for young people with neurological disorders.     

Hemodynamic support of a 15-year-old waiting for a heart transplant: Is there a role for levosimendan in pediatric heart failure?

Decompensated heart failure in children requires rapid and aggressive support. In refractory cases, invasive supportive care is essential to ensure cardiac output. This results in lengthy pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) stays, secondary morbidity, and high cost. Levosimendan may help palliate the pitfalls encountered with the usual treatment. It has been shown to improve hemodynamics and decrease morbidity and mortality from heart failure in adult trials and pediatric cohorts. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy with dilated cardiomyopathy and refractory ventricular dysfunction who was weaned from continuous inotropes and discharged from the PICU with levosimendan while waiting for heart transplantation.     

L’Artiste en milieu hospitalier : une expérience musicale en hémodialyse pédiatrique

Culture at the hospital is part of a policy of providing everyone access to culture. This article describes a musical intervention that provides patients and healthcare professionals a central role in creation; qualitatively assesses the benefits of these interventions for children and caregivers; evaluate the lessons learned from this ongoing experience in the pediatric hemodialysis unit of Rouen University Hospital. Ninety-minute sessions take place twice a week, with eight children aged from 18 months to 19 years, during dialysis. To assess the effects of artistic interventions in the unit, a qualitative methodology was chosen (observation grid). The progression of the project is evaluated to highlight what has helped the children and caregivers reach autonomy in artistic creation while respecting the time allotted, the artistic approach, and the esthetics of each participant's creation. The results indicate that this approach allows children to be actors, that the time at the hospital is relativized, and that the relationship with the healthcare professionals is less oriented towards care. A discussion follows on the place of the artist and the untapped potential of bringing patients to the creative act; the issue of esthetics, which then becomes secondary; the complementarity between musical activities and creation, and the role each actor plays in an artistic project. The hospital can provide access to culture; however, it is possible to go further and reveal patients’ creativity.     

Effect of Weight and Maturation on Busulfan Clearance in Infants and Small Children Undergoing Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Little information is currently available regarding the pharmacokinetics (PK) of busulfan in infants and small children to help guide decisions for safe and efficacious drug therapy. The objective of this study was to develop an algorithm for individualized dosing of i.v. busulfan in infants and children weighing ≤12 kg, that would achieve targeted exposure with the first dose of busulfan. Population PK modeling was conducted using intensive time-concentration data collected through the routine therapeutic drug monitoring of busulfan in 149 patients from 8 centers. Busulfan PK was well described by a 1-compartment base model with linear elimination. The important clinical covariates affecting busulfan PK were actual body weight and age. Based on our model, the predicted clearance of busulfan increases approximately 1.7-fold between 6 weeks to 2 years of life. For infants age <5 months, the model-predicted doses (mg/kg) required to achieve a therapeutic concentration at steady state of 600-900 ng/mL (area under the curve range, 900-1350 μM·min) were much lower compared with standard busulfan doses of 1.1 mg/kg. These results could help guide clinicians and inform better dosing decisions for busulfan in young infants and small children undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.