听性脑干反应和听觉相关电位测试对聋儿听力的评估

目的:探讨听性脑干反应(ABR)和40 Hz听觉相关电位(40Hz AERP)测试的相关性及对聋儿听力评估的重要性。方法:对401例6岁以下聋儿行ABR和40Hz AERP测试并比较。结果:ABR测试无反应者为589耳(73.4％),40 Hz AERP测试无反应者为311耳(19.4％),前者明显高于后者(P<0.01)。两种测试中有残余听力的耳数随阈值的升高,检出率亦升高,结论:ABR测试只反映高频听阈,无反应率高,而40 Hz AERP可显示低、中频的听阈,无反应率低。两种测试应同时进行,可全面了解聋儿的听力损失情况。同时因聋儿多为重度聋,更应及早选配助听器。     

“AIDS is rape!” gender and sexuality in children's responses to HIV and AIDS

This paper examines young African school children's understanding of HIV and AIDS. Based on focus group interviews with children aged 7–8 in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa, it explores the ways in which gender and sexuality feature in their responses to the disease. Data were collected between 2003 and 2004 through 26 focus groups involving 55 boys and 64 girls. The paper argues that younger children are active agents in giving meaning to the disease. Their agency is negotiated within complex social processes involving sexual violence, highly unequal gender/age inequalities, but also sexual expression. Those expressions are subsumed however under a regime of violence and fear catapulting men, albeit with contestation, as chief vectors in the spread of the disease and a source of girls' anxieties. Children's responses to the disease are the effects of material, symbolic and discursive forces effectively constraining the opportunities available to them and creating patterns of vulnerability especially for young girls. Interventions aimed at scaling up efforts to address young children responses to the disease must be situated in parallel efforts to end poverty, sexual violence and pervasive gender inequalities in order to foster more comprehensively the exercise of young children's agency.     

Psychological Functioning, Nonadherence and Health Outcomes After Pediatric Liver Transplantation

The present study empirically assessed the relationships between adherence behaviors and HRQOL, parent and child psychological functioning and family functioning, and investigated the relationship between adherence behaviors and health outcomes in children who were within 5 years of their liver transplantation. Participants included 38 children (mean = 8.5 years, range 28 months to 16 years) and their parent/guardian(s). HRQOL and psychological functioning were examined using well-validated assessment measures. Measures of adherence included the rate of clinic attendance and standard deviations (SDs) of consecutive tacrolimus blood levels, which were collected and evaluated retrospectively. Measures of child health status included the frequency of hospital admissions, liver biopsies, episodes of rejection and graft function for the year prior to study participation. Results indicated that nonadherence was related to lower physical HRQOL, more limitations in social and school activities related to emotional and behavioral problems, parental emotional distress and decreased family cohesion. Nonadherence was also related to frequency and duration of hospitalizations, liver biopsies and rejection episodes. These results suggest that empirically based assessment of HRQOL, parenting stress and family functioning may help identify patients at risk for nonadherence, and may allow for the need-based delivery of appropriate clinical interventions.     

Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Asthma from Different Ethnic Origins

This study aimed to identify and explain differences in health-related quality of life (QoL) between immigrant and non-immigrant children with asthma. In 274 children (7-17 years of age) generic and asthma-related QoL were assessed. The association between ethnicity and QoL was studied in linear regression model analyses. For the asthma-related QoL, unadjusted analyses showed significant ethnic differences. The non-immigrant children had the highest scores, which implies a better QoL. After adjusting for asthma control and socioeconomic status (SES), ethnic differences disappeared. These results suggest that immigrant children have a similar QoL to that of non-immigrant children from a comparable SES, when their asthma is under control.     

Non-specific bronchial hyper-responsiveness in children with allergic rhinitis: Relationship with the atopic status

An increased prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) has been demonstrated in children from a general population, and in non-asthmatic adults with allergic rhinitis. Thus, also children with allergic rhinitis are expected to be at higher risk of BHR. We evaluated the prevalence of BHR in a sample of non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis by means of the methacholine (Mch) bronchial challenge, and by monitorizing the airway patency using the daily peak expiratory flow variability (PEFv). Fifty-one children (ranged 6–15 years of age) with allergic rhinitis, ascertained by skin prick test to inhalant allergens, underwent a 14-day peak expiratory flow monitoring, and a Mch bronchial provocation challenge. Thirty healthy children matched for age, and sex served as control group. Thirty-one children in the rhinitis group (61%), and six (20%) in the control group were Mch+ (Mch provocative dose causing a 20% fall of forced expiratory volume in 1 s respect to baseline <2250  μ g, equivalent to 11.50  μ mol). In rhinitic children the PEFv did not significantly differ between Mch+ and Mch− subjects, but the total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were higher among Mch+. The persistent form of rhinitis was significantly associated to Mch positivity. Non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis displayed a high prevalence of BHR. The BHR was significantly associated with persistent rhinitis and with higher total IgE levels. Nevertheless, the spontaneous changes in airway patency, as expressed by PEFv, were within normal limits both in Mch+ and Mch− children.     

佛山市城区集体儿童健康状况调查分析

目的了解佛山市城区集体儿童健康状况,以制定干预措施。方法采用随机整群抽样的方法,抽取本市城区共15间幼儿园,并对各间园所的儿童体检的资料数据进行整理和分析。结果佛山市集体儿童缺点总检出率为71.40%。其中私营幼儿园儿童缺点患病率明显高于事业单位的幼儿园(P<0.05),有显著性差异。儿童骨矿物质测定缺钙的检出率为13.73%。男女儿童无性别差异。结论今后继续加强对幼儿园的管理工作,私营的幼儿园管理工作是我们今后管理工作的重点,做好防治工作,降低患病率,增强儿童的身心健康。     

Airway hyper-responsiveness to adenosine 5''-monophosphate in preschool-age children with asthma

Airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) to adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) is closely associated with airway inflammation; however, not all asthmatic patients are responsive to it. This study was planned to investigate the predictive factors of AHR to AMP in asthmatic children aged between 3 and 6 yr. We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 63 asthmatic preschool-age children who were challenged by AMP in our department. All children were characterized by skin-prick tests, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, peripheral blood eosinophil percentage and bronchial challenge with methacholine (MCH) and AMP. Potential determinants for AHR to AMP were assessed within the group. AHR to AMP was found in 46% of preschool-age children with asthma, while that of MCH was 93.7%. All children responsive to AMP were also responsive to MCH. The geometric mean provocative concentration of MCH and AMP causing a 15% fall in transcutaneous oxygen tension (PC(15)PtcO(2)MCH and AMP) were 0.55 mg/ml (0.004-9.19) and 10.53 mg/ml (0.59-342.89), respectively. AMP-responsive children did not differ from non-responsive ones with respect to demographic factors, geometric mean PC(15)PtcO(2)MCH and atopic status. The median serum IgE level was significantly higher in AMP-responsive group than the non-responsive ones (p = 0.011). The peripheral blood eosinophilia was more frequent among responsive children (p = 0.019), and it was found as the only predictive factor for AMP responsiveness in preschool-age children with asthma in logistic regression model (odds ratio: 5.14; 95% CI: 1.23-21.47; p = 0.025). AMP responsiveness may be predicted by peripheral blood eosinophilia but not with atopy markers in young children with asthma.     

Identifying the special needs of children with Type 1 diabetes in the school setting. An overview of parents' perceptions.

AIMS: The aims of this observational study were to identify the special needs of children with Type 1 diabetes in schools from the parents' point of view and the difficulties experienced with full integration, and to define a series of interventions which may improve the situation. METHODS: Parents of children aged 3-18 years with Type 1 diabetes were eligible. Those who agreed to participate completed a self-reporting questionnaire which determined the effects of the disease on children, parents and school personnel, and addressed aspects including children's integration, glycaemic control, insulin administration, meals, sports, trips and attitudes of teachers and school colleagues to their disease. RESULTS: A total of 499 questionnaires were completed and validated. Median age of children was 11.5 years (95% CI 7.8-15.2). Only 34% of parents believed that teachers could recognize the symptoms of a mild hypoglycaemic episode. Seventeen per cent of parents experienced problems at their schools when they informed staff about their children's disease, 5% were finally not accepted and 8% were forced to change school. In some cases, they had to modify glucose monitoring (9%) and treatment administration (16%) because of a lack of cooperation from the school. CONCLUSIONS: Training sessions on Type 1 diabetes, an increase in the number of nurses, better availability of resources from diabetic associations to schools and improved communication between school personnel and parents were identified as key factors that may improve the full integration of the diabetic child in this setting.     

佛山地区1991～2000年小儿消化道出血病因研究

【目的】探讨佛山地区小儿消化道出血的临床特点，了解小儿消化道出血的病因。【方法】采用回顾性调查方法对1363例消化道出血患儿进行病因分析。【结果】1363例消化道出血患儿除全身疾病引起出血的146例外，消化道局部病变引起出血者1217例；属上消化道出血395例，确诊为溃疡病232例(57．3％)，各种类型胃炎及十二指肠球炎共123例(30．4％)，其次为食管静脉曲张、胃粘膜脱垂、食管贲门撕裂症、食管裂孔疝、十二指肠息肉等，明确病因372例(94．2％)。属下消化道出血822例，确诊为肠息肉526例(54．9％)，结肠炎121例(12．6％)，其次为溃疡性结肠炎、肠套叠、美克尔憩室、阿米巴结肠炎、小肠血管瘤、血管畸形、肠结核等，明确病因800例(97．3%)。【结论】小儿消化道出血应根据不同年龄、不同出血部位选择有效诊断方法，以提高病因诊断率，减少对患儿生长发育及身心健康的影响。     

Risk factors for wheezing in Ukrainian children: Ukraine European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood Group

The prevalence of wheezing in children varies widely around the world. The reasons for this geographic variability remain unclear but may be related in part to exposures in the home environment during pregnancy and early childhood. We investigated the prenatal and early childhood risk factors for wheezing symptoms among 2127 children aged 6–8 years who were participants in the Ukrainian component of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC). Cases included the 169 children whose parents answered yes to the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Children (ISAAC) question: 'Has your child had wheezing or whistling in the chest in the past 12 months' during the ELSPAC assessment of the children at age 7. These were compared with the 1861 children in the cohort whose parents answered 'no' to this question.
Factors significantly associated with increased risk of wheezing illness at age 7 in adjusted analyses included mother's asthma [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22, 9.85]; mother's allergy problems (OR 1.43, [1.00, 2.05]); rarely playing with other children at age 3 (OR 1.84, [1.09, 3.11]); water intrusion (OR 1.62, [1.09, 2.39]) and inadequate heating of the home (OR 1.52, [1.06, 2.16]) during pregnancy. Factors protective of wheezing at age 7 included being first-born (adjusted OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.50, 0.98); living in the city of Dniprodzerzynsk as compared with Kyiv (OR 0.36, [0.24, 0.54]) and weekly contact with furry animals (OR 0.44, [0.20, 0.97]) before age 3. The constellation of risk factors for wheezing in Ukrainian children is similar to that of children in other parts of the world. Known risk factors do not account for the significant between-city variability of wheezing in Ukrainian children.