ABSTRACT
Background:Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. The morbidity pattern of underfives with this condition is yet to be described. Objective: To describe the morbidity pattern of underfives with MAM.Method: Across sectional study was conducted in two Primary Health Centres in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Caregivers'brought children aged 6- 59 months to the health facilities following community mobilization. Eligible children were recruited into the study after obtaining parental consent. Avalidated proforma was used to obtain the biodata and symptoms of common illnesses in the children. Ageneral physical examination, anthropometric measurements and systemic examination were performed. Results: Atotal of 162 children were recruited into the study. Their mean (±SD) age was 20.4 ± 13.0 months. Over 70% of them were 6 - 23 months of age. Their mean (±SD) length/height was 77.3 ± 29.6 cm, mean (±SD) weight was 8.3 ± 3.4 kg and mean (±SD) mid upper arm circumference was 12.4 ± 4.5 cm. The main symptoms noted in the children were; fever 99 (61.1%), cough 84 (51.9%), weight loss 81 (50.0%), diarrhoea 40 (24.7%) and vomiting 40 (24.7%) while pallor 77 (47.5%), lymphadenopathy 56 (34.6%), hair changes 49 (30.2%), skin changes 27 (16.6%) were the main signs in them.Conclusion: The main symptomatology of underfives with MAM were fever, cough and weight loss
Subject(s)
Severe Acute MalnutritionABSTRACT
The peak flow meter (PFM) is a useful device in asthma monitoring and in determining the severity of symptoms. Against the background of reported under utilisation of PFMs in the management of asthma and prescription for home use; and the paucity of such data in developing countries; this study was carried out to assess the knowledge; awareness; and practice of physicians on the use of PFMs in the management of children with asthma. The work was a prospective cross-sectional study involving 67 doctors working in the paediatric departments of two government hospitals in Lagos State; Nigeria. The number of doctors varied as not all responded to all the questions. The figures therefore correspond with the number of doctors that responded to the particular issue/question addressed. The survey was conducted with a self-administered structure questionnaire. Information obtained included the availability of PFMs in consulting rooms; knowledge of their use; benefits; frequency of prescription; and constraints in prescribing PFMs for the home management of asthma. Only 13 (20.0) of the doctors (n=65) used the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) regularly in the diagnosis of asthma. The designation of the respondents and the years of experience in the management of asthma were significantly related to the frequency of prescription of the PFM (p=0.007; p=0.003 respectively).Non-availability was the highest constraint to PFM use (75.0); followed by the cost of the PFM (51.7). This study revealed that the physicians' knowledge about the PFM was suboptimal. The meters were rarely used in diagnosis nor prescribed for home management by physicians attending to asthmatic children at the two referral hospitals. The cost and availability of the PFM should be addressed by the hospital management
Subject(s)
Asthma , Awareness , Child , Disease , KnowledgeABSTRACT
Benue State; Nigeria; currently has the highest seroprevalence nationwide. Data available from developed countries and the few available ones from the developing countries have all indicated that the pattern and prevalence of HIV-related ocular morbidity in the paediatric population is quite different from those that occur in the adult population.This study is aimed at ascertaining the pattern of ocular affectations of HIV-infected paediatric age group. A retrospective study of all the children aged 1-16 years; diagnosed cases of HIV/AIDS who presented to the eye unit or were seen by Invitation for Consultation in other units of the Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi between June 2002 to May 2006. A register was open in the Eye Department of Federal Medical Centre between June 2002 to May 2007. Extracted from this register were the bio-data of the patients; Ocular presentation; corrected Visual acuity and Ocular diagnosis of all Seropositive HIV/AIDS children reviewed. Of all the358 seropositive children; only 121 ( 33.8) had ocular affectations. . There were 206 (57.5) males 152 (42.5) females. The most common anterior segment lesions were conjunctival microangiopathy; non-purulent conjunctivitis; recurrent chalazion and external hordeolum. The most prevalent posterior segment ocular lesions were peri-vasculitis; toxoplasmal retinochoroiditis retinal haemorhages; and macular edema. In conclusion; posterior segment and neuro-ophthalmic complications of the HIV/AIDS were the major causes of ocular morbidity and visual impairment. Ocular assessment is of paramount importance for early detection and management of vision threatening complication of HIV/AIDS in children