Language disorders in children conceived by the assisted reproductive technologies

The new reproductive technologies have made it possible for parentless couples to become parent. Very little information is known about language and cognitive development in child conceived by ART and few studies have been done in order to evaluate the communicative disorders in these children. The objective of this study is to establish base line data about the size and distribution of language disorders among the children conceived through the ART procedures. This study was set in the Egyptian IVF center, the Jesuit Father's school and the preterm pediatric clinic in El-Minia governorate. One hundred children conceived by the ART procedures and 100 naturally conceived babies were included in this study. The children in the two groups were matched as much as possible in order to evaluate the effect of the ART procedures on the language abilities. The children of both groups were subjected to the protocols of language assessment which applied in the Phoniatric Unit of Am Shams University Hospital Revealed significant difference between both groups regarding the receptive, semantics and total language test scores. The results from this study revealed that the low birth weight, poor neonatal outcome, premature and multiple birth were important risk factors for worsening the language abilities of the children conceived by the ART more than the mode of conception by the ART procedures. In conclusion, A wider study is necessary to determine the effect of ART on the language skills of ART children

Endoscopic management of ureteroceles in children

Treatment of ureteroceles in children varies according to the anatomicopathological form and the-choice of the surgical team. This study tries to determine the exact value of the endoscopic management of ureteroceles in children. In our study we treated 11 ureteroceles in 10 children by endoscopic incision, 7 of them were intravesical ureteroceles [4 single system and 3 duplex system] and 4 were duplex system ectopic ureteroceles. The procedure consists of a tiny transversal incision at the lower and median aspects of the ureteroceles. In our study the dilation of the upper tract disappeared or decreased in all cases of intravesical ureteroceles and in half the cases of ectopic ureteroceles. The incision of the ureterocele led to a vesicoureteral reflux in the associated ureter in 6 cases 54.5% [43% of the intravesical ureteroceles, 75% of the ectopic ureteroceles]. Following endoscopic treatment, no further surgery was required in 5 of the 7 cases with intravesical ureteroceles [71.5%], while every case of ectopc ureterocele needed a further operation [lower tract surgery in 3 cases and upper tract surgery in 1 case]. Endoscopic incision of ureteroceles is a simple and quick procedure which allows obstruction to be removed and the dilation of the upper tract and its corresponding kidney function to be improved, particularly in the neonate. The endoscopic management of ureteroceles may in itself suffice, without necessity of further surgery. These favorable results can more readily be seen in cases of intravesical ureterocele than in those of ectopic ureterocele