Effect of Nutrition Education Program Developed by a Public Health Center on Preschool Children's Nutrition Knowledge and Dietary Habits and the Parent's Dietary Attitudes / 대한지역사회영양학회지

This study was carried out to examine the effects of nutrition education program developed by Jincheon Public Health Center on preschool children's nutrition knowledge and dietary habits and the parents' dietary attitudes. The subjects of this study were five- and six-year-old children as well as their parents. A 5-week nutrition education program was implemented to 104 children in five day care centers, and 107 children in three day care centers were investigated as a control group. Activity tools designed for each lesson such as puzzles, food magnets, story, songs, Pierrot costume, and balls were used. Nutrition knowledge and dietary habits of children and dietary attitudes of parents were evaluated before and after education. Mean nutrition knowledge score in the education group was significantly higher than that in the control group after education (p < 0.001). Mean dietary habit score of three questions (three meals a day, eating at fixed time, eating breakfast) in the education group was also significantly higher than that in the control group after education (p < 0.01). In addition, parents in the education group showed significantly higher mean dietary attitude score than those in the control group even though they did not receive education (p < 0.001). Our nutrition education program was found to be effective in improving nutrition knowledge and dietary habits in preschool children as well as improving dietary attitudes in their parents.

A Case of Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis in Neonate with Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Subcutaneous fat necrosis in neonates is a rare disease characterized by skin lesions, which may be single or multiple, poorly circumscribed and often tender erythematous nodules or plaques on cheeks, buttocks, back, arms, and thighs. These symptoms are usually self-limited; resolution occurs over a period of weeks to months. Subcutaneous fat necrosis affects full term and healthy- appearing infants who have experienced perinatal distress such as hypoxic insult, birth trauma and hypothermia. Most skin lesions appear within the first two weeks of life. We experienced a case of subcutaneous fat necrosis in a neonate with hypoxic insult and report the case with a brief review of the literature.

Comparison of Two Rapid Antigen Detection Tests for Diagnosis of Group A Streptococcal Pharyngotonsillitis

PURPOSE: Recently, a number of rapid antigen detection tests have been available to diagnose group A streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity and consistency of the two rapid antigen detection tests. METHODS: Among the patients who visited our clinic from November 2001 to February 2002, 61 patients who had clinical findings of pharyngeal erythema or edema, pharyngeal exudates and soft palatine petechiae were enrolled in our study. A total of 61 patients were tested with rapid antigen detection tests and throat culture. BD LINK2TM Strep A(Becton, Dickinson and Company, U.S.A.) and QuickVue(R) In-LineTM(Quidel Corporation, U.S.A.) were selected for rapid antigen detection tests. RESULTS: Of the 61 patients tested, 22 patients were confirmed as group A streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis by throat culture. The BD LINK2TM Strep A had a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity 89.7%. The positive and negative predictive values were 81.8% and 89.7%, respectively. The QuickVue(R) In-LineTM had a sensitivity of 77.3% and a specificity of 100%. The positive and negative predictive values were 100% and 88.6%, respectively. The kappa values of BD LINK2TM Strep A and QuickVue(R) In-LineTM were 0.72 and 0.81, respectively. CONCLUSION: In addition to high sensitivity, specificity and consistency, both kits are easy to use and simple to interpret, and therefore have the potential to be used with backup throat culture for diagnosis of acute pharyngotonsillitis.

A Case of Citrullinemia Diagnosed at the Neonatal Period

Citrullinemia is a rare inborn error of metabolism of the urea cycle, and was first reported by McMurray, et al. in 1962. It is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. The normal synthesis of argininosuccinic acid is blocked in this disease due to a deficiency of argininosuccinic acid synthetase(AS), which has been demonstrated in liver cells and fibroblasts. The clinical symptoms are vomiting, lethargy or irritability, convulsion and mental retardation. The diagnosis is made by the finding of an increased plasma citrulline level. Every effort should be made to reduce the blood ammonia level as rapidly as possible before irreversible brain damage occurs. This report describes a case of citrullinemia that was diagnosed through organic acid analysis and amino acid analysis, and reviews the related literatures.