ABSTRACT
Background: Early detection of congenital heart disease is of paramount importance to improve the quality of life of children and prevent morbidity and mortality. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in the pediatric population of both the developing and developed countries. Present aim was to study the prevalence, age and sex wise distribution, and clinical spectrum of congenital heart disease (CHD) at Sopore, Kashmir, North India.Methods: Around 39829 children in the age group 0 months to 18 years were screened for Defects at birth, Diseases in children, Deficiency conditions and Developmental Delays including Disabilities over the period of 18 months under RBSK. Clinical examination, echocardiography and color Doppler were used as diagnostic tools.Results: A prevalence of 5.3 per 1000 population was observed. VSD (ventricular septal defect) was the commonest lesion (30.1%), followed by PDA (patent ductus arteriosus) in 21.6 % and ASD (atrial septal defect) in 20.2%. Tetralogy of Fallot was the commonest cyanotic heart disease (8.0%). Maximum numbers of children with heart disease were diagnosed in the age group 6 weeks to 6 years.Conclusions: For better estimation of prevalence of congenital heart diseases, more elaborate community-based studies are needed. Such community based studies can be easily done by collecting and analyzing data collected from screening programs like RBSK. Such community based screening programs helps in detecting silent cardiac ailments, their prevalence and pattern, and early therapeutic intervention. A few prevalence studies have been carried out piecemeal in different locations of India; and more such studies can be easily done by collecting and analyzing data collected under RBSK screening program.
ABSTRACT
Background: Breastfeeding is a well-established and recommended intervention for the improvement of child nutrition. Formula feeding is a major public health problem. Objective of the current study was to know the significance of demography, socioeconomic, parental education and employment and mode of delivery on exclusive breast-feeding Kashmir, North India.Methods: A prospective hospital-based study, carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, G.B Pant Hospital Srinagar Kashmir India over the period from 2014 July to June 2015. A teaching, research and tertiary care hospital at Srinagar Kashmir North India. All the mothers who were having infants in the age group 0 to 6 months were included in study. Procedure of this variables recorded were modes of feeding, demographics, socioeconomic status, literacy level, mode of delivery, place of delivery etc.Results: A total of 600 mothers were included in study. Less than 35% of mothers were exclusively breast feeding their infants. Exclusive breast feeding was significantly high in babies born by normal vaginal delivery, more than 3 antenatal visits, mother knowing advantages of breast feeding and higher parental education.Conclusions: Exclusive breast feeding is very low (less than 35%) in this part of world and formula feeding is a major public health problem.