ABSTRACT
Background: Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. NFHS4 data shows 45.5% of children were exclusively breastfed at 6 months in Puducherry. The Global Nutrition Targets 2025 aims at increasing EBF rates in first 6 months up to at least 50%. The main objective is to find areas of needed intervention using LATCH scoring and to find factors responsible for fall in rates of EBF.Methods: A prospective study was conducted between November 2017 and April 2019 (1'years). Mothers were educated about breastfeeding. LATCH score assessed at 8 and 48 hours of life. At 48hours, score >8 indicates there is a high chance for EBF for next 6 months and score <8 indicates, mother is having difficulty in feeding and are intervened at this point. Data about EBF and reason for early weaning at 6 weeks and 6 months collected.Results: LATCH score at 8 hours was >8 in infants delivered via NVD: 50% as against 9.6% in babies delivered via LSCS. At 48 hours LATCH score improved in both groups: 60.8% in babies delivered via NVD, 38.3% in babies delivered via LSCS.' Compared to Primi-mothers, infants born to multigravida mothers had higher scores at 48 hours: 62.2% as against 31.1%. 84% were EBF at 6 weeks. 51% were EBF at 6 months. When mothers with LATCH score <8 at 48 hours were intervened, EBF rate at 6 weeks improved. Most common reason for early weaning at 6 weeks was maternal problems: 6.6% and at 6 months- due to influence of relatives: 27%.Conclusions: LATCH score helps in predicting breastfeeding duration as early as 48 hours of life. Low scores indicate, it requires intervention and identifies the areas of needed intervention. Counselling regarding EBF must include not only mothers but also relatives.
ABSTRACT
Background: Acute poisoning in children is most commonly encountered in day to day practice which contributes a major part of admissions in pediatric intensive units and ward. It is a preventable public health problem. There are limited community based data available because of several reasons including lack of standard case definition, regional variability, poor functioning regulatory and surveillance system. Therefore, authors carried out this study in present set-up.Methods: A prospective observational study carried out at a tertiary care hospital which included all children within the age of 12 years presenting with history and symptoms and signs suggestive of acute poisoning over a period of 1 year after getting consent from parents.Results: Incidence of acute poisoning among children was 4.7%. Maximum cases were in the age group of 1-5 years (79.85%). Among the 278 cases, male children were 154(55.4%) and female were 124(44.6%). Majority of cases were observed in upper lower (43.1%) socio-economic group of Modified Kuppusamy scale. Based on locality, majority of cases were from rural area (66.9%). Accidental poisoning was the most common cause including 88.5% cases. In our study, we found that hydrocarbons were the most common substance of poisoning (58%). The most common clinical presentation in our study was vomiting (24.5%).Conclusions: Incidence of acute poisoning among children is high in our set-up. Lower socio-economic class, rural populations are important epidemiological factors which influences the poisoning event in children.