Advantages of kangaroo mother care in less than 2000 grams low birth weight neonates

The aim of study was to compare the effect of Kangaroo mother care [KMC] and conventional methods of care [CMC] in low birth weight babies less than 2000 grams. One hundred babies with birth weight less than 2000 grams and without clinical problem were randomized in two groups; the intervention group [N=50] who received Kangaroo mother care and the control group [N=50] with conventional care. Two groups were compared in daily weight gaining, self confidence of mother, duration of hospitalization, clinical cyanosis and nosocomial infection. Collected data was analyzed by SPSS 11.5. Irct ID: IRCT201101091162N16. The KMC babies had better daily weight gaining average [18.3 +/- 7.57 gm vs. 4.8 =/- 16.57 gm [P<0.001]] CMC: and also, self confidence of mother in KMC group was significantly higher than CMC group [p<0.001]. A significantly longer duration of hospitalization observed in CMC group [17.18 +/- 12.07 day vs. 16.24 +/- 10.04 day [P<0.001]]. There was no significant difference between the two groups for clinical cyanosis and nosocomial infection [both P>0.05]. In this study Kangaroo mother care had better effect on daily weight gaining, mother confidence and shorter duration of hospitalization

[Foreign body aspiration in children]

Foreign body aspiration [FBA] is a common cause of respiratory distress in children between 6 months and 3 years old. Early diagnosis and management will decrease complications and mortality. A retrospective study was done on records of 140 patients with FBA between 1998-2003 at Imam Reza hospital a tertiary university hospital of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. From 140 patients, 62% were male and 82.2% were under 6 years old. History of chocking was the most frequent clinical finding [77%], other clinical findings were wheezing [38.6%], decreased breathing sounds [42.1%], cough [20%], respiratory distress [15.4%], fever [15.4%] and stridor [6.6%]. Chest radiography was normal in 42.1%. The time of diagnosis was the first day in 42.3%. The most common aspirated foreign bodies were seeds [40.7%] and the most common site of FBA was right bronchus. Complications consisted of 27.9% pneumonia, 17.1% persistent and resistant pneumonia, cardio-respiratory arrest in 2% and lung abscess in 0.7%. Mean hospital stay was 2 days and mortality rate 2.9%. Foreign body aspiration can occur at any age especially in children under 6 years in the absence of predisposing factors. Normal auscultation and chest X-ray do not rule out the diagnosis of FBA; high suspicion is the important clue for diagnosis