Unraveling congenital ptosis with the aid of the pediatric perimeter device

Background: Ocular morbidity with an early onset can have a significant impact on the long-term development of an individual. Hence, careful assessment of visual functions early on is very important. However, testing infants always poses a challenge. Standard tools to assess infants’ visual acuity, ocular motility, and so on rely on the clinician’s quick subjective judgments of an infant’s looking behavior. Eye movements are usually observed from head rotations or spontaneous eye movements in infants. Judging eye movements in the presence of strabismus is even more challenging. Purpose: This video shows a 4-month-old infant’s viewing behavior captured during a visual field screening study. The recorded video aided in the examination of this infant that was referred to a tertiary eye care clinic. The additional information captured through the perimeter testing is discussed. Synopsis: The Pediatric Perimeter device was developed to address visual field extent and gaze reaction time assessment in the pediatric population. As a part of a large-scale screening study, infants’ visual fields were tested. During this screening, a 4-month-old infant presented with a ptosis in the left eye. The infant was consistently missing the light stimuli presented in the left upper quadrant in the binocular visual field testing. The infant was referred to a tertiary eye care center to a pediatric ophthalmologist for further examination. During clinical examination, the infant was suspected to either have congenital ptosis or monocular elevation deficit. But the diagnosis of the eye condition was unsure owing to the poor cooperation of the infant. With the aid of Pediatric Perimeter, the ocular motility was consistent with limitation of elevation in abduction, indicating a possible monocular elevation deficit with congenital ptosis. The infant was also noted to have Marcus Gunn jaw-winking phenomenon. The parents were assured and asked for a review in 3 months. In the subsequent follow-up, the Pediatric Perimeter testing was performed, and the recording showed a full extraocular motility in both eyes. Hence, the diagnosis was changed to only congenital ptosis. The probable explanation for missing the target in the left upper quadrant in the first visit is postulated further. The left upper quadrant is the superotemporal visual field of the left eye and the superonasal visual field of the right eye. As the left eye had ptosis, the superotemporal visual field could have been obstructed and hence the stimuli missed. The normative extent for the nasal and superior visual field is just about 30° for a 4-month-old infant. Hence, the right eye also perhaps missed the stimuli in its superonasal visual field extent. This video highlights the utility of the Pediatric Perimeter device in providing a magnified view of the infant’s face along with greater visibility of ocular features from the infrared video imaging. This can potentially help the clinician to easily observe different ocular/facial abnormalities such as extraocular motility disorders, lid functions, and in identifying unequal pupil size, media opacities, and nystagmus. Highlights: The presence of congenital ptosis in younger infants might predispose as superior visual field defect and could also masquerade as a limitation in elevation.

Kangaroo mother care review article

Inspite of so many available health facilities, humans are unable to prevent preterm deliveries may be because of evolution process for increasing intelligence in Human species. Now a days most of the preterm babies are surviving due to antenatal steroid coverage, with advancement of health care facilities. As authors are unable to replace the nature and create in utero environment, Kangaroo mother care is a simple but most effective way of developmental supportive care. Here baby is exposed to some known and similar environment like in utero. Preterm survival without morbidity and com-promised quality is an important than survival alone. As preterm organs are still in a developing stage particularly central nervous system where organization, synapse formation still occurring hence enriched environment is necessary for optimal development. In kangaroo care baby usually meet enriched environment, here authors are giving a brief review of Kangaroo Care because of more evidence was there but still not practicing fully in many centers where needed particularly in developing countries. That's why authors are adding from their side.

Calf circumference to detect low birth weight babies: a comparative study

Background: In developing countries 15 per cent of infants weigh less than 2,500 grams at birth .It is not possible to provide expensive weighing scales to the community members and families due to logistic (carrying a heavy scale) and operational (inability of Trained Birth Attenders to read) problems. Therefore it is essential to find out an alternative method for the estimation of birth weight. Almost 60 per cent of newborns in developing countries are not weighed. Which can lead to an underestimation of the incidence of low birth weight. That's why' we done' present study' to know the simple indicators to detect low birth weight babies. Aim of this study to compare calf circumference with other Low birth weight indicators as a reliable predictor of low birth weight babies.Methods: It is a cross-sectional study done during period 2018 January to 2018 October done at Niloufer Hospital Hyderabad. Statistical analysis is done using SPSS (version 17) statistical software. For comparison Pearson's Correlation coefficients used.Results: The best correlation was observed with both calf circumference (r=0.818) and head circumference (r=0.744) for identifying babies with birth weight <2 kg. For babies with birth weight <2.5 kg, calf circumference had the highest order of correlation (r = 0.986) followed closely by head circumference (r=0.886).Conclusion: In the absence of a weighing machine, simple measurements like calf circumference is the best indicator in identifying low birth weight babies (<2.5kg) at birth.

Most common cause of cardiomegaly without significant murmur in pediatric age group at tertiary care hospital, Hyderabad, India: a prospective observational study

Background: Following the invention of monaural stethoscope by Laennec and X ray by Roentgen in 18th century there was spectacular advancements in cardiology. The myocardium can be affected by various disease process unrelated to abnormal pressure or volume loads. These processes may be inflammatory, metabolic, infiltrative, ischemic or primary with significant overlap. These diseases usually present as cardiomegaly. In pediatric age group cardiac diseases will present early, sometimes without any signs and symptoms like sudden death due to less cardiac reserve. Few cases of sudden death also showed huge cardiomegaly in postmortem X rays. authors want to carry out this study to find out most common cause of cardiomegaly with silent chest as authors usually miss the diagnosis and these cases may present as sudden death without giving much time to intervene. The aim of the study is to know the most common cause of cardiomegaly without significant murmur in pediatric age group above one year.Methods: Prospective observational study done at a tertiary care hospital Hyderabad over a period of one year from January 2018 to January2019.Results: Most common cause of cardiomegaly without significant murmur was cardiac beriberi. It is mostly prevalent in rural areas of Telangana, mostly occurring in breastfed babies and below six years. All cases were recovered after proper treatment. Fortunately, it is associated with nil mortality, if timely treatment was initiated.Conclusions: Cardiac beriberi which is easily preventable and if treated in proper time it will associated with nil mortality. As it was occurring commonly breastfed babies supplementation of Thiamine to mothers was very useful as a preventive strategy.

Neonatal umbilical myiasis

Infestation is a state of being invaded or overrun by parasites. Myiasis is an infestation caused by dipterous fly. Even though human myiasis is a rare infestation particularly in newborn period unlike animal myiasis as neonate is just newly introduced to the environment and during this period neonate usually more protected and taken care by us. In rural areas of tropical countries where good hygiene conditions will not be there, authors are still identifying these cases. Risk factors for myiasis usually poor socioeconomic conditions and unhygienic environment. Finding cases of umbilical myiasis usually indicates poor environmental sanitary measures at that particular place. Here authors are presenting a case of neonatal umbilical myiasis caused by Chrysomya megacephala. These flies usually lay their eggs over the wounds or moisture dead necrotic tissues unlike other species of flies where they usually lay eggs over the animal fecus. But some other free-living flies(saprophagous) also cause myiasis due to accidental laying of eggs over dead necrotic tissues due to open defecation. In present case authors identified myiasis as early as third completed day of life, means infestation occurred at the time of delivery as incubation period for hatching eggs to larvae usually 4-8 days. These larvae able to survive inside deep tissue by breathing through a small hole. Even though myiasis usually have good prognosis it will become a focus for secondary infections. If deep-seated causes severe morbidity and even in extreme cases causes death also. Diagnosis is mainly clinical, authors can identify the species by microscopic examination of third stage larvae and finding age of the larvae also useful in identifying time of infestation. Treatments usually direct removal of larvae from the site by manipulation, irrigation, suffocation by ether and surgery if deep-seated. As they usually create nadir for infection by bacteria ruling out secondary infection and treatment is necessary. It is better to take preventive strategies like birthplace cleanliness and environmental sanitation. Tracking the case helpful in finding the places where authors need to improve sanitary measures it is better to give feedback to appropriate administrative officers to prevent home deliveries.

Pattern of congenital anomalies in neonates at tertiary care centre in Hyderabad, India: a hospital based prospective observational study

Background: With advancements of perinatal, neonatal care congenital defects were the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in developed world. It is one of the common causes of morbidity and mortality in India. Its incidence also influenced by many preventable risk factors. Hence, we are carried out this study to know the changing pattern of congenital anomalies and to know the effect of environmental risk factors on congenital anomalies.Methods: Prospective observational study conducted at Niloufer hospital Hyderabad during period from November 2017 to 2018. We included intramural and extramural babies. Analysed data by appropriate statistical methods.Results: Most common system involved was Central nervous system (CNS) with 25 cases out of 112 cases followed by Gastrointestinal system (GIT)and Cardiovascular system (CVS). Meningomyelocele, anorectal malformations and acyanotic heart diseases were most common type of congenital anomalies. Thirty seven to forty weeks gestational age group babies were most commonly have congenital anomalies than other gestational age group babies. Low birth weight babies had higher percentage of congenital anomalies (2.64%). Congenital anomalies were more in the male sex (2.53%) as compared to female babies (1.73%). Maternal obesity, consanguineous marriage and previous family history of congenital anomalies associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies with significant p values.Conclusions: Incidence of congenital anomalies was 2.15%. Most of congenital anomalies were involved in CNS. Birth weight, Gestational age, Male sex, consanguineous marriage, maternal Obesity and previous family history of congenital anomalies were significantly associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies.