Parents' common pitfalls of discipline.

BACKGROUND: Problems of discipline are common among parents. These may be the results of the parents' pitfalls in disciplining their children. OBJECTIVE: To find out common pitfalls of parents in disciplining their children. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Parents of students with ages ranged between 60-72 months old in Bangkok-Noi district, Bangkok, were selected by random sampling. Total number of 1947 children ages between 60-72 months were recruited. Parents of these children were interviewed with a questionnaire designed to probe into problems in child rearing. There hindered and fifty questionnaires were used for data analyses. RESULTS: Parents had high concerns about problems in discipline their children and needed support from professional personnel. They had limited knowledge and possessed lots of wrong attitude towards discipline. Common pitfalls on the topics were problems in, 1) limit setting 2) rewarding and punishment 3) supervision on children watching TV and bedtime routines. CONCLUSION: Parents of children with ages 60-72 months old in Bangkok-Noi district, Bangkok, had several common pitfalls in disciplining their children, including attitude, knowledge and practice.

Quality of life of children with attention-deficit/hyper activity disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has an impact on children and families. The purpose of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life between school-age children with ADHD compared with those without physical or mental disorders. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Self- and parent-reports describing the quality of life, covering 4 domains: physical, emotional, social, and school functioning, were obtained from 46 children with ADHD and 94 control children. At the time of the study, 17 of 46 children reported receiving medication for ADHD. RESULTS: After controlling for age and demographic background, both children with ADHD and their parents reported having a significantly lower quality of life score than controls and their parents. Children with ADHD also reported themselves to have a significantly low physical score, despite their physically healthy status. CONCLUSION: Children with ADHD had impairment of their quality of life in the physical and psychosocial domains. Improvement of health-related quality of life should be integrated in the overall planning of the treatment goals.

Toxemia of pregnancy in teenage orphan girl: A case report.

A 13 year old adopted girl who was 6 months pregnant was presented with altered consciousness and bleeding from the vagina. Based on the signs and symptoms of edema, severe hypertension and heavy proteinuria, accompanied by the abdominal ultrasound results, she was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia /eclampsia complicated by an abruption of the placenta and a dead fetus in utero. These serious conditions resulted in acute renal failure due to both pre-renal and renal causes. With proper management of hypertension and fluid therapy, the renal function returned to normal. Neurological manifestation was transient but complete recovery through psychological testing was in doubt. A multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrist, pediatrician, social worker and legal consultant, was established to address the issue of child abuse and neglect.

The use of a meditation programme for institutionalized juvenile delinquents.

The study applied intensive-seven consecutive days meditation programme in 101 late adolescent male delinquents in Upekkha Detention Centre. All of the boys completed the programme and answered the questionnaires. All of them felt that the meditation practice had been beneficial. 70 per cent of the subjects described feelings of contentment and calm, 53 per cent requested the programme to be repeated, 52 per cent of the subjects declared a clearer undestanding in the doctrine of Karma, 44 per cent referred to improved concentration and awareness, 36 per cent felt less impulsive, 22 per cent had flashbacks of their criminal behavior and their victims. In conclusion, the boys in Upekkha Detention Centre had the willing to join and complete the intensive meditation programme. Their self assessment reports showed a positive attitude to the programme. It is possible to develop a meditation programme as an adjunctive therapy for institutionalized juvenile delinquents.