Clinical, nutritional and radiological features of pneumonia

From December, 1992 to February, 1993,100 consecutively admitted children between 2-24 months of age with pneumonia were studied. They were diagnosed and treated according to the National ARI Control Programme case management guidelines. Of the total, 74 were under one year of age. Seventeen children had very severe pneumonia, 77 severe pneumonia and 6 simple pneumonia. Sixty children had radiological evidence of pneumonia, 89 responded to standard recommended treatment and only 11% required a change of therapy. There were no deaths. Only 6 mothers of these 100 children had practiced exclusive breast feeding. Low socioeconomic status, illiteracy and malnutrition were the other risk factors. In this study all types of pneumonia were more common in children under one year of age and radiology did not appear to be essential for its diagnosis. The National ARI Control guidelines for diagnosis and management of hospitalized children are simple, useful and effective

Pattern of renal disease in children

In 1992 a total of 1298 patients with renal diseases were seen in the medical outpatients department. Eight hundred and forty-seven [65.2%] had urinary tract infection and 265 [20.5%] had nephrotic syndrome. Two hundred and twenty patients required inpatient care, which constituted 3.3% of total number of patients admitted to medical wards. Sixty-four [29%] of admitted patients with renal disease had nephrotic syndrome, 29 [13.1%] had acute renal failure due to various causes including haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The average stay was 5.8 days per patient and mean bed occupancy was 3.4 beds per day. Various renal diseases in children together form an important group of disorders often requiring long term care and this should be taken into account when planning provision of child health services particularly at tertiary care level

Halofantrine hydrochloride-efficacy and safety in children with acute malaria

Thirty two children with symptomatic malaria due to P. vivax and P. falciparum infections were treated with three doses of Halofantrine hydrochloride 8 mg/kg body weight every 6 hours. Mean fever clearance was 30 hours [range 24-48 hours]. No significant clinical or biochemical side effects were observed. Symptoms cleared rapidly. Halofantrine hydrochloride was found to be highly effective and appeared to have no side effects in children with acute malaria infections

Childhood asthma, response to oral prophylaxis

The value and efficacy of ketotifen as a prophylactic drug for childhood asthma was assessed for 1 year in 45 children. Sixty seven percent showed good response, 15.5% moderate and 17.7% poor response to ketotifen therapy. The side effects [sedation, dizziness, headache] were seen in 20% children which resolved without interruption of therapy. Ketotifen appeared to be an effective and safe oral prophylactic drug for childhood asthma

Pathogens in fecal samples from apparently healthy children

Out of 160 fecal samples from apparently healthy children, 22 [13.7%] contained pathogens. Pathogens included parasites [7.5%], pathogenic bacteria [5%], Rotavirus [2%] and Enteropathogenic Esch. coli [5%]. None of the Esch. coli strains were positive for heat labile toxin. Among the parasites Giardia lamblia was mainly isolated

Significance of E coli and rotavirus in infantile diarrhea

Pathogenic E. coli [61%] and Rotavirus [7%] were found in diarrhoeal stools of children. Amongst pathogenic E. coli enteropathognic E. coli was mainly isolated which was sensitive to gentamycin. Infection due to pathogenic E. coli and Rotavirus was more among males upto one year of age

Experience in childhood mortality

Of 3280 children admitted in NICH during the year 1982, 632 [19.2%] died. The cases were divided into two groups. Of 2536 group A children [0-12 years], 431 [16.99%] died. Seventy percent of deaths occurred under 1 year and 90% under 5 years of age. Main causes of death were protein energy malnutrition [PEM] with diarrhoea [32.7%], P.E.M. with respiratory infection [7.4%] and Encephalitis [10.2%]. Of 744 group B cases [Neonates] 201 died, the mortality being 27.02%. The main causes of death were low birth weight [50.8%], infections [18.4%] and birth injuries [10.4%]