[Evaluation of relationship between neonatal jaundice and incidence rate of congenital hypothyroidism in newborns at selected educational hospitals in Mashhad, Iran]

Congenital hypothyroidism [CH] is one of the most urgent diseases of the newborns; with preventable complications, such as mental retardation, by early diagnosing and treatment. It is often asymptomatic, but it can induce severe and or prolonged jaundice. We aimed to assess relationship between neonatal jaundice, as a nonspecific clinical sign, and incidence rate of CH. This cross-sectional study was performed on 140 healthy term newborns affected jaundice that admitted to 4 selected educational Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. As CH causes both prolonged and severe hyperbilirubinemia, all 1-28- day old newborns with various causes of jaundice with total serum bilirubin values of > 10 mg/dl were included and evaluated for thyroid function tests. Thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH]> 10 mu/l and thyroxin [T4] <7 microg/dl were considered as CH. Serum value of T4 was normal at 97.86% and low at 2.14%. 1.43% of newborns had serum level of TSH >10 mu/l. More investigation reavealed the incidence rate of hypothyroidism at approximately 1 case in 140 birth which means 7 cases in 1000 birth [7:1000]. In present study, the incidence rate of CH was 7:1000. As usual, there is no clinical finding in CH at birth, so more attention should be paid to nonspecific signs of hypothyroidism that one of the earliest is severe or prolonged jaundice. Also, follow up should be considered for these newborns

[Comparing growth indices between exclusive breastfed infants

Exclusive breast feeding [EBF] has lifelong benefits for both mothers and infants. We aimed to access growth indices in exclusively breast fed infants

Physical growth standards in six-to twelve-year-old children in Mashhad, Iran

Growth is an increase in the physical dimensions and its result is a quantitative change in the body. Development is a progressive increase in the skills and functional capacity of a child and its result is a qualitative change in a child's function. This investigation was a descriptive, decompositive, and observative study, which was performed on a random group of 5,378, 6- to 12-year-old children in 45 schools in the urban population of Mashhad, Khorasan Province, Iran. The height and weight averages of the studied children were more than the averages of Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics. However, as age increased, the height and weight averages of the studied children became less than the averages of Nelson. To accelerate children's physical growth, we should closely follow up on factors which could fortify children and affect their growth