School Absenteeism Among Children and its Correlates: A Predictive Model for Identifying Absentees.

Objectives: To determine the magnitude of absenteeism and its correlates and to develop a model to predict absenteeism in school children. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Three government schools in Delhi. Participants: 704 students, aged 10 to15 years. Methods: Students were registered and interviewed using a pre-designed questionnaire. The frequency and causes of school absenteeism were ascertained by school records, leave applications and one month’s recall. The factors were subjected to univariate analysis and a stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis and a predictive model was developed. Results: The average absenteeism of a student over 6 months was 14.3±10.2 days (95% CI 13.5-15.0). 48% children absented themselves for more than two days per month on an average. The main factors associated with school absenteeism were younger age, male sex, increasing birth order, lower levels of parental education and income, school truancy, school phobia and family reasons. The discriminating ability of the predictive model developed was 92.4%. Conclusions: It is possible to identify potential absentees in school children.

Neonatal lupus erythematosus.

We describe case report of a 45 days old male baby with neonatal lupus erythematosus, who presented with 3rd degree congenital heart block and depigmented skin lesions on face and upper part of body. Diagnosis of the baby was confirmed by anti nuclear levels and skin biopsy.

Serum prolactin in seizure disorders.

This study aimed to determine the post-ictal prolactin (PL) response in different types of seizures and seizure-like events in children, and correlate with the post-ictal duration. Patients were divided into group I (generalized tonic-clonic seizures, complex partial seizures or simple partial seizures), group II (febrile convulsions) and group III (conditions mimicking seizures). Group IV consisted of 25 controls. Blood was collected within 2 hours of the seizure and PL levels assayed. PL levels were significantly high only within group I; highest and baseline levels were attained within 10 minutes and by 100 minutes respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of elevated PL for epileptic seizures were 64 percent and 98 percent respectively. It is concluded that a high prolactin level within 100 minutes of a seizure is suggestive that a generalized or complex partial seizure has occurred.