[Comparison of reading skills between cochlear implantation and normal hearing children in second and third grade elementary in Tehran]

Reading skill is necessary for academic achievement, that deaf children have problems in this skill due to hearing impairment. Use of cochlear implant can improve auditory inputs. The aim of this study was to investigate the reading skills of children with cochlear implants and comparing that with normal ones. This descriptive - analytic study was done on 24 children with cochlear implant and 24 normal ones that was selected from second and third grades students of Tehran primary schools. Children's reading performance was assessed by Nama reading test and the data were analyzed using T-test, linear regression and Pearson correlations. The results showed that the means of reading scores of normal children were significantly greater than the cochlear implanted ones [P<0.01]. Also, there was a significant relationship between reading skills and period of cochlear implant [P<0.01]. Cochlear implanted children showed weaker performance in reading skills than normal ones due to less access to auditory and Phonological information. It seems that early surgery and cochlear implant before the age of language learning can be partially compensated reading defects of deaf children

[ prevalence and causes of needle stick injuries among the primary health care workers of Bahar city, Hamadan Province]

Due to occupational exposures, primary health care workers are more at risk of blood- borne infections such as AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. This study was conducted to determine the frequency of occupational injuries and its related factors among the primary health care workers in Bahar city. In this cross-sectional study, conducted in 2007, 182 primary health care workers of Bahar city participated. Data were collected using a questionnaire and SPSS software, Chi square and Logistic regression tests were applied for data analysis. The prevalence of occupational injuries among the participants was 57.7%. The highest exposure rate was associated with injection needles [84.8%] and the most frequent process leading to an injury was recapping [28.6%]. The most prevalent occupational injuries were observed among lab experts [91.6%] and nurses [71.4%] [P<0.05]. 90.5 percent of the exposed group had only washed the injured place with soap. The risk of occupational injuries increased as the work experience increased [OR= 1.07, CI= 1.03-1.12]. There were no significant relationship between employees' sex and age with occupational injuries. According to the results of this study, there is a high prevalence of occupational injuries among primary health care workers of Bahar city. Hence, educating the transmission routs of blood-borne infections, applying standard precautions and increasing protection strategies must be taken into consideration

prevalence of pediculosis capitis in primary school students in Bahar, Hamadan province, Iran

Head lice infestation caused by Pediculus humanus var capitis [Pediculus capitis] is a worldwide public health concern that affects mostly school aged children. This descriptive, analytical study was carried out in 2008 to determine the prevalence of pediculosis capitis and some risk factors among primary-school pupils in Bahar, Hamadan Province, Iran. We selected 900 pupils [50% girls and 50% boys] from 18 primary schools by multistage, systematic random sampling. Their hair was examined for head louse infestation. The results and demographic information recorded in the questionnaire and then were analyzed by SPSS software. Twelve students [1.3%] were infected with lice, 10 [2.2%] girls and 2 [0.44%] boys. The rate of infection was 0.66% in urban and 1.66% in rural areas. The results showed significant variations in head lice infestation, and factors such as sex, level of parent education and habitat [P<0.05], while there was no significant variation between school grade, members of family and the frequency of hair washing [P> 0.05]. The prevalence of pediculosis was less than average percentages observed in other students inside and outside Iran. We recommend that the parents and teachers should receive training about the danger of infection and its distribution in family and school in order to prevent it

Appropriate analgesia for breast surgery by paravertebral anesthesia

Due to the increasing number of breast masses and a more precise attention to them, a greater number of patients refer to clinics for biopsy or resection of breast and axillary lymph nodes. An appropriate anesthesia method can decrease hospitalization time, its expenditure and postoperative complications. Paravertebral anesthesia [1] is a simple and feasible method in most cases and can provide a very suitable analgesia for biopsy and operation and postoperative analgesia. Paravertebral block was used for analgesia for 15 women having breast masses who were candidates for biopsy and pathology examination by frozen section. Biopsy was performed only by a single paravertebral injection [we did not insert catheter for continuos analgesia] with sedation. The patients' satisfaction and analgesia were evaluated postoperatively. First pain complaint and burning which demanded opioid prescription was considered at the end of analgesia of the block. The patients were evaluated for analgesia for 24 hours. Paravertebral block provides an appropriate analgesia for breast surgery, and with good technical performance it offers a high rate of success. Average duration of analgesia was 17 hours and the patients did not need opioid in this period; 60% of the patients [9 people] were discharged at the same day of the surgery in the afternoon. Those patients requiring mastectomy following the biopsy were anesthetized with tracheal intubation and atracurium muscle relaxant, and no opioid drug was used in their surgery. All the patients [15people] expressed their satisfaction with paravertebral block. Breast surgeries with paravertebral block were performed with a high rate of analgesia and patients' consent, a good reduction in patients' expenditure and much lower incidence of complications and early ambulation of patients. Other regional methods like thoracic epidural block, intercostals block and local infiltrations are also used for these surgeries. However, as the duration of surgeries differs from one another, a safe and comprehensive method is important, and paravertebral block has these characteristics