life time prevalence of childhood seizure

Seizure is the most common pediatric neurologic disorder. Epidemiological studies of childhood epilepsy are of importance to compare incidence and prevalence rates, age distribution, inheritance, seizure types, epilepsy syndromes and treatment strategies. Since there is little information about prevalence of childhood seizure in Iran, this study was aimed to determine the life time prevalence of childhood seizure and some of its determining factors in Tehran, Iran. In this cross sectional study, 2500 male and female students, aged 12 years or younger, studying in fifth grade of primary schools in district one of Ministry of Education were assessed by filling a preliminary questionnaire. Those who were categorized by the author as having a history of any form of seizure were assessed by a second questionnaire. The clinical form of seizure, the presumptive cause, positive family history and use of anti-convulsant drugs were recorded. The life time prevalence of seizure was 32/1000 population which was more prevalent in boys. Generalized seizure was the most common clinical form. Approximately 60% of cases reported febrile convulsion as the presumptive cause stated by the physician. Positive family history was reported in 29.6% of cases. Anti epileptic drugs were taken by 54% of students with a positive history of seizure. The results of this study show that the life time prevalence of seizure is relatively high in Iranian community, although the other factors were in concordance with other communities

Effect of early bathing on temperature of normal newborn infants

Nowadays there is a strong tendency for early bathing of healthy newborns but little is known about the thermal stability of newborns in response to early bathing. The aim of this study was to compare the thermal effect of bathing on healthy newborn within 1-2 h of life versus 4-6 h after birth. In this randomized comparative study 100 healthy newborns in a newborn nursery of a charity hospital in Tehran were studied. The inclusion criteria were: healthy term [>/= 37 wk] newborn over 2500 grams with rectal temperature > 36.5 °C, apgar score > 7 in 1 and 5 min after birth and lack of manifestations of any diseases like sepsis or respiratory distress syndrome .The exclusion criteria were the history of recent fever, leukocytosis, urinary tract infections and using medicines in their mothers. In the experimental group, 50 newborns were bathed within the first 1-2 h of birth; those in control group were bathed at the 4-6 h of age. Rectal temperatures were measured in four different times: before bathing and immediately as well as 30 and 60 min after bathing. Rectal temperatures as measured at four different times did not differ significantly between infants bathed within 1-2 h of birth and those bathed 4-6 h after birth .There were no significant differences between the groups in types of gender, birth weight, gestational age, parity, delivery route, interval time between rupture of membranes and delivery, apgar scores at 1 and 5 min of age. Healthy full term newborns with rectal temperature > 36.5 °C can be bathed within 1-2 h of birth without any risk of hypothermia