Dissociative disorder in children and adolescents and their personality profile: a comparative study.

Background: Studies demonstrate the change in nature of dissociation in accordance with increasing age but there is dearth of literature studying the differential influence of personality factors in childhood and adolescent dissociation respectively. Personality attributes putatively determine the overt expression of nature of dissociative symptoms in childhood and adolescent dissociative symptoms differentially. Objective: Aim of this study was to compare the personality profiles of children and adolescents onset dissociative disorder. Methods: 60 subjects with diagnosis of dissociative disorders were included in this study with 30 subjects with 8-12 years of age and 30 adolescents with 13-16 years of age. Children in the age group of 8-12 years were given children personality questionnaire (CPQ) and adolescents were given 16 PF (form B) which are a paper-pencil self-administered questionnaires. Results: Both the groups were comparable for various socio-demographic and clinical variables except habitat and education. Children in younger age group were found to be more serious, taciturn, internally restrained, depressed and apprehensive. Adolescents on other hand were more aggressive, stubborn and aggressive. Conclusions: Dissociation in childhood and adolescents is a malleable developmental phenomenon determined by core personality attributes.

Prevalence of skin diseases among infants in a tertiary medical facility in Uttarakhand.

Background: Skin diseases are common in infancy. This study aimed to determine to prevalence of various dermatoses in infancy in Uttarakhand. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of different dermatologic diseases in infant in Uttarakhand. Methods: A prospective study was carried out for one year from 06 Sep 2013 to 05 Sep 2014, to study prevalence and patterns of dermatological lesions in infants, a tertiary care health facility in Uttarakhand. A total of 234 infants of both sexes were seen during this period. Results: Of 234 patients 58.9% were males. Noninfectious dermatitis was the largest group of skin disorders in infancy, constituting 35.89% of total cases. Seborrheic dermatitis was commonest type of non-infectious dermatitis in infancy (42.85%) followed by atopic dermatitis (19.04%), Ptyriasis alba (14.28 %), contact and diaper dermatitis (7.14% each). Seborrheic dermatitis did not display any gender or seasonal bias. Infectious/ parasitic infestations formed second largest group of dermatoses in infants (26.92%) with commonest being fungal infections (49% cases of infectious group) followed by parasitic infestations (26.98%). Bacterial and viral infections were formed only 12.69% and 11.11% of infectious group cases. Nonfungal and nonparasitic infections showed higher incidence in summers. Conclusion: Out of 234 infants who attended paediatric dermatology clinic, major dermatoses were of noninfectious origin with seborrheic dermatitis forming largest group. Infectious etiology dermatoses constituted second major group with fungal and parasitic etiology. Nonfungal and non-parasitic dermatoses showed higher prevalence in summer months.

Pattern of Poisoning in Children, an Experience From a Teaching Hospital in Northern India.

Poisoning is a common medical emergency in children. Most of the poisoning in children is accidental. Unfortunately, the incidence of deliberate poisoning among adolescents is increasing due to changing familial and social conditions in our society. Study design: prospective analysis of poisoning seen in children between January 2010 and December 2013 in an academic center of northern India.Results: Eighty one children (Boys 45, 55%; age median [range] 13 [1-18]) were included. All poisoning episodes were either suicidal (38, 46.9%) or accidental (43, 53.1%). Most of the poisoning events in pre-adolescent children were accidental (34/35, 97%) and among adolescents (13-18 years age group) were suicidal (37/45, 80.4%). The most commonly ingested poisoning agent was kerosene (10/35, 28.6%) in <12 age group and organo-phosphorus compound (8/37, 21.6%) in adolescents. Conclusion: We need to take preventive measures for accidental and intentional poisoning in pre-adolescents and adolescents age group respectively.