A Case of Foreign Body Aspiration Mimicking Asthma in Adult

@#Foreign body aspiration is uncommon in adults who have no known risk factors such as mental retardation, poor dentition, or advanced age. Adults with foreign body aspiration are commonly misdiagnosed with bronchial asthma, however, does not respond to standard bronchodilator treatment. A thorough history-taking, focused physical examination and a high index of suspicion is crucial in making the correct diagnosis. This paper reports an interesting case of a 41- year-old woman with an undetected 10-year long foreign body aspiration which was misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma.

Mothers’ Perceptions and Experiences on Tongue-tie and Frenotomy: A Qualitative Study

@#Introduction: Tongue-tie is a congenital condition of a thickened, tightened or shortened frenulum. This condition may cause breastfeeding difficulties to both mother and infant, such as ineffective suckling and painful nipple. In older children, it can cause speech difficulties. Although many studies have investigated the problems associated with tongue-tie and its treatments, there are limited studies on the mother’s experiences of tongue-tie and post frenotomy. This study aimed to explore the mother’s experiences of tongue-tie associated problems, frenotomy and the outcome. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted in a one-on-one setting with fifteen mothers whose infant and children underwent frenotomy. Data were collected, transcripted, translated and analysed according to themes. Results: The analysis revealed a common story of stressful challenges and difficulties of breastfeeding. The mothers described that tongue-tie caused poor latching, nipple pain and bleeding, prolong feeding and lack of sleep. Their infant had poor weight gain, sleeping problems, insufficient milk transfer, fatigue and constant crying. For the older children, mothers complained of restricted tongue movement, difficulty in licking ice cream and speech problems. All of them agreed that the frenotomy procedure was easy, simple and less invasive and the outcome was positive. Furthermore, mothers continued breastfeeding without any difficulties and complications. Conclusion: Mothers in this study had difficulties with breastfeeding. However, all of the reported symptoms improved after frenotomy. They considered frenotomy was a simple and safe procedure that was highly recommended for symptomatic tongue-tie.

Cutaneous Larva Migrans With Bullous Eruptions in A Young Child

@#Infection of cutaneous larva migrans is usually acquired in the tropical region and mainly affects children. It is generally diagnosed with symptoms of severe itchiness and skin lesion that appears as a migrating erythematous linear lesion. It often occurs with a history of skin exposure to soil. Atypical presentation of the infection causes difficulty in diagnosis and delays treatment for the patient. Once diagnosed, cutaneous larva migrans is treated easily with helminth medications such as albendazole. Recognition of the skin lesion of cutaneous larva migrans in the atypical presentation of the infection for prompt treatment will comfort and prevent secondary infection complications. This case describes a presentation of bullous eruption in a child infected with cutaneous larva migrans.

Exploring women’s perceptions and experiences of menopause among East Coast Malaysian women

@#Background: Menopause signifies the beginning of a non-reproductive phase from the reproductive period. Although it is considered a natural life transition, recent studies have indicated that a woman’s menopausal experience may impact her quality of life. While studies have examined Malaysian women’s knowledge and awareness of menopause, they have focused on the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and sociocultural aspects. These investigations also used a quantitative design that may have limited the information regarding the nature and experience of menopause. Objectives: This study explores women’s perceptions and understanding of their menopausal experience. Methods: A total of 20 menopausal women were recruited using purposive sampling through social media in the state of Pahang, Malaysia. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to explore how they perceived their menopausal experience. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Three themes that emerged from the findings included perceptions of menopause, biopsychosocial changes and help-seeking behavior. For many Muslim women, menopause was perceived as a time for them to engage in religious commitment more than they had before. Conclusion: The study findings uncovered a knowledge gap and a lack of support for women impacted by menopause. Muslim women regarded their menopause phase as a time for them to engage in religious duty fully. These results indicate the need for a psychosocial intervention and educational program to ensure women a better transition throughout their menopausal phase

An infant with kwashiorkor: The forgotten disease

@#Undernutrition remains a major public health concern, especially in developing countries. Despite being rich in resources, Malaysia is still home to children sufering from severe undernutrition. Tis paper presents the case of a 5-month-old boy with kwashiorkor stemming from improper weaning which was overlooked. Tis case highlights the importance of recognizing the early signs of kwashiorkor to allow for early referrals for proper management and prevent its possible complications.

Agreement between body weight perception and body weight status among late adolescents in Kuantan, Malaysia

@#Objectives: Body weight perception may determine the practice of proper weight management. The objective of this study was to measure the agreement between body weight perception and actual body weight status and its associated factors among late adolescents in Kuantan, Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to October 2018 among 479 adolescents aged 17-19 years old from seven institutions of higher learning in Kuantan. Body weight status was described as body mass index (BMI). Weight and height were measured, and BMI was calculated. Validated, self-administered Figure Rating Scale (FRS) questionnaires were used. Agreement between BMI and body weight perception was calculated using Kappa statistics. Logistic regression was employed to examine the association between body weight perception and sociodemographic variables. Results: More than one-third (35.3%) of the respondents misjudged their own body weight. More than one third of the respondents (38.7%) who were underweight, misperceived themselves as having normal weight whilst 31.7% of obese respondents identified themselves as overweight. The agreement between body weight perception and body mass index was moderate (k0.46, p<0.01). Conclusion: Body weight perception was in moderate agreement with actual weight in late adolescents. Accurate body weight perception is an important factor in late adolescent’s weight management behaviour. Hence, health education related to body weight management should be emphasized among this age group.