ABSTRACT
The objective of this research was to describe the type of stimulation at home and the joint attention of infants during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to evaluate the possible association between these variables. The sample consisted of 55 primary caregivers of Argentine infants aged 9 months to 3 years (M = 1.63, SD = 0.8, male n = 24). An ad hoc sociodemographic questionnaire, an ad hoc Home Stimulation Questionnaire and the Joint Attention Scale of Wetherby and Prizant (2002) were administered, for which all variables were collected by self-report. It was found that the TV was the device most used by infants, and that TV, cell phone, and Internet use were actively shared with caregivers. In turn, the levels of joint attention behaviors were high for this sample. A positive association was also found between shared reading, joint attention and contact with relatives. On the contrary, the more reading, the less daily TV use by the child. In turn, it was found that high number of months out of work, were associated to high levels of joint attention, and the only factor that positively predicted joint attention was unemployment. Finally, it was found that a greater number of books in the home was positively associated with recreational activities with the child and negatively associated with cell phone use. In this sense, a higher level of cell phone use by the child was associated with a greater consumption of news associated with COVID-19 by the caregiver. It is concluded that it is necessary to work on the amount of time that infants are exposed to technological devices and promote joint attention spaces, such as shared reading in the early years of development.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is challenging healthcare systems. Surgical care during the COVID-19 pandemic presents numerous challenges regarding not only patient and community safety, but also the safety of physicians and operating room (OR) staff. In the OR, general anaesthesia poses a risk of aerosolization during the intubation process. There is also concern about minimally invasive surgery due to aerosol formation. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was also identified in the faeces, so this is a possible pathway for transmission. This article presents the role of spinal anaesthesia (SA) and AirSeal® device in reducing the risk of COVID-19 contamination while performing transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS). A 59-year-old patient, diagnosed with a T1 rectal adenocarcinoma, was submitted to TAMIS. The surgery was done during COVID-19 pandemic due to the risk of oncological progression with delayed treatment, under SA and using the AirSeal® system and adequate personnel protective equipment (PPE). Laparoscopic smoke evacuation systems with appropriate filters, like AirSeal®, minimize the aerosol formation and may reduce the risk associated with surgical smoke exposure. This case is unique because the patient was safely submitted to TAMIS using proper PPE and AirSeal® under SA, in order to minimize aerosol formation which is crucial during COVID-19 pandemic. © 2021 AME Publishing Company. All right reserved.