[Infant cries?!, tears??...and whispers]. / Cris?!, pleurs?? du nourrisson...et chuchotements.

Although infant screaming and crying can be a symptom of medical or surgical pathology, it is also a way for the baby to express himself towards his family circle. Once excluded a possible organic disease, infant crying must be interpreted by assessing the family interaction and the way parents listen to their child; that does not mean substituting oneself to the parent's capacity for analysing and replying to the child's needs.

Ichthyosis and neutral lipid storage disease (Dorfman-Chanarin syndrome).

Ichthyosis and neutral lipid storage disease (INLSD) is a nonlysosomal, multisystemic, triglyceride storage disorder. It is characterized by nonbullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NBCIE), leukocyte vacuoles, and variable involvement of the liver, muscles, eyes, and central nervous system. In our patient fat-containing vacuoles were also demonstrated in the epidermis. In patients with NBCIE, the diagnosis of INLSD is readily made by direct examination of a peripheral blood smear demonstrating cytoplasmic lipid vacuoles within most granulocytes and monocytes.

[Gastroesophageal reflux in infants. Value of orthostatism and ventral decubitus]. / Reflux gastro-oesophagien du nourrisson. Valeur de l'orthostatisme et du décubitus ventral.

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) may induce severe complications in infants: besides esophagitis numerous authors have established a relationship between GER and relapsing respiratory infections, between GER and apnea, cyanosis or bradycardia. This required a more precise estimation of the postural treatment than the clinical data of vomiting or the weight curve. Esophageal pH studies are considered to be the most valuable investigational technique in case of GER. It allowed us to study the importance of acid reflux in 43 patients under 1 year of age in different postures: 45 degrees upright in an infant-seat, horizontal prone and 30 degrees prone positions.

[Immunologic thrombopenic purpura in children: therapeutic trial with high dose of intravenous gamma globulins]. / Purpura thrombopénique immunologique de l'enfant: essai thérapeutique par haute dose de gamma-globulines intra-veineuses. A propos de 15 cas.

Fifteen children with immunological thrombocytopenic purpura were treated by first intention with high dose intravenous gammaglobulins (Venoglobulins and Sandoglobulins). Nine children recovered after the first injection with platelet counts greater than 50,000/mm3 after 2 days' treatment, so countering the risk of haemorrhage. One child required a second course of treatment and was then cured. Three children had temporary rises in their platelet counts and then relapsed; two children did not react at all to the treatment. The most interesting feature of this new therapeutic approach is the possibility of preventing serious haemorrhagic complications in cases of severe thrombocytopaenia (less than 10,000/mm3) by inducing a rapid rise in the platelet count.

[Antiprothrombinase anticoagulant and acquired prothrombin deficiency in childhood viral pathology. Spontaneous recovery]. / Anticoagulant antiprothrombinase et déficit acquis en prothrombine en pathologie virale infantile. Guérison spontanée.

A 2 year-old female developed an acute bleeding diathesis related to a profound, isolated and acquired prothrombin deficiency; evidence for a "lupus anticoagulant" was also demonstrated. This association of hypoprothrombinemia and "lupus anticoagulant", rarely reported, was previously considered to be rather specific for SLE. This case report demonstrates that these coagulation disorders may present as an acute form, in viral diseases of the child, with spontaneous and quick recovery. Specific characteristics of the biological coagulation defects, namely those related to the low factor II, are discussed.