[Reproducibility of pediatric information collected with various methods: postal/telephone questionnaire and direct interview]. / Riproducibilità di informazioni pediatriche rilevate con modalità diverse: questionario postale/telefonico e intervista diretta.

The paper reports on a research aimed to evaluate the repeatability of some paediatric data obtained from the parents by using different collection instruments: telephone interview, mail questionnaire, in-person interview. The study included 699 children consecutively born in the Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" from September to November 1983. After 3 years a questionnaire containing questions about measles, anti measles immunization, age at which the baby started to walk, disease delaying the walking, and orthopaedic examinations was sent by mail to 149 families; the other 550 families were searched for by telephone and, if found, asked the same questions. All the contacted families were invited for a paediatric check-up, during which the same data were collected through direct interview. For each question crude agreement and K statistic (which controls for the agreement attributable to chance) were computed with respect to both the phone/direct and mail direct comparisons. 391 families (56%) were traced for the first interview, due to the high number of them which had moved home. Among these 289 (74%) attended the paediatric check-up. On the whole, rather high values of K statistic were observed, ranging from 0.59 (question on diseases delaying the walking, comparison phone/direct) to 0.93 (question on anti-measles immunization, comparison mail/direct). Due to the small sample size, the estimates concerning the comparison mail/direct are rather imprecise. Although its potential is limited by the low response rate, the study brings good evidence that the information considered is not sufficiently reliable when reported retrospectively by parents. However, the keeping of a prospective individual record containing data of medical interest should be encouraged.

[Evaluation of the locomotor system during pediatric health examinations and elements of kinesitherapy]. / La valutazione dell'apparato locomotore durante i bilanci di salute pediatrici ed elementi di chinesiterapia.

The pediatrician, being a primary health care physician, has the task of bringing the small patient and his parents to the resolution of all those problems which are erroneously referred to a subspecialist. With this in mind, the authors believe that even common orthopedic problems must be evaluated by the pediatrician. He would decide if and when to refer the child to an orthopedic specialist. Certain problems such as congenital hip dysplasia or scoliosis require specific treatment, whereas others (tibial bowing, genu varum-valgum, flatfoot, metatarsus varus) resolve themselves over time. The authors therefore emphasize the role of the pediatrician in preventing any iatrogenic pathology due to inappropriate treatment.

[Correlations between blood pressure values, familial hypertension and anthropometric parameters in a sample of 3-year-old children]. / Correlazione tra valori di pressione arteriosa, familiarità ipertensiva e parametri antropometrici in un campione di bambini di tre anni.

Nowadays evaluation of blood pressure in children is almost routine. In fact hypertension in adults may be preceded by high blood pressure values in childhood. In this study the authors examined systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), height, weight, ponderosity index and family history of hypertension, in 261 3-year-old children, 139 boys and 122 girls. Average values of SBP were slightly but not significantly higher in males. Coefficients of linear regression and correlation for any pair of the different parameters (SBP-DBP and weight, SBP-DBP and height, SBP-DPB and ponderosity index) were all significantly positive for males, but not for females. The most significant value (r = 0.43) was in the correlation DBP-weight. In studying the family history of hypertension all children were divided into three groups: negative (F.I.-), positive with brothers and/or parents affected (F.I. I+) and positive with other relatives affected (F.I. II+). Average SBP and DPB in the second group were higher than in the third, and much higher than in the first group. These results suggest the importance of prevention in early childhood with alimentary education and serial blood pressure measurements. The individuation of borderline values is also very important.

[Congenital dysplasia of the hip. Preliminary results of a longitudinal study in the first 6 months of life]. / La displasia congenita dell'anca (DCA). Risultati preliminari di uno studio longitudinale nei primi 6 mesi di vita.

The authors report their experience of a serial follow-up for congenital dysplasia of the hip (CDH). 699 babies born during a three-months period were examined on their first day of life, on the forth and at the age of 1 and 6 months. 2 dislocated hips, 222 clicking hips were discovered in the neonatal period. At the first month 1 dislocated hip and only 6 clicking hips were detected. At the sixth month all babies were normal with the exception of two clicking hips. X-ray examination confirmed clinical dislocation diagnosis and showed pathological signs (subluxation and acetabular dysplasia) also in normal and clicking hips. According to their results the authors suggest that clinical examination during the first 6 months of life and X-ray can decrease the incidence of late diagnosis of CDH.