[Quality evaluation of a neuro-development follow-up program of very low birthweight infants]. / Valoración de la calidad de un programa de seguimiento del neurodesarrollo de prematuros de muy bajo peso al nacimiento.

INTRODUCTION: Advances in perinatology have been associated with improved survival of very low birth weight (VLBW;<1500 g) infants. These children have an increased risk of future neurological and development handicaps. A set of quality indicators have been recommended for the neurodevelopment follow-up programs in this group of patients. AIM: To analyze our neurodevelopment follow-up program according to these quality of care indicators in 5 post-discharge follow-up areas: general care; physical health; vision, hearing, speech and language; developmental and behaviour assessment; and psychosocial issues. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one VLWB patients born in 2000 who have completed our 6-year follow-up program have been retrospectively studied. The agreement between our program and the standard of quality is evaluated. RESULTS: A copy of a discharge summary of the patient's neonatal course is present in the medical record in 92% of the cases. The inclusion of clinical data and general medical aspects in the medical summary is heterogeneous. Somatometric evaluation for the first two years of age is always present in a filled-in graphic. The international classification of the retinopathy of the preterm (RDP) is used in 100% of the patients. An ophthalmologic examination for RDP is performed in 72% (37/51) of the infants before hospital discharge; of the other 28%, only in 6 patients the date of the outpatient examination is present. Specific evaluations and interventions are performed within the recommended period of time in most of the children with suspected or neurosensory handicaps. More than ninety per cent of the patients are referred to the neurodevelopment specialist and most of them go to the visit (90.2% between 9 and 15 months and 78.4% between 21 and 30 months). Recommendations for a psycho-educational assessment are followed in the extremely premature (BW<1000 g and/or 28 weeks of gestational age) children. The number of patients who follow the program decreases with time. Psychosocial evaluation does not usually appear in the medical records of the patients. CONCLUSION: We have a good adherence to most of the recommended indicators in our follow-up program. The evaluation of these indicators is a useful tool to analyze the quality of a developmental follow-up program and to improve it.

Valoración de la calidad de un programa de seguimiento del neurodesarrollo de prematuros de muy bajo peso al nacimiento / Quality evaluation of a neuro-development follow-up program of very low birthweight infants

Introducción: Los avances en la perinatología condicionan un aumento del número de recién nacidos de muy bajo peso (RNMBP) (<1.500g) que sobreviven, con el consiguiente riesgo futuro de presentar problemas en el desarrollo. Se han propuesto unos indicadores de calidad para evaluar los programas de seguimiento en este grupo de pacientes. Objetivo: Analizar el cumplimiento de estos indicadores en el programa de seguimiento del neurodesarrollo para los RNMBP de este centro. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo descriptivo de los 51 RNMBP nacidos en el 2000 e incluidos en el programa de seguimiento hasta los 6 años de edad. Se evaluó el cumplimiento de los indicadores en las siguientes áreas: inclusión de datos en la epicrítica; aspectos médicos generales; evaluación visual, auditiva, de la comunicación y del lenguaje; evaluación del desarrollo y del comportamiento; valoración psicosocial. Resultados: Se adjuntó la epicrítica a la historia clínica en el 92% de los casos; el cumplimiento de los datos médicos generales fue heterogéneo. La valoración somatométrica durante los primeros 2 años quedó reflejada en una gráfica. Se utilizó siempre la clasificación internacional de retinopatía. A 37 (72%) de los 51 pacientes se les realizó el fondo de ojo durante el ingreso; sólo en 6 de los 14 restantes se explicitó la fecha de la visita ambulatoria. Se cumplió con los plazos máximos recomendados para la valoración por los especialistas cuando se detectó algún déficit. Se envió a más del 90% de los pacientes al neuropediatra y la gran mayoría acudió a la consulta (el 90,2% entre los 9 y los 15 meses, y el 78,4% entre los 21 y los 30 meses). Se cumplió con las recomendaciones de una valoración psicológica sistemática en los prematuros extremos. La evaluación psicosocial quedó poco reflejada en la historia clínica. Conclusiones: Este programa de seguimiento para RNMBP cumple con la mayoría de los indicadores de calidad propuestos. El análisis de éstos es una herramienta muy útil para evaluar y mejorar los programas de seguimiento para este grupo de pacientes (AU)

Introduction: Advances in perinatology have been associated with improved survival of very low birth weight (VLBW;<1500g) infants. These children have an increased risk of future neurological and development handicaps. A set of quality indicators have been recommended for the neurodevelopment follow-up programs in this group of patients. Aim: To analyze our neurodevelopment follow-up program according to these quality of care indicators in 5 post-discharge follow-up areas: general care; physical health; vision, hearing, speech and language; developmental and behaviour assesment; and psychosocial issues. Patients and methods: Fifty-one VLWB patients born in 2000 who have completed our 6-year follow-up program have been retrospectively studied. The agreement between our program and the standard of quality is evaluated. Results: A copy of a discharge summary of the patient's neonatal course is present in the medical record in 92% of the cases. The inclusion of clinical data and general medical aspects in the medical summary is heterogeneous. Somatometric evaluation for the first two years of age is always present in a filled-in graphic. The international classification of the retinopathy of the preterm (RDP) is used in 100% of the patients. An ophthalmologic examination for RDP is performed in 72% (37/51) of the infants before hospital discharge; of the other 28%, only in 6 patients the date of the outpatient examination is present. Specific evaluations and interventions are performed within the recommended period of time in most of the children with suspected or neurosensory handicaps. More than ninety per cent of the patients are referred to the neurodevelopment specialist and most of them go to the visit (90.2% between 9 and 15 months and 78.4% between 21 and 30 months). Recommendations for a psycho-educational assessment are followed in the extremely premature (BW<1000g and/or 28 weeks of gestational age) children. The number of patients who follow the program decreases with time. Psychosocial evaluation does not usually appear in the medical records of the patients. Conclusion: We have a good adherence to most of the recommended indicators in our follow-up program. The evaluation of these indicators is a useful tool to analyze the quality of a developmental follow-up program and to improve it (AU)

[Sexual abuse. Experience in a child sexual abuse unit]. / Abuso sexual. Experiencia en una unidad funcional de abusos a menores.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings in children treated in a child sexual abuse unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective study of the clinical histories of children under suspicion of sexual abuse who visited the hospital from January 1992 to April 2000. Data on age, sex, need of urgent medical care, means of arrival, mechanism of discovery of abuse, parental separation, anamnesis, physical findings and complementary investigations were collected. The patients were then classified in four groups: normal, compatible, highly probable or certain sexual contact. In cases with a high probability of abuse, data of the aggressor's identity, place, duration and type of abuse were also collected. RESULTS: We studied 704 patients. Seventy-five percent were girls. The child's account of events was the most frequent means of discovering abuse (51%). Anamnesis was positive in 45% of the patients, genital examination was normal in 74% and anal examination was normal in 79%. According to our classification, 40% of the patients were normal, 11% were compatible, 41% were highly probable and 4% were of certain sexual contact. Ninety-two percent of aggressors were male. Molestation was the most frequent form of abuse and in 25% of cases abuse took place for more than 1 year. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of sexual abuse is difficult and is almost always based on the child's account of events. The diagnostic yield of physical examination and complementary investigations is very low. We propose a diagnostic classification of four levels: normal, compatible, highly probable abuse and certain sexual contact.

Abuso sexual. Experiencia en una unidad funcional de abusos a menores / Sexual abuse. Experience in a child sexual abuse unit

Objetivo: Describir los hallazgos clínicos en los niños atendidos en una unidad de abusos sexuales infantiles. Pacientes y métodos: Revisión retrospectiva de las historias de los pacientes con sospecha de abuso sexual atendidos en el hospital desde enero de 1992 hasta abril de 2000. Se recogieron las variables edad, sexo, necesidad de atención urgente, vía de llegada, mecanismo de descubrimiento, separación conyugal en los padres, anamnesis, hallazgos físicos y exploraciones complementarias. Después del estudio se clasificaron en 4 grupos: normal, compatible, muy probable o seguro de contacto sexual. En los casos con alta probabilidad de abuso se recogieron los datos de la identidad del agresor, lugar del abuso, duración y tipo de abuso cometido. Resultados: Se estudiaron 704 casos. El 75% eran niñas. El relato del niño fue la forma más frecuente de descubrimiento del abuso (51%), la anamnesis fue positiva en el 45% de ocasiones. La exploración genital fue normal en el 74% de casos y la anal en el 79%. En la conclusión final, el 40% fue normal, el 11%, compatible, el 41%, alta probabilidad y el 4%, seguro abuso sexual. El abusador fue en el 92% de casos un varón. Los tocamientos fueron la forma más frecuente de agresión y en el 25% el abuso duró más de un año. Conclusión: El diagnóstico de abuso sexual es difícil y se basa casi siempre en el relato del niño. El rendimiento de la exploración y de las exploraciones complementarias es muy bajo. Se propone una clasificación diagnóstica en cuatro niveles: normal, compatible, abuso muy probable y contacto sexual seguro (AU)

[Attitude towards parents after the death of their newborn infant in a neonatal unit]. / Atención a los padres de recién nacidos fallecidos en neustra unidad neonatal.

We have analyzed the neonatology team's actions, as well as the parent's reactions, after the death of a newborn baby in the Intensive Care Unit. A questionnaire was drawn-up and sent to 180 parents of decreased newborn babies in order to get to know their opinions about certain aspects related to their experience in the hospital. Only 49 out of the 180 (27.2%) questionnaires were sent back. From their answers, we would like to stress their positive opinion regarding both the medical care (95%) and the information that they received (93%). The suggestion that the hospital should have a trained team of trained professionals available to provide psychological support in such situations was made in 95.9% of the questionnaires. This analysis has justified changes in our team's procedure when confronted with newborn deaths.