A single centre study of the level of parents' satisfaction with the COVID-19 telemedicine consultation.

Telemedicine is an effective tool for video consultation of COVID-19 patients in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. We prospectively determined the level of parents' satisfaction with the COVID-19 telemedicine consultation. This was a single centre prospective study. COVID-19 paediatric patients who were seen in the children's emergency department of KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, and deemed fit for home recovery were discharged with a COVID-19 telemedicine follow-up in two to three days' time. Paediatric patients who were seen in the COVID-19 telemedicine visits were included in the parents' satisfaction survey. We excluded patients who defaulted their telemedicine visits. The telemedicine satisfaction survey was conducted using an online form consisting of 16 Likert scale questions, sent via text messaging. Our primary outcome was telemedicine satisfaction scores. Our secondary outcome was children's emergency department reattendance or hospital admission within 10 days after the telemedicine consultation. 1238 patients attended the COVID-19 video consultation clinic from 15 December 2021 till 25 March 2022, out of which 476 parents of the COVID-19 patients completed the survey questionnaire. The mean age of the COVID-19 patients was 3.6 years. There was a high level of overall satisfaction among parents of the COVID-19 patients, with a mean score of 6.1 out of 7. 12 out of 16 questions had a positive response (mean score of 6 or more). There was a total of 9 reattendances to children's emergency department, out of which 3 cases needed hospital admission.    Conclusion: There was a high level of overall satisfaction with the use of telemedicine in symptomatic COVID-19 paediatric patients. What is Known: • Telemedicine is a cost-effective and feasible mode of delivering health care for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and depressive disorder, especially in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic. What is New: • To gauge the parents' satisfaction with the COVID-19 telemedicine visit, in order to improve the patient and caregiver experience with telemedicine, and to improve the telemedicine service delivery. • Information from this study is crucial in order to prevent unnecessary hospital reattendance due to parental concern from poor telemedicine delivery.

Correction: Lack of association between hypothyroxinemia of prematurity and transient thyroid abnormalities with adverse long term neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birth weight infants.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222018.].

Lack of association between hypothyroxinemia of prematurity and transient thyroid abnormalities with adverse long term neurodevelopmental outcome in very low birth weight infants.

INTRODUCTION: The association between hypothyroxinemia of prematurity with neurodevelopment was controversial. OBJECTIVES: To compare 5 year neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants with hypothyroxinemia of prematurity against those without. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary neonatal centre of VLBW infants born between the year 2008 to 2011. Comparisons were made between all abnormal and normal thyroid function controls using cord thyroid function tests, thyroid function tests during admission and pre-discharge thyroid function test done at term equivalent age. At 2 years corrected age, Bayley scales of infant and toddler development-third edition and Vineland II adaptive behaviour scales (VABS) were collected. At 5 years, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III), Bracken School Readiness Assessment, VABS and Beery Test of Visual-Motor Integration were collected. RESULTS: 110 subjects were studied at 2 years corrected age and 80 subjects at 5 years old. 29 infants had abnormal thyroid function test (10 infants with hypothyroxinemia of prematurity and 19 infants with transient thyroid abnormalities). There were no significant difference in the 2 years and 5 years developmental outcome between infants with and without hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (p-value>0.05); and between infants with and without transient thyroid abnormalities (p-value>0.05). There were no significant difference in neurological, visual and hearing impairment between infants with or without hypothyroxinemia of prematurity (p-value>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Hypothyroxinemia of prematurity or transient thyroid abnormalities in VLBW infants were not associated with poorer neurodevelopment and did not support the need for levothyroxine supplementation.

Primary osteoporosis in children.

Osteoporosis in childhood is uncommon, and it may be secondary to a spectrum of diverse conditions. Idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis is a primary osteoporosis of unknown aetiology present in previously well children and is a diagnosis of exclusion. We describe a 10-year-old prepubertal boy who presented with back pain of 1-week duration. His spinal X-ray showed generalised loss of vertebral body heights in keeping with osteoporosis. Endocrine and haematological work-up were normal. He was treated with vitamin D supplement and intravenous pamidronate. This case illustrates the general work-up and causes for paediatric osteoporosis, and the management for idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis.

A 'One in a million' case of pulsating thoracoabdominal mass.

Ectopia cordis is a rare congenital malformation in which the heart is located partially or totally outside the thoracic cavity. It comprises 0.1% of congenital heart diseases. The authors present a case of a male baby born at term by emergency caesarean section due to prolonged fetal bradycardia, who was noted to have a large pulsating mass in the thoracoabdominal area. In view of lower thoracolumbar abdominal defect, ectopic placement of the umbilicus, deficiency of the diaphragmatic pericardium, deficiency of anterior diaphragm and intracardiac abnormalities, a diagnosis of ectopia cordis-Pentalogy of Cantrell was made. He was transferred to a tertiary centre and required oxygen supplement initially. He was sent home after 1 week, on propanolol, with weekly oxygen saturation checks. He is awaiting further surgical intervention pending the required weight gain.