ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To ascertain determinants and impact of the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) for four to six months on growth and incidence of respiratory tract and diarrhoeal infections DESIGN AND SETTING: A descriptive cross-sectional study of infants aged 4-6 months, visiting selected well baby clinics in Colombo. MEASUREMENTS: An interviewer administered questionnaire to determine duration and determinants of EBF and incidence of infections was used. Growth faltering was ascertained by perusing the growth chart. RESULTS: The EBF rate for 4 months and beyond was 52.1% with only 3.6% being exclusively breastfed for 5 months and none for 6 months. 61% attending hospital clinics had EBF for 4 or more months as compared to 42% at community clinics. Higher level of maternal education, EBF of earlier child for longer duration, greater number of antenatal clinic visits, hearing the optimal duration of EBF via media, being well instructed on expressed breast milk and Caesarean section delivery were positively associated with EBF of 4 months and beyond. Being underweight for age (< 3rd centile) was significantly associated with longer periods of EBF, although growth faltering was not. There was no significant association between the duration of EBF and incidence of respiratory or diarrhoeal infections. CONCLUSIONS: The EBF rate for 4 months and beyond was poor, with field clinics faring worse than hospital clinics.
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Infant Food , Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital/statistics & numerical data , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Health Status , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant Care , Infant Welfare , Infant, Newborn , Male , Pregnancy , Sri Lanka , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Taeniasis/diagnosis , Albendazole/administration & dosage , Animals , Anticestodal Agents/administration & dosage , Child , Drug Therapy, Combination , Feces/parasitology , Female , Humans , Niclosamide/administration & dosage , Parasite Egg Count , Sri Lanka , Taenia/classification , Taeniasis/drug therapy , Taeniasis/etiologyABSTRACT
A retrospective analysis of 435 consecutive admissions to a regional burns unit over an 8-year period is presented. The majority were domestic accidents, while a few were suicidal and two were due to child abuse. Scalds were commoner than flame burns, 70.6 per cent were children under 12 years, 12.4 per cent had > 40 per cent TBSA affected, 66.9 per cent were deep partial or full thickness burns, 24.4 per cent had signs of shock on admission, 13.6 per cent had smoke inhalation injury. In spite of these known adverse factors the overall outcome was satisfactory, with a case fatality rate of 7.4 per cent and a residual disability rate of 10.8 per cent. Good initial resuscitation, a low infection rate (18.4 per cent) and the ready availability of appropriate surgical intervention (35.6 per cent), with good intensive care support, could account for the satisfactory outcome.
