Infants in Juba, southern Sudan: the first twelve months of life.

A prospective survey of child health in Juba has been continued till the infants were 12 months old. They were visited monthly or more often if unwell. During the second 6 months of life 6 died; these deaths added to the 9 which occurred in the first 6 months produced an infant mortality rate of 11.8%. Diarrhoea was the whole or a partial cause of 11 of the 15 deaths in the first year. Growth in length by 12 months was satisfactory but the mean weight of the study infants was then at the third centile for healthy girls. Head circumference at 12 months was below normal and poor development was associated with the smaller head circumferences. Supplementary feeding had been started for all babies by the 12th month but only 4 of 127 had been weaned. 30 documented attacks of diarrhoea took place before supplementary feeding was started, suggesting that water given to infants is often contaminated.

PIP: A prospective survey of child health in Juba has been continued until the infants were 12 months old. They were visited monthly or more often if unwell. During the second 6 month of life, 6 infants died; these deaths added to the 9 which occurred in the first 6 month produced an infant mortality rate of 11.8%. Diarrhea was the whole or a partial cause of 11 of 15 deaths in the 1st year. Growth in length by 12 months was satisfactory but the mean weight of the study infants was then at the 3rd centile for healthy girls. Head circumference at 12 months was below normal and poor development was associated with the smaller head circumferences. Supplementary feeding had been started for all babies by the 12th month but only 4 of 127 had been weaned. 30 documented attacks of diarrhea took place before supplementary feeding was begun, suggesting that water given to infants is often contaminated.

Infants in Juba, Southern Sudan: the first six months of life.

A longitudinal survey of child health in Juba was done to secure data on which preventive schemes could be based. 223 pregnant women were identified in a systematic search of a district. 5 infants were stillborn and 10 were born prematurely. The mothers of 5 of the 10 premature infants had had acute malaria at or immediately preceding delivery. 2 of these premature babies later died from causes attributable to prematurity and therefore indirectly to the preventable maternal malaria. The causes of neonatal mortality included tetanus caused by cutting the cord with a blade of grass. Between the 1st and 6th month, 5 infants died of infective enteritis, 1 of bronchopneumonia, and 1 of pyrexia of undetermined origin associated with convulsions. Growth was much impaired by diarrhoea, which caused 85 attacks among 63 babies, and by lower respiratory infections, of which there were 119 among 74 of the babies. Skin and eye infections were also common. Removal of the unerupted canine teeth, believed to cure or prevent illness, caused much distress and some aspiration bronchopneumonia. Health education and improved hygiene and water supplies would greatly reduce the extent of morbidity and mortality.

PIP: A longitudinal survey of child health in Juba was done to secure data on which preventive schemes could be based. 223 pregnant women were identified in a systematic search of a district. 5 infants were stillborn and 10 were born prematurely. The mothers of 5 of 10 premature infants had had acute malaria at or immediately preceding delivery. 2 of these premature babies later died from causes attributable to prematurity and therefore indirectly to the preventable maternal malaria. The causes of neonatal mortality included tetanus caused by cutting the cord with a blade of grass. Between months 1-6, 5 infants died of infective enteritis, 1 of bronchopneumonia, and 1 of pyrexia of undetermined origin associated with convulsions. Growth was much impaired by diarrhea, which caused 85 attacks among 63 babies, and by lower respiratory infections, of which there were 119 among 74 of the babies. Skin and eye infections were also common. Removal of the unerupted canine teeth, believed to cure or prevent illness, caused much distress and some aspiration bronchopneumonia. Health education and improved hygiene and water supplies would greatly reduce the extent of morbidity and mortality.