Association of Vitamin A and D Deficiencies with Infectious Outcomes in Children Undergoing Intensive Induction Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between deficiency of vitamin A or D at diagnosis of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and subsequent infectious complications during induction therapy. STUDY DESIGN: An IRB-approved, retrospective cohort study of children diagnosed with newly-diagnosed ALL from 2007 to 2017 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We measured vitamin D, vitamin D binding protein, retinol binding protein as a surrogate for vitamin A, and immunoglobulin isotypes in serum obtained at ALL diagnosis, and we assessed the association between vitamin deficiencies or levels and infection-related complications during the 6-week induction phase using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Among 378 evaluable participants, vitamin A and D deficiencies were common (43% and 17% respectively). Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher risks of febrile neutropenia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.7; p=0.0072), clinically-documented infection (aHR 1.73; p=0.025), and likely bacterial infection (aHR 1.86; p=0.008). Conversely, vitamin A deficiency was associated solely with a reduced risk of sepsis (aHR 0.19; p=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective study, vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of common infection-related complications during induction therapy for ALL. Additional studies are warranted to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation could mitigate this effect.

Challenges and coping between parents in shared decision-making for children with complex, life-threatening conditions: A qualitative content analysis.

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Relatively little is known about the parents' challenges and coping in making decisions for children with complex, life-threatening conditions. Therefore, this secondary analysis aimed to explore the challenges and coping between parents while navigating their decision-making by focusing on their interpersonal relationship. DESIGN & METHOD: Data from 38 interviews with parent couples of 20 infants diagnosed with congenital heart disease or receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were analyzed using a conventional content analysis. RESULTS: Findings revealed the key challenges between parents in decision-making and how they cope with the challenges together as represented by two main themes of "Challenges faced by parents in making decisions together" and "Parents' collaborative coping with the challenges of making shared decisions." DISCUSSION: The majority of challenges that parents face in making decisions were closely related to the nature of the children's complex and life-threatening illness and uncertainty. However, supportive partner helped coping and decision-making, indicating the vital role of spouses in making decisions for their ill child. IMPLICATIONS: Assessing parents' marital relationship, providing enough information to ensure that both parents clearly understand the information, and encouraging parents to openly communicate with each other are recommended. Educating healthcare providers to support parents to partner together in shared decision-making is also required. Last, legislating laws that mandate providing psychological counseling services and developments of community-based interventions to support parental relationship would improve parents' shared decision-making. Further research on enhancing parental relationships in the context of a child's illness is required.

Relação de sintomas gastrointestinais e a infecção por Covid-19 na população pediátrica: protocolo scoping review / Relationship of gastrointestinal symptoms and Covid-19 infection in pediatric population: scoping protocol review / Relación de síntomas gastrointestinales e infección por Covid-19 en población pediátrica: revisión de protocolo de alcance

Objetivo: Mapear o conhecimento acerca dos desfechos de sintomas gastrointestinais associados a Covid-19 na população pediátrica. Método: Trata-se de um protocolo de scoping review seguindo as recomendações do Instituto Joanna Briggs e do PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. A busca será realizada nas bases de dados Embase, Google Acadêmico, PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, CINAHL, Scielo, Web of Science e Portal da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Serão utilizados os descritores criança, recém-nascido, trato gastrointestinal e Covid-19 e termos alternativos. Os resultados serão apresentados em formato de tabelas e analisados de forma descritiva. Conclusão: Esse protocolo norteará o desenvolvimento da revisão de escopo acerca do conhecimento sobre os achados clínicos e desfechos gastrointestinais na população pediátrica com diagnóstico de Covid-19.

Objective: To map the knowledge about the outcomes of gastrointestinal symptoms associated with Covid-19 in the pediatric population. Method: This is a scoping review protocol following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute and the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-scr): Checklist and Explanation. The search will be performed in the databases Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, CINAHL, Scielo, Web of Science and Portal of the Virtual Health Library. The descriptors child, newborn, gastrointestinal tract and Covid-19 and alternative terms will be used. The results will be presented in table format and analyzed descriptively. Conclusion: This protocol will guide the development of a scope review on knowledge about clinical findings and gastrointestinal outcomes in the pediatric population diagnosed with Covid-19.

Objetivo: Mapear el conocimiento sobre los resultados de los síntomas gastrointestinales asociados a Covid-19 en la población pediátrica. Método: Se trata de un protocolo de revisión de alcance siguiendo las recomendaciones del Instituto Joanna Briggs y la Extensión PRISMA para Revisiones de Alcance (PRISMA-scr): Checklist and Explanation. La búsqueda se realizará en las bases de datos Embase, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, CINAHL, Scielo, Web of Science y Portal de la Biblioteca Virtual de Salud. Se utilizarán los descriptores child, newborn, gastrointestinal tract y Covid-19 y términos alternativos. Los resultados se presentarán en formato de tabla y se analizarán de forma descriptiva. Conclusiones: Este protocolo guiará el desarrollo de una revisión de alcance sobre el conocimiento de los hallazgos clínicos y los resultados gastrointestinales en la población pediátrica diagnosticada de Covid-19.

Carotid Doppler Ultrasonography for Hemodynamic Assessment in Critically Ill Children.

An accurate assessment of cardiovascular performance is essential to predict and evaluate hemodynamic response to interventions. The objective of this prospective study was to assess whether point-of-care ultrasonography of the common carotid artery (CCA) can estimate the stroke volume (SV) and cardiac index (Ci) of critically ill children. Participants underwent Doppler ultrasonography of the left CCA and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Variables measured by TTE were SV and Ci. Carotid blood flow (CBF) was calculated based on both systolic velocity-time integral (CBF(s)) and total velocity-time integral (CBF(t)). Carotid corrected flow time(CFT)was also determined. A total of 50 children were enrolled. The median age and weight of participants were 36.0 months and 14.2 kg, respectively. Both CBF(s) and CBF(t) correlated very strongly with SV (ρ = 0.98 and 0.97, respectively) and Ci (ρ = 0.96 and 0.92, respectively). Agreement analysis showed low biases and clinically acceptable percentage errors between variables measured by TTE (SV and Ci) and those estimated by Doppler ultrasonography. Linear regression analysis revealed that the Ci of mechanically ventilated children can be estimated by the following equation: [Formula: see text]. CFT did not significantly correlate with SV or Ci (ρ = 0.27 and 0.05, respectively). Doppler ultrasonography of the left CCA is able to estimate the SV and Ci of critically ill children. Therefore, the CDU may be considered as an alternative for estimating Ci in critically ill children when TTE is not feasible or available.

A distorção dos contos de fadas na contemporaneidade e suas implicações no desenvolvimento da subjetividade / Distortion of fairy tales in contemporary times and its implications in the development of subjectivity / La distorsión de los cuentos de hadas en la contemporaneidad y sus implicaciones en el desarrollo de la subjetividad

O conto de fadas pode ser um auxiliar muito pertinente no desenvolvimento infantil, principalmente no âmbito psíquico, nas questões que circundam a fantasia e a imaginação como elementos que tornam possível a constituição do pensamento. Porém, na Contemporaneidade, o que tem sido destacado sobre os contos de fadas não é a transmissão pela oralidade ou por leitura das histórias que implicam a relação com o outro, tampouco sua contribuição para a significação do mundo por parte da criança. O que se mostra é o atravessamento da indústria cultural na transmissão dos contos de fadas e algumas distorções na estrutura simbólica desses contos, o que tem corrompido seu caráter esclarecedor e inibido a capacidade da criança de fantasiar e simbolizar a vida. Relacionado ao tema, este trabalho é resultado de uma pesquisa bibliográfica sobre a obra de Bettelheim sobre os contos de fadas. Seu objetivo é analisar, com base num filme contemporâneo, as adaptações e as distorções dos contos na contemporaneidade bem como suas implicações no desenvolvimento da subjetividade.

Fairy Tales can be a very relevant aid in child development, mainly in the mental realm, in the issues related to fantasy and imagination as elements that make feasible the constitution of thinking. However, at contemporaneous times, what is being highlighted about fairy tales is not the oral communication or the story-reading relationship, which implies the relationship with another person, not even the contribution of the tales to the child’s signification of the world. What is unveiled is the interference of the cultural Industry in the communication of fairy tales and some distortions in the symbolic structure of the tales which has been corrupting its enlightening skill and inhibiting the child’s ability to fantasize and symbolize life. Nonetheless, this work comes out of a bibliographical research on Bettelheim’s work about fairy tales. The main objective is to analyze, based on a contemporaneous movie, the current adaptations and distortions of the tales as well as its implications in the development of subjectivity.

El cuento de hadas puede ser un ayudante fundamental en el desarrollo infantil, principalmente en el ámbito psíquico, en las cuestiones que circundan la fantasía y la imaginación como posibilitadoras de la constitución del pensamiento. Pero, lo que es retratado en la contemporaneidad sobre los cuentos de hadas, no es su transmisión oral o por lectura de estas historias implicadas en la relación con el otro y ni tampoco ha ayudado el niño a significar el mundo. Lo que existe es el cruzamiento de la Industria Cultural en la transmisión de los cuentos de hadas y algunas distorsiones en la estructura simbólica de los cuentos, corrompiendo su carácter esclarecedor e inhibiendo la capacidad del niño de fantasear y simbolizar la vida. Este trabajo constituye, por lo tanto, una investigación bibliográfica de la obra de Bettelheim sobre los cuentos de hadas, cuyo objetivo es analizar, a partir de una película contemporánea, las adaptaciones y distorsiones de los cuentos en la contemporaneidad y sus implicaciones en el desarrollo de la subjetividad.

Comparison of the laryngoscopy views with the size 1 Miller and Macintosh laryngoscope blades lifting the epiglottis or the base of the tongue in infants and children <2 yr of age.

BACKGROUND: Miller laryngoscope blades are preferred for laryngoscopy in infants and children <2 yr of age. Despite their long history, the laryngeal view with the Miller blade size 1 has never been compared with that with the Macintosh (MAC) blade in children. This prospective, single-blinded, randomized study was designed to compare the laryngeal views with the size 1 Miller and MAC blades in children <2 yr. METHODS: With IRB approval, 50 ASA I and II children <2 yr undergoing elective surgery were enrolled. After an inhalation induction and neuromuscular block with i.v. rocuronium 0.5 mg kg(-1), two laryngeal views were obtained with a single blade (Miller or MAC) in each child: one lifting the epiglottis and another lifting the tongue base. The best laryngeal views in each blade position were photographed with a SONY(®) Cyber-shot camera and rated by a blinded anaesthesiologist using the percentage of glottic opening scale. RESULTS: The scores with the Miller blade lifting the epiglottis and the MAC blade lifting the tongue base were similar. The scores with the Miller blade lifting the epiglottis and the tongue base were similar. The scores for the MAC blade lifting the tongue base were greater than those lifting the epiglottis (95% confidence interval: 7.6-26.8) (P=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: In infants and children <2 yr of age, optimal laryngeal views may be obtained with either the Miller size 1 blade lifting the epiglottis or with the Miller or MAC blades lifting the tongue base. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01717872 at Clinical Trials.gov.

Pneumonias adquiridas na comunidade na infância e adolescência / Community-acquired pneumonia in childhood and adolescence

Infecções respiratórias agudas são responsáveis por elevada morbimortalidade na infância. As pneumonias comunitárias são comuns na prática diária do médico, especialmente nos meses do outono e inverno, podendo ter consequências graves, como óbitos infantis. Elas geralmente ocorrem como complicação de uma infecção viral das vias aéreas e a etiologia varia conforme a faixa etária. Um dos maiores desafios na abordagem das pneumonias é a identificação do agente etiológico. O quadro clí- nico pode variar na dependência da faixa etária. Febre, tosse, taquidispneia, tiragem e alterações da ausculta pulmonar são observados em praticamente todas as idades. O diagnóstico permanece baseado em critérios clínicos e radiológicos. Os exames laboratoriais podem ser realizados na tentativa de tentar buscar o agente etiológico, direcionar o tratamento ou até mesmo investigar diagnósticos diferenciais. O tratamento poderá ser realizado ambulatorialmente, na maioria dos casos. Medidas gerais para a prevenção de pneumonia incluem incentivo ao aleitamento materno, combate à desnutrição, melhora das condições de moradia, redução da exposição ao fumo. É fundamental que toda a equipe da atenção primária conheça os sinais de alerta, as indicações de internação e encaminhamento para o hospital de pacientes graves a fim de se evitarem danos aos pacientes.(AU)

Acute respiratory infections are responsible for high morbidity and mortality in childhood. The community-acquired pneumonia is common in daily practice physician especially in the months of autumn and winter, and can have serious consequences, such as infant deaths. They usually occur as a complication of a viral infection of the airways and etiology varies by age group. One of the biggest challenges in addressing pneumonia is the identification of the etiologic agent. The clinical picture may vary depending on the age group. Fever, cough, tachydyspnea, circulation and lung auscultation changes are observed in almost all ages. The diagnosis remains based on clinical and radiological criteria. Laboratory tests can be performed to try to get the etiologic agent, direct treatment or even investigate differential diagnoses. The treatment may be performed in an outpatient setting, in most cases, or in hospital. General measures for prevention of pneumonia include breastfeeding promotion, combating malnutrition, improvement of housing conditions, reducing exposure to smoke. It is essential that all primary care staff know the warning signs, the indications for hospitalization and referral to hospital for critically ill patients in order to prevent harm to patients.(AU)