Indian Pediatrics

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of a single clinic-based educational intervention session on parents of children aged 4.5 to 5.5 years on improving the coverage of a second booster dose of the DPT vaccine. The secondary objective was to assess the coverage of second booster dose of the DPT vaccine among children aged > 6 years and to learn about the reasons behind such dropouts, if any. METHODS: The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged > 6 years who were attending pediatric OPD or IPD to determine coverage of the second booster dose of DPT vaccine and possible reasons for dropout...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the genotype-phenotype characteristics of patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency from western India and ascertain the prevalence of various phenotypes of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. METHODS: Patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency, diagnosed clinically and biochemically, were prospectively enrolled and classified into salt wasting (SW), simple virilizing (SV), and non-classic (NC) phenotypes and were subjected to genetic testing of CYP21A2 by targeted sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA)...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the levels of serum bioavailable vitamin D in children presenting with first episode nephrotic syndrome (FENS) at diagnosis and after 4 weeks of standard steroid therapy while the child is in remission, and compare the same with age-sex matched healthy controls. METHODS: We included children aged 1 month to 12 years presenting as FENS and estimated the serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), parathormone, serum and urine Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) at diagnosis and after 4 weeks of standard steroid therapy while the child is in remission...

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical profile and determine and factors affecting mortality of children admitted with adenovirus infection in a tertiary care centre in South India. METHODS: In this observational study, respiratory specimens (nasopharyngeal swab / endotracheal aspirate) were collected from all hospitalized pediatric patients presenting with fever, cough, breathlessness, gastrointestinal symptoms, unexplained encephalopathy or multisystem involvement, between February 2023 and August 2023...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between monocytic Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR (mHLA-DR)expression and outcome in children with severe sepsis. METHODS: Consecutive children, aged 29 days to 15 years, who were admitted with severe sepsis or septic shock in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were enrolled. mHLA-DR expression (antigen bound per cell (ABC)) was assessed on two time points: between 72 to 120 hours (P1) and 121 to 168 hours (P2), of stay in PICU and the difference between the two was calculated as delta mHLA-DR...

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study was carried out to evaluate the change in the neurodevelopmental status of children (1-30-month-old) with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) following nutritional rehabilitation. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in the children admitted in the Severe Malnutrition Therapeutic Unit (SMTU) of a tertiary hospital in Central India, between April 2021 and October 2022. Children with primary neurological conditions like cerebral palsy and epilepsy were excluded...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

We determined the burden of concomitant chronic non-epilepsy drug use in 100 consecutive outpatient children with a diagnosis of epilepsy (mean (SD) age 7.38 (3.24) y), taking anti-seizure medications (ASM) for at least 6 months. Majority (n = 68) of the children had comorbidities; most commonly global developmental delay (27%). 61 children were receiving chronic non-epilepsy drugs; most common being calcium (38%), multivitamin (18%) and folic acid (16%). Of these, 50 children (82%) were prescribed drugs without any documented indication...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of iron supplementation on symptoms in children with attention deficit hyperactivity dis-ease (ADHD). METHODS: A prospective single arm intervention study was conducted on children aged 4-12 years, newly diagnosed with ADHD, attending the child development clinic in a tertiary centre in Northern India. A baseline hemogram and ferritin levels were assessed in all children. ADHD symptom severity was assessed with age-appropriate neuro-psychometric questionnaires, and objective tests of attention at baseline and after six weeks of oral iron thera-py...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of perioperative active warming on the core body temperature, postoperative pain, shivering and agitation in pediatric patients. METHODS: Children aged 2-6 years undergoing elective surgery, including orthopedic soft tissue surgeries, ear nose throat surgical procedures and general surgical interventions, all performed under general anesthesia, were randomized to receive either active warming (using the forced-air warming gowns, Bair Hugger, in the pre- and postoperative period, and a carbon fiber blanket in intraoperative period; Group A), or conventional warming using green blankets pre-and post-operatively and a carbon fiber blanket intraoperatively (Group B)...

OBJECTIVE: To determine normative values of cerebral blood flow (CBF) velocities in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates during first 28 days of life. METHODS: In this prospective observational study, doppler assessment of CBF velocities was performed from the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and basilar artery (BA) at 2-8 hours, 24 hours, day 3, 7, 14 and 28 of life. Neonates with gross congenital malformations, those requiring extensive resuscitation at birth, mechanical ventilation with mean airway pressure >12 mbar, requiring inotropes, or those who developed intraventricular hemorrhage (Grade II or more) were excluded...

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate e-portfolios for undergraduate medical students in the subject of Pediatrics. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted among the second year medical undergraduate students. A core committee validated the E-portfolio created on the Google platform. The students were sensitized, trained on the platform, and encouraged to innovate by designing the e-portfolios themselves, and record their clinical experiences under the mentorship of faculty...

This study evaluated learning agreements (LA) as a teaching-learning tool when administered to eleven postgraduate pediatric students, with each learner moving at an individual pace. After LA, the median (IQR) Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Score (GKCSAC) of students increased from 14 (11, 14) to 27 (27, 33). The scores on all the nine distinct components of the GKCSAC exhibited a statistically significant increase (P < 0.01). Additionally, all students perceived themselves as more competent and confident in their communication skills post-LA...

We analyzed the records of 869 children who underwent flexible bronchoscopy. We found procedural complications in 6.7% (n = 59), with severe events in 3.2% (n = 28). Age < 1 y, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, and finding lower airway malacia on bronchoscopy were identified as independent risk factors for developing complications with adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) of [2.6 (1.3, 4.9); P = 0.004], [5.4 (1.7, 17.6); P = 0.005] and [2.1 (1.1, 4.0); P = 0.031], respectively.

Reflection helps us learn from experiences, build good doctor-patient relationships and a professional identity. It also holds an important place in the competency-based curriculum as a tool for assessment, especially for competencies that cannot be assessed by conventional means. To embed reflection in the curriculum, we need to explicitly teach how to reflect, make it a habit by integrating it into the various curricular activities, assess reflections formatively, and provide an environment that allows guided reflections, taking care of ethical and emotional aspects...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the change in serum hepcidin levels and its correlation with change in hemoglobin (Hb) level during the initial two weeks of oral iron therapy in children with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). METHODS: A prospective observational study was carried out in children aged 2-12 years with IDA. Children with severe anemia (Hb < 7 g/ dL), those with fever, infections, history of oral iron intake or blood transfusion within the preceding three months, or intolerant to oral iron were excluded...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence and predictors of splenic dysfunction in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2019 and December 2020 where children aged 1 to 15 years of age with SCD were screened for splenic dysfunction. Children who were splenectomised, those with other diseases known to affect splenic function like congenital malformations, immunodeficiencies, and chronic diseases like tuberculosis, nephrotic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, chronic liver disease, celiac disease or malignancy were excluded...

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