BACKGROUND: Migration has been implicated as a risk factor for autism, but evidence is limited and inconsistent. AIMS: To investigate the relationship between parental migration status and risk of autism-spectrum disorder, taking into consideration the importance of region of origin, timing of migration and possible discrepancies in associations between autism ...

Influenza causes substantial morbidity in children in the United States each year. The 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic disproportionately affected the pediatric population and resulted in a substantially increased number of hospitalizations and deaths among children. Early influenza antiviral treatment reduces the duration of illness, frequency of complications, antibiotic use, ...

Children's blood-lead concentration (B-Pb) is well studied, but little is known about cadmium (B-Cd) and mercury (B-Hg), in particular for central Europe. Such information is necessary for risk assessment and management. Therefore, we here describe and compare B-Pb, B-Cd and B-Hg in children in six European, and three non-European cities, ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Vitamin A (VA) deficiency has been shown to affect antiviral immunity and thus may be related to the progress and outcome of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in young children. Our objective was to determine whether children with HFMD associated with VA insufficiency displayed a decline ...

Human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3) is an important cause of lower respiratory tract illness in children, yet a licensed vaccine or antiviral drug is not available. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, infectivity, and immunogenicity of two intranasal, live-attenuated HPIV3 vaccines, designated rHPIV3-N(B) and rB/HPIV3, that were cDNA-derived chimeras of ...

AimThis study was conducted to determine mothers' knowledge about fever, and their attitudes and responses to fever in children, along with the influence of demographic characteristics on the level of knowledge, and to identify occurrences of fear of fever.Materials and MethodsThe study consisted of 4500 mothers with children 0-12 years ...

OBJECTIVE: The increasingly younger age of onset of allergic rhinitis (AR) has recently become a problem. This study examined the prevalence of inhaled antigen sensitization and nasal eosinophils in children younger than two years old, with measurement of the serum concentrations of aeroallergen-specific IgE antibodies to house dust mites, cat ...

Aim:  To evaluate the effectiveness of a formalised opportunistic immunisation (OI) system in a hospital setting. Methods:  Pre-post implementation audit of missed immunisation opportunities. Results:  Of 5583 children in the National Immunisation Register cohort seen in a hospital setting, 1641 (29.4%) were under-immunised, compared with the concurrent regional cohort of ...

We report two children with Amyand's hernia, where the appendices along with caecum were found within the left hernial sac, which were operated for obstructed inguinal hernia.

Autoimmune myasthenia gravis is a rare condition in children. Identifying antibodies directed against the acetylcholine receptor is helpful in making the diagnosis. However, seronegative cases do exist and need to be distinguished from congenital forms of myasthenia. There is little published experience to inform the judicious management of autoimmune myasthenia ...

As a new and simple electrocardiographic marker, P-wave dispersion is reported to be associated with inhomogeneous and discontinuous propagation of sinus impulses. The current study aimed to investigate P-wave dispersion in children with acute rheumatic fever. The study population consisted of 47 children with acute rheumatic fever (29 patients with ...

To determine the central corneal thickness (CCT) in healthy white, African American, and Hispanic children from birth to 17 years of age and to determine whether CCT varies by age, race, or ethnicity. Prospective observational multicenter study. Central corneal thickness was measured with a handheld contact pachymeter. A total of ...

Objectives  To determine the diagnostic accuracy of World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 and 2006 as well as United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 2008 definitions of immunological failure for identifying virological failure (VF) in children on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods  Analysis of data from children (<16 years at ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The role of interleukin (IL)-5 in pathogenesis eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has been established in animal models; anti-IL-5 therapy has been reported to be effective in adults. We investigated whether IL-5 has a role in accumulation of esophageal eosinophils in children with EoE and whether therapy with mepolizumab, ...

Antihistamines have long been a mainstay in the therapy for allergic rhinitis. Many different oral antihistamines are available for use, and they are classified as first generation or second generation based on their pharmacologic properties and side-effect profiles. The recent introduction of intranasal antihistamines has further expanded the role of ...

Objective:To audit a protocol for elective, day-case, paediatric ENT surgery, previously reported as enabling an overall post-operative nausea and vomiting rate of 2 per cent and a discharge rate of 100 per cent on the day of surgery.Method:The audit included 91 children (45 boys and 46 girls) aged three to ...

INTRODUCTION The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy has reduced progression to AIDS and increased survival among seropositive persons; yet, appearance of resistant viruses may jeopardize these benefits. In Cuba, HIV mainly affects adults; at the end of 2009 of the 41 children infected, 25 were still alive; of these, ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between the frequency of acid reflux (AR) and weakly acid reflux (WAR) and specific respiratory symptoms (RS) in childhood. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of children with difficult-to-treat RS, not under acid suppressive therapy, and with a positive multiple intraluminal esophageal impedance (pH/MII) ...

Bone mass loss is a major complication of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CCD). However, the long-term impact of CCD on bone mass acquisition is unknown. We longitudinally assessed bone mineral density (BMD) and factors involved in bone remodeling in 9 children and adolescents with CCD Child-Pugh A (5 boys/4 girls) ...

Although randomized trials of adults infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have shown that ribavirin increases the efficacy of pegylated interferon (PEG), such trials have not been performed in children. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of PEG and ribavirin, compared with PEG and placebo, in children 5 to 17 ...

Clinical and laboratory predictors of recovery in children with fulminant hepatic failure are limited. Recently, hypophosphatemia has been reported as a laboratory indicator of recovering liver function in children with fulminant hepatic failure . We aimed to determine the incidence of hypophosphatemia and its association with clinical outcome in children ...

Interferon treatment for chronic viral hepatitis C (HCV) has been associated with the development of retinopathy in 19% to 29% of adults. Our purpose is to describe the ophthalmologic complications of pegylated interferon-alpha2a with either placebo or ribavirin in children with chronic HCV (the PEDS-C trial). Prospective, comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations ...

To explore the mechanism of horizontal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among children, we investigated the quantitative relationship between HBV in saliva and blood from 46 children with chronic hepatitis B. We found high levels of HBV DNA in saliva of HBeAg (+) children, suggesting saliva as a vehicle ...

AIM: To determine etiological spectrum as well as clinical profile of chronic hepatobiliary disorders in children. METHODS: 45 children with chronic hepatobiliary disorders were evaluated in the study.out of 105 children with liver diseases referred to the clinic. All underwent detailed history and clinical examination. Clinical and laboratory features as ...

To study the oxidative stress status in children with cholestatic chronic liver disease by determining activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in liver tissue. A total of 34 children suffering from cholestatic chronic liver disease were studied. They were selected from the Hepatology Clinic, Cairo ...

In patients with malignancies, chronic hepatitis C reactivation or severe flare is uncommon and antiviral treatment is deferred mainly due to underlying bone marrow and immune suppression. We report the use of antiviral treatment concomitantly to chemotherapy in 3 children with hematologic malignancies, chronic hepatitis C, and significant liver dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and their relation with the outcome in children. METHODS: Descriptive case study was conducted at National Institute Of Child Health. Fifty patients having clinical and biochemical markers suggestive of FHF were included in this study and data was extracted ...

In the year in which the GAVI Alliance celebrates its tenth anniversary, Bill and Melinda Gates have pledged US$10 billion in new funding. Judging from past successes, this is great news for millions of children.

Little is known regarding the natural history of autoimmune hepatitis in children. The aims of this longitudinal cohort study were to determine the long-term prognosis of children with autoimmune hepatitis and to determine the effect of cirrhosis at presentation on survival. Thirty-three children with autoimmune hepatitis who were seen at ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2b plus ribavirin (RBV) is the standard of care for adults with chronic hepatitis C but was not approved for the treatment of children at the time of this study. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PEG-IFN ...

The importance of hepatitis C viral infection in the health care of children has grown in recent decades. More is now known about the epidemiology of this infection in children and the progression of disease in the pediatric age group, and the treatment options are increasing. In this review, we ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study looked at the frequency and differences in presentation, laboratory parameters, and outcome between ascitic acute viral hepatitis (AAVH) and nonascitic acute viral hepatitis (NAVH) in children. METHODS: Diagnosis of AVH was based on clinical features, >3-fold elevation of alanine aminotransferase, viral marker positivity (IgM antihepatitis ...

The aim of this study was to estimate distant results after discontinuation of long term lamivudine treatment in children with chronic hepatitis B. Furthermore, the emergence of HBV polymerase gene variants in YMDD motif during therapy was examined. Additionally, the most commonly occurring type of mutation in the polymerase YMDD ...

Hepatic encephalopathy is a common metabolic condition in children, having a significantly different aetiopathogenesis from that in adults. The present paper reviews the medical interventions of proven efficacy and also discusses recent advances from various fields as applicable to management of children with this disorder, focusing on measures other than ...

We assessed the clinical course and biochemical profile of symptomatic children with viral hepatitis A who had atypical manifestations. Of 229 children with hepatitis A, atypical manifestations were found in 32 (14%) subjects. Prolonged cholestasis (n = 14), acute liver failure (9), relapse (9), ascites (8), and hematological problems (8) ...

Lichen planus (LP) is uncommon in children, and there have been few large studies on LP in this patient group. Most of the literature on childhood LP has appeared as case reports or isolated case series. We report the results of a study on 100 children with LP, which is, ...

BACKGROUND: Differently from chronic hepatitis C, factors associated with hepatic steatosis in children with chronic hepatitis B are not clearly elucidated. OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of steatosis at liver biopsy in HBV-infected children. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study including 56 children with chronic hepatitis B ...

Most children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (persistent hepatitis B surface antigen-positive for >6 months) are asymptomatic and do not generally require treatment. These children are, however, at increased risk for severe complications later in life, including advanced liver disease and liver cancer. On November 11, 2008, the Hepatitis ...

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sclerotherapy (ES) has been the standard treatment for children with idiopathic extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO). Portosystemic shunts are indicated when variceal bleeding cannot be controlled by ES. Recently, mesenteric left portal vein bypass was indicated as a surgical intervention and preventative measure for hepatic dysfunction in children ...

The aim of this review was to evidence the actual treatment used for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in children. A review of the use of interferon (IFN) as monotherapy in children demonstrates a sustained virological response (SVR) of 33%-45%. This is significantly better than the SVR rate for IFN ...

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B infection is hyper-endemic in Tonga and 19% of pregnant women test positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Routine childhood immunization against hepatitis B was introduced in 1989 and the target for elimination was set at <1% HBsAg prevalence in children. A study conducted in 1998, a ...

Since 1992, the maternal-fetal route of transmission has become the dominant route for acquisition of hepatitis C (HCV) infection by children. With increasing knowledge of antiviral treatment for HCV infection, the main goal of therapy is to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR) as defined by undetectable serum HCV RNA ...

BACKGROUND: The optimal conditions for abdominal contrast-enhanced (CE) CT, especially with respect to depiction of the hepatic veins (HVs), have not been well studied in small children. OBJECTIVE: We compared the depiction of the HVs in small children using scan delay times of 50 s and 60 s and a ...

Gifted children often display sensitivities to their environment that vary from those of the general population. Data were gathered on 6- to 11-year-old gifted children attending a public elementary school gifted program. Parents completed Dunn's (1999) Sensory Profile questionnaire regarding their child. Two primary analyses were conducted: (1) a comparison ...

BACKGROUND: Untreated autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) can develop into liver cirrhosis, with potentially fatal outcomes. Viral hepatitis in children was endemic in Taiwan before universal hepatitis B vaccination, but AIH has rarely been reported in Taiwanese children. We performed this retrospective study to characterize the clinical features of AIH in Taiwanese ...

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is the most common cause of hepatitis in childhood and an important public health problem. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis A and patient demographics in children between 1 and 15 years old who were admitted to a ...

Herpes zoster ophthalmicus is uncommon in children, and diagnosis may be delayed until the typical skin lesions become apparent. Delay in appropriate treatment may result in sight-threatening complications. We report a case of an 18-month-old child in whom we promptly confirmed the clinical suspicion of herpes zoster ophthalmicus by the ...

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is characterized by progressive inflammation of the liver and destruction of liver parenchyma. Rare in absolute terms, it is nevertheless an important cause of noninfectious chronic liver disease in children. In many ways, the diagnosis and treatment of children with AIH has changed little over the last ...

One and 6 months after vaccination with hepatitis A virus vaccine (HAVRIX 720 Junior), immunologic responses (anti-hepatitis A virus >/=20 mIU/ml) in children with chronic hepatitis C infection seroprotection were 92% (23/25) and 75% (9/12) in children with chronic hepatitis B infection 87% (21/24) and 88% (15/17) and in healthy ...

Since 1993, three Indigenous children in north Queensland have died of fulminant hepatitis A. Even if the children had been able to undergo liver transplantation, prolonged immunosuppressant therapy and the likelihood of opportunistic infections would inevitably have jeopardised any chance of long-term survival. As hepatitis A has become a leading ...