Sudanese journal of paediatrics最新文献

In addition the nature of nurses working environment, duties and responsibilities, nurses are facing numerous health hazards while working at hospitals. This study aimed to identify the health-related risks of nursing practice at Ahmed Gasim Hospital and Gafaar Ibnauf Children's Hospital, Khartoum State, Sudan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at two governmental paediatric hospitals in Khartoum, from August to December 2017, in which 74 nurses were selected by convenience sampling to participate. The data was collected by a validated questionnaire and analysed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 25. About 65% of nurses reported that they had high level of awareness of health risks they were exposed to on their job while 75.7% indicated that the major factors contributing to health risks in the hospitals were working pressure and poor working environment. Low back pain was found to be the most common health-related risks (77%) that might result from the extreme pressure at work (75.7%). Gender and years of experience had statistically significant association with health hazards among nurses (0.042 and 0.047, respectively). The study concluded that the majority of nurses have high awareness of health-related risks. The reported problems were low back pain which was found to be the most common health-related risk that might result from the extreme pressure at work.

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission increases parents' stress levels and it might be even higher in the crisis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and lockdown. This study was done to identify the stress levels of parents of admitted neonates and the difficulties encountered in neonatal care and follow-up during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. The Parental Stressor Scale (PSS:NICU) and Perceived Stress Scale (PeSS) were used to identify the stress levels of parents of admitted neonates. Online survey form with a structured questionnaire comprising PeSS and NICU:PSS was sent through messaging app (Google form) after informed consent. PSS score of <14 was considered low stress, 14-26 moderate and >26 as high. A total of 118 parental responses (mother /father in 26, both in 46) for 72 admitted neonates, were obtained. The mean (SD) PeSS score was 19.7 (5.8%) and 92 (78%) had moderate stress while 11 (9%) had high stress. In NICU:PSS, sights-sounds and parental role had more median scores: 2.25 (1-3.75) and 2.21 (1-3.57), respectively. Maternal and paternal NICU:PSS (p-0.67) and PeSS (p-0.056) scores were not statistically different. Keeping nil per oral, invasive ventilation, culture-positive sepsis, fathers' transport difficulty and longer duration of mothers' and neonates' hospital stay was associated with increased NICU: PSS scores. Twenty (29%) parents could not bring their child for follow-up and there was a delay in immunisation in 21 (30%). The pandemic and the lockdown might have disrupted antenatal and postnatal follow-ups further adding to the parental stress.

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is frequently seen among cases presenting to our endocrine clinics. The purpose of this study was to have base line data on this condition with an attempt to point out any possible unique features of Sudan and to explore challenges faced in management and how that cultural and traditional practices may hamper care. Here, we are reporting the first data on this aspect from Sudanese subjects. Patients labelled as having CPP in Gafaar Ibnauf Children's Hospital and Soba University Hospital Endocrinology Clinics from January 2006 to 2016 are included in a descriptive hospital-based study which was conducted over 10 years in these two main paediatric endocrinology centres. Records of all patients with CPP were reviewed and challenges in diagnosis and management were identified. Most of the children with CPP presented late. Organic causes were more frequent among girls than what has been reported in the literature; in most boys, it was idiopathic. Almost half of the patients with underlying pathology were older than 6 years of age. Most cases including girls have an organic cause, thus magnetic resonance image should be done in all patients. Management of precocious puberty in a resource-limited country is faced with various challenges (e.g., expensive investigations and medications). We suggest establishing a unified protocol for managing these cases and creating collaboration between governmental, nongovernmental organisations and health services.

Dengue fever is an important cause of acute febrile illness in the postmonsoon season in India. This study was done to record the incidence of dengue in admitted patients with acute febrile illness in a hospital setting. The study also intends to record the clinical, biochemical and outcome profile of paediatric dengue cases admitted in tertiary centres in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. It was a prospective case record analysis at a tertiary care research hospital in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. The study recruited fifty-53 children (<18 years) with serology-proven diagnosis of dengue disease. Disease was confirmed by doing Ns1Ag, IgM antibody test by ELISA method. Six hundred children were screened and 53 met the inclusion criteria. The incidence of dengue disease in hospitalised acute febrile illness was 8.8%. There were thirty-one males. The mean age of presentation of the study population was 9.32 ± 5 years with a range of 0.25 - 17 years. Fever (94%), nausea and vomiting (59 %), abdominal pain (55%), persistent vomiting (49%), thrombocytopenia (<100,000 [66%]), and petechiae and purpura (43%) were the important clinical manifestations. Six required intensive care monitoring. There was only one death. Dengue fever is an important cause of acute febrile illness in children. Case fatality rate can be minimised with proper World Health Organisation classification and protocol-based management of cases.

In this article, I will try to shine a light on the life and contribution to child health of the Late Professor Hafiz Elshazali, who passed away in December 2020, through my eyes. He is my father but more than that he was my mentor and role model.

Infant response against infections depends largely on active and passive transfer of immunity through breast milk. There is plenty of data showing transplacental transfer of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies to the foetus and the presence of neutralising Ig-A and Ig-G anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the breast milk of mothers post COVID-19 vaccination. There is a paucity of research regarding the impact of COVID-19 vaccination of lactating mothers on the immune response in infant blood. The index case was delivered at 35 weeks of gestation with features of hydrops fetalis. The COVID-19 rapid antigen test and COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test were negative for the mother and neonate. The baby was investigated for sepsis, underwent double volume exchange transfusion, and was discharged on exclusive breastfeeding. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titres were tested in blood and breast milk samples 4 weeks after first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination of the mother. Growth, neurodevelopment and haematological parameters were monitored over time. A robust immune response was reported in the blood of infants post COVID-19 vaccination of the mother with the potential to confer passive immunity to the baby and without any serious side effects in the mother-infant dyad.

Isoniazid is a first-line drug for the management of tuberculosis. Recent changes in paediatric tuberculosis guidelines have insisted on a higher daily dose of isoniazid. Given the burden of paediatric tuberculosis in developing countries, it is pertinent that paediatricians are well versed with all possible adverse effects associated with isoniazid therapy and not just common ones like hepatotoxicity or peripheral neuropathy. Psychosis is one such rare adverse effect which has a reported incidence of 1%-2%. Here, we report a case of isoniazid-induced psychosis in a 4-year-old girl. The purpose of this report is to sensitise the paediatric healthcare community regarding this rare clinical entity along with highlighting the putative role of pyridoxine supplementation in the management of isoniazid-induced psychosis.