II Children (ii + child)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Coloured overlays and their benefit for reading

JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN READING, Issue 1 2001
Arnold Wilkins
Children in mainstream schools compared text on white paper with identical text covered in turn by each of ten differently-coloured plastic overlays. More than 50% reported improved perception with one or more colours, and were given the best colour to use. About half used the overlays for more than three months and their reading speed increased when the overlays were used. In Study I children were examined twice using different methods and examiners. 47% chose the same colour on both occasions, and showed the greatest improvement in reading fluency, reliable at retest. In Study II children were issued with a random colour, and the greatest improvements in reading speed occurred when the random colour was the same as that previously chosen. Phonological reading strategies were not related to visual symptoms, or the benefit from overlays. Across individuals, reading speed varied by a factor of more than three, for good and poor readers. Study III provided estimates of the prevalence of improvements based on a sample of 426 children from 12 schools: 5% of children read more than 25% faster with a coloured overlay. [source]


The effect of nitrous oxide on cerebral blood flow velocity in children anesthetized with propofol

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2003
E. Wilson-Smith
Background: Propofol for maintenance of anesthesia by continuous infusion is gaining popularity for use in pediatric patients. Nitrous oxide (N2O) has been shown to increase cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) in both children and adults. To determine the effects of N2O on middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (Vmca) during propofol anesthesia in children, Vmca was measured with and without N2O using transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography. Methods: Thirty ASA I or II children aged 18 months to 6 years undergoing elective urological surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia comprised propofol aimed at producing an estimated steady-state serum concentration of 3 µg·ml,1 and a caudal epidural block. A transcranial Doppler probe was used to measure middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity. Each patient was randomized to receive a sequence of either Air/N2O/Air or N2O/Air/N2O in 35% oxygen. Fifteen min after each change in the N2O concentration, three measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. Ventilatory parameters and EtCO2 were kept constant throughout the study period. Results: CBFV increased by 12.4% when air was replaced by N2O, and returned to baseline when N2O was subsequently removed. There was a 14% decrease in CBFV when N2O was replaced with air, which increased to baseline when air was subsequently replaced with N2O. Mean heart rate and blood pressure remained constant throughout the study period. Conclusion: The effects of nitrous oxide on CBFV are preserved in children during propofol anesthesia. [source]


Inhaled corticosteroids during and after respiratory syncytial virus-bronchiolitis may decrease subsequent asthma

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
Merja Kajosaari
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis in infancy can lead to bronchial hyper-reactivity or recurrent obstructive bronchitis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the type of treatment has an influence on respiratory status after RSV bronchiolitis. The study involved 117 infants (mean age 2.6 months), who needed hospital treatment because of RSV bronchiolitis. The patients were divided randomly into three groups. All received the same symptomatic treatment. Group I children received symptomatic treatment only, group II children were treated for 7 days with inhaled budesonide, 500 µg three times per day, administered via a nebulizer. Group III children received nebulized budesonide, 500 µg twice per day for two months. Follow-up consisted of out-patient check-ups 2 and 6 months after the infection, and telephone contact two years after the infection. Statistically significant differences were seen between the groups. In group I 37% of the children had asthma, in group II 18%, and in group III 12%. According to the present study it seems that inhaled corticosteroid treatment during and after the acute phase of infant RSV bronchiolitis may have a beneficial effect on subsequent bronchial wheezing tendency. [source]


Pupillary reflex dilation and skin temperature to assess sensory level during combined general and caudal anesthesia in children,

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 9 2004
John Emery MBBS, frca
Summary Background:, Regional anesthesia causes sympathetic blockade, vasodilation and higher skin temperature in anesthetized dermatomes. Measurement of skin temperature changes might provide a useful estimate of the level of caudal anesthesia in children. Pupillary reflex dilation (PRD) allows estimation of the sensory level during combined general/epidural anesthesia in adults, but has not been assessed in children. This study was designed to evaluate skin temperature and PRD as methods of estimating sensory level in children receiving combined general/caudal epidural anesthesia. Methods:, Twenty ASA I and II children aged 10 months,5 years were enrolled. Anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane and N2O in O2 and maintained with 1 MAC isoflurane and air in O2. Caudal epidural anesthesia was achieved by injection of 1 ml·kg,1 0.25% bupivacaine. Skin temperature was measured by rapid response infrared thermometry. PRD was measured using an ophthalmic ultrasound biomicroscope (UBM). The three criteria used to estimate sensory level were a drop in skin temperature of 0.5°C between dermatomes, PRD of 50% and PRD of 0.2 mm. Results:, A drop in skin temperature of 0.5°C between dermatomes allowed estimation of the sensory level in only 20% of patients. PRD of 50%, and PRD of 0.2 mm allowed estimation of the sensory level in 45 and 100% of patients, respectively. PRD was significantly greater above the T10 dermatome compared with L2 (P < 0.01). The maximum pupillary dilation was significantly greater in children over 2 years of age [1.3 ± 0.8 mm sd)] compared with children less than two years of age [0.6 ± 0.3 mm sd)]. Conclusions:, Skin temperature cannot be used to estimate sensory level during combined general/caudal epidural anesthesia. PRD of 0.2 mm is sensitive to the loss of analgesia but is not clinically useful. PRD may be useful above 2 years of age. [source]


The value of postoperative radiotherapy in childhood nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma,

PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 5 2004
Arnold C. Paulino MD
Abstract Objective To determine the value of postoperative radiotherapy (RT) in the management of nonrhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma (NRSTS) of childhood. Procedure From 1964 to 2000, 62 children with a median age of 14 years were seen at the University of Iowa and underwent a wide local excision for non-metastatic NRSTS. Tumors were high grade in 36 (58%) and >5 cm in 24 (39%). Margins of resection were negative (Group I) in 37 (60%) and positive (Group II) in 25 (40%). Postoperative RT was delivered to 20 patients (32%); eight of 37 (22%) Group I and 12 of 25 (48%) Group II children received postoperative RT. Chemotherapy was employed in 19 patients (31%). Median follow-up was 9.6 years. Results The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates for Group I were 69 and 63% and for Group II were 66 and 60%. The 5- and 10-year local control rate was 66%. On multivariate analysis, size of tumor (P,<,0.001) and postoperative RT (P,=,0.017) were prognostic factors for local control. All 13 Group I children with low grade, ,5 cm tumors were locally controlled without RT. For Group II patients, 2- and 5-year local control rates were 92 and 82% with postoperative RT and 51 and 43% for no RT (P,=,0.0426). Conclusions Local control was improved by the addition of postoperative RT in tumors with positive margins of resection. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]