Experience of Turkish parents about their infants' teething.

AIM: To evaluate Turkish parents' experience about their infants' teething; which symptoms they have seen and attributed to teething and how they have acted to manage these symptoms. METHODS: A questionnaire form was applied by face-to-face interview to 335 families who have children less than 18 months of age and have at least one tooth. They were asked questions to clarify the eruption time and sequence of primary teeth of their infants and whether their infants had some symptoms they attributed to teething. RESULTS: The mean eruption time of the primary teeth was 7.4 +/- 2.0 months, with a range of 3-17 months. Teeth eruption time was found similar in both genders. Teeth eruption time of the term and preterm infants was similar. (P > 0.05). The first tooth erupted was the lower central incisor in the 288 infants (86.0%) and upper central incisor in 44 infants (13.1%). Most of the families (98.8%) reported that their children had suffered from at least one of the symptoms that were mentioned in the questionnaire. The most commonly reported symptom was increase in biting, followed by irritability and fever. Of the children who were taken to a health care centre, in 78.8% the symptoms were attributed to teething and in 7.1% a bacterial infection was found and antibiotics were prescribed. CONCLUSION: When an infant at teething age has some symptoms, they may be attributed to teething but other possible causes must be ruled out first.

Asthma and allergy in Turkish university students: Two cross-sectional surveys 5 years apart.

BACKGROUND: prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases is increasing worldwide. We investigated the first-year university students to a) determine prevalence of asthma, and allergic diseases, b) compare prevalence with a similar study conducted in 1994, and c) investigate determinants of asthma, current wheeze and seasonal rhinitis. METHODS: an ECRHS based questionnaire was distributed to 5,406 students and completed by 4,639 (response: 85.3 %) in september 1999. Information from the students residing in Turkey was used in the analyses (1,800 boys, 2,712 girls). RESULTS: prevalence % of asthma (symptom and/or medicine), current wheeze and seasonal rhinitis were 2.1, 6.9 and 12.7 in boys, and 2.5, 7.2 and 14.5 in girls. Current smoking, pet ownership and family atopy was reported more frecuently in 1999 than 1994. Cough and seasonal rhinitis increased almost twofold. Asthma diagnosis and attack rate was similar in 1999 and 1994. Family atopy, pet in childhood, smoking and passive smoking in childhood increased the risk of asthma, and current wheeze. Family atopy, passive smoking and current pet ownership increased the risk of seasonal rhinitis. CONCLUSION: increased rate of smoking and pet ownership could contribute to the increased prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in the last 5 years.

Asthma and allergy in Turkish university students: Two cross-sectional surveys 5 years apart

Background: prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases is increasing worldwide. We investigated the first-year university students to a) determine prevalence of asthma, and allergic diseases, b) compare prevalence with a similar study conducted in 1994, and c) investigate determinants of asthma, current wheeze and seasonal rhinitis. Methods: an ECRHS based questionnaire was distributed to 5,406 students and completed by 4,639 (response: 85.3 %) in september 1999. Information from the students residing in Turkey was used in the analyses (1,800 boys, 2,712 girls). Results: prevalence % of asthma (symptom and/or medicine), current wheeze and seasonal rhinitis were 2.1, 6.9 and 12.7 in boys, and 2.5, 7.2 and 14.5 in girls. Current smoking, pet ownership and family atopy was reported more frecuently in 1999 than 1994. Cough and seasonal rhinitis increased almost twofold. Asthma diagnosis and attack rate was similar in 1999 and 1994. Family atopy, pet in childhood, smoking and passive smoking in childhood increased the risk of asthma, and current wheeze. Family atopy, passive smoking and current pet ownership increased the risk of seasonal rhinitis. Conclusion: increased rate of smoking and pet ownership could contribute to the increased prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in the last 5 years (AU)

Antecedentes: la prevalencia de asma y enfermedades alérgicas está aumentando en todo el mundo. Investigamos a estudiantes universitarios de primer año para a) determinar la prevalencia de asma, y de enfermedades alérgicas; b) comparar la prevalencia con un estudio similar llevado a cabo en 1994, y c) investigar los determinantes de asma, sibilancias actuales y rinitis estacional. Métodos: se distribuyó un cuestionario basado en el ECRHS a 5.406 estudiantes, completándolo 4.639 estudiantes (tasa de respuesta del 85,3 por ciento) en septiembre de 1999. En los análisis se utilizó la información procedente de los estudiantes que residían en Turquía (1.800 varones y 2.712 mujeres).Resultados: la prevalencia porcentual de asma (síntomas y/o utilización de fármacos), sibilancias actuales y rinitis estacional fue de 2,1, 6,9 y 12,7 en varones y de 2,5, 7,2 y 14,5 en mujeres. En 1999, se documentó más frecuentemente que en 1994 hábito tabáquico actual, la presencia de un animal doméstico y atopia familiar. La tos y la rinitis estacional aumentaron casi el doble. El diagnóstico de asma y la tasa de crisis de asma fueron similares en 1999 y 1994. La atopia familiar, la presencia de un animal doméstico en la infancia, el hábito tabáquico y el tabaquismo pasivo en la infancia aumentaron el riesgo de asma y de sibilancias actuales. La atopia familiar, el tabaquismo pasivo y la presencia actual de un animal doméstico aumentaron el riesgo de rinitis estacional. Conclusión: el aumento de la tasa de hábito tabáquico y la presencia de un animal doméstico podrían contribuir a la mayor prevalencia de asma y enfermedades alérgicas en los últimos 5 años (AU)