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INTRODUCTION: Dyspnea associated with acute respiratory tract infections is a common cause of emergency admissions and can be distressing for children. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a handheld fan intervention on physiological parameters in pediatric patients with dyspnea. METHODS: A total of 59 children aged 2 to 12 years presenting to an emergency department for upper respiratory tract infection between March 2022 and March 2023 were assigned to the experimental group (n = 32) or control group (n = 27) by urn randomization. Both groups received the hospital's standard care, including 3 doses of inhaled bronchodilator at 20-minute intervals. The fan intervention consisted of parents applying a handheld electric fan to the child's face at a distance of 15 cm for 5 minutes after each inhaler treatment. Oxygen saturation, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded before treatment and after the 3 inhaler treatments. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in descriptive characteristics between the experimental and control groups (P > .05). Oxygen saturation values were significantly higher in the control group before treatment but showed greater increases in the intervention group after treatment (P < .001). The intervention group also exhibited greater reductions than the control group in both heart rate and respiratory rate after the third treatment than pretreatment values (P < .05). DISCUSSION: The handheld fan intervention effectively supports inhaler treatment for children with dyspnea. Further studies are recommended to assess its impact across different age groups and clinical conditions.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women causes inadequate and unbalanced nutrition in children aged 0-5 years and adversely affects their growth. AIM: To examine the impact of intimate partner violence on a child's growth regarding the medical diagnosis in paediatric patients under 5 years of age, growth of the child, and the mother's exposure to intimate partner violence. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 166 children admitted to a paediatric emergency department, and their mothers. RESULTS: Women exposed to emotional violence and controlling behaviour during pregnancy had children prone to being overweight and obese. A mothers lifetime exposure to physical violence had an adverse effect on their children's wasting and moderate wasting. In contrast, mothers' exposure to emotional violence had a direct impact on a child's wasting and moderate wasting. CONCLUSION: The lifetime effect of domestic violence may begin at birth. This vulnerability leads to negative outcomes in both children and women regarding biopsychosocial development. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurses and midwives in primary health care services and one-on-one care should be trained to evaluate prospective mothers and children aged 0-5 regarding violence and its effects on the child's growth.