Evaluation of immunization status in patients with cerebral palsy: a multicenter CP-VACC study.

Children with chronic neurological diseases, including cerebral palsy (CP), are especially susceptible to vaccine-preventable infections and face an increased risk of severe respiratory infections and decompensation of their disease. This study aims to examine age-appropriate immunization status and related factors in the CP population of our country. This cross-sectional prospective multicentered survey study included 18 pediatric neurology clinics around Turkey, wherein outpatient children with CP were included in the study. Data on patient and CP characteristics, concomitant disorders, vaccination status included in the National Immunization Program (NIP), administration, and influenza vaccine recommendation were collected at a single visit. A total of 1194 patients were enrolled. Regarding immunization records, the most frequently administrated and schedule completed vaccines were BCG (90.8%), hepatitis B (88.9%), and oral poliovirus vaccine (88.5%). MMR was administered to 77.3%, and DTaP-IPV-HiB was administered to 60.5% of patients. For the pneumococcal vaccines, 54.1% of children received PCV in the scope of the NIP, and 15.2% of children were not fully vaccinated for their age. The influenza vaccine was administered only to 3.4% of the patients at any time and was never recommended to 1122 parents (93.9%). In the patients with severe (grades 4 and 5) motor dysfunction, the frequency of incomplete/none vaccination of hepatitis B, BCG, DTaP-IPV-HiB, OPV, and MMR was statistically more common than mild to moderate (grades 1-3) motor dysfunction (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.00, and p < 0.001, respectively). Physicians' influenza vaccine recommendation was higher in the severe motor dysfunction group, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.029).Conclusion: Children with CP had lower immunization rates and incomplete immunization programs. Clinicians must ensure children with CP receive the same preventative health measures as healthy children, including vaccines. What is Known: • Health authorities have defined chronic neurological diseases as high-risk conditions for influenza and pneumococcal infections, and they recommend vaccines against these infections. • Children with CP have a high risk of incomplete and delayed immunization, a significant concern given to their increased healthcare needs and vulnerability to infectious diseases. What is New: • Influenza vaccination was recommended for patients hospitalized due to pneumonia at a higher rate, and patients were administered influenza vaccine more commonly. • Children with CP who had higher levels of motor dysfunction (levels 4 and 5) were more likely to be overdue immunizations.

Treatment Outcomes of Pediatric Status Epilepticus in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVE: Status epilepticus is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality; thus, early diagnosis and proper treatment are crucial. We aimed to study the etiology, clinical features, and treatment among pediatric patients with convulsive status epilepticus. METHODS: The medical records of 100 patients were retrospectively obtained from pediatric intensive care unit. Etiology, clinical features, and treatment were interpreted by using Fisher exact test, χ2 test, and Spearman ρ correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Seizures had stopped with the first-, second-, and third-line treatment in 29%, 36%, and 35% of the patients, respectively. Only phenytoin treatment was efficient; it has 32.3% rate in second-line treatment. Whereas mortality rate was 10%, morbidity rate was 14% during the follow-up. Epilepsy, hemiparesis, spastic tetraparesis, and mental retardation developed. Mortality was significantly much more in the patients with refractory seizure and cerebral palsy. Development of mental retardation was much higher in the male sex. CONCLUSIONS: Phenytoin is still one of the most efficient antiepileptic drugs. If the duration of status epilepticus can be shortened by prompt treatment, neurological complications may be prevented.

Evaluation of the relationship between cranial magnetic resonance imaging findings and clinical status in children with cerebral palsy

Background/aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical features in cerebral palsy (CP). Materials and methods: Children aged 3 to 18 years, who were followed with the diagnosis of CP between January 2012 and September 2015, were included. The type of CP was classified using the European Cerebral Palsy Monitoring Group's classification system and then, patients were divided into two groups as spastic or nonspastic groups. The Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) was used to determine the level of mobility. According to the GMFCS, levels 1, 2, and 3 were grouped as mobile, and levels 4 and 5 were grouped as immobile. Cranial MRI findings were reevaluated by a voluntarily radiologist and grouped as periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) (grades 1, 2, and 3), cerebral atrophy, migration anomaly, cerebellar involvement, basal ganglion involvement, and normal MRI findings. Results: Sixty-two patients were enrolled. The rate of mobile patients did not differ between the spastic and nonspastic groups. The incidence of PVL was significantly higher in cases of prematurity and spastic CP (p < 0.05). The rate of mobilization was significantly lower and the rate of epilepsy was significantly higher in patients with PVL. Immobile patients were more common among cases of grade 3 PVL (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The most common cranial MRI pathology was PVL, and the presence of PVL and its grade might help clinically assess the patient's CP type and level of mobilization. While pathology was observed mostly in cranial MRI in cases of CP with similar clinical features, the fact that cranial MRI was completely normal for 14.5% of the cases suggests that there may be some pathologies that we could not identify with today's imaging technology.

Efficacy of a Brief Psychoeducational Intervention for Mothers of Children with Breath-Holding Spells: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial.

Objective Mothers of individuals with breath-holding spells (BHS) suffer more often from anxiety and experience more stressors in their everyday life. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of psychoeducational intervention in reducing BHS and coping with these spells. Participants and Methods Mothers who have children with BHS were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: an intervention group receiving psychoeducational therapy in addition to the routine follow-up (n = 31) and a control group who did not receive psychoeducation in their routine follow-up (n = 28). The data collected at the beginning of the study and at the end of 3rd and 6th months about the frequency of the spells per month, maternal anxiety, and depression levels and mothers' perceived self-knowledge about coping BHS of both groups were compared. Results Mothers in psychoeducation group, compared with controls, improved significantly on state anxiety, depression, perceived anticipation anxiety level for BHS of their children and self-knowledge about coping with the spells. Conclusion The intervention program had a positive effect on anxiety-depression levels of the mothers and the frequency of BHS among the children. The possible link between emotional and autonomic dysregulation in children with BHS and maternal mental health were discussed.

Parental attitude, depression, anxiety in mothers, family functioning and breath-holding spells: A case control study.

AIM: This study aimed to identify differences in the antenatal stressful life events, parenting style, family functioning, depression and anxiety of mothers who have children with breath-holding spells (BHS) compared with controls. METHODS: This case control study divided 66 children into a group of children with BHS and a control group, with the children's ages ranging between 6 months and 5 years of age. This study explored underlying anxiety and depression in mothers as well as functioning of their families. Socio-demographical data and stressful life events that the mother experienced during pregnancy were analysed. In order to evaluate the effects of family structure, depression and anxiety in mothers on BHS in children, the Family Assessment Device, and both the Parental Attitude Research Instrument and the Beck Depression Inventory as well as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used to assess both groups. RESULTS: Exposure to stressful life events during pregnancy (P < 0.001), depressive traits (P < 0.001), state-trait anxiety (P < 0.001), overprotective maternal characteristics (P = 0.027) and most of the family functioning subscales were found to be significantly different between BHS and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: The association of anxiety, depression, prenatal stressful events and poor family functioning in mothers who have children with BHS is significantly higher than controls. An evaluation of these problems may be beneficial in the management of BHS.

Hemiplegic migraine with prolonged symptoms: case report.

Hemiplegic migraine is defined by the occurrence of migraine during attacks of unilateral weakness. Neurologic symptoms last for 15 to 60 minutes in most cases. Attacks usually start in childhood, adolescence, or early adulthood. Diagnosis may be delayed if there is no relevant family history. A 16-year-old girl who was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraine presenting with prolonged left hemiparesis is reported. The importance of this case is that the pediatrician will also consider migraine in the differential diagnosis of a child presenting with hemiparesis even if there is no previous headache and family history.

Oxcarbazepine in the treatment of childhood epilepsy.

In this study, oxcarbazepine was began as monotherapy to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the drug. Forty-two patients (19 females, 23 males) with partial or generalized epilepsy more than 4 years of age were included (mean age, 11.9 +/- 3.4 years). The mean age at epilepsy onset 8.9 +/- 4 years. Complete blood count, liver function tests, electrolytes, lipid levels, electrocardiography, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed in all patients. Oxcarbazepine dose was begun at 10 mg/kg/day twice daily and increased to 30 mg/kg/day at the end of the second week. Patients with inadequate seizure control even with the dose of 45 mg/kg/day or intolerable side effects were excluded. Intolerable headache and leukopenia led to discontinuation of the drug in two patients. At the sixth month, 35 of the patients (87.5%) were seizure free (91.7% of the generalized epilepsy patients and 81.2% of the partial epilepsy patients). The most frequent tolerable side effect was drowsiness in 12 patients. As a result, we found oxcarbazepine safe and effective in children with either generalized or partial epilepsy.

The use of botulinum toxin type A treatment in children with spasticity.

The current modalities in managing spastic children have some limitations; thus, alternative therapeutic agents are in need. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether intramuscular botulinum toxin type A administration may be an alternative agent in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. Eighteen children who were aged between 3 and 17 years and manifested cerebral palsy were administered intramuscular botulinum toxin type A with a total dose of 6 U/kg body weight. Outcome measurements were determined with four methods, including Ashworth Spasticity Scale, standardized videotape assessments, observational gait analysis, and walking velocity. Ashworth Spasticity Scale and videotape assessments were statistically significant before and after treatment in all muscles (P < 0.001). The best improvement in video gait analysis was evident at week 8. The botulinum toxin type A injections yielded an improved walking velocity at all visits. The observational gait analysis and walking velocity demonstrated an improvement after treatment in the gastrocnemius-injected group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, intramuscular botulinum toxin type A administration may be effective in children with cerebral palsy, especially at week 4 and when injected in gastrocnemius.

Severe acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with clinical findings of transverse myelitis after herpes simplex virus infection.

BACKGROUND: ADEM is a central nervous disease that leads to myelin damage as a result of autoimmune response that develops after infections or vaccination. Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection rarely leads to ADEM. PATIENT: 25-month-old male due to urinary retention, paradoxical respiration and muscle weakness after herpetic gingivostomatitis diagnosed as transverse myelitis. In follow-up with cranial and spinal magnetic resonance imaging multiple lesions were demonstrated. Electroneuromyography findings were compatible with acute sensorimotor neuropathy, serum anti-GM2 antibodies and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Type 1/2 IgM / IgG detected negative and positivite, respectively. With these findings he was diagnosed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) following HSV infection. Although acyclovir, intravenous immunoglobulin, methylprednisolone and plasmapheresis therapies, he is still in intensive physical therapy program with heavy sequel. RESULTS: In our case, ADEM demonstrated transverse myelitis clinic after HSV infection which is rarely seen in literature. As well as clinic and spinal imaging findings, cranial imaging findings helped establishment of ADEM diagnosis. CONCLUSION: To our best knowledge, HSV is a rare etiological and probably the poor prognostic factor of ADEM.

The Comparison of PRISM and PIM scoring systems for mortality risk in infantile intensive care.

Scoring systems that predict the risk of mortality for children in an intensive care unit (ICU) are needed for the evaluation of the effectiveness of pediatric intensive care. The Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) and the Pediatric Index of Mortality (PIM) scores have been developed to predict mortality among children in the ICU. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether these systems are effective and population-independent. PRISM and PIM scores were calculated prospectively during a 1-year period solely on 105 non-surgical infants admitted to the ICU. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the performance of the scoring systems. There were 29 (27.6 per cent) deaths and 76 (72.4 per cent) survivors. SMR and Z scores for PIM and PRISM signified higher mortality and poor performance. Prediction of mortality by the scoring systems appeared to be underestimated in almost all risk groups. The Hosmer and Lemeshow test showed a satisfactory overall calibration of both scoring systems. Although ROC analysis showed a poor discriminatory function of both scores, a marginally acceptable performance for PIM was observed. The ROC curve also showed an acceptable performance for PIM, for patients with pre-existent chronic disorder. Although care must be taken not to overstate the importance of our results, we believe that when revised according to the characteristics of the population, PIM may perform well in predicting the mortality risk for infants in the ICU, especially in countries where the mortality rate is relatively high and pre-existent chronic disorders are more common.

Tension-type headache in children: a clinical evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Headache Society (IHS) criteria for episodic tension-type headache were included in the present study. Pain characteristics, associated symptoms, and stress-triggering factors were evaluated. Psychiatric and psychosocial evaluations were performed according to DSM-IV criteria. RESULTS: Pain was bilateral in 93.7% of patients and bitemporal in 50% of children. The intensity of pain increased with motion and stress in more than half of the patients, while pain decreased with rest and massage in 43.7% of patients. Ten of the 16 (62.5%) patients were diagnosed as having a psychiatric disorder. The most common stress-triggering factors were difficulty in adaptation at school and relationship problems with family members. All of the children reported 26 stress factors. Of these stress factors, 20 (76.9%) were reported by children diagnosed with psychiatric disorder. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in children with tension-type headache a thorough psychiatric evaluation should be performed to rule out underlying psychiatric disorders.