Child and Behaviour: A School Based Study.

Behaviour problems in children are on the rise. Available literature speaks of variability and inadequacies of diagnostic methods, research criteria, treatment modalities and psychosocial interventions. Methods: 50 children of age 6-14 years attending government school were assessed for behaviour problems. Children were selected after appropriate randomization and subsequently assigned to Child behaviour checklist. The data thus collected was suitably interpreted using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Twenty-one (42%) children were found to be above the cut-off score. Mean CBCL score was 43.3. Most common behaviour problems in these subjects were “can not sit still, restless, hyperactive” shown by 62% of the subjects. Female children had behaviour problems like “too concerned with neatness or cleanliness”, “self conscious or easily embarrassed” and “feels she has to be perfect” where as male children had behaviour problems like. “does not feel guilty after misbehaving”, can not concentrate” and “restless”. Conclusion: The analysis of pattern of distribution of behaviour problems in the subjects revealed them to be more of externalizing ones. Female children had more of internalizing behaviour problems.

Risk factors and gender differentials for death among children hospitalized with diarrhoea in Bangladesh.

To identify risk factors for death among children with diarrhoea, a cohort of 496 children, aged less than 5 years, admitted to the intensive care unit of a diarrhoeal disease hospital in Bangladesh, was studied during November 1992-June 1994. Clinical and laboratory records of children who died and of those who recovered in the hospital were compared. Deaths were significantly higher among those who had altered consciousness, hypoglycaemia, septicaemia, paralytic ileus, toxic colitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, haemolytic-uraemic syndrome, invasive or persistent diarrhoea, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and malnutrition. Females experienced a 2-fold higher risk of death than males (p = 0.003). Several indices of severe infections were identified more frequently among females than males. Females with severe infections were less frequently brought to the hospital than their male counterparts. The time lapse between onset of symptoms and hospital admission was significantly higher in females than males. This study suggests initiation of programmes to alleviate social disparity between genders for healthcare in poor communities. The study-results may also help physicians identify either prognostic indicators or risk factors for death among children hospitalized with severe illnesses associated with diarrhoea.

Metal uptake by mycelia during submerged growth and by sporocarps of an edible fungus Volvariella volvacea.

Uptake of a few metals by V. volvacea was determined during submerged growth of the organism in sublethal concentration of each metal salt. The uptake of Pb2+ and Hg2+ was 5 and 5.23 micrograms g-1 respectively while that of Cu2+ was 500 micrograms g-1 under experimental conditions. Treatment of spawned substrate separately with different metal salts showed maximum and minimum uptake of Pb2+ (100 micrograms g-1) and Cd2+ (2.93 micrograms g-1) respectively by sporocarps. All metal salts at test concentrations reduced biological efficiency of sporocarp production but markedly by Co2+. Cd2+ and Co2+ were highly toxic to mycelia and sporocarps respectively. The uptake of Cu2+ by mycelia and Pb2+ by sporocarps were highest among the five metals tested. Metal toxicity, tolerance and uptake capacity of V. volvacea differ considerably with concentration of metal ions.

Nosocomial rotavirus diarrhea in two medical wards of a pediatric hospital in Calcutta.

One hundred eighty nine children suffering from different medical problems were admitted in two wards of a pediatric hospital in Calcutta during the period between November 18, 1985 and February 10, 1986. Amongst them, 36 children developed nosocomial diarrhea and rotavirus was detected from 80.5% of the cases. The nosocomial rotavirus diarrhea cases had lesser frequency of stools and only mild dehydration but the course of illness was longer in comparison to that of the hospitalized rotavirus diarrhea cases. There is a possibility of spread of infection via fomites, environmental surfaces and most likely mothers.

Effect of protein rich diet during acute phase of dysentery.

Ninety six children upto the age of five years suffering from uncomplicated acute dysentery of less than 3 days' duration were studied to find out the impact of feeding of extra-protein rich diet during their acute phase of illness. These children were randomly allocated to either control group (receiving only hospital diet) and study group (receiving hospital diet and extra milk which constituted 30% of ideal total calorie requirement of patients. Patients in the two groups were comparable on admission. Forty percent reduced food intake was observed among the children of both the groups due to severe anorexia which was reflected by no significant differences in clinical outcome, anthropometrical measurements and haematological parameters between the two groups on day 7 of hospitalisation and on day 15 after discharge.