Assessment of Maternal Knowledge and Practices Regarding Acute Diarrheal Illnesses in Children in Saudi Arabia: A Tertiary Care Center Survey.

Background Diarrheal illness remains one of the most common causes of death among children specifically those who live in developing countries. Appropriate mothers' knowledge and practice regarding acute diarrhea illness in children can considerably reduce diarrhea-related morbidity and mortality. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate mothers' knowledge and practice regarding acute diarrheal illness in children. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia using a newly developed questionnaire that was distributed to King Abdullah Specialist Children. The calculated sample size was 375. Results A total of 375 mothers were included in this study and the majority of them (99%) were Saudis. More than half of the participants (61%) were university graduates. The majority (96.5%) chose previous experience as the main source of information about diarrhea while (40%) chose physician. Most of the mothers (69.6%) believed that teething is the leading cause of diarrheal illness in children. Regarding the treatment, fluid was recognized to be the major treatment for diarrhea as chosen by the mothers. Around (42.7%) of the respondents thought intravenous fluid is more effective than oral rehydration solution (ORS) in treating dehydration associated with diarrheal episodes. ORS was the main type of fluid (74.1%) which was selected by the mothers to be given during the diarrheal episode. Conclusion Mothers showed good knowledge and practice overall in regard to acute diarrheal illness in children. However, this study revealed some misconceptions among the caregivers which necessitates more educational sessions to be conducted in the community and during the hospital visit.

The Outcome of Immediate Administration of Dexamethasone in Children With Croup (Laryngotracheobronchitis) in King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital.

Background Croup is an inflammatory disease that affects the upper respiratory tract involving the upper airways of the lungs (bronchial tubes), vocal cords (larynx), and windpipe (trachea). In Canada, it is considered one of the major causes of respiratory diseases in the first 10 years of life. A wide range of viruses like common cold and flu (influenza) infections can cause croup (laryngotracheobronchitis). Dexamethasone has been commonly used to treat croup even though it lacks evidence on patients' recovery. The study aimed to compare the effect of the immediate or late dexamethasone administration on patient recovery and identify predictors for relapse among children with croup. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the electronic medical record (Best Care) of all croup patients between 2014 and 2018 in King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital (KASCH), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 329, only 186 patients matched our inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis was conducted with the SPSS V.22 software package (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The main outcome variable was early recovery or relapse. The chi-square test and logistic regression were used to assess the relationship between the independent variables with recovery or relapse among croup patients. A p-value of <0.05 was used to determine the significance of the test. Results Fifty-three recovered out of the 186 patients. Moreover, 50 of the recovered patients were treated in the ER. In addition, out of the 53 patients who recovered, 40 patients were treated as inpatients (IPs). Those who were given dexamethasone immediately for both recovery and relapsed groups were 29% and 71%, respectively while those who were given dexamethasone late were 34% for the recovery group. On the other hand, 119 patients relapsed. Out of those patients who relapsed, 111 were treated in the ER. Moreover, out of relapsed patients, 79 patients were treated as IPs. Furthermore, out of 186 patients, 86 had chronic illnesses. Twenty-four percent (24%) of those with chronic illnesses recovered, and 76% relapsed (P-value=0.04). Also, there was a significantly higher trend of administration of dexamethasone immediately in the ER in 69% of children with a p-value <0.001. Conclusion In conclusion, the difference between the early and late administration of dexamethasone in both recovery and relapse is not significant. Also, the presence of chronic illnesses affects relapses more significantly.

The association between body mass index and frequency of emergency department visits and hospitalization for asthma exacerbation in a pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of both asthma and obesity are increasing. Although some studies suggest an association between body mass index (BMI) and frequency of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization for asthma exacerbation, any association remains unproven. OBJECTIVE: Estimate the frequency of asthma exacerbation in obese children, and identify any relationship between BMI and frequency of ED visits and hospitalization for asthma exacerbation. DESIGN: Retrospective review of medical records. SETTINGS: Tertiary children's hospital, Riyadh. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All children aged 2-15 years who attended the ED for asthma exacerbation between January 2015 and January 2016 were included. Children with comorbidities or undocumented asthma were excluded. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth charts for boys and girls aged 2 to 20 years were used to classify underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The frequency of ED visits and the rate, frequency, and duration of hospitalization. RESULTS: Of the 1000 cases reviewed, 64.6% were boys and the mean age (standard deviation) of all sub.jects was 5.6 (3.3) years. The proportions of overweight and obese children was 11.8% and 12.1%, respectively. There was no association between increased BMI and frequency of ED visits for asthma exacerbation (P=.84), duration of hospitalization (P=.41) or frequency of hospitalization (P=.89). CONCLUSION: There was no evidence of an association between BMI and frequency of ED visits and hospitalization for asthma exacerbation among children. LIMITATIONS: This study included patients as young as 2 years, while asthma is only well-defined in children > 5 years. Asthma triggers that can cause exacerbation despite body weight were not included. We included only frequency of ED visits and hospitalization, which may be inadequate to measure asthma severity.

Are the Saudi parents aware of antibiotic role in upper respiratory tract infections in children?

Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) is considered to be the most common reason for children's visits to emergency departments or outpatient clinics. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics are currently major public health problems worldwide. This study aimed to assess Saudi parents' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding the use of antibiotics in URTIs in children. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia using a previously validated questionnaire, which was distributed using Twitter. A total of 385 individuals completed the questionnaire. For the majority of the participants (77%), physicians were the primary source of information regarding the use of antibiotics. Forty-four percent of parents agreed that most URTIs are caused by viruses, and 81% were aware that inappropriate use of antibiotics leads to the development of antibiotic resistance. Fever was the primary symptom (27%) that led parents to ask for prescriptions for antibiotics. Although women had a higher attitude score (p=0.01), there was no difference between genders regarding knowledge and practice. Older participants (41 years or more) had a lower attitude score (p=0.02). Furthermore, participants with five children or more had lower attitude and practice scores (p=0.006, 0.04, respectively). Participants who lived in large cities had greater knowledge compared to the inhabitants of small cities (p=0.01). In conclusion, the findings of this study demonstrated that most of the participants were educated but lacked knowledge regarding antibiotic use in URTIs in children. This lack of knowledge led to inappropriate attitude and practice. Thus, launching public educational campaigns and encouraging physicians to educate parents regarding the proper use of antibiotics are recommended.

Pattern of burns identified in the Pediatrics Emergency Department at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City: Riyadh.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to report the incidence of pediatric burn injuries and describe the pattern and the trend of pediatrics burns seen in King Abdul-Aziz Medical City. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Data collected through chart review of pediatrics patients aged 1-month to 14 years who presented with a burn injury to the pediatric emergency department during the year 2013. Burn patients were divided into two groups based on the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) burned: Either <10% or more than 10%. Variables were compared between the two groups to identify the risk factors associated with more than 10% body surface area involvement. RESULTS: Burn incidence rate was 4.9 patients/1000/year. Children with burns on more than 10% TBSA accounted for 16% incidence (0.8/1000 emergency department patients). The burn injury severity ranged from 1% TBSA to 37%, with a mean of 5%. The proportion of male and female burn patients was 54.1% and 45.9%, respectively. Children between 1 and 3 years of age sustained the majority (48.6%) of burn injuries. Scald burns were found to be the most common cause of injury. Hot water and beverages were considered root for most of the scald burn injuries. As children advance in age, scald injury becomes less likely, and they are more obviously subjected to flame burn injuries. Burn injuries sustained at home were 35% compared to 2.7% occurring outside the home. None of the study variables were good predictors for severe burn injuries affecting more than 10% TBSA. CONCLUSION: The incidence and the severity of burn injuries remain high at the national level. Burn injuries continue to affect the pediatric population, predominantly, young children, which indicate the need for increasing parent educational programs and government regulations. Because we reported scald burns as the most common causes of burn injury, which are consistent with previous national reports, we recommend having legislation that focuses on scald burn prevention.