RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To establish Down syndrome (DS)-specific growth charts for Hong Kong Chinese children. DESIGN AND SETTING: Growth data were collected from (1) members of the Hong Kong Down Syndrome Association (cross-sectional); (2) DS children attending special schools or living in residential homes (cross-sectional); and (3) the paediatric departments of seven public hospitals (retrospective). PATIENTS: 425 DS children (57% males and 43% females) born in 1977-2000, yielding 4987 observations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The LMS method was used to construct reference centile curves of weight, height, body mass index (BMI) from birth until 14â years and head circumference for the first 4â years. RESULTS: The median birth length was 49.8â cm and height at age 14 was 146.7â cm for DS boys. Corresponding figures for DS girls were 49.5 and 142.1â cm. The median birth weight was 3.0â kg for DS boys and 2.9â kg for DS girls. At age 14, 26% DS boys (BMI >22.6â kg/m(2)) and 12% DS girls (BMI >23.3â kg/m(2)) were overweight. The median head circumference at birth was 32.8â cm for boys and 32.0â cm for girls. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese DS children had a shorter stature, lower weight and tendency to be overweight than local non-DS children. Their growth patterns differed from those of Chinese DS children in Taiwan, and DS children in the USA and Sweden. Growth retardation was most salient during the first year of life.
Asunto(s)
Antropometría/métodos , Síndrome de Down/fisiopatología , Gráficos de Crecimiento , Adolescente , Pueblo Asiatico , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Hong Kong , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Valores de ReferenciaRESUMEN
UNLABELLED: We examined the prevalence of medical problems in children and teenagers with Down syndrome in Hong Kong. METHODS: Children with Down syndrome receiving care from seven regional hospitals were included and their hospital records were reviewed. A total of 407 patients, aged between 0.06 and 17.16 years were included. Cardiovascular problems were observed in 216 (53%), endocrine problems in 111 (27%), gastrointestinal problems in 46 (11%), haematological problems in 18 (4%), neurological problems in 27 (7%), sleep problems in 36 (9%), skeletal problems in 56 (14%), visual problems in 195 (48%) and auditory problems in 137 (34%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of medical problems was high in children and teenagers with Down syndrome in Hong Kong and similar to previous findings elsewhere. Future studies on the local prevalence of medical problems in the adult population with Down syndrome would help to define their medical needs.
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Síndrome de Down/complicaciones , Síndrome de Down/epidemiología , Adolescente , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Hong Kong/epidemiología , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Resistance to passive movement in children with spastic cerebral palsy was assessed by two raters using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the Modified Tardieu Scale. Four muscle groups in the lower limbs were tested using a standardized procedure. Interrater reliability of the scales was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Seventeen children, with a mean age of 7 years 9 months, were included. Two children were rated twice. The intraclass correlation coefficients of both scales were low and did not reach the acceptable limit of 0.75. Caution should be used when these scales are applied.
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Parálisis Cerebral/diagnóstico , Evaluación de la Discapacidad , Espasticidad Muscular/diagnóstico , Músculo Esquelético/fisiopatología , Adolescente , Parálisis Cerebral/fisiopatología , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Pierna/fisiopatología , Masculino , Espasticidad Muscular/etiología , Espasticidad Muscular/fisiopatología , Examen Neurológico/métodos , Examen Neurológico/normas , Variaciones Dependientes del Observador , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Estadística como AsuntoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To share our experience in the management of drooling in Hong Kong, to describe the clinical profile of children with this problem, and to report the clinical outcome of oro-motor training. METHODS: Children attending the Drooling Clinic of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, Hong Kong between January 2000 and June 2003 were included. Multidisciplinary assessment was performed to ascertain the medical condition, functional status and oro-motor difficulties of each child. Intervention might include optimization of medical condition, oro-motor training and surgery. Severity of drooling was rated by a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS). The outcome of oro-motor training was assessed by the change in VAS from baseline. RESULTS: Eight children, with a mean age of 11.9 years, were included. Six children suffered from cerebral palsy and two had syndromal diagnoses. All had moderate or severe mental retardation. Poor lip closure, inadequate jaw control and delay in swallowing were common oro-motor difficulties. All children received oro-motor training. The mean duration of follow-up for seven children was 17 months. The mean baseline VAS was 7.1. When compared with the baseline, VAS rating during the training period decreased with a mean difference of 3.0. The difference remained at 1.9 at 4 months after training had stopped. Other functional gains, such as improved sucking and swallowing, were identified. Six caregivers declined surgery. One child improved and did not require surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term follow-up of oro-motor training suggested beneficial outcome.