Assessment of Nutritional Composition of Turkish Red Crescent Menus After the M7.8 and M7.6 Earthquakes in Kahramanmaras, Türkiye.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the nutritional content and quality of the Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) menus delivered to earthquake victims after the 2023 earthquakes in Kahramanmaras, Türkiye. METHODS: The menus of general, search-rescue, diabetes, and celiac were obtained from the TRC following the magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.6 Kahramanmaras earthquakes. The nutrient content of the menus was evaluated with the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF20.3) score. In addition, the menus' energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient contents were compared with the dietary reference intake values of the Türkiye Dietary Guideline-2022, European Food Safety Authority, and Food and Drug Administration. RESULTS: The general menu was insufficient to meet the daily requirements of vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium for earthquake victims. The sodium, phosphorous, and omega-6/omega-3 ratios were much higher than the recommended intakes. The NRF20.3 score of the diabetes menu was significantly higher than the search-rescue and celiac menus (P < 0.05). The energy content of the search-rescue menu was significantly higher than that of other menus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The several nutritional risks were determined in TRC menus for earthquake victims who suffered from the Kahramanmaras earthquakes. Several supplementation programs can be applied to the earthquake regions to obtain strength immunity and effectively challenge posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Fluoroscopy Is Essential in Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the necessity of using fluoroscopy in retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Material and Methods. A total of 612 patients who underwent RIRS for kidney stones were evaluated and divided into two groups. Group 1 routinely underwent the operation with fluoroscopy due to opaque stones (n: 504). In group 2, the procedure was performed without fluoroscopy because of nonopaque stones (n: 108). Both groups were assessed for stone size, location, and number. Success and complication rates were compared between the two groups. Conclusion: This study was designed with the thought of not using fluoroscopy in RIRS patients with nonopaque stones and having the same stone-free rates in opaque stones. In the statistical analysis, there was no difference between the groups with and without scope for stone side, size, localization, and number; likewise, the complication rates developed in the comparison of both groups, stone-free rates, and hospital stay were the same. Discussion. Advances in the calibration of instruments, the development of optical systems, and improvements in imaging system resolution have gradually reduced the need for fluoroscopy in RIRS. This study provides further evidence that fluoroscopy is unnecessary in RIRS procedures, thereby eliminating unnecessary radiation exposure.

Comparison of the Sedative Effects of Dexmedetomidine and Remifentanil in Vitrectomy Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

Background Vitrectomy surgery is a painful and lengthy procedure. Therefore, administering sedation to reduce patient agitation provides both surgical comfort and hemodynamic stability. However, various complications can arise during the perioperative period depending on the sedation agent used. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil sedation applications on patient hemodynamics and perioperative complications in vitrectomy surgery. Methods Our retrospective study included patients aged 18-70 who underwent vitrectomy surgery between 2021 and 2022 with complete file data and ASA scores of 1-3 after obtaining approval from our hospital's ethics committee. Patients were classified into two groups based on the sedation agent used: Group D for dexmedetomidine and Group R for remifentanil. Demographic data of patients, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, oxygen saturation, and bispectral index values during perioperative monitoring, operation duration, and complications such as perioperative nausea, vomiting, and low saturation were recorded. The data of both groups were statistically evaluated, with p<0.05 values considered statistically significant. Results Because of missing data in 18 out of 58 patient files, these cases were excluded from the study. A total of 40 patients were included in the study, with 20 in Group D and 20 in Group R. The mean age of the patients was 64. Among them, 18 (45%) were male, and 22 (55%) were female. The mean operation duration was 61.8 ± 24.1 minutes in Group D and 56.3 ± 17.2 minutes in Group R. The heart rate in Group D was statistically significantly lower than in Group R, starting from the 20th minute of the perioperative period. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of mean arterial pressure, oxygen saturation, and bispectral index values. One case of bradycardia occurred in Group D, requiring intervention. Conclusion In vitrectomy surgery, both dexmedetomidine and remifentanil infusions can be used for sedation, but caution is advised regarding bradycardia in Group D. Anticipating potential complications with an experienced anesthesia team is crucial for both patient and surgical comfort.

Correlation Between Sociocultural and Economic Factors in Pediatric Patients' Families and Emergence Delirium.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium is a commonly encountered condition that can arise from multiple factors, and its occurrence varies based on the type of surgery in pediatric patients. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of delirium during the recovery from anesthesia in children undergoing eye surgery and its association with the sociocultural and economic status of their families. METHODS: This prospective observational study included children aged 2-12 years who underwent eye surgeries. Demographic data, socioeconomic and educational status of parents, parental separation and cooperation scores, Cravero agitation score, and face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) score (at zero, five, 15, and 30 minutes in the postoperative period) were recorded. Patients who scored 5 on the Cravero agitation scale for at least five minutes were considered to have postoperative delirium. The STROBE checklist was followed for reporting. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients were included in the study, of which 65 were male. The mean age of the patients was 6.5±2.9 years, and 42 patients (40.4%) belonged to the preschool age group. The incidence of delirium was found to be 51.9%. Delirium was found to be associated with postoperative pain (p=0.003), age (p=0.001), preoperative anxiety (not cooperative examination score (p=0.047), poor separation score (p=0.006)), presence of a surgical history (p=0.012), and cataract surgery (p=0.007). No evidence was found to demonstrate a link between sociocultural and economic conditions and the development of delirium. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several factors that influenced the occurrence of delirium, including postoperative pain (FLACC≥4), younger age (<6 years), cataract surgery, presence of surgical history, examination score (score 3, not cooperative), and separation score (scores 3-4, poor).

Changes in Energy Expenditure Determined by Indirect Calorimetry in Severe Burn Patients During the Acute Phase.

BACKGROUND: Severe burn injuries are a major health problem globally. A profound and prolonged hypermetabolic response develops in severe burn injuries and it is crucial to monitor the patients' energy requirements in order to meet them adequately. The aim of the present study was to examine the energy changes during the acute phase using the indirect calorimetry (IC) method in severe burn patients. METHODS: The study included 15 severe burn patients. Patients with FiO2 >60%, tube thoracostomy, closed underwater drain (CUWD) and air leakage were excluded from the study. Patients' demographic data, burn percentages, burn types, duration of stay in intensive care, mortality and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were recorded. Indirect calorimeter measurements were taken once from the patients upon their first arrival and during the following four weeks. Resting energy expenditure (REE), basal metabolic rate (BMR), oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), body temperatures, presence of sepsis, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and Modified Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) scores were recorded. The data were analysed using SPSS 24 and p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In the study, 13 (86.67%) of the patients were male. Patients' mean age was 45.27±18.16 years, and mean BMI 25.99±4.22 kg/m2. Five patients (33.33%) had chronic diseases. The average burn percentage was 45%, with 7 (46.67%) patients having a burn percentage of ≤40%, while 8 (53.33%) had a burn percentage of >40%. A total of 14 (93.33%) had flame burns; 3 (20.00%) patients deceased, and 12 (80.00%) were discharged. The mean APACHE II score was 11.53±6.83. The measured mean values of REE, VO2, VCO2 and fever were seen to be the highest in the first week after admission and decreases were observed in the subsequent weeks. SOFA score averages were the highest at admission, and decreased in the following weeks. CONCLUSION: Severe burn patients were observed to go through the hypermetabolic process in the acute phase and their energy requirements were high particularly in the first week. It was concluded that regular IC monitoring can be beneficial to fully meet the energy requirements of severe burn patients due to the prolonged hypermetabolic process.

Correction: Correlation Between Sociocultural and Economic Factors in Pediatric Patients' Families and Emergence Delirium.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46229.].

Effects of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate on acute radiation proctitis in rats.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate combination (HA/CS) on a model of acute radiation proctitis. METHODS: Rats were divided into five groups: SHAM; irradiation (IR) + saline (1 mL for 5th and 10th day); IR + HA/CS (1 mL for 5th and 10th day). A single fraction of 17.5 Gy was delivered to each rat. HA/CS was administered rectally each day after irradiation. Each rat was observed daily for signs of proctitis. Irradiated rats were euthanized on days 5 and 10. The mucosal changes were evaluated macroscopically and pathologically. RESULTS: According to the clinical findings, five rats in the irradiation + saline group showed grade 3-4 symptoms on the 10th day. No significant difference in the macroscopic finding scores on the 5th day was observed between the irradiation + saline and irradiation + HA/CS groups. In the pathological examination, radiation-induced mucosal damage was the most prominent finding 10 days after irradiation in saline-treated rats. On the 10th day, the irradiation + HA/CS group showed mild inflammation and slight crypt changes, which corresponded to grade 1-2 pathological findings. CONCLUSION: We think that HA/CS used in radiation cystitis can be beneficial for radiation proctitis.

Pediatricians` attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers to school readiness.

BACKGROUND: School readiness (SR) has been adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as a component of health supervision, but the medical community`s role is unknown. We evaluated the pediatricians` attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers to SR. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional descriptive study was performed among 787 general pediatricians, pediatric residents, subspecialists, and subspecialty fellows. A 41-item survey was administered. RESULTS: Forty-nine point two percent of the pediatricians defined SR as a multidimensional issue, as outlined by the AAP, whereas 50.8% defined it as the child`s set of skills or passing the SR tests. Three-quarters of pediatricians believed that SR assessment tests are necessary before starting school, and children who do not appear ready should wait a year. To promote SR, the rates of usually fostering at least four of the five `Rs` (reading, rhyming, routines, rewarding, relationships) and integrating developmental surveillance into daily practice were 37.8% and 23.8%, respectively. Only 2.2% of pediatricians usually inquired about eight adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and 68.9% did not usually ask about any. Usually fostering at least four of the five `Rs` was associated with usually integrating developmental surveillance (p < 0.001), usually inquiring about each ACE (p < 0.001), and being perceived as responsible for promoting SR (p < 0.01). Training on SR during pediatric residency was 2.7%. Time constraints and insufficient knowledge were the most common barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians were not familiar with the concept of SR and had some misconceptions. There is a need for additional training regarding pediatricians` roles in promoting SR along with addressing multiple, modifiable barriers within the health system. < strong > Supplementary: < a href="https://www.turkishjournalpediatrics.org/uploads/2573-supplementary.pdf" target=`_blank` > Supplementary Appendix < /a > < /strong >.

Acute kidney injury in burns in the intensive care unit: A retrospective research.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the common complications, associated with high mortality and morbidity in patients with burn injuries. This study aimed to determine the frequency of AKI development, its affective factors, and mortality rates according to kidney disease improving global outcomes (KDIGO) criteria in the burn patients. METHODS: The study included patients who are hospitalized for at least 48 h and aged >18 years, whereas patients with a renal transplant, chronic renal failure, undergoing hemodialysis, <18 years of age, with a glomerular filtration rate of <15 on admission, and toxic epidermal necrolysis was excluded from the study. KDIGO criteria were used to evaluate the occurrence of AKI. Burn mech-anism, total body surface area, inhalation injury respiratory tract burn, fluid replacement at 72 h with Parkland Formula, mechanical ventilator support, inotrope/vasopressor support, intensive care unit, lenght of stay, mortality, abbreviated burn severity index (ABSI), acute physiology, and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) ve Sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were included in our study, of which 26 (54.2%) developed AKI (+), whereas 22 (45.8%) did not (-). The mean total burn surface area was 47.30% in the AKI (+) group and 19.88% in the AKI (-) group. Mean scores of ABSI, II (APACHE II), and SOFA, the mechanical ventilation and inotrope/vasopressor support and the presence of sepsis were significantly higher in the AKI (+). No mortality was determined in the AKI (-) group, whereas 34.6% in the AKI (+) group which was significantly high. CONCLUSION: AKI was related to high morbidity and mortality in patients with burns. Using KDIGOs, classification in daily fol-low-up is useful in early diagnosis.

Temporomandibular Joint Dislocation in a Patient with Keratoconus Under General Anesthesia: A Case Report.

Keratoconus is a common disease in which the central or paracentral cornea undergoes progressive thinning, resulting in a cone-shaped cornea. It has been associated with many systemic disorders such as Down syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, and joint hypermobility. Herein, temporomandibular joint dislocation under general anesthesia during supraglottic airway device placement before deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty procedure in a keratoconus patient is reported.

Spinal versus general anesthesia in retrograde intrarenal surgery.

AIM: The indications for retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) have greatly increased, however, there is still no consensus on the use of spinal anesthesia (SA) during this procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparability of surgical outcomes of RIRS performed under SA versus general GA for renal stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational study in patients scheduled for RIRS in a single teaching hospital in Turkey. Inclusion criteria were age > 18 years and the presence of single or multiple renal stones. We recorded information concerning the site of lithiasis, the number of calculi, total stone burden, and the presence of concomitant ureteral stones or hydronephrosis. Results were evaluated in terms of surgical outcome, intraoperative and postoperative complications. Patients were followed-up until day 90 from discharge. RESULTS: The data of 502 patients, 252 in GA group and 250 in SA group, were evaluated. The stone-free rate was 81% in the GA group and 85% in the SA group (p = 0.12). No cases of conversion from SA to GA were recorded. Complication rates were similar in the 2 groups (19% vs 14.5%, p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort, RIRS performed under SA and GA was equivalent in terms of surgical results and complications.

Elucidating the level of developmental risk in a busy paediatric practice clinic from a middle-income country.

BACKGROUND: Identifying young children with serious developmental concerns is a common challenge in paediatric settings around the world. Elucidating parental concerns about their children's development is a useful predictor of developmental status. The aim of this study is to elucidate the level of developmental risk in a busy outpatient paediatric clinic using the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) and observe the associated factors in a middle-income country. METHODS: Parents attending a medical appointment for their children in a paediatric outpatient clinic were asked to complete the PEDS and a questionnaire pertaining to sociodemographic details. A total of 151 parents were eligible to participate in the study. Parents also rated the ease of completion of the test with the response options being 'difficult, a little difficult, easy, very easy'. RESULTS: In our total sample, 9.3% (n = 14) were at high risk, 16.6% (n = 25) were at moderate risk and the remainder were at low/no risk. Being at high or moderate risk (25.8%, n = 39) was higher in male gender (p = 0.046) and older age children (p = 0.004). Hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit longer than 3 days, maternal employment status/housewife, long duration of screen viewing were independent risk factors significantly associated with high or moderate risk in multivariable analyses. Among the participants, 98.7% of parents reported that the PEDS was easy or very easy to complete in the clinical setting. CONCLUSION: In this study, in a cosmopolitan city of a middle-income country, a quarter of children were observed to be at high or moderate risk. The findings highlight the importance of elucidating the prevalence of developmental concerns among the population to enable families to access universal high-quality early childhood services.

Developmental and Behavioral Problems of Preschool-Age Children with Chronic Rheumatic Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common autoimmune and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) the most common autoinflammatory chronic rheumatic disease in childhood. We aimed first to identify developmental and behavioral problems of preschool-age children with common chronic rheumatic diseases, second to compare the diagnostic categories, and third to elucidate the associated factors with these difficulties. METHOD: Of the 91 participants included in this study, 46 were children with rheumatic diseases (27 with JIA and 19 with FMF) and 45 were healthy children. The general developmental and emotional/behavioral problems of each child were evaluated by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire and Child Behavior Checklist-1½-5, respectively. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory were used for maternal well-being. RESULTS: Internalizing problem scores were increased, and the percentage of children who failed at least 1 developmental domain and experienced delays in fine motor and problem-solving domains were higher in children with chronic rheumatic diseases when compared with healthy children. Being in the group of rheumatic diseases, fewer maternal education years and higher screen time were found to be independent risk factors significantly associated with any developmental delay in the multivariable model. Maternal trait anxiety scores were positively associated with internalizing and total problems only in FMF. CONCLUSION: Preschool-age children with a diagnosis of chronic rheumatic diseases were more vulnerable for developmental and behavioral problems compared with healthy children. The management of chronic rheumatic diseases in the early years should include the screening of developmental and behavioral problems.

Autism spectrum disorder in patients with inherited metabolic disorders-a large sample from a tertiary center.

BACKGROUND: There is increased awareness regarding the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and inherited metabolic disorders (IMD), and this is crucial for the management of both diagnoses in clinical practice. We aimed firstly to report twenty-two patients with a dual diagnosis of IMD and ASD who are still being followed up in the child metabolism outpatient clinic; secondly to evaluate the time of both IMD and ASD diagnosis and the clinical progress of their metabolic disorders to underline treatable conditions. METHODS: Among the patients admitted to the Pediatric Metabolism outpatient clinic because of IMD, twentytwo of them who had a diagnosis of ASD were included in the study. Data of the patients were collected from their medical records. The most recent progress of the patients concerning their metabolic disorder was obtained from the patients` files. RESULTS: Six cases with Phenylketonuria, 2 cases with partial Biotinidase Deficiency, 3 cases with Cerebral Creatine Deficiency Syndrome (CCDS), 5 cases with Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) Type-3b, 2 cases with MPS Type-3a, 1 case with MPS Type 4, 2 cases with Hypervalinemia and 1 case with Maple Syrup Urine Disease were all diagnosed as also having ASD. The diagnoses of CCDS and MPS Type 3 were after the diagnosis of ASD. Phenylketonuria and Mucopolysaccharidosis were the most common diagnoses in our study. In addition, rare entities such as MPS Type 3b and Type 4 and Hypervalinemia were also reported to co-occur with autism. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the co-occurrence of both disorders and implementing intervention strategies accordingly will certainly be beneficial in clinical practice and particularly in countries with a high rate of consanguinity.

How effective is family counselling on screen exposure of pre-school children?

BACKGROUND: Excessive screen viewing and background TV exposure are common problems all over the world. Therefore, intervention studies have gained importance. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of family-based, developmental pediatrics clinic setting counseling in reducing screen time in typically developing children and to compare them with neurodevelopmental disorders. METHODS: Children (aged 24-62 months) who were exposed to screen viewing for at least 2 hours/day were included. Parents were given three counseling sessions to reduce excessive screen time. Parents reported daily screen time, co-viewing, background TV exposure, the duration of reading books and playing with their child. RESULTS: The study included 105 children (median age: 34 months IQR:28-41). Before counseling, the screen viewing time and the percentage of co-viewing among typically developing children (n=22) and children with a neurodevelopmental disorder (n=83) were similar. There was a statistically significant decrease in screen time in both groups after the intervention. A higher impact was shown in the neurodevelopmental disorder group. The increase in percentages of co-viewing, as well as the increase in the time spent playing with their children, were statistically significant in the neurodevelopmental disorder group. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated that three pediatric office-setting counseling sessions including media use recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics are effective to decrease screen time for children who are either typically developing or with a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Communicative Environmental Factors Including Maternal Depression and Media Usage Patterns on Early Language Development.

INTRODUCTION: From the ecological perspective of multifactorial causal mechanism, the communicative interaction environment has been less studied in early childhood which is the most sensitive phase for language development. We aimed to research simultaneous communicative environmental factors including maternal depression and media usage patterns in young children aged 1-31/2 years. METHODS: One hundred and one participants were included in the study; fifty-one children with language delay as the case group and fifty children with typical development as the control group. Maternal depressive symptoms were evaluated by Beck Depression Inventory. The general development of each child was evaluated by Denver II Screening Test and Bayley-Third Edition. Language development was evaluated by the Preschool Language Scale-5. The questionnaire for the sociodemographic data and media usage patterns was prepared by the study team. RESULTS: Maternal depression scores, duration of TV viewing, background TV were higher in the children with language delay and they started earlier using screen devices in comparison with the control group (p < 0.05). The total amount of interaction time and co-viewing were less in children with language delay and more parents intended to keep their children occupied by watching in the case group (p < 0.05). Mother care-giving (p = 0.002, OR = 5.80, CI 1.93-17.4) and absence of co-viewing (p = 0.000, OR = 9.46, CI 2.69-33.3) were the significant factors associated with language delay. DISCUSSION: Young children with language delay were more exposed to communicative environmental risk factors than children with typical development. The integration of this perspective to child health care practices should be encouraged in early childhood.

Comparison of the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status and Ages and Stages Questionnaire Developmental Screening Tests in a Eurasian Country.

OBJECTIVE: The Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) are developmental screening tools that are commonly used in pediatric practice worldwide. We aimed to compare the screening results of the PEDS and the ASQ in children with a wide range of ages and to evaluate the degree of agreement between the tests across the age groups. METHODS: The study was conducted with the participation of 327 children aged 3 to 72 months. Participants were administered the PEDS and then the ASQ. Children with known developmental disabilities were included in the study to represent a real-world clinical practice setting and evaluated with a clinical workup. RESULTS: The median age of the children was 35.1 months, with a range of 3 to 72 months. The percentage of children with known developmental disabilities was 16.5%. The actual agreement between the PEDS and ASQ was 74% with a concordance represented by Cohen κ of 0.422 (p < 0.001) in the total sample. Furthermore, the agreement was higher in children aged 25 to 36 months and 37 to 48 months than for the other ages. CONCLUSION: We compared the clinical features of the ASQ and PEDS across the age groups, and they demonstrated moderate agreement. The present study also showed the performance of the PEDS and suggests that it should certainly be used for developmental screening in routine child health care practice in Eurasia, thus supporting the use of such parent-completed developmental tools that should be encouraged for universal screening.

Developmental Concerns, Parental Perceptions and Missed Opportunities from Different Levels of Health Centers in a Middle-Income Country.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the concerns the parents have with the development of their children and related conditions and investigate how often these concerns are addressed at all levels of the healthcare system. Determining parental perceptions of these issues and highlighting missed opportunities is valuable for improving healthcare services. METHODS: A total of 451 parents attending a medical appointment for their children in outpatient clinics at tertiary, secondary and primary health centers were administered a questionnaire comprised of 45 questions pertaining to their concerns regarding the development of their children and related conditions, including sociodemographic characteristics, practices supporting child development, information resources and personal opinions, such as whether they had sufficient information. RESULTS: The parents of 130 children (28.8%) reported at least one developmental concern. Less than half of the concerned parents had visited a health center for these concerns. The area of greatest concern was language development, but the concerns differed based on setting. Among the related factors, having insufficient information (p = 0.000, OR: 0.375, CI: 0.24-0.58) and not playing with the child (p = 0.029, OR: 0.563, CI: 0.33-0.94) increased the risk of having developmental concerns. Only 15.5% of children were followed up in a developmental and behavioral manner. CONCLUSIONS: The authors observed many concerns and missed opportunities to address them at all levels of health centers. Family physicians were more effective at eliciting these issues than pediatricians. These issues need to be addressed in the health system with consideration of its complexity and integrated culture.

Sensory profile, ferritin and zinc levels in preschool-aged children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and has a big impact on the well-being of children. The disorder can lead to noticeable functional limitations for children and bio-ecological factors also contribute to symptoms of ADHD. We aimed to investigate the associations between ADHD symptoms and some related bio-ecological factors including serum ferritin, zinc levels and sensory processing in preschool-aged children. METHODS: Twenty-two children who had been referred to the division of Developmental Pediatrics because of ADHD symptoms and 22 participants from the general pediatric outpatient clinics were included in the study. The symptoms of ADHD were evaluated with Conners` Parent Rating Scale-Revised Short form. Complete blood count, serum ferritin and zinc levels were also evaluated. A blind occupational therapist implemented sensory processing measurements. The characteristics of each participant such as prematurity, perinatal complications, developmental practices and sociodemographic data were also considered. RESULTS: Sensory processing measurement analysis revealed that all Sensory Profile scores were significantly lower in the children with ADHD symptoms compared to the control group indicating that the child shows the behavior more than desired. The low level of zinc (p=0.026, OR=6.153, 95% CI= 1.247-30.362) and the presence of perinatal complications (p=0.045, OR=10.864, 95% CI=1.059-111.499) increased the risk of ADHD symptoms. We could not find an association for ferritin levels in our study. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation of zinc level and sensory profile parallel to other strategies can be recommended during the management of ADHD symptoms in preschool children.

Turkish validation of the maternal responsiveness global rating scale in slow-to-talk toddlers.

BACKGROUND: The relation between maternal responsiveness and language development has been shown in previous literature however it is difficult to evaluate responsiveness because of the difficulties involved when coding the specific patterns of parent-child interactions. The maternal responsiveness global rating scale is important because it requires less time and expertise from professionals and predicts the language outcome of children. The aim of the study was to adapt the Maternal Responsiveness Global Rating Scale into Turkish, thereby making it accessible to a variety of professionals, and creating a way to use this useful scale. METHODS: Twenty-seven 18- to 42-month old children who had been admitted to the Developmental Pediatrics outpatient clinic with concerns of speech delay and had received a diagnosis of language disorder with the standardized language test were included in the study. The general development and language development of each participant was evaluated using Denver II, Bayley-third edition and Pre-school Language Scale-5. After the translation study of the Maternal Responsiveness Global Rating Scale, video collecting and rating procedures and finally reliability and validity analyses were implemented. RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated that the Turkish translation of the Maternal Responsiveness Global Rating Scale shows strong evidence of adequate reliability and validity and is a feasible tool to measure responsiveness in routine child health care practice for children with language delay. CONCLUSIONS: This in expensive, easy-to-use and reliable tool may be recommended in order to identify which slow-to-talk toddlers and their mothers need early intervention and may be used by community-based practitioners and researchers in Turkey to support language development during early intervention stages.