PEHO and PEHO-like syndromes: report of five Australian cases.

PEHO syndrome is a rare progressive infantile encephalopathy with onset within the first few months of life. Few patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for PEHO syndrome have been reported outside Finland. Affected infants have facial dysmorphism and suffer from severe hypotonia, profound mental retardation, convulsions (often with a hypsarrhythmic EEG pattern), transient or persistent peripheral oedema, and optic atrophy. Cerebellar and brainstem atrophy are usually present on neuroimaging. A PEHO-like syndrome has been described, in which the affected individuals have neither optic atrophy nor the typical neuroradiological findings. We report five Australian patients, the first with classical features of PEHO syndrome, and four who have a PEHO-like disorder. We compare their features with other published cases. We suggest that PEHO or a PEHO-like syndrome may affect more patients than are currently identified, based on the original diagnostic criteria for this disorder.

The theory and practice of health education applied to nursing: a bi-polar approach.

The authors contend that health education is an intrinsic part of nursing practice. The paper outlines two models of health education each with different aims, methods and outcomes and these are related explicitly to nursing practice. The tensions between the two approaches are discussed and whilst the authors acknowledge that both models constitute legitimate health education activity within nursing, it is argued that emphasis should be given, where practically possible, to the patient empowerment model. In addition the authors argue that the social determinants of health and health-related behaviour need to be considered by nurses as a powerful factor in the formation of health lifestyles. Therefore a range of approaches should form part of a repertoire of nursing health promotion interventions.

Psychology as a theoretical foundation for health education in nursing: empowerment or social control?

This article explores the relationship between psychology and health education and illustrates how ostensibly 'neutral' models and theories of psychology can be used by conflicting health education philosophies and ideologies. We contend both that health education is an intrinsic element of nursing (which, for the purpose of this article, also includes health visiting and midwifery) and that psychology legitimately underpins practice. Our concern in this article is in the potential application of models and theories of health-related behaviour such as the health belief model (Rosenstock et al 1988), the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen 1985) and the stages of change model (Prochaska & DiClemente 1982) to the health education elements of nursing practice without an awareness and scrutiny of their particular ideological standpoint, and contrasting relationships to power, and thus an understanding of the potential ambiguity regarding their role and function.

Nursing and the health of the nation: schism or symbiosis?

In July 1992, the British government published its White Paper "The Health of the Nation, a Strategy for Health in England' (HON). The authors contend that this initiative has largely been accepted by the nursing profession with critical response to the HON being minimal. The authors argue that the medicalized negative interpretation of health and the narrow individualistic lifestyle-orientated definition of health promotion contained within the strategy ought to be rejected by nurses in favour of both a positive, holistic conception of health and a more humanistic health promotion methodology acknowledging the impact of structural-material factors influencing individual health related behaviour.

Effective use of occlusive wound dressings.

The ever-growing range of new wound care products are designed to promote healing and prevent infection. However, nurses must be sure they read manufacturers' guidelines, or they may be doing more harm than good.