Pharmacy dispensing practices for children with diarrhoea in Trinidad and Tobago - abstract

A survey was conducted among 81 pharmacies randomly selected from among 253 pharmacies in Trinidad and Tobago. The aim of the study was to investigate the pharmacy dispensing practices for children with diarrhoea in Trinidad and Tobago. Two local women representing a low-income mother (LIM) and a middle-income mother (MIM) were trained to present the pharmacies with a brief fictitious description of their infant with diarrhoea. Pharmacists' history and advice were noted and the drugs dispensed were bought. Forty-two (51.8 percent) pharmacies gave appropriate treatment and 39 (48.2 percent) dispensed drugs to MIM., where as 54 (66.7 percent) pharmacies dispensed drugs and 27 (33.3 percent) gave appropriate treatment to LIM. Discontinuation of milk feed was advised by 60 (74.1 percent) pharmacies to the LIM and 52 (62.4 percent) pharmacies to the MIM. In order to improve pharmacists' dispensing practices and quality of advice offered, appropriate training programmes should be set up. A national diarrhoeal disease control policy should be formulated and implemented. This would serve as an instrument for rationalizing drug usage. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) should be established in health centres throughout the country and public awareness of ORT should be enhanced (AU)

Lindane toxicity in an infant

A four-month-old infant with severe impetigo who had prolonged daily applications of lindane presented with two seizure episodes. His blood lindane level was 1.27 ppm. Caution should be exercised when using lindane in infants and children. Proper instruction and close supervision are essential (AU)

Pre-admission treatment in childhood diarrhoeal diseases, Port-of-Spain General Hospital

The case records of 1295 children admitted to the Gastroenteritis Unit, Port-of-Spain General Hospital were reviewed. Data on age, mode of referral, pre-admission treatment, in hospital management and outcome were analysed. Of the 192 cases referred, 169 were referred by general practitioners, 18 by health centres and 3 by paediatricians. The bulk of admissions (1165) were however, self-referrals. 82 (46 percent) of the cases referred by general practitioners had documented evidence of pre-admission treatment. Only 7 (8.5 percent) received the recommended treatment with rehydration salts. The rest (91.5 percent) were treated with antidiarrheals, antibiotics or antiemetics. Lack of effectiveness of drug therapy, use of ORF (oral rehydration fluid) and health education are emphasized. (AU)

Eikenella corrodens brain abscess in a child with congenital heart disease

We report the isolation of Eikenella corrodens from a brain abscess in a child with cyanotic congenital heart disease in Trinidad (AU)

Analysis of medical paediatric admissions to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital

Admissions to the medical paediatric wards of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital from January 1, 1982 to December 31, 1982 were studied. Data on age, sex, final diagnosis, death in hospital or after discharge, and day of death were analysed. The study revealed that the bulk of sickness demanding hospital care consists of a few common diseases. Most of these are partly or wholly preventable. Gastroenteritis (36 percent), upper respiratory infection (18.8 percent), lower respiratory infection (12.3 percent), and accidental poisoning (7 percent) were the leading causes of admission. Malnutrition/gastroenteritis complex and lower respiratory infection were the major causes of death, constituting 51.9 percent of all deaths. Fifty per cent of the deaths occurred in the first twenty-four hours of hospital admission. Solutions to the problems at various levels of health care are outlined (AU)

Infantile cortical hyperostosis with raised immumoglobulins

Two cases of infantile cortical hyperostosis are reported. Both had raised immunoglobulins. Particularly remarkable were the IgA and IgM levels, a finding infrequently reported (AU)

Anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in an infant presenting with pyrexia of unknown origin

Anhidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is a rare condition resulting from faulty development of the embryonic ectoderm and its derivatives. It is heredofamilial, sex linked and recessive. There may be some manifestation in the carrier female. In some families a dominant gene has been described. The disease is characterized by anhidrosis, hypotrichosis, and hypodontia. Other features commonly associated are prominent supraorbital ridges, depressed bridge of the nose, large deformed ears, fine wrinkling of the preiorbital skin, chronic rhinitis hoarseness, recurrent otitis, soft thin dry skin, and lack of body odor. The present communication describes the syndrome in a West Indian child of Spainsh-East Indian descent