[Electroencephalographic approach to lateralization in children]. / Approche électroencéphalographique de la latéralisation de l'enfant.

Electroencephalograms were recorded in 76 normal children between 10-12 years of age and several parameters were calculated from the results of spectral analysis. Sections of recordings which were free of artefacts, taken under different conditions (eyes open, eyes closed and during tests of mental arithmetic and vocabulary with the eyes closed were analysed. In these normal children, there was significant asymmetry of the alpha 1, beta 1, theta rhythms, and related parameters at rest, but the asymmetry was not necessarily found to correlate with the laterality of hand, eye, foot or all three. Vocabulary, and to a greater extent arithmetic significantly decreased alpha rhythms. Arithmetic affected both hemispheres equally but vocabulary depressed the alpha rhythms more obviously on the left.

[The pediatrician and school difficulties]. / Le pédiatre et les difficultés scolaires.

Difficulties at school are amongst the most frequent encountered in paediatric practice but paediatricians are infrequently consulted by those who are responsible for the children from day to day. As a result decisions are often contrary to the elementary principles of physiology. Unfortunately the chronological age is still the important criteria for determining school progress. Thus the age for learning to read is fixed arbitrarily at 6 years. Small children have specific difficulties even though they are normal intellectually. Overall the rhythm of life of the child is not considered by the exacting scholastic requirements. Finally the school forgets the need of the sick child too easily and demands a major effort of adaptation without making any allowances itself.

[Polyradiculoneuritis as a manifestation of childhood sarcoidosis]. / Polyradiculonévrite révélatrice d'une sarcoïdose de l'enfant.

A case of juvenile sarcoidosis presenting initially as Guillain-Barré syndrome is reported. Biochemical and radiologic data (bilateral hilar lymphadenopathies) led to suspect the diagnosis which was assessed by bronchial biopsy. Evolution was marked by spontaneous neurologic recovery, while the evolution of the pulmonary disease needed corticosteroid treatment. After a 3 year follow-up, chest X-rays are considered normal and the only pathologic findings are minimal changes in functional respiratory investigations.

[Obstruction of the abdominal aorta and cyanotic heart disease in a 1 year old child (author's transl)]. / Oblitération de l'aorte abdominal et cardiopathie cyanogène chez un enfant de 1 an.

In a 1 year old child, cyanotic congenital heart disease was complicated by a severe obstruction of the abdominal aorta between the renal arteries and the bifurcation. The surgical treatment consisted of relief of the obstruction in the aorta and a Blalock-Taussig shunt. The general progress was good but there was a ischemia of the left leg for which amputation of the forefoot was required.