Efficacy of Siddha Therapeutics on Mantha Sanni (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Among Pediatric Patients: An Interventional Non-randomized Open-Label Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a collection of neurodevelopmental disorders that affect brain development and can lead to various psychological imbalances in caregivers of affected children. Siddha formulations have been shown to have a role beyond the physical body and play a significant role in managing Mantha sannior ASD. The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of Amukkara chooranam and Yegamooli thylam in the pediatric population diagnosed with ASD. METHODS: This was a prospective, interventional, non-randomized, open clinical trial involving 30 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients received Amukkara chooranam at a dose of 300 mg for ages 3-4 years, 500 mg for ages 5-7 years, and 1 gm for ages 8-12 years, twice a day with honey for 90 days, and Yegamooli thylam was administered using the Thuvalai external manipulation technique once a day for 90 days. Scoring by the Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) was documented at the end of the 0th day, 45th day, and 90th day. RESULTS: The scores were compared at each follow-up, and a statistically significant difference was found at the end of the 90th day of treatment with Amukkara chooranam and Yegamooli thylam (P < 0.05). The statistical analysis included calculating the mean and standard deviation of the clinical assessment, parameters both before and after the treatment were 37.66667 ±13.82485. CONCLUSION: The treatment with Amukkara chooranam and Yegamooli thylam resulted in a clinically significant improvement in clinical assessment parameters in children with ASD.

Does one-to-one demonstration with insulin pads by health-care providers improves the insulin administration techniques among diabetic patients of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in South India?

OBJECTIVES: The study was aimed to capture the effect of using injection pads as a tool in educating the diabetic patients who were on insulin. The attitude and practice of the patients in storage of insulin vials and disposal of insulin syringes were also assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A facility based Quasi-experimental study was carried out among the diabetic patients on insulin, attending diabetic clinic in endocrinology OPD in a tertiary care hospital, Puducherry. One to one intervention was given to the study participants or their attendants (who were involved in injecting insulin), by a trained investigator regarding all the steps of insulin administration. The insulin administration practices before and immediately after the intervention was assessed using a checklist. RESULTS: In total 91 patients were included for the study with mean (SD) age of 53.9 (10.6) years and of them 76% were females. The attitude and practices of the study participants, such as hand washing before handling insulin, checking the expiry date, storage of insulin, inspection of injection site, rolling and cleaning the vial, withdrawal of the syringe up to the required dose, pushing the plunger after inserting the syringe into the vial, checking and removal of air bubbles, cleaning the injection site and allow to dry and injection technique improved significantly after the intervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study findings shows that using injection pads for educating patients helps them to practise better insulin administration. The findings from the study can be applied in routine care and has to be explored further in diabetic patient management.