Background: Febrile convulsion is a condition which can emotionally traumatize most parents. Inadequate knowledge regarding febrile convulsion can cause parental anxiety. This study is conducted to assess the level of parent’s knowledge, attitude and practices regarding febrile convulsion.Methods: It was a prospective questionnaire study conducted over a period of one year from January 2016 to January 2017 in Department of Paediatric of a tertiary care hospital KIMS, Bangalore. 110 children with febrile convulsion in the age group of 6 months to 5 years were enrolled.Results: Out of 110 children, 82 had single convulsion and 28 had recurrent convulsions. Mean age of onset of first febrile convulsion was 20 months. About 50 (45.45%) had experienced convulsion with one-episode of fever. Only 46 (41.8%) of parents recognized convulsion. Others interpreted convulsion as shivering (20.9%), evil effect (7.2%), excessive cry tantrum (10.9%), fainting spell (8.18%) and lethargy (20%). 88 (80%) did not carry out any intervention prior to getting the child to hospital. Effect of convulsion on parents was fear of death (82.7%), fear of epilepsy (17.3%), fear of recurrence (34.5%). 85% parents did not know that convulsion can occur due to fever. 32% thought that traditional treatment would help. Only 38% had thermometer at home and 23% knew the normal range of body temperature. Preventive measures were known to 44%.Conclusions: A higher level of understanding regarding practices was shown among higher socioeconomic and higher educational status. The efficiency of parental first aid practices can be evaluated and significant improvement can be achieved by giving adequate awareness and education.

Background: Dengue fever is a rapidly emergent infection and is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and health care burden in India. Dengue vectors, human knowledge and behavior have each been reported to play an important role in the transmission of the disease. This study is aimed at assessing the knowledge regarding dengue fever, its transmission, identification of the disease and its complications and its preventive measures among the parents.Methods: This is a hospital based cross sectional survey among parents of dengue patients admitted in Department of Pediatrics, KIMS Bangalore during a period of 6 months. Parents were interviewed with pre-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts-knowledge on 1) transmission, 2) signs and symptoms, 3) attitude towards the illness and 4) practices of prevention and treatment.Results: Overall 195 individuals were interviewed. 7% were illiterate while 17% had a college degree. 91% individuals knew mosquito as the vector, 32% identified clear stagnant water as the breeding place. 88% identified fever as a symptom while 22% knew about bleeding manifestations. 71% felt dengue as a severe disease and 84% had a positive attitude towards consulting a doctor for the illness. 58% relied on mats and coils for personal protection followed by bed nets (12%). Majority of the awareness was through television followed by radio and newspapers.Conclusions: It is of utmost significance to identify barriers to action and to seek ways to translate the knowledge of population about dengue into positive preventive practices that would ultimately reduce the transmission of dengue fever in the community.

Background: Critically-ill children have a state of metabolic stress. The nutritional needs of these patients can be increased. Their nutritional status at admission and its possible deterioration during hospitalization can be a predictor of worse outcome. The objective of this study was to study the influence of nutritional status on outcomes like mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation and duration PICU stay and hospital stay, in critically ill children.Methods: This was a prospective comparative study conducted on 60 critically ill children aged 1 month to 18 years admitted to PICU of tertiary care, teaching hospital, Bangalore, Karnataka over a study period of 12 months. Patients were divided into 4 categories based on Body mass index (BMI) as per WHO growth charts into: underweight, normal, overweight and obese and outcomes was analysed.Results: In the present study 60 children were studied. Subjects were classified as underweight (23.33%), normal weight (45%), overweight/obese (31.67%) based on BMI Z-score at admission. The odds of prolonged hospital stay were higher in underweight and overweight/obese children (OR-2.85, p-0.12 and OR-3.92, p-0.03 respectively). Underweight and overweight/ obese children had higher odds for prolonged PICU stay. (OR-6, p-0.02 and OR-2.13, p-0.36 respectively). Underweight children required prolonged ventilator support (OR-2, p-0.03). There was no significant difference among the group.Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of malnourishment in critically ill children compared to general population and they are prone for poor outcome. Malnourished children must be identified at admission and optimal therapies, nutritional strategies aimed at preventing further nutritional deterioration should be made.

Background: Skin of the newborn is susceptible and sensitive to trauma and infection and requires special care. Though mothers are aware of the infants’ skin care, just studying the knowledge and attitude is not enough without studying the practice. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers regarding the infantile skin care.Methods: A cross sectional study conducted at a tertiary care centre in Bangalore. In a period of 6 months, post-natal mothers with infants attending well baby clinics were interviewed through a semi structure performa.Results: Among 400 mothers interviewed mean age was 25.44 years, 37.67% belonging to urban and 62.33% to rural area. 96.7% were educated. Only 36.33% practiced correct hand washing practice before handling. 52.4% reported 1st bath to babies on day 3 of life, 64.4% reported 5-10 minutes bathing, and 78.6% reported daily bathing. 78.30% unaware that perfumed soaps cause skin irritation. 84.60% practiced daily oil massage and 86.40% used coconut oil. Reasons stated were better development (59.30%), soft skin (24.70%). 76.2% used talcum powder to absorb moisture. 88% believes Kajal use is safe and most use to ward off evil eyes. 57% used diapers while going outside, 65% changed < 3 per day, 62 % used cloth to wipe the area, 45% used talcum powder while changing diaper.Conclusion: This study helps us to identify knowledge gaps, cultural beliefs and behavioral pattern of mothers in infantile skin care. It also measures effectiveness of health education in changing health behavior.

Background: Critical illness is a life-threatening multisystem process requiring support of failing vital organ systems without which survival would not be possible. Euthyroid sick syndrome is one of the commonly seen endocrine changes in critically ill patients and is considered to be associated with adverse outcome in ICU patients. Objective of this study was to assess free triiodothyronine (FT3) in critically ill children and to associate it to the disease severity and clinical outcome in comparison to PRISM score. Methods: This was an observational study conducted on 120 critically ill children aged between 1month and 18 years admitted in PICU of a tertiary care hospital. All children who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were subjected to initial evaluation, PRISM III scoring and also FT3 levels was estimated twice in the critically ill patients. Results: In present study, out of 120 subjects studied, 34 succumbed and 86 survived. Low FT3 was seen in 90 (75.00%) children. The mean level of FT3 was significantly lower at admission and discharge in non-survivors than in survivors (P<0.01) and also Compared with survivors, non-survivors had higher PRISM III scores (26.65±9.64vs 15.21±7.38, P<0.001). In survivors there was a significant improvement in the mean levels FT3 from admission to discharge (P<0.01) Where as in non-survivors there was a further decrease in the mean levels of FT3 however it was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Serum FT3 at discharge is a good predictor of mortality with AUC of 0.9175±0.0620. Conclusions: FT3 is good independent predictor of ICU mortality.