A fairly accurate diagnosis of growing pains can be made clinically, if the widely accepted diagnostic criteria are followed . A systematic approach, with due consideration of both inclusion as well as exclusion criteria, can avoid unnecessary (sometimes potentially harmful) investigations and medications. Reassurance remains the main stay in the management of 'growing pains'.

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Introduction: Congenital malformations are important contributors for neonatal and infant mortality after prematurity, intrapartum complications and infections. Aim: To find out the prevalence and pattern of congenital malformations among the live born neonates in study area as well as to identify the associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: This descriptive hospital based cross- sectional study was carried out in 305 cases at Midnapore Medical College, Medinipur, West Bengal, from July 2016 to June 2017. All live inborn neonates were assessed for the presence of any malformation(s). The still born or out born babies were excluded. Congenital malformations were diagnosed by clinical examination as well as imaging studies. Data regarding risk factors were collected from the history and the case records. Chi-square test was done to find out the significance of the risk factors. Results: During the study period, there were 14240 live births, out of which 305 cases of congenital malformations were noted. Prevalence of congenital malformations was 214.1 per 10,000 live births or 2.14%. Out of 305 cases, 165 (54.10%) were males, 137 (44.92%) were females, and 3 (0.98%) had ambiguous genitalia. Prevalence of malformations was not significantly different between primi and multipara mothers, and for the different socio-economic backgrounds. A higher prevalence of congenital malformations in mothers above 30 years, consanguinity, low birth weight and prematurity were observed. History of abortion and still birth were associated with higher prevalence. Polyhydramnios, pregnancy induced hypertension and previous abortion and still birth were also associated with higher prevalence of malformations. Musculoskeletal system was majorly involved in 92 (30.16%) cases, followed by central nervous system 48 (15.74%). Conclusion: Prevalence of congenital malformations was found to be 214.1 per 10,000 live births or 2.14%. Maternal age >30, consanguinity, prematurity and low birth weight were associated with increased prevalence of congenital malformations. Musculoskeletal system was the most commonly involved system.

Introduction: Neonatal seizures are common but can be manifestations of serious underlying disorders and sometimes have a grave prognosis. Predictors for adverse outcomes are important for early referral and advanced interventions. Aim: To study the incidence and factors associated with neonatal seizure and to determine the predictors of adverse outcomes. Materials and Methods: This was a longitudinal study, conducted from April 2020 to March 2021 at a Rural Medical College (Midnapore Medical College and Hospital, West Bengal) in Eastern India. All the admitted newborns (N=143) in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), who had clinically evident seizures, were included in the study. Data were collected regarding the perinatal history, gestational age, type of delivery, birth weight, APGAR score at 1 and 5 minutes, and need for resuscitation at birth. The onset of the seizure, seizure type, investigation findings, possible aetiological diagnosis, and final outcome was noted. The management of neonatal seizures was as per the institutional protocol. Babies were followed up for a minimum of 28 days or throughout their hospital stay till discharge/death. The outcome was categorised into two categories: ‘favourable’ when there was a normal neurological examination and ‘unfavourable’ when there was any neurological impairment or death. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 25 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Risk factors were determined by analysing outcomes using simple and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The p-values less than 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 143 newborns had seizures out of 3126, making the incidence of neonatal seizures 4.57%. Males outnumbered females. Total 64.33% were preterm. Five minutes APGAR score <7 was noticed in 44.75%. The most common type was subtle seizure. Advanced resuscitation manoeuvre was required for 46.8% cases whereas mechanical ventilation was required in 11.88%. The most common aetiology was birth asphyxia (46.15%), and the cranial ultrasound showed Hypoxic Ishchaemic Encephalopathy (HIE) changes in 30.77% of cases. Multiple logistic regressions revealed only four factors, namely, preterm delivery (OR 5.82), need for extensive resuscitation manoeuvre (OR 6.21), presence of status epilepticus (OR 3.49) and abnormal cranial ultrasound (OR 1.02) to be the independent risk factors for unfavourable outcome. Conclusion: Clinical diagnosis of neonatal seizure could be useful in resource poor centers, where video-Electroencephalogram (EEG) is not available. Premature delivery, need for extensive resuscitation, presence of status epilepticus and abnormal cranial ultrasound were associated with poor short-term outcome.

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