This double-blind study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a syrup made from Myrtus communis L. fruit on children with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Children aged 1-7 years old, diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), were randomly allocated to either intervention group (omeprazole and "myrtle fruit syrup") or control group (omeprazole and placebo syrup). GERD symptom questionnaire for young children (GSQ-YC) was filled out for each patient at zeroth and eighth week, and also 4 weeks after cessation of intervention. No statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of GERD score was reported neither in 8th nor in 12th week assessments. During the 4 weeks of the drug-free period, patients in myrtle group did not experience a large shift in GERD score, while patients in placebo syrup group experienced an increase of as much as 19.4. However, this difference was not statistically significant, although it could be significant clinically. For achieving more conclusive results, more studies are needed. The symptom "refusal to eat" in the intervention group was less than in placebo group after 8 weeks (p = .018) and at the end of the study (p = .042). So myrtle fruit syrup may be considered for children with low appetite.
Context: Persian Medicine (PM) scientists such as Avicenna (980‑1037 AD) believed that maintaining health without exercise is impossible. So they have written about special rules and various techniques for the exercise of different groups of people including children. This study aimed to express the PM views about the exercise in children. Evidence Acquisition: Among the most important references of PM in children’s subjects, six books from different centuries were selected. Relevant keywords were used to extract related data. Also, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to July 2019 to find common views on physical activity and exercise in children. The extracted materials were thoroughly studied to summarize and categorize to find the main themes. Results: According to PM, exercise is a broad concept, including massage of the upper and lower limbs from the first hours of life, physical activity like crying for feeding and playing, passive movements such as cradle shaking and swinging, and proper and frequent experience of mental states and five senses such as winning/losing, enjoying, listening to music and looking at fine writings. The intensity of exercise varies in different children. Vigorous exercise in children changes the body composition, results in weakness, or impairs the growth and development. So, according to Avicenna, exercise must be planned individually. Conclusions: It seems that the principles of PM can help design available, different, enjoyable, and user-friendly exercises for children of all ages.
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