BACKGROUND Febrile seizure is the most common type of seizure that affects children under 5 years of age. Micronutrient deficienc ies like zinc deficiency, have been linked with febrile seizures in children. We wanted to determine the correlation between zinc deficiency and febrile seizures in children aged between 6 months and 6 years of age. METHODS This case control study was held in a tertiary care centre in 2013. 75 children aged 6 months to 60 months with first/recurrent episode of febrile seizures constituted the cases. Age and sex matched controls with non-seizure febrile illness were taken as controls. Zinc levels in both groups were compared. RESULTS Mean serum zinc levels among the febrile seizure group [54.53 mcg/dl] was much lesser than that in control group [89.88 mcg/dl] and the difference was statistically significant with p value of <0.05. CONCLUSION Hypozincaemia was observed in children with febrile seizures. However large prospective trials are needed to confirm the association.

BACKGROUND Febrile seizures [FS] are convulsions brought on by a fever in infants or small children. Most common age group affected is between 6 months to 60 months. Studies showed that there is a variable association between febrile seizures and iron deficiency anaemia [IDA] in children. This study compared various haematological indices with febrile seizures to detect iron deficiency anaemia among children. METHODS This is a comparative observational study. 200 children were recruited, among which 100 children aged between 6 months and 6 years, with febrile seizures, were taken as cases, and another 100 children in similar age group, only with fever and without seizures, were taken as controls. Various blood parameters were analysed between these two groups to detect iron deficiency. RESULTS Haematological parameters like Hb % and serum ferritin were significantly lower, and RDW was significantly increased in cases as compared to controls. This signifies a definite correlation between iron deficiency and febrile seizures. CONCLUSIONS There is a strong association between children with FS and iron deficiency anaemia. This suggests that IDA maybe be a risk factor for FS and all children with FS require iron indices and iron supplementation.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an important etiological agent in community acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children aged 3 to 15 years. Mycoplasma pneumoniae may present with varied extra pulmonary manifestations. A 5 year old child presented with cough and fever and was initially managed as CAP due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Child continued to have fever spikes and worsening distress and developed pleural effusion. Mycoplasma immunoglobulin M (IgM) was raised and child was treated with azithromycin. After 10 days of admission, the child developed fissuring of lips and discoloration of extremities. Direct Coombs test, cold agglutination test, antinuclear antibody (ANA) and anticardiolipin antibody were positive.  Suspecting small vessel vasculitis, she was started on enoxaparin and aspirin and improved well. This case of CAP due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae is presented for the rare extrapulmonary manifestation of cutaneous vasculitis.

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