Background: Children are curious and explore their world with all their senses. As a result, surroundings can be a dangerous place when poisonous substances are inadvertently ingested - every year millions of calls are made to poison control centres when this happens and thousands of children are admitted to emergency departments. Poisoning patterns change according to age group, the nature and dose of the poison, type of exposure. This study is aimed at understanding the incidence, aetiology and manner of poisoning, outcome among children less than 18 years admitted to Paediatric department KIMS.Methods: Prospectively, 38 poisoning cases admitted to Paediatric intensive care, KIMS Bangalore from August 2015 to July 2016 were included in this study. The age and sex of the patient, poisoning agent, manner of poisoning, duration of hospital stay and outcome of all the patients were recorded and analysed.Results: Out of 38, 16 (42%) are males, 22 (58%) are females. 13 (34%) cases are <5years of age, 2(5%) cases are between 5-10 year, 23 (61%) cases are above 10 years. Among all, 13 (34%) cases of drugs consumption, among these 11 cases were above 10 years representing purposeful consumption. 5 (13%) cases of kerosene consumption. Out 4 (11%) cases of Organophosphorous poison, 3 cases are above 10 years representing purposeful consumption. 4 (10%) cases of acid consumption. 4 (11%) cases of aluminium phosphide poisoning. 3 (8%) cases of Good night oil consumption. 2 (5%)cases of eucalyptus oil consumption. 3(8%) cases of camphor poisoning. 2 (5%) cases died due to aluminium phosphide poisoning. Duration of hospital stay varied from 1 day to 6 days. Conclusions: Accidental poisoning is common in children below 5 years of age. Suicidal poison incidence is increasing among teenagers either due to exam stress or peer pressure. Accidental poisoning can be reduced by simple measures like parental education, replacing the poisoning agent with one of lower toxicity, legislation regarding the child resistant packaging of necessary poisons.

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.

IntroductionObesity and overweight are strong potentially modifiable risk factors for postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancer. Bariatric surgery can achieve considerable weight loss and risk reduction of weight-related cancer but is unlikely to be a feasible cancer prevention strategy. Total diet replacement (TDR) can also lead to significant weight reduction. This study aims to examine the cellular and molecular changes in breast and endometrial tissue in high-risk women following TDR-induced weight loss, as well as longer-term adherence to a 12-month TDR weight loss intervention.Methods and analysisPROBE-TDR (PRevention Of Breast and Endometrial cancer using Total Diet Replacement) is a prospective, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial of 47 women at increased risk of breast and/or endometrial cancer. Randomisation is 2:1 to either an immediate 12-month TDR weight loss programme (n=31) or delayed dietary intervention (control) (n=16). The TDR programme includes an initial 12-week period of TDR (850 kcal/day) followed by a 40-week food-based diet, based on the nutritional principles of a Mediterranean diet, as either continued weight loss (~1500 kcal/day) or weight loss maintenance (~2000 kcal/day). Menstrual phase-matched biopsies of the breast and endometrium will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the 12-week TDR in the immediate diet group, compared with women randomised to the control group following their usual diet. The trial will also assess longer-term adherence and weight loss success across the 12-month programme in both the immediate and control groups.Ethics and disseminationApproval for this study has been obtained from the Health Research Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (approval 20/NW/0095). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and shared with trial participants.Trial registration numberInternational Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Registry (ISRCTN15358157).

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: 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.