Background: This study is conducted at Mahatma Gandhi memorial hospital, Trichy gains significance as there hasn‘t been any of its kind prior to this among children and in this geographical area. Aim and objectives of the study were to study the clinical profile of children presenting with febrile thrombocytopenia and possible etiology. The study correlates clinical features with the laboratory parameters and assessing the complications associated with fever and thrombocytopenia.Methods: Prospective, descriptive study consist of 200 children aged 1 months to 12 years admitted with fever and thrombocytopenia as inpatients in the paediatric wards at Mahatma Gandhi memorial government hospital, Trichy during July 2017 to June 2018. Inclusion criteria included children aged 1 month to 12 years admitted in paediatric wards of MGM GH, Trichy, exclusion criteria excluded neonates <1 month and children >12 years, patients presenting with thrombocytopenia without fever, ITP, platelet dysfunction disorders, malignancy, patients on chemotherapy and immunosuppressive agents and on drugs causing thrombocytopenia. Results: Dengue was the most common cause of febrile thrombocytopenia in our region accounting for 56% of cases, this is followed by enteric fever in 17%, undifferentiated fever in 16.5%, sepsis in 6.5%, scrub typhus in 3.5% and malaria in 0.5%. 5% of children with febrile thrombocytopenia were given platelet transfusion. 95% (n=190) of the children with febrile thrombocytopenia improved and were discharged. 1% (n=2) left against medical advice. The mortality rate in the study is 4% (n=8).Conclusions: The risk of bleeding increases as the platelet count decreases. The mortality is not related to the severity of thrombocytopenia.

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AIM:To study the various demographic factors affecting breastfeeding practices and the nutritional outcome of children who were exclusively breastfed and the nutritional status who were not exclusively breastfed. METHODS: Cross sectional descriptive study of children less than 2 years in Anganwadi in and around MGM Hospital Trichy city. RESULTS: Percentage of mothers who initiated breastfeeding in less than 1 hour was 58.52% as against the Nations rate which is 23.4%, however the rate of breastfeeding more than 6 months at Nations level is 56.7% which almost close to the result obtained in this study. CONCLUSION: This study showed that maternal nutritional status and socioeconomic status remained positively associated with breastfeeding suggesting social policies affecting maternal nutrition and interventions to overall improve the better living of people which would have long lasting effect in nutritional outcome of babies. KEYWORDS: Exclusive breastfeeding, socioeconomic factors, nutritional outcome and demographic factors. INTRODUCTION:Breast milk is a "LIVE" fluid. It contains all the nutritional requirements and antiinfective properties. Human milk satisfies all the nutritional demands of an infant for the first 6 months of life. It is easily digestible and promotes skin to skin contact which strengthens emotional bond between mother and baby. Colustrum in long term prevents atherosclerosis, hypertension, obesity, allergy and facilitates immunity.WHO along with UNICEF recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age and continued breastfeeding with complementary feeds until 2 years of age (WHO Geneva 2001). Hence the Government of India incorporated The Infant and Young Child feeding guidelines in IMNCI. 1 Its aim is to increase rate of initiation of breastfeeding within 1 hr. from existing 15.8% to 50% and also to increase exclusive breastfeeding rate in the first 6 months from the existing level of around 41% to 80% as stated by Apurba Sinhababu and Dipta et al in their study. 2 Therefore in order to promote breast feeding, authorities are called for behavior change communication through trained women for breastfeeding support would promote breastfeeding and allay myths. Intersectoral planning between the ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Women and Child Development and Food and Nutrition Department, is essential to promote breastfeeding along with ground level activities by Anganwadi workers.

Background: The aim of the study was to find out the neurodevelopmental outcome of babies with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy at 6 months of age and to predict early markers of abnormal neurological outcome in those babies.Methods: 50 babies admitted with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy were enrolled in this prospective study and followed up at 3 and 6 months of age at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Trichy. The neurological outcome of the babies was assessed by CDC grading of motor milestones, Trivandrum development screening chart, Amiel Tison angles head circumference and weight measured. USG cranium was done for all the babies and MRI brain was done in babies with abnormal neuro sonogram and abnormal outcome. Vision and hearing were tested clinically.Results: The incidence of abnormal neurological outcome was 14%. The early markers predicting abnormal neurological sequele are identified.Conclusions: Early identification of abnormal neuro behaviour helps in starting early intervention to improve the long term outcome.

Background: In obstetric practice, 34 completed weeks is considered as maturational milestone for the fetus. Despite relatively large size and apparent functional maturity, late preterm infants are at increased risk for neonatal morbidity compared with full term infants. Aim of the study was to study the incidence of late preterm births in a tertiary care hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu and to study the pattern of neonatal morbidities in late preterm infants and to compare it with term infants.Methods: Hospital based prospective study was conducted from April 2019 to March 2020. Total 470 late preterm infants were included in our study. All infants enrolled in the study were followed up daily till discharge and after discharge, all infants were than reviewed at 15 and 28 days in a well-baby clinic.Results: There were a total of 1941 live births during the study period. Of these, 470 (24.2%) were late preterm and 1263 (65%) were term births. Late preterm infants accounted for 71.1% of preterm birth. Late preterm infants were at significantly higher risk for overall morbidity due to any cause, respiratory 22.1%, neonatal jaundice 62%, sepsis 4%, hypoglycemia 8.9%, hospital readmission 8.1%. 63% of late preterm infants were readmitted for jaundice.Conclusions: The incidence of late preterm birth was 24%. Late preterm infants had a higher incidence of jaundice, sepsis and respiratory morbidities. Late preterm infants had a longer hospital stay. They were also more likely to get readmitted in the hospital when compared to term infants.