African Journals OnLine
Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics

Vol 28 No 1 January 2001
Abstracts

Akani NA, Nkanginieme KEO, Oruamabo RS. The School Health Programme : A Situational Revisit. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 2001; 28:1. 

School Health Programme (SHP) refers to all the aspects of the total school programme which contribute to the understanding, maintenance and improvement of the health of the population, i.e. school children and staff. It consists of three main areas namely: school health services, school health instruction and healthful school environment. This programme should be an important component of both medical and teacher education curricula. This communication seeks to sensitize practising physicians, medical educators, medical students as well as trainee and practising teachers at all levels, to their roles in the SHP, by exploring the historical background of SHP, outlining the roles of the physician and schoolteacher in suggesting some interventions towards improvement.


Ikeh EI, Okwudili PE, Agina ES, Odumodu CU. Micro-organisms Associated with Locally Available Infant Weaning Foods in Jos and Environs Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 2001; 28:7.

A study was carried out to ascertain the micro-organisms associated with the local cereal-based infant weaning foods in Jos, Nigeria. These weaning foods include fresh cow milk and pap, which is made from different types of cereals. The sampled weaning foods included maize and sugar; maize, sugar and milk; soyabeans, maize and groundnut; soyabeans, maize, groundnut, egg and banana; guinea-corn and sugar; and millet and sugar. Sixteen micro-organisms were isolated consisting of Bacillus species, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus viridans, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Klebsiella species, Citrobacter species, Escherichia coli, Actinomycetes species, Neurospora sitophila, Rhizopus species, Fusarium species, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus tamarii. The average microbial load in the sampled weaning foods ranged from 4.9x106 to 7.3 x 106 cfu/ml. A few of the micro-organisms are pathogenic, while most of them can cause food spoilage which may result in weaning diarrhoea. All the types of food had equal chances of being contaminated by any of the micro-organisms (P>0.05). Also the practice of cooking the pap further to about 95oC for 5 minutes prior to serving can significantly reduce the microbial load. The practice of storing large quantities of prepared food for more than 6 hours at room temperature is detrimental to the quality of the food. The environment may also contribute to the incidence of weaning diarrhoea as the average microbial load in the foods from the rural areas was higher than those from urban areas. In order to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with weaning diarrhoea, efforts should be made to reduce or possibly prevent microbial contamination of prepared local weaning foods.

Udoma EJ, Udo JJ, Etuk SJ, Duke ES. Morbidity and Mortality among Infants with Normal Birth Weight in a New Born Baby Unit. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 2001; 28:13. 

A prospective study of all newborn infants with normal birthweight admitted to the newborn unit, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar from April 1996 to March 1998, was carried out. The aims were to determine the causes of morbidity and mortality among these neonates as well as relate these to the place of delivery. Of the 286 babies admitted to the unit during this period, the major causes of morbidity were septicaemia in 35.9 percent, neonatal jaundice in 19 percent, tetanus in 13 percent and birth asphyxia in 10.9 percent. There were 52 deaths, an overall mortality of 18 percent. Neonatal tetanus was the leading cause of death in this series accounting for 42.3 percent of the deaths and a case fatality rate of 59.5 percent. Other causes were birth asphyxia, septicaemia, neonatal jaundice and congenital abnormalities. Most of the morbidity and mortality were in babies delivered in religious buildings and the homes of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Health education and other strategies aimed at changing the attitude of our TBAs and spiritualists towards utilization of sterile procedures, immunization services and prompt referral of complicated obstetric cases to where modern health care facilities exist, are recommended.


Jobran Al Qhtani, Abdulla A Al Harthi, Yousef Fatinni, Ahmed Al Barki, Sulaiman Al-Fifi, Asindi A Asindi, Saad Al Daama. Nifedipine-induced Hyperglycaemia in an Infant: Case Report. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 2001;28:18. 

This case report describes reversible hyperglycaemia in a severely ill six-month old Saudi boy treated with nifedipine for hypertension. Hyperglycaemia became manifest on the second day of treatment with nifedipine and was not dose-related. Following discontinuation of the drug, the patient rapidly became euglycaemic. It is concluded that the hyperglycaemia was induced by nifedipine. This side effect of nifedipine has been reported in adults but the present case would appear to be the first of a similar report in a child. We suggest that dehydration due to hyperglycaemia-induced osmotic diuresis can constitute a risk to small infants on nifedipine, hence it should be used with caution on outpatient basis


Ajayi OA, Mokuolu OA. Distal Renal Tubular Acidosis, an Uncommonly diagnosed Cause of Failure to Thrive: Report of Five Cases. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics 2001; 28:21. 

Five cases of distal renal tubular acidosis aged between 2½ weeks and 2½ months are described. The presenting features included lethargy, refusal to feed, high density of periodic respiration, vomiting and recurrent episodes of unexplained metabolic acidosis. A constant feature was failure to thrive despite caloric intakes in excess of normal requirements. The diagnosis of distal renal tubular acidosis (DRTA) was based on a urine pH>5.5 in a freshly voided urine despite concurrent or induced metabolic acidosis. All the babies responded dramatically to sodium bicarbonate supplement, as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda. The need for increased index of suspicion of DRTA in the evaluation of children in early infancy for failure to thrive and the simplicity of treatment using baking soda is discussed.