A rare cause of emergency department visit: Euphorbia helioscopia contact dermatitis

AbstractEmergency department visits due to dermatologic disease is quite rare. Euphorbia helioscopia is a widely distributed plant in rural areas. E. helioscopia related contact dermatitis (Irritant contact dermatitis or allergic contact dermatitis) are known however only a few case reported in literature. We are reporting on three patients with contact dermatitis from E. helioscopia. Irritant contact dermatitis was occurred only one of these cases. This case refused to wash face with water. We recommend washing the face with water after contact with E. helioscopia

How safe are children's shampoos?

Shampoos are daily care products designed to clean the hair and scalp. The aim of this study was to compare the contents of baby and newborn shampoos sold in supermarkets and pharmacies, determine the levels of substances reported to be dangerous to babies and newborns health in these shampoos. This cross-sectional study included 18 newborn and baby shampoos that families could buy at supermarkets and pharmacies in Turkey. For newborn and baby shampoos, the number of preservative substances have been determined. A total of 68 chemicals was found in these 18 shampoos, with an average of 14.83 ± 2.43 chemicals in each shampoo. Most of these chemicals were not recommended for use in children. Shampoos that contain numerous chemicals and substances confirmed to be harmful or have suspicious effects should not be recommended. It is clear that more studies are needed in this under-researched area. [Med-Science 2021; 10(2.000): 334-7

An overview of the health status of Syrian refugee children in a tertiary hospital in Turkey

Objective: Migration is a problem affecting all family members, but particularly children. Child refugees are the highest risk group for the health systems of receiving countries. We investigated the health of 104 Syrian child refugees presenting to a tertiary hospital in Turkey. Settings and Design: A retrospective study was conducted in the pediatric clinic. Materials and Methods: The medical files of Syrian refugee children (0–18 years) presenting to Adiyaman University Hospital, Pediatric Clinic between 01 and 30 November 2015, were investigated. Demographic data, body measurements, and laboratory results obtained from patients' medical records were evaluated. Results: Mean age of patients was 53.5 ± 49.6 (2–198) months; 63 were male and 41 were female. Seventy-two patients (69.2%) were under 5 years of age. Weight in 20 patients (19.2%), height in 33 (31.7%), head circumference in 2 (1.9%), and body mass index in 7 (6.7%) were below the third percentile. All patients with body weight below the third percentile had chronic malnutrition. Anemia was present in 35 (50%) of the 70 patients for whom complete blood count data were available. Conclusion: Health workers involved with Syrian refugee children must consider the two preventable conditions; malnutrition and anemia

Childhood horse and donkey bites; a single tertiary health center experience in a rural area

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of patients presenting to a pediatric emergency department in a rural province of Turkey due to horse and donkey bites and to analyze whether these features differ from those of more common animal bites in rural areas. Materials and Methods: The records of patients presenting to the pediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital due to horse and donkey bites over a 3-year period were examined retrospectively. Demographic data, month of presentation, animal species involved (horse or donkey), the body area bitten, treatment applied to the wound site, whether tetanus and rabies vaccinations were administered, and whether or not antibiotics were prescribed on discharge from the emergency department were recorded from these files. Results: The annual incidence of horse and donkey bites was determined as 7.8/100,000. Thirty-six patients, 24 (66.7%) boys and 12 (33.3%) girls, with a mean age of 95.6 ± 33.9 (48–190) months, were included in the study. Twenty-six patients (72.2%) were bitten by donkeys, and 10 (27.8%) by horses. Bites were most common in September (30.6%). The most commonly bitten areas were the back and/or upper extremities. Rabies vaccination was administered in all cases. Amoxicillin–clavulanic acid was prescribed in 28 (77.8%) cases. Conclusion: Horse and donkey bites are frequently observed in rural areas. The inhabitants of such areas should therefore be educated concerning horse and donkey bites. Health workers encountering such bites should behave in the same way as in more common animal bites in terms of patient management. Our results will be instructive for other developing countries similar to Turkey

The status of drug wastage in the pediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate surplus drugs left over from medications used via the intravenous and intramuscular routes in a pediatric emergency unit of a tertiary hospital in Turkey and to determine the financial burden imposed by drug wastage. Materials and Methods: The study was planned prospectively on patients presenting to the pediatric emergency department of a tertiary university hospital between January 1 and April 30, 2017, on weekdays and between 08:00 and 16:00, for any reason, and receiving intravenous and/or intramuscular drug administration resulting in drug wastage after treatment. Results: The number of patients enrolled in the clinical trial was 1620 (35.9%). Twenty-one different medications were administered via the intravenous or intramuscular (IM) routes during the study. The proportion of total medication wastage at the end of trial was estimated to be 0.425. The drug with the highest proportion of mean wastage to drug form was paracetamol (1000mg vial) at 0.79. The total cost of the drugs used for the patients in the study was US$580.98, and the overall burden of drug wastage was US$288.09. The three medications involving the highest wastage costs were methylprednisolone, ondansetron, and dexamethasone. The total wastage cost/total drug cost ratio was 0.495. Conclusion: If commercial drugs with intravenous and IM formulations are used by the pediatric age group, then dosage formulations appropriate for pediatric age group use also need to be produced. The development by manufacturers of ampoules and similar products suitable for multiple use will also reduce drug wastage. Reducing levels of drug wastage will inevitably reduce the drug expenditure

The role of social support on the relationships between internet use and sleep problems in adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentre study

BackgroundThis study examines the frequency of problematic internet use and sleep problems in adolescents aged 14-18 years during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies the impact of factors such as sociodemographic characteristics, internet habits, changes in daily life, and perceived social support on these problems. MethodsThis multicentre study was a questionnaire-based online survey study. The questionnaire included the Young Internet Addiction Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, as well as questions about demographic information, internet habits, and changes in daily life during pandemic. Several multivariate Backward logistic regression models were run to determine the variables that predicted problematic internet use and poor sleep quality. ResultsIt was determined that the frequency of problematic internet use was 15.5%, and the frequency of poor sleep quality was 47.8%. Poor sleep quality was found 2.5 times higher in problematic internet users. The perceived social support was found insufficient in adolescents with problematic internet use and poor sleep quality. Various factors such as the excessive use of internet and social media, low school success, lack of physical activity, lack of rules for internet use at home, and worsening of relationships with parents were found to be predictive factors for these problems. ConclusionsProblematic internet use during the pandemic is associated with worsening sleep quality in adolescents. It is important to create special interventions for problematic internet use and sleep problems that develop in adolescents as a result of restrictions during the pandemic

Young children's sleep patterns and problems in paediatric primary healthcare settings: a multicentre cross-sectional study from a nationally representative sample

Studies describing paediatric sleep patterns are needed by taking culture into consideration. The aim of this study was to identify parent-reported sleep-wake patterns in young children and explore possible factors influencing sleep problems. The mothers of 2,434 young children enrolled from well-child outpatient clinics in Turkey completed an online survey including sociodemographic variables, Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Generalised Anxiety Disorder scales. Overall, young children in Turkey go to bed late (10:00 p.m.), awaken twice per night for 30 min, and obtain 11.5 h of total sleep, showing no sex-specific differences. Distinct night-time sleep patterns emerged after 18 months of age. Importantly, although currently breastfed healthy children were 3.8-times less likely to sleep through the night, total sleep duration and exclusive breastfeeding duration were higher in children who were not sleeping through the night. Overall, bedsharing was identified in 11.5%, and only room sharing was reported in 52.9%. Parental perception of a child's sleep as problematic was 35.8%. Mothers with higher educational attainment were more likely to perceive their children's sleep as a problem. Maternal depressive and anxious symptoms and a history of excessive infant crying were the determinants predicting the likelihood of both parent-perceived sleep problems and poor sleepers. The present analysis of sleep structure in infancy and toddlerhood provides reference data for well-child visits. These findings highlight the importance of considering maternal anxiety, depression and behaviour management techniques to cope with fussy infants in addressing childhood behavioural sleep problems