Parenting challenges of grandparents raising grandchildren: Discipline, child education, technology use, and outdated health beliefs

BACKGROUND: As of 2015, approximately three million children in the United States were being raised primarily by their grandparents. This study aims to examine, in a large national sample, to what extent grandparents raising grandchildren (GRGs) have difficulty with discipline and meeting their grandchild’s educational and social needs, find computers/other technology challenging, and subscribe to outdated health beliefs. METHODS: An anonymous online parenting questionnaire was administered to GRGs recruited through state and local grandparent support groups and elderly service agencies. RESULTS: 733 grandparents that self-identified as the primary caregiver of one or more grandchildren met inclusion criteria. 56.5% of GRGs reported difficulties with discipline, and 19.1% believed corporal punishment to be an appropriate method of discipline. Approximately a third of GRGs reported difficulties with their grandchild’s education, social and recreational activities. Nearly a third of GRGs did not find using their grandchild’s school website or portal to be easy; those who had difficulty were more likely to experience difficulties registering their grandchild for school (τ = -.127, p = .007) and were less likely to feel that teachers maintained adequate contact (τ = .242, p \u3c .001). A large percentage of GRGs subscribed to outdated health beliefs, such as scrapes healing better if they are not covered with a bandage (64.0%) and ice baths beingan appropriate treatment for a fever (39.8%). CONCLUSION: GRGs encounter significant parenting challenges, owing to generational differences. Healthcare providers and other professionals should provide GRGs with anticipatory guidance to ensure grandchildren’s needs are properly met

Antibiotic use in post-adenotonsillectomy morbidity: a randomized prospective study

A tonsilectomia, associada ou não à adenoidectomia, continua a ser um dos procedimentos cirúrgicos mais realizados mundialmente, incidindo principalmente sobre a população pediátrica. OBJETIVO: Investigar o impacto do uso da amoxacilina por 7 dias na recuperação pós adenoamigdalectomia, comparando os resultados com um grupo controle. Tipo de Estudo: Estudo prospectivo randomizado controlado com 120 pacientes. PACIENTES E MÉTODO: Os pacientes foram randomizados ao tempo da cirurgia para receber um curso de 7 dias de amoxacilina associada a analgésicos ou apenas analgésicos. Durante a primeira semana de pós-operatório foram avaliados o grau de dor, aceitação da via oral, náuseas e vômitos, febre e retorno às atividades. RESULTADOS: Somente no 4º pós-operatório o grupo recebendo antibiótico teve uma diferença estatística significante no grau de dor. Não houve diferença entre os dois grupos para outros dados analisados. CONCLUSÃO: Considerando os resultados do nosso estudo e revisando a literatura sobre o uso de antibióticos, nós concordamos que não há nenhuma melhora na recuperação dos pacientes submetidos à adenoamigdalectomia após o uso de amoxicilina por 7 dias.Tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy still is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the world, mostly in the pediatric population. AIM: to study the impact of amoxicillin for 7 days in post-adenotonsillectomy recovery, comparing results with a control group. Study type: prospective, randomized, controlled study with 120 patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: the patients were randomized according to surgery time to receive 7 days of amoxicillin associated with pain killers, or analgesic alone. During the first week of postoperative, we assessed the level of pain, oral intake acceptance, nausea and vomits, fever and return to daily activities. RESULTS: It was only in the fourth post-operative day that the group receiving antibiotic agents showed a statistically significant difference as far as pain is concerned. There was no difference between the two groups for other data analyzed. CONCLUSION: considering the results from our study and reviewing the literature on the use of antibiotic agents, we agree that there is no improvement in patient recovery after adenotonsillectomy with the use of amoxicillin for 7 days in the postoperative

Keratinocyte Carcinoma Chemoprevention With a Combination of Imiquimod, 5-Fluorouracil, and Tretinoin

BACKGROUNDThe incidence of keratinocyte carcinomas (KCs), comprising basal and squamous cell carcinomas, is rising in the United States. Chemoprevention is one modality by which patients can reduce the incidence of KCs. METHODSWe performed a retrospective review of 327 patients who employed a combination of imiquimod 5% cream, 5-fluorouracil 2% solution, and tretinoin 0.1% cream in a field therapy regimen over the face/ears or scalp for chemoprevention. RESULTSPatients had dramatically lower odds of having KCs in the treatment location (face/ears or scalp) in the one-year period after field treatment than in the one-year period preceding field treatment (OR=0.06, 95% CI: [0.02, 0.15]). Patients were also at lower odds of having KCs in non-treated areas the year after field treatment than in the year preceding it (OR=0.25, 95% CI: [0.14, 0.42]). Additionally, fewer cryotherapy sessions were performed for actinic keratoses in the treatment areas in the year after treatment (mean=1.5, SD=1.21) than the year preceding treatment (mean=2.3, SD=0.99; t=11.68, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONSA combination of imiquimod 5% cream, 5-fluorouracil 2% solution, and tretinoin 0.1% cream were effective at reducing the incidence of new KCs for at least one year. Individualized treatment application frequency allowed for increased patient adherence. Prospective studies evaluating combination topical treatments for chemoprevention of KCs are needed to further assess the treatment effects found in this study. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(5): doi:10.36849/JDD.7334

Modified Citrus Pectin Treatment in Non-Metastatic Biochemically Relapsed Prostate Cancer: Results of a Prospective Phase II Study

Optimal therapy of biochemically relapsed prostate cancer (BRPC) after local treatment is elusive. An established modified citrus pectin (PectaSol&reg;, P-MCP), a dietary polysaccharide, is an established antagonist of galectin-3, a carbohydrate-binding protein involved in cancer pathogenesis. Based on PSA dynamics, we report on the safety and the primary outcome analysis of a prospective phase II study of P-MCP in non-metastatic BRPC based. Sixty patients were enrolled, and one patient withdrew after a month. Patients (n = 59) were given P-MCP, 4.8 grams X 3/day, for six months. The primary endpoint was the rate without PSA progression and improved PSA doubling time (PSADT). Secondary endpoints were the rate without radiologic progression and toxicity. Patients that did not progress by PSA and radiologically at six months continued for an additional twelve months. After six months, 78% (n = 46) responded to therapy, with a decreased/stable PSA in 58% (n = 34), or improvement of PSADT in 75% (n = 44), and with negative scans, and entered the second twelve months treatment phase. Median PSADT improved significantly (p = 0.003). Disease progression during the first 6 months was noted in only 22% (n = 13), with PSA progression in 17% (n = 10), and PSA and radiologic progression in 5% (n = 3). No patients developed grade 3 or 4 toxicity