International Journal of Pediatrics最新文献

{"title":"Mechanical Ventilation and Survival Without Major Morbidity in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infants: A Multicenter Study.","authors":"Alberto Toso, Daniela Kuzmanic, Angelica Dominguez, Alvaro Gonzalez, Cecilia Herbozo, Pablo H Brener Dik, Luis A Ahumada, Alvaro Mendez, Claudia Aburto, Jose L Tapia","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/4067076","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/4067076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a frequent lifesaving therapy in very low birthweight (VLBW) infants, although it poses risks and may present complications.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the association between the use and duration of MV and survival without major morbidity (SWMM) in VLBW infants according to gestational age (GA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Multicenter retrospective study of prospectively collected data of premature infants weighing 500-1500 g and 24-30 weeks of GA, born between 2010 and 2019 at NEOCOSUR Neonatal Network centers. Baseline characteristics and neonatal outcomes were compared between ventilated and nonventilated VLBW infants. Stratification for each week of GA was performed. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for main outcomes by logistic regression, adjusted for birthweight, GA, sex, mode of delivery, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), antenatal corticosteroids, small for gestational age (SGA), and Apgar scores. Infants with congenital anomalies and those who died before discharge were excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 7040 infants were included in the analysis. Among these, 4993 (70.9%) were ventilated and 2047 (29.1%) were not. Nonventilated infants were larger, healthier at birth, and presented fewer major adverse outcomes (<i>p</i> < 0.001). SWMM in ventilated patients was 35.9%, compared with 73.4% in nonventilated infants (OR = 0.35; 95% CI: [0.31-0.40]). SWMM of ventilated infants remained lower at all GA intervals after risk adjustment. MV duration was also associated with a decrease in SWMM; each additional day of MV was associated with 7.9% lower odds of SWMM (OR = 0.921; 95% CI: [0.913-0.930]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The use and duration of MV were associated with a significant decrease in SWMM in this population of VLBW infants, despite risk adjustment.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4067076"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13669660/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149217284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neonatal Pain Assessment After Night Shifts in NICU Professionals: A Within-Subject Exploratory Eye-Tracking Study.","authors":"Philipp Deindl, Alexandra Luister, Eik Vettorazzi, Johannes Mader, Nadine Pointner, Philipp Steinbauer, Johanna Alexopolus, Michael Wagner, Angelika Berger, Dominique Singer, Vito Giordano","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/5596831","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/5596831","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Night-shift work may influence attention and emotion processing, potentially affecting clinical assessment. We investigated whether neonatal pain evaluation and associated visual-attentional and pupillary responses differed between rested and post-night-shift assessments in experienced NICU professionals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this prospective within-subject study, 20 NICU professionals evaluated 42 standardized video clips of term neonates exposed to nonnoxious, short noxious, or prolonged noxious stimuli. Participants were assessed after at least 1 day off work and within 2 h after completing one or more consecutive night shifts. Pain ratings, eye-tracking metrics, and pupil diameter were compared between conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall pain ratings did not differ significantly between rested and post-night-shift assessments (3.56 ± 0.69 vs. 3.61 ± 0.72; <i>p</i> = 0.643; Cohen's <i>d</i> = 0.11). Pupillary responses also showed no statistically significant differences. Exploratory eye-tracking analyses suggested reduced visual exploration after night-shift exposure, including fewer visits across several areas of interest and shorter fixation duration on the infant's body. These secondary analyses were unadjusted for multiple comparisons and should therefore be considered hypothesis-generating.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>No statistically significant differences in neonatal pain ratings or pupillary responses were detected following routine night-shift work, whereas exploratory eye-tracking measures suggested differences in visual-attentional patterns. Given the small, selected sample and exploratory design, these findings do not establish equivalent or preserved performance between conditions. Larger prospective studies incorporating objective sleep measures and clinically relevant outcomes are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5596831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13653265/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149171961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Functional Neurological Disorder Management in a Pediatric Hospital: A Retrospective Chart Review.","authors":"Mateya Rettig, Nicole Sweetland, Yanhao Shao, Laurie Thompson, Laurey Brown, Meredith Norwood","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/4549313","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/4549313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a complex, multinetwork brain disorder that is characterized by the presence of a broad range of neurological symptoms in the absence of neurological disease or damage. For pediatric patients requiring an in-patient stay, misdiagnosis, lack of provider consistency and diagnostic education, frequent testing and work-up, and invasive procedures are often reported. This review will characterize the population, identify current state for receiving diagnosis, detect variability in service delivery, and provide information to evaluate use of resources.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective chart review examined electronic medical records (EMRs) of 59 patients at a pediatric teaching hospital who were admitted following a visit to the emergency department. Records were compiled by the rehabilitation department with inclusion criteria as having a documented diagnosis of FND or as having a similar functional movement related diagnosis such as chorea, panic disorder, and psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES). Extracted data included the following: demographics, patient characteristics, admission characteristics and experience, and discharge recommendations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fifty-nine charts were initially reviewed with 57 meeting inclusion criteria. The subjects in this study had a mean age of 13.7 years (SD: 6.33) and 80.7% were female. The most commonly reported psychiatric diagnoses included anxiety (66.7%), ADHD (29.6%), and depression (22.2%). The most commonly reported FND symptoms at admission were weakness (47.4%), gait instability (28.1%), sensory disturbances (26.3%), and tremor (19.1%). Physical therapy consultations were the most frequently performed (66.7%), followed by occupational therapy (52.6%), psychiatry (38.6%), and psychology (5.3%). No interdisciplinary care conferences were performed. The mean length of stay was 5.13 days (SD: 4.45 days). Readmission rate after 30 days was 16.5%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This retrospective EMR review identifies opportunities to improve care for pediatric FND, including reducing unnecessary imaging, testing, and readmissions through strengthened provider, patient, and family education. Findings also highlight inconsistent referrals to physical therapy, occupational therapy, and mental health services. Addressing these gaps may enhance patient experience, support more coordinated interdisciplinary care, and reduce healthcare utilization for this under-recognized population.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"4549313"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13643820/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149139105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vacuum-Assisted Delivery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Admission: A Retrospective Case-Control Study at a Lebanese Hospital.","authors":"Maribelle Azar, Tara Chahwan, Souheil Hallit, Habib Barakat","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7350932","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/7350932","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery (VAVD) is a common obstetric intervention used to facilitate childbirth. In Lebanon, the practice remains inconsistently applied. Standardized national guidelines and their impact on neonatal outcomes, particularly neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions, remain insufficiently explored.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine the association between VAVD and NICU admission in a tertiary hospital in Lebanon.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective hospital-based case-control study was conducted between January 2021 and December 2023. Cases were defined as neonates admitted to the NICU after delivery, and controls as neonates not requiring NICU admission. Prior exposure (mode of delivery: VAVD vs. spontaneous vaginal delivery) and maternal, obstetric, and neonatal variables were compared between the two groups. All live-born neonates (<i>n</i> = 488), including both term and preterm infants, were screened. Data were extracted from medical records, and multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between VAVD and NICU admission.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>VAVD was not significantly associated with NICU admission (adjusted OR = 2.11; 95% CI: 1.00-4.49; <i>p</i> = 0.051).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this setting, VAVD was not associated with an increased likelihood of NICU admission. Strengthening guidelines and training for VAVD use may help optimize neonatal outcomes in Lebanon.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7350932"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602815/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149041934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of Maternal Self-Medication Practice for Children Under 5 Years of Age: A Community-Based Study in Dessie, Ethiopia.","authors":"Debrnesh Goshiye, Sisay Gedamu, Mitaw Girma, Mulusew Zeleke, Birhanu Goshiye","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/5464338","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/5464338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Self-medication and the irrational use of drugs are major public health concerns worldwide. The concept of self-medication involves the use of medicines for curative purposes without professional advice. This practice is more disastrous in children, where dosages vary with weight, age, or body surface area. This study is aimed at assessing the determinants of maternal self-medication practice in children under 5 years of age.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Dessie Town. A semistructured questionnaire was used to interview mothers of under-five children. Data entry was done using Epi Data 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Logistic regression was done to identify association between the dependent and independent variables.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The overall prevalence of maternal self-medication practice for under-five children was 78.0% (95% CI: 74.7%-81.3%). In the multivariable analysis, mothers with children aged older than 1 year (AOR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.31-5.72), mothers aged > 35 years (AOR = 8.78, 95% CI: 3.28-23.54), mothers with primary education (AOR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.07-8.05), student mothers (AOR = 6.52, 95% CI: 1.68-25.27), and mothers with poor knowledge (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.11-3.01) had significantly higher odds of practicing self-medication. Parity exhibited bidirectional associations: Having two children increased the odds of self-medication (AOR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.32-3.65), whereas having three or more children decreased the odds (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.16-0.74) relative to mothers with one child.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Maternal self-medication practice was high.. Hence, measures should be taken to improve mothers' knowledge, such as health education and awareness creation campaigns for mothers on the risks and potential consequences of self-medicating under-five children.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5464338"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602354/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149041915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology and Characterization of Immunological Disorders in Children Diagnosed With Pneumococcal Invasive Disease.","authors":"Chen Shahar, Gilat Livni, Nufar Marcus, Yehonatan Pasternak","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/9940233","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/9940233","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>A substantial proportion of children hospitalized with invasive pneumococcal infection are subjected to immune evaluations, to detect immunological disorders (ID). The literature lacks thorough analysis of the necessity and effectiveness of these evaluations for previously healthy children with such infections. We aimed to examine the occurrence and characteristics of ID in children hospitalized with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and to assess when immune investigations are most effective.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a retrospective study, we examined the immunological assessments and outcomes of children with IPD admitted during 2010-2023 to Schneider Children's Medical Center.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 219 children with IPD, 144 previously healthy patients were included, with a mean age of 2.2 years and an average hospital stay of 9 days. Immunological evaluations, defined as any immune-related assessment, were performed in 94 patients (65.3%) and were not uniform across the cohort. ID were identified in 15 of 144 children (10.4%), corresponding to 15 of 94 evaluated patients (15.9%). Functional hyposplenism was the most frequent finding. No clinical or laboratory features reliably distinguished those with ID.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Immunological evaluation should be considered in previously healthy children diagnosed with IPD. Functional hyposplenism should be considered when routine immunological evaluation is unrevealing; however, the role of universal spleen scintigraphy requires further prospective evaluation.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9940233"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13579101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148992549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Beyond the Cyclical Dynamics of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene With Coexisting Forms of Malnutrition Among Children Under 5 in Pakistan.","authors":"Bushra Ashar, Haji Abdul Rehman Akhter, F N U Sumia, Izzan Ahmed Usmani, Muhammad Hakim Khan, Kamil Ahmad Kamil, Asif Khaliq","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/6378814","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/6378814","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Coexisting forms of malnutrition (CFM) represent a critical global health priority, particularly among children under 5, owing to their severe consequences and elevated mortality risk compared to standalone forms of malnutrition. This study was aimed at assessing the relationship between household water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions and CFM among children under 5 years in Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Subjects and method: </strong>This cross-sectional study utilized data from the last two waves of the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) conducted in 2012-2013 and 2017-2018. From these datasets, data for a total of 6874 children aged between 0 and 59 months were included for analysis. Children who were non-de jure residents, deceased at the time of survey, or had missing or flagged anthropometric data (outliers) were excluded. The data was analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models. The four CFM outcomes examined were coexistence of underweight with wasting (CUW), coexistence of underweight with stunting (CUS), coexistence of underweight, wasting, and stunting (CUWS), and coexistence of stunting with overweight/obesity (CSO), each defined using WHO anthropometric cut-off values (<i>z</i>-score ≤ -2 SD for undernutrition indices and ≥ +2 SD for overweight/obesity).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Key findings revealed three distinct WASH-nutrition patterns. First, improved drinking water access was strongly associated with concurrent under- and overnutrition. CUW and CSO had lower odds by 85% and 59%, respectively. Second, infection prevention played a significant role. Children without diarrhea and fever in the last 14 days were associated with lower odds of CSO by 38%-45%, highlighting the protective role of infection prevention. Third, socioeconomic and maternal factors showed divergent effects. Children of highly educated mothers had 72% lower odds of CUS compared to uneducated mothers. Both maternal and paternal employment had a protective role in various forms of CFM. Additionally, children from the richest households demonstrated decreased odds of CUW (OR: 0.13, CI: 0.05-0.34) but increased odds of CSO (OR: 2.43, CI: 1.46-4.03), signifying a nutritional transition associated with affluence.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study is among the first to demonstrate that distinct WASH indicators differentially shape coexisting malnutrition patterns in Pakistani children under 5. Improved drinking water access mitigates concurrent undernutrition. Higher household wealth paradoxically elevates the risk of stunting-overweight coexistence, underscoring the dual burden of malnutrition in transitioning economies. These findings call for integrated WASH-nutrition policies with equity-sensitive approaches to accelerate Pakistan's progress toward SDGs 2 and 6.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"6378814"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13555817/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148920989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pediatric Hospital Care Research Priorities Within a Regional Whole-of-Life Health Service: Established Through Consumer and Healthcare Professional Collaboration.","authors":"Julie Creen, Breanna Medcalfe, Annelise Jefferies, Clare Thomas, Roni Cole","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7312620","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/7312620","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study is aimed at establishing the top research priorities in pediatric hospital care that are relevant and meaningful to local pediatric consumers and healthcare professionals to optimize local service outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study adopted a modified consensus-based research priority-setting design, utilizing James Lind Alliance (JLA) methodology led by a steering committee comprising consumers (parents, carers, and previous patients) and healthcare professionals. The study was conducted at a regional Australian tertiary hospital providing whole-of-life health services from April 2023 to June 2024. The six-stage study design consisted of (1) initiation, (2) consultation, (3) collation, (4) interim ranking, (5) final priority setting, and (6) dissemination.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Equal representation of consumers and healthcare professionals was achieved during the priority-setting processes, with active consumer partnership during research design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination phases. A total of 104 unique research submissions were generated through the harvesting survey (<i>n</i> = 104), and following screening and synthesis, 21 indicative research uncertainties were identified. Following interim prioritization (<i>n</i> = 110) and final refinement through a consensus workshop (<i>n</i> = 24), the Top 5 pediatric research priorities were established: reducing healthcare-related trauma, upscaling pediatric-centered support strategies and infrastructure, enhancing effective communication, enhancing adolescent and young adult services, and improving efficiency and care as children move through a whole-of-life health service.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These research priorities align with those of other international pediatric healthcare services while highlighting unique local contextual differences. Notably, reducing trauma associated with healthcare experiences emerged as a central priority. Our modified JLA approach appears to be an effective framework for engaging research end-users in establishing relevant and meaningful research priorities tailored to local health-service needs. Future initiatives should continue to ensure consumers are active coinvestigators to ensure outcomes remain patient-centered and community-focused.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7312620"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13525326/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148857966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular Characterization of Rotavirus From Under-Five Children Presenting With Diarrhea at a Tertiary Hospital in Northeast Nigeria.","authors":"Kellu Bukar Ali, Yahaya Yaqub, Mairo Usman Kadaura, Yakubu Mohammed Yakubu, Batula Bishara Daggash, Aishatu Baba Shettima, Nasir Garba Zango, Mohammad Ibrahim Dauda, Zainab Rabilu Daninna, Mohammed Yahaya, Galadima Bala Gadzama, Sambo Bello Zailani","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7023953","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/7023953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Diarrhea is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries. Rotavirus is a significant cause of acute watery diarrhea in children under 5 years of age, which can be fatal. This study is aimed at investigating the prevalence of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children and characterizing the prevalent circulating genotypes.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 173 children under the age of 5 years who presented with acute diarrhea lasting less than 2 weeks at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital between 2017 and 2018. Stool samples were collected and screened for rotavirus antigen using the lateral flow immunochromatographic method. Stool samples that screened positive were further investigated for VP7 (i.e., G type) and VP4 (i.e., P type) rotavirus genotypes using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence was determined to be 28% by the immunochromatographic method and 14.5% by RT-PCR (<i>N</i> = 173). The identified G types included G1, G2, G1G2, G9, G12, and G NT (G nontypeable), whereas the P types identified were P4, P6, and P8. The most frequently observed rotavirus genotype combination was G9P[6] 7 (28%), while mixed genotype infection with unusual strain G1G2P[4, 6, 8] 1 (4%) was also detected.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study reported a high prevalence of RVGE in the northeast region of Nigeria. As the current ROTAVAC in use in routine immunization in Nigeria comes to its third year, it is necessary to evaluate the vaccine efficacy so as to reduce the deaths associated with RVGE in Nigeria.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7023953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13492053/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148801290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cognitive Effects of Prenatal Exposure to SSRIs in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Fatima Shafiya Ali, Huda Fatima, Zainab Jasim Alqurain, Aroob Abdullah Takruni, Sana Hashim, Aya Sami Dahroug, Husna Irfan Thalib, Shyma Haidar, Mable Pereira","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7930070","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/7930070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Depression and anxiety occur in about 10% of pregnancies. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often prescribed, but their potential effects on fetal neurodevelopment remain uncertain. Because serotonin influences brain maturation, prenatal SSRI exposure may affect later cognition, language, or motor function.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether prenatal SSRI exposure is associated with differences in child cognitive, language, or psychomotor development. PubMed and Scopus were searched through June 2025 for cohort, case-control, or randomized studies reporting standardized neurodevelopmental outcomes in children (0-18 years) with documented in utero SSRI exposure compared with unexposed controls. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed bias (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale; RoB-2). Random-effects meta-analyses estimated standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 250 records identified, 17 studies met inclusion criteria, and 9 contributed to meta-analysis. For general cognition, pooled SMD = -0.20 (95% CI -0.50 to 0.10) showed no significant difference between groups. Sensitivity analyses restricted to SSRI-only cohorts and Bayley-specific instruments yielded similar findings. Secondary outcomes also showed no differences: receptive language (SMD = 0.04; 95% CI -0.16 to 0.23), expressive language (SMD = -0.17; 95% CI -0.40 to 0.06), and psychomotor development (SMD = -0.18; 95% CI -0.67 to 0.31).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Current evidence does not support a clinically meaningful impact of prenatal SSRI exposure on early cognitive, language, or psychomotor development. Observed effects were small, imprecise, and diminished when analyses were limited to SSRI-only cohorts and harmonized outcome measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7930070"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13455118/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148708545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}