The relationship between maternal opiate use, amphetamine use and smoking on fetal growth.

Background: Opiate and amphetamine use during pregnancy is frequently associated with cigarette smoking. The negative effects on fetal growth from nicotine combined with opiates or amphetamines during pregnancy are not well documented.

Aims: To investigate the relationship between maternal opiate or amphetamine use and smoking on fetal growth.

Perinatal risk factors for the neonatal abstinence syndrome in infants born to women on methadone maintenance therapy.

Background: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) occurs in more than 50% of infants exposed to intrauterine opiates. Maternal opiate dosing has been investigated with conflicting results.

Aims: The aims of this study were to correlate maternal methadone dose and other risk factors with the development of NAS requiring pharmacological treatment by using easily accessible clinical parameters.

Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in methadone-maintained mothers and their infants.

Objective: To describe the patterns of screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in methadone-maintained pregnant women and their infants.

Design, Setting And Patients: Retrospective review of medical records from one rural and two metropolitan hospitals in New South Wales for pregnant women on methadone maintenance treatment and infants born to these women between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2006, as well as records for pregnant women who were not on methadone treatment.

Main Outcome Measures: Rates of anti-HCV antibody and HCV RNA testing for pregnant women and their infants, and ages at which infants attended follow-up appointments.

Pregnancy and neonatal characteristics of opioid-dependent Indigenous Australians: a rural and metropolitan comparison.

Aims: To identify maternal, obstetric and neonatal characteristics of opioid-dependent Indigenous Australians in rural and metropolitan settings.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 232 metropolitan and 67 rural infants born to mothers maintained on methadone throughout pregnancy for the treatment of opiate dependency, between January 2000 and December 2006. Medical records of identified mother/infant dyads were reviewed by evaluating 20 different maternal, obstetric and neonatal parameters.

Regional changes in bone mineral density following spinal cord injury in children.

Objective: To document the serial changes in bone mineral density (BMD) following paediatric spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Paediatric tertiary care hospital.

Sleep disturbances in the disabled child--a case report and literature review.

Sleep disturbances in children are common. In children with intellectual disabilities sleeping problems are more common. This may result in increased burden of illness, additional parental stress, and day time behavioural difficulties.

Chronic gingivitis in a new BTK mutation.

A 5-yr-old Caucasian boy with a new mutation in Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is described. Full sequencing of the BTK gene revealed a point mutation in exon 17 resulting in an amino acid change from tryptophan to serine at location 581 of the tyrosine kinase domain. Clinically the child presented with chronic gingivitis and had no prior history of bacterial infections.