[Cerebellar injury in premature infants less than 30 weeks of gestation].

Unlabelled: Traditionally, the cerebellum has been regarded as a central component of the motor system. Recent studies suggest an important role played by the cerebellum in the development of cognitive and social functions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of cerebellar injury and to define the obstetrical, neonatal, and radiologic characteristics, as well as the functional outcomes in a population of very preterm infants.

[Acute asthmatic crisis in children].

Acute asthma attack in children is an attack responsible for life-threatening acute respiratory distress with partial or no response to bronchodilator drugs. The severity of the episode needs to be quickly evaluated. This presupposes a perfect knowledge of the clinical signs of severity.

[Respiratory allergy in children and passive smoking].

Environmental tobacco smoke interacts with the respiratory mucosa by irritation and/or inflammation. Environmental tobacco smoke seems also modulate humoral and cellular immune activity. Thus, environmental tobacco smoke, in all children, increases the risk of superior and inferior airway infections, modifies the growth and the natural evolution of the respiratory function, increases the occurrence of asthma and exacerbates the symptoms of asthma, and creates or exacerbates a bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

[Ontogeny of the immune system].

The newborn immune system differs quantitatively and functionally from adults. At birth, the immune system is partially immature, resulting in deficiency in cell-mediated cytolysis, immunoglobulin synthesis and cytokine production. The most clearly defined deficit in neonatal phagocytosis defenses is diminished neutrophil storage.