The poor children of the poor: Coping with diabetes control in a resource-poor setting.

Background: Coping with diabetes control is difficult for newly diagnosed and experienced patients alike. Children with diabetes face severe challenges, as they may not yet have attained the necessary cognitive, fine motor or psychosocial skills required for performance of the tasks required from the diabetic patient. Most therefore require some adult assistance.

Impact of multi-micronutrient supplementation on growth and morbidity of HIV-infected South African children.

Poor growth, micronutrient deficiencies and episodes of diarrhea and respiratory infections occur frequently in HIV-infected children. We investigated whether multi-micronutrient supplementation would improve the growth performance and reduce the number of episodes of diarrhea and/or of respiratory symptoms in HIV-infected children. In a double-blind randomized trial, HIV-infected South African children aged 4-24 months (n = 201) were assigned to receive multi-micronutrient supplements or placebo daily for six months.

Clinical neonatal rotavirus infection: association with necrotising enterocolitis.

Background: Rotavirus is the most important aetiological agent causing severe gastroenteritis in children <2 years of age in South Africa and worldwide. Most endemic neonatal nursery strains are thought to be asymptomatic. However, serious conditions have been reported to be associated with rotavirus infection, such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), diffuse intravascular coagulopathy, pneumonia, apnoea and seizures.

Duration of hospitalization and appetite of HIV-infected South African children.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children generally show poor growth. Episodes of diarrhoea and pneumonia in HIV-infected children are thought to be more severe than in HIV-uninfected children. The objective of this study was to compare duration of hospitalization, appetite and nutritional status of HIV-infected children with that of uninfected children.

The economic burden of diarrheal disease in a tertiary level hospital, Gauteng, South Africa.

Background: Diarrheal disease remains one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in young children in South Africa. Although a rotavirus vaccine will reduce rotavirus diarrheal morbidity and mortality, its introduction and sustainability will incur considerable costs. The aim of this study was to estimate the costs associated with diarrheal disease of all etiologies in children <5 years of age at Dr George Mukhari Hospital, a tertiary level hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.

Short-term micronutrient supplementation reduces the duration of pneumonia and diarrheal episodes in HIV-infected children.

The duration of pneumonia and of diarrhea is reported to be longer in HIV-infected than in uninfected children. We assessed the effect of a multi-micronutrient supplement on the duration of hospitalization in HIV-infected children. In a double-blind, randomized trial, HIV-infected children (4-24 mo) who were hospitalized with diarrhea or pneumonia were enrolled (n = 118) and given a daily dose of a multi-micronutrient supplement (containing vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, and folic acid, as well as copper, iron, and zinc at levels based on recommended daily allowances) or a placebo until discharge from the hospital.

Improved appetite after multi-micronutrient supplementation for six months in HIV-infected South African children.

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of multi-micronutrient supplementation on the appetite of HIV-infected children. HIV-infected children (6-24 months) who had previously been hospitalized were enrolled into a double-blind randomized trial, and given daily multi-micronutrient supplements or placebos for six months. Appetite tests were performed at enrollment and after three and six months.

The incidence and clinical presentation of infantile rotavirus diarrhoea in Sierra Leone.

Objectives: An effective vaccine is needed to protect against severe rotavirus disease, an important cause of gastroenteritis. Since there are no data on the incidence and antigenic diversity of rotavirus infection in Sierra Leone, we studied its epidemiology to enable an effective vaccine strategy to be designed.

Methods: Children between the ages of 3 and 30 months presenting with gastroenteritis to the Ola During Children's Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, were enrolled.