Obtaining assent for research involving children in Malaysia: a position statement from the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics.

The Academy of Medicine of Malaysia College of Paediatrics acknowledges the role of children in research and this position statement explores the ethical considerations in obtaining assent from minors in the Malaysian context. It highlights the importance in respecting children's agency and navigating cultural complexities. The College proposes flexibility in the minimum age for assent of at least nine years old, while emphasising the need for a tailored assent procedure.

Knowledge and practice of childhood immunisation among parents in Kelantan, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Parents are key decision-makers in the immunisation practice and compliance of children. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and practice of immunisation among parents in Kelantan, Malaysia, and their associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated online questionnaire from May to June 2021.

The Validity and Reliability of Malay Version Child Exposure to Domestic Violence Scale.

Background: Domestic violence has a significant impact on growing children. However, existing evidence is limited and often under reported. Consequently, the Child Exposure to Domestic Violence (CEDV) scale has been developed for global use.

Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase Deficient Severe Combined Immunodeficiencies: A Case Report and Systematic Review (1975-2022).

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (PNP SCID) is one of the rare autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency disease, and the data on epidemiology and outcome are limited. We report the successful management of a child with PNP SCID and present a systematic literature review of published case reports, case series, and cohort studies on PNP SCID listed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from 1975 until March 2022. Forty-one articles were included from the 2432 articles retrieved and included 100 PNP SCID patients worldwide.

Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients and Families with Primary Immunodeficiency in Malaysia: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: Primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) affects various aspects of a patient's life. However, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of PID among Malaysian patients is poorly described. This study aimed to determine the quality of life of PID patients and their respective parents.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Risk Behaviours among the Undergraduate Health Campus Students.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked with health risk behaviours (HRBs). The study aimed to evaluate ACEs in the undergraduate health campus of a public university located in the northeast of Malaysia and determine their association with HRBs.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed by recruiting 973 undergraduate students at the health campus of a public university from December 2019 to June 2021.

Pericentric Inversion of Chromosome 9 in Twins With Cyclopia: A Rare Entity.

Pericentric inversion of chromosome 9 (inv(9)) is one of the most common variants seen in a normal human karyotype that occurs during meiosis. Despite being categorized as a normal variant, some studies using classical cytogenetics have recently shown that inv(9) could be associated with azoospermia, congenital anomalies, growth retardation, and rarely with abnormal karyotype. However, there is no reported association with cyclopia.

Psychological distress and coping strategies among the caretakers of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia.

Introduction: Thalassemia is a chronic childhood disease that could result in psychological distress not only to the patients but also to their caretakers. Caretakers utilize different coping strategies to reduce stress and maintain a good quality of life.

Objective: The study aims to measure the level of psychological distress among caretakers of transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients and identify coping strategies used by them, as well as examine factors related to both outcome measures.

A mixed method study on the impact of living with spinal muscular atrophy in Malaysia from patients' and caregivers' perspectives.

Background: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare, recessively inherited neuromuscular disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness. There is a low degree of awareness about SMA amongst the public and healthcare providers, which may impact the perception of the disease and its proper management. To understand how this lack of awareness may have affected diagnosis, care and support for SMA patients and their caregivers, this study aims to investigate the impact of SMA on the lives and daily activities of SMA patients and their caregivers in Malaysia.

Impact of Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases on the Life Experiences of Patients in Malaysia From the Caregivers' Perspective: A Qualitative Study.

Introduction: Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) are chronic diseases that affect the various aspects of a patient's life. However, the impact of living with PIDs is poorly described.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the living experience challenges among the Malaysian caregivers of the patients with PID who underwent a follow-up in the Universiti Sains Malaysia or those registered members of the Malaysian PIDs Society.

The Challenges, Coping Mechanisms, and the Needs of the Inhospital Parents Caring for Children with Life-limiting Neurological Disorders: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: Parents who have children with complex lifelong and life-limiting neurological conditions experienced many stresses and anxieties throughout their lives as caregivers. However, this information is still very limited. The study aimed to explore the challenges faced by parents with children who have complex neurological conditions, their coping strategies, needs, and expectations.

Probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 treated and prevented acute RTI, reduced antibiotic use and hospital stay in hospitalized young children: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: The development of probiotics has seen tremendous growth over the years, with health benefits ranging from gut health to respiratory. We thus aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Probio-M8 (2 × 10 log CFU/day) against acute respiratory tract infections (RTI), use of antibiotics, hospitalization period and elucidate the possible mechanisms of action in hospitalized young children.

Method: A prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study was performed in RTI-hospitalized children.

A Malay Version of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Screening Tool for Children: A Study of Its Validity and Reliability.

Background: Childhood maltreatment is a global problem, for which the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) has developed the Child Abuse Screening Tool-Child, Home Version (ICAST-CH) to obtain data concerning childhood maltreatment. The study aimed to translate the English version of the ICAST-CH into the Malay language and to assess its reliability and validity.

Methods: The original English version of the ICAST-CH was first translated into the Malay language.

Comparison of antimicrobial resistance in neonatal and adult intensive care units in a tertiary teaching hospital.

Intrahospital variations in antimicrobial profiles may be related to many factors. This study compared causative agents of nosocomial bloodstream infections between a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that adopted a ward-tailored antibiotic policy and adult intensive care units (ICUs). Data on organisms from blood cultures obtained from the respective wards between 2005 and 2009 were analyzed.

Infantile fibrosarcoma of the penis in a 2-year-old boy.

Fibrosarcoma is rare in the pediatric age group. It generally involves the extremities and the trunk but rarely involves the genital area. We report a case of a large fungating infantile fibrosarcoma of the penis in a 2-year-old Malay boy.