Risk factors for psychological and psychosomatic symptoms among children with malignancies.

Aim: With increasing survival rates in paediatric malignancies, the quality-of-life of children during hospitalisation should be given more attention. We aimed to identify factors associated with psychological and psychosomatic symptoms (PPS) that required medication among children hospitalised for treatment of malignancies.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data of 190 patients aged 2-18 years old.

Daytime nap controls toddlers' nighttime sleep.

Previous studies have demonstrated that afternoon naps can have a negative effect on subsequent nighttime sleep in children. These studies have mainly been based on sleep questionnaires completed by parents. To investigate the effect of napping on such aspects of sleep quality, we performed a study in which child activity and sleep levels were recorded using actigraphy.

Intellectual development after treatment in children with acute leukemia and brain tumor.

Background: The influence of central nervous system (CNS)-directed chemotherapy on intelligence remains controversial. In this study, we investigated the influence of treatment on intellectual development in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and brain tumor patients undergoing CNS-directed treatments.

Methods: Among patients treated in the Department of Pediatrics, St Luke's International Hospital between April 2000 and March 2009, the subjects were 38 patients with ALL or brain tumors who underwent regular Wechsler intelligence tests.