Atopic sensitization and atopic dermatitis in Estonian and Swedish infants.

Background: Early life events seem to have a major impact on the development of tolerance or sensitization.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence of sensitization and atopic dermatitis (AD) during the first 2 years of life in Estonia and in Sweden.

Methods: Two groups comprising 110 Estonian and 123 Swedish infants were followed from birth up to 2 years of age.

Cerebral lateralization and cognitive deficits after congenital hemiparesis.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how handedness is related to the processes of cerebral lateralization and cognitive performance in children with congenital insult. Fifty-six children (31 males and 25 females) with congenital hemiparesis and 14 control subjects were investigated. Of these children, 32 had a left hemisphere lesion, and 24 children had a right hemisphere lesion.

Atopic allergy and delayed type hypersensitivity in Estonian children.

Background: A shift in the balance ofT helper (Th) cell subsets towards a polarized Th2 population is generally accepted to occur in atopic disease, however, both Th1 and Th2 disorders have increased over the past decades in Western communities.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response in atopic and non-atopic children in a population with a low prevalence of allergic disorders.

Methods: Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with fresh egg white and extracts of five inhalant allergens, i.

Development of allergy and IgE antibodies during the first five years of life in Estonian children.

Background: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a low prevalence of allergic diseases and atopic sensitization among schoolchildren and young adults in the formerly socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe as compared to Western Europe.

Objective: The aim of our study was to prospectively investigate IgE responses to food and inhalant allergens and the development of allergy during early childhood in a population with a low prevalence of atopic disorders.

Methods: In a population-based prospective study, 273 children were followed from birth through the first 5 years of life, recording manifestations of allergy by questionnaires and clinical examinations at 0.

Neurocognitive development of children with congenital unilateral brain lesion and epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to specify the neuropsychological deficits characteristic of children with unilateral non-progressive brain lesion. In order to assess these specific functions, we used a comprehensive model of congenital hemiparesis with partial epilepsy and newly diagnosed partial epilepsy without hemiparesis. The neuropsychological examination was performed using the NEPSY test battery on 44 children aged from 4 to 9 years.