Fluoxetine treatment of selective mutism in pervasive developmental disorder.

We report the successful treatment of selective mutism in a child with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). There are several studies and case reports in which Fluoxetine has been reported effective in diminishing adult social anxiety and increasing speech in public settings. The literature is much smaller for children.

Mental impairment in the West Midlands: 10 years on.

In 1989, a survey was undertaken to describe the learning disabled population, originating from the West Midlands, classified as mentally impaired or severely mentally impaired under the Mental Health Act 1983. The results obtained were then used to help guide future service development within the region. Given the marked changes in service provision over the subsequent decade, the study was repeated in 1998-1999, looking at the same population on 1st December 1997 (prior to the Bournewood Ruling).

Type 2 tracheal agenesis without tracheoesophageal fistula.

Tracheal agenesis is a potentially lethal congenital anomaly first described by Payne in 1900. It can occur in isolation or in association with tracheoesophageal (TO) or bronchoesophageal (BO) fistula, cardiovascular anomalies, limb deformities, vertebral anomalies and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities. There are 47 reported cases of tracheal agenesis up to 1989; 45 of these were associated with TO fistula.

Clinical considerations and comparative measures of assessing curvature of the spine.

Two instruments, an inclinometer and a flexicurve for surface measurement of spine curvature were compared. No significant correlations were found between sets of measurements using these devices to measure a known curve whose angles of curvature at marked points have been calculated mathematically. However, differences were found between actual values and those measured by each instrument with respect to total discrepancies, and those were in favour of the flexicure.