Need for Child Mental Health Consultation and Paediatricians' Perception of these Services: A Survey in the West Midlands.

Background:   High rates of psychopathology have been noted in children presenting to GP surgeries and paediatricians. However, paediatricians do not always recognise this and when they do the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is often unable to meet their consultation needs.

Method:   This postal survey looked at paediatricians' perception of the need for child psychiatry consultation in the West Midlands.

An open, randomised, parallel group study of lactulose versus ispaghula in the treatment of chronic constipation in adults.

The efficacy, tolerance and acceptability of lactulose (Duphalac) and ispaghula (Fybogel Orange) were assessed in the treatment of chronic constipation in adults. In an open, prospectively randomised, parallel group study, 124 patients with a history of constipation for more than three weeks were treated with either 15 ml bd of lactulose (increasing to 60 ml daily if necessary) or one sachet bd of ispaghula. Over the four-week treatment period both treatments were shown to be effective, and numbers of concurrent effects were similar between the two groups.