Use of the newborn screening card to define cause of death in a 12-year-old diagnosed with epilepsy.

Post-mortem investigation of sudden death in young people frequently reveals no overt cause for the death. Full investigation is hampered if tissue or blood is not retained for DNA analysis. We report a post mortem molecular diagnosis of long QT syndrome in a 12-year-old boy diagnosed with epilepsy who died suddenly playing sport.

School-Based Open Access Parenting Programmes: Factors Relating to Uptake.

Background:   Many parents of children with conduct problems do not seek professional help.

Method:   A new questionnaire examining the beliefs about the problem behaviour, together with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, was administered to all parents of five reception year classes. They were then invited to attend school based group parent training.

Urachal remnants: an enigma.

Aim: To determine what should be done with incidentally discovered urachal remnants.

Materials And Methods: A 10-year retrospective study revealed 24 patients with urachal remnants. The histology of the urachal remnants was reviewed.

Long-term dilatation of caustic strictures of the oesophagus.

Caustic strictures of the oesophagus (CSO) in children are managed in different ways. Our study looks into the results of long-term dilatation of such strictures. Of 109 children admitted to our hospital with caustic ingestion, 10 developed strictures.

Auckland paediatric liver transplant experience 1990-2000.

Aims: New Zealand is establishing its own Paediatric Liver Transplant Service. However there have been no readily available data on the experience of New Zealand paediatric transplant recipients to date. The aim of our study was to determine numbers and indications for transplant at present, current outcomes and to estimate the likely demand for the service in the future.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma: four cases.

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare malignant neoplasm affecting children. A retrospective review was carried out of patients diagnosed as having PPB at one institute over a period of 16 years. The presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and family history were studied.

Humidification difficulties in two tracheostomized children.

Effective humidification is sometimes difficult to achieve in children when normal mechanisms are bypassed by having a tracheostomy in situ. The humidification options available in the paediatric population are heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs) and heated humidifiers, both of which are reviewed and discussed. In some circumstances the humidification achieved with HMEs is inadequate.

3-Nitropropionic acid's lethal triplet: cooperative pathways of neurodegeneration.

3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) is a mitochondrial toxin which interferes with ATP synthesis. Accidental ingestion of 3-NP by humans as well as other mammals results in neuronal degeneration within the basal ganglia and movement dysfunction characterized by dystonia, chorea, and hypokinesia. The selective degeneration of structures of the basal ganglia occurs despite the non-selective impairment of energy metabolism throughout the brain and body.

Current airway clearance techniques.

In recent times, airway clearance has become an increasingly important part of the treatment of patients with excessive bronchial secretions, especially those with cystic fibrosis. The number of airway clearance techniques available has also grown considerably, becoming increasingly more specific. This has allowed patients a greater choice of treatment techniques and has led to a subsequent rise in independence.