The Lea Grating Test In Assessing Detection Grating Acuity In Normal Infants Less Than 4 Months Of Age.

To assess binocular detection grating acuity using the LEA GRATINGS test to establish age-related norms in healthy infants during their first 3 months of life. In this prospective, longitudinal study of healthy infants with clear red reflex at birth, responses to gratings were measured at 1, 2, and 3 months of age using LEA gratings at a distance of 28 cm. The results were recorded as detection grating acuity values, which were arranged in frequency tables and converted to a one-octave scale for statistical analysis. For the repeated measurements, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the detection grating acuity results between ages. A total of 133 infants were included. The binocular responses to gratings showed development toward higher mean values and spatial frequencies, ranging from 0.55 ± 0.70 cycles per degree (cpd), or 1.74 ± 0.21 logMAR, in month 1 to 3.11 ± 0.54 cpd, or 0.98 ± 0.16 logMAR, in month 3. Repeated ANOVA indicated differences among grating acuity values in the three age groups. The LEA GRATINGS test allowed assessment of detection grating acuity and its development in a cohort of healthy infants during their first 3 months of life.

Meningencefalites bacterianas agudas em crianças: complicações e sequelas neurológicas

We studied 271 children under age of 15 with diagnosis of acute bacterial meningencephalitis treated at Medical School in Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, between 1980 and 1990. The patients were divided in two groups: 1) those who had not received previous antibiotics treatment (NTP), with 153 cases; and 2), those who had received previous antibiotics treatment (PT), with 118 cases. The etiological agent was more frequently identified in NPT group, while ventriculitis was more frequent in PT group. Mortality rate accounted for 19,5% of all cases, and 29.7% of children under 12 months of age. Acute meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae was frequently followed by increased mortality. Convulsive disorders and hemiparesis predominante among children under 12 months of age. On the neurosurgical point of view, ventriculitis, subdural hygroma, hydrocephalus, subdural empyema and brain abscess were identified and treated