The effectiveness of community-based interventions to improve maternal and infant health in the Northeast of Brazil

EMOND, Alan et al. The effectiveness of community-based interventions to improve maternal and infant health in the Northeast of Brazil. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública/ Pan American Journal of Public Health , v.12, n.2, p.101-110, 2002

Project Pró-Natal: population-based study of perinatal and infant mortality in Natal, Northeast Brazil

RAMOS, Ana Maria de Oliveira et al. Project Pró-Natal: population-based study of perinatal and infant mortality in Natal, Northeast Brazil. Pediatric and Developmental Pathology, v.3, n.1, p.29-35, 2000

Analysis of biological tissues in infant chest for the development of an equivalent radiographic phantom

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Social support and infant malnutrition: a case-control study in an urban area of Southeastern Brazil

The relationship between malnutrition and social support was first suggested in the mid-1990s. Despite its plausibility, no empirical studies aimed at obtaining evidence of this association could be located. The goal of the present study was to investigate such evidence. A case-control study was carried out including 101 malnourished children (weight-for-age National Center for Health Statistics/WHO 5th percentile) aged 12-23 months, who were compared with 200 well-nourished children with regard to exposure to a series of factors related to their social support system. Univariate and multiple logistic regressions were carried out, odds ratios being adjusted for per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children. The presence of an interaction between income and social support variables was also tested. Absence of a partner living with the mother increased risk of malnutrition (odds ratio 2.4 (95 % CI 1.19, 4.89)), even after adjustment for per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children. The lack of economic support during adverse situations accounted for a very high risk of malnutrition (odds ratio 10.1 (95 % CI 3.48, 29.13)) among low-income children, but had no effect on children of higher-income families. Results indicate that receiving economic support is an efficient risk modulator for malnutrition among low-income children. In addition, it was shown that the absence of a partner living with the mother is an important risk factor for malnutrition, with an effect independent from per capita family income, mother's schooling, and number of children.

Infant formula and enamel fluorosis A systematic review

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caries and its association with infant feeding and oral health-related behaviours in 3-4-year-old Brazilian children

Objectives: To investigate the relationships between socio-demographic factors, infant feeding habits, oral hygiene and the prevalence and patterns of caries in Brazilian 3-4-year-olds. Methods: Systematic random sampling was used to select children enrolled in municipal nurseries in Araraquara, Brazil, in 1998. Clinical examinations were carried out by one examiner using dmft and dmfs indices and WHO criteria. Questionnaires for information related to the socio-demographic background, oral hygiene and dietary history of the children were completed by their mothers. Results: Caries was seen in 46% of the children; 17% of them had the more extensive pattern involving molars and incisors. Social class, mother's education, and age at which breast-feeding terminated showed statistically significant associations with caries. Feeding bottles with added sugars were still being given to 80% of the children. When the significant variables were taken into account only age at which breast-feeding terminated showed a significant relationship to the pattern of disease. Children who were never breast-fed or were breast-fed beyond the age of 24 months had a higher prevalence of the more extensive pattern of caries. Conclusions: The association between the length of time a mother breast-feeds and extensive caries should be a consideration in any local infant feeding policies or health promotion strategies. The duration for appropriate breast- or bottle-feeding should be emphasised.

Growth and developmental outcomes of the extremely preterm infant

Objetive: To provide information for pediatricians and neonatologists to create realistic outcome expectations and thus help plan their actions. Sources of data: Searches were made of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and Lilacs databases. Summary of the findings: The assessment of growth and development over the first 2-3 years must adjust chronological age with respect of the degree of prematurity. There is special concern regarding the prognoses of small for gestational age preterm infants, and for those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Attention must be directed towards improving the nutrition of extremely low birth weight infants during their first years of life; these infants have high prevalence levels of failure to catch-up on growth, diseases and rehospitalizations during their first 2 years. They are frequently underweight and shorter than expected during early childhood, but delayed catch-up growth may occur between 8 and 14 years. Extremely low birth weight infants are at increased risk of neurological abnormalities and developmental delays during their first years of life. Educational, psychological, and behavioral problems are frequent during school years. Teenage and adult outcomes show that although some performance differences persist, social integration is not impaired. Conclusions: The growth and neurodevelopment of all ELBW infants must be carefully monitored after discharge, to ensure that children and their families receive adequate support and intervention to optimize prognoses. Copyright © 2005 by Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria.

Dental caries experience in children attending an infant oral health program

Aim: To investigate: a) caries experience in 5 year-old children and its relationship to the caries risk evaluation made before 1 year of age; b) compliance of parents to an infant oral health program as well as the abandonment reasons. Methods: Group A (GA) - 242 children (60-71 months old) who stayed in the program and had been enrolled since their first year of life underwent a clinical examination according to the WHO's criteria; their parents/caregivers were interviewed to ascertain their compliance to the program. Group B (GB) - parents of 60 children, who had dropped out of the program, were interviewed to check the reasons of withdrawing. The caries risk classification was based on the file at the first appointment. Chi-square test was used (α=0.05) for statistical analyses. Results: Most of the children were free of caries (71.1%). Caries risk evaluation showed low sensibility (34.3%, 95% CI = 22.4-46.1) and high specificity (74.4%, 95% CI = 67.6-81.2) to caries experience. Sixty-two mothers (25.6%) reported difficulty to follow the guidelines. The main reason for dropping out was changing to similar health services (40.0%). Conclusions: Caries risk in the first year of life was not efficient to predict dental caries experience at 5 years of age. Educational practice should be improved to increase the compliance of the parents to the program.

The in vitro antimicrobial activity of natural infant fluoride-free toothpastes on oral micro-organisms

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of six toothpastes for infants: 3 fluoride-free experimental toothpastes - cashew-based, mango-based and without plant extract and fluoride compared with 2 commercially fluoride-free toothpastes and 1 fluoridated toothpastes. Methods: Six toothpastes for infants were evaluated in this study: (1) experimental cashew-based toothpaste; (2) experimental mango-based toothpaste; (3) experimental toothpaste without plant extract and fluoride (negative control); (4) First Teeth brand toothpaste; (5) Weleda brand toothpaste; and (6) Tandy brand toothpaste (positive control). The antimicrobial activity was recorded against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Candida albicans using the agar plate diffusion test. Results: First Teeth, Weleda, mango-based toothpaste, and toothpaste without plant extract presented no antimicrobial effect against any of the tested micro-organisms. Cashew toothpaste had antimicrobial activity against S mutans, S sobrinus, and L acidophilus, but it showed no antimicrobial activity against C albicans. There was no statistical difference between the inhibition halo of cashew and Tandy toothpastes against S mutans and L acidophilus. Conclusions: Cashew fluoride-free toothpaste had inhibitory activity against Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, and these results were similar to those obtained for fluoridated toothpaste.

The effects of infant and child mortality on fertility in Latin America

Includes bibliography

From infant industry to technology exports: the Argentine experience in the international sale of industrial plants and engineering works

Includes bibliography

Ecología nutricional del lactante y del niño en edad preescolar: problemas de nutrición en América Latina = The nutritional ecology of the infant and pre-school child: nutritional problems in Latin America

Incluye Bibliografía

Infant and child mortality in the Third World: background information and proposals for cooperative studies among demographic centers

Includes bibliography