Role of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 on Crying Time Reduction in Infantile Colic and Its Impact on Maternal Depression: A Real-Life Clinic-Based Study

Background: Infantile colic is characterized by prolonged periods of inconsolable, incessant crying and persistent fussing in an otherwise healthy infant. It is a self-limiting condition, but causes significant stress to mothers. AIM: To observe the role of Lactobacillus reuteriDSM 17938 in reducing crying time in colicky infants in routine clinical practice. Methods: This was a prospective observational multicentric clinic-based study. Each practitioner included approximately 30 infants < 5 months of age with infantile colic who were prescribed L. reuteri DSM 17938 for a period of 21 days. There were four physical consultations and two telephonic consultations. The parents were given a daily diary to record the duration of crying and fussing episodes and a questionnaire was administered during the consultations. Results: A total of 120 infants with a mean age of 56.9 ± 34.2 days were included in this 28-day study. The mean crying time as reported by the parents in the subject diary reduced from 248.2 ± 101.2 min, 95% CI: 229.45, 266.94 at baseline to 45.6 ± 79.1 min 95% CI: 31.02, 60.31 at study end (P < 0.01). The clinical response (defined as reduction of 50% in crying time) was observed in 85% of subjects at study end. The fussiness and parental perception of colic recorded during the consultations were reduced by 66% and 72%, respectively, at study end. The maternal depression scores were reduced to 63% at study end. Conclusion: L. reuteri DSM 17938 was associated with a significant reduction in crying time in colicky infants, and showed improvement in maternal depression.

Parents’ Perspectives on Counseling for Fetal Heart Disease: What Matters Most?

After diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the fetus, effective counseling is considered mandatory. We sought to investigate which factors, including parental social variables, significantly affect counseling outcome. A total of n = 226 parents were recruited prospectively from four national tertiary medical care centers. A validated questionnaire was used to measure counseling success and the effects of modifiers. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the data. Parental perception of interpersonal support by the physician (β = 0.616 ***, p = 0.000), counseling in easy-to-understand terms (β = 0.249 ***, p = 0.000), and a short period of time between suspicion of fetal CHD, seeing a specialist and subsequent counseling (β = 0.135 **, p = 0.006) significantly improve “overall counseling success”. Additional modifiers (e.g., parental native language and age) influence certain subdimensions of counseling such as “trust in medical staff” (language effect: β = 0.131 *, p = 0.011) or “perceived situational control” (age effect: β = 0.166 *, p = 0.010). This study identifies independent factors that significantly affect counseling outcome overall and its subdimensions. In combination with existing recommendations our findings may contribute to more effective parental counseling. We further conclude that implementing communication skills training for specialists should be considered essential.

African American Parents' Perceptions of Early Literacy Strategies

Few research-based family studies have focused specifically on the perceptions of African American hearing parents' use of home literacy strategies. This study was conducted with a small group of African American families, taking into account family's individual literacy needs (African American hearing families with deaf/hard of hearing [DHH] children), African-American culture and language, emergent literacy research, American Sign Language (ASL), and parent-child book reading strategies. The purpose of this study was to document parental perception of the literacy process, while establishing opportunities for parents to practice under the guidance of mentors and within the home environment. Recordings documented parental progress and their comments about the reading process. Field notes were generated from the mentors' discussions with parents. This exploratory case study identified changes in parental perception of communication and literacy development during a nine-week intervention and records their reactions to those support strategies.

Availability of Special Education Related Services and Incentives for Children with Special Needs in Government Special Education Centres in Punjab: A Survey of Parental Perception

Parents' involvement in the rehabilitation process is very important. Parental views about the availability of related services and incentives are the significant indicators of their required particular needs. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the level of available related services and incentives in special education centers and to highlight their specific and suggestions for improvement of these services for students of four disabilities studying in these centers. A survey was conducted from 2019 to 2020 to collect data about demographic characteristics and information about related services and incentives provided to these special students from their parents and also their suggestions to improve these services. The sample consisted of 36 government special education centers at the Tehsil level, from which 479 questionnaires, filled by the parents of students, were received back. The results emphasized the low education and income of the parents, increasing incidence of disability in the families of special children, lack of available services and incentives in these centers, and acknowledged parental suggestions and recommendations. It was concluded from the survey that future planning of provisions of related services and incentives might be more helpful and effective if based on the requirements and preferences conveyed by parents of special students with four disabilities.

To Assess the Parental Perception on Sleep Habit among the Children in Pediatric Ward and OPD of Jubilee Mission Medical College and Research Institute, Thrissur

Children are the worlds precious resources and the best hope for future. During clinical experiences, observation and rapport with mothers, investigators assess many children show difference in sleep patterns and irritated with daily life. The present study was aimed to assess the parental perception on sleep habit of children in the paediatric ward. Objectives: assess the parental perception on sleep habit among children and to find relationship between sleep habit and selected socio demographic variables. Methodology: Quantitative experimental approach was used with descriptive design. The data were collected from 50 children by using random sampling technique. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result and interpretation: The findings of the study had shown that majority of subjects 24(48%) of the children belongs to age group of 2 to 3 years, 27(54%) were females, 25(50) of children were moderately nourished.39(78%) of children has a meal pattern of more than one hour before sleep, 60% like outdoor play, 35(70%) does not need toys for sleep. Majority of the parents 22(44%) belongs to 26-30 age group, 25(50%) belongs to females, 17(34%) were graduates, 40(80%) were healthy. we found that there is a relationship between clinical data variables such as nutritional status(p=0.041) with sleep habit of children. By using parental perception questionnaire, we found that parents have good perception on sleep habit among children as out of 50 samples 35(70%) secure good score, 14 (28%) secure satisfactory score and only 1(2%) secure poor score.