Background incidence rates of adverse events of special interest related to COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario, Canada, 2015 to 2020, to inform COVID-19 vaccine safety surveillance

Background: Background incidence rates are critical in pharmacovigilance to facilitate identification of vaccine safety signals. We estimated background incidence rates of nine adverse events of special interest related to COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective observational study using linked health administrative databases for hospitalizations and emergency department visits among Ontario residents. We estimated incidence rates of Bells palsy, idiopathic thrombocytopenia, febrile convulsions, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, myocarditis, pericarditis, Kawasaki disease, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and transverse myelitis during five pre-pandemic years (2015-2019) and 2020. Results: The average annual population was 14 million across all age groups with 51% female. The pre-pandemic mean annual rates per 100,000 population during 2015-2019 were 43.9 for idiopathic thrombocytopenia, 27.8 for Bells palsy, 25.0 for febrile convulsions, 22.8 for acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, 11.3 for myocarditis/pericarditis, 8.6 for pericarditis, 2.9 for myocarditis, 1.9 for Guillain-Barre syndrome, 1.7 for transverse myelitis, and 1.6 for Kawasaki disease. Females had higher rates of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and transverse myelitis while males had higher rates of myocarditis, pericarditis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome. Bells palsy, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, and Guillain-Barre syndrome increased with age. The mean rates of myocarditis and/or pericarditis increased with age up to 79 years; males had higher rates than females: from 12-59 years for myocarditis and 12 years and older for pericarditis. Febrile convulsions and Kawasaki disease were predominantly childhood diseases and generally decreased with age. Conclusions: Our estimated background rates will permit estimating numbers of expected events for these conditions and facilitate detection of potential safety signals following COVID-19 vaccination.

Febrile Convulsions in Anemic Children: A Review

Febrile convulsions are the most common type of convulsions that affect children aged 6 months to 5 years old. Iron deficiency anemia could be a risk factor for febrile convulsions as was suggested by some studies, for the reason that febrile convulsions is common in children under 5 years and iron deficiency anemia is also more common in children in the same age bracket. The prevalence of febrile convulsions is 2-5% of the total number of children. Studies discussing the association of iron deficiency anemia and febrile convulsions are contradictory. Management of cases is of great importance as there are special guidelines. Prevention is also vital as it plays a role in evading the occurrence of the convulsions.

Neuroimaging & Electrophysiological Study in Febrile Convulsion

Background: Febrile convulsions are very common within six months to five years of age. Often there is a family history. Normally we do not do any electrophysiological studies or neuroimaging for febrile convulsion. However, with a change in social structure, we need to revisit the area again and again. Aims and Objectives: To find out any neurophysiological abnormalities and neuroimaging and its relevance in febrile convulsion. Material and Method: Fifity three children with febrile convulsion were studied in our 550 bedded hospital and post-graduate medical college in the pediatric ward between 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020. We did neuroimaging during admission after stabilizing the patient. EEG was done two weeks later after the febrile convulsion.

Korean Childcare Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, Concerns, and Practices of Febrile Convulsions

With the increase in the number of childcare facilities, childcare providers’ coping skills to take quick action in emergencies have become crucial. This study was to examine Korean childcare providers’ knowledge, attitudes, concerns, and practices regarding febrile convulsions (FCs), and to identify factors influencing their management of FCs. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire of 216 Korean childcare providers. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample characteristics and FC questionnaires. The differences in the FC practice by demographic variables were assessed using t-test and one-way analysis of variance. The relationships between FC practice and other variables were investigated using Pearson correlations and regression analysis. The childcare providers showed unfavorable levels of outcomes regarding FCs with a low percentage of correct answers on FC knowledge and recommended practices as well as negative attitudes and concerns toward FCs. Additionally, results indicated that the knowledge, education, attitudes toward, and actual experiences of FCs were related to FC practices. The current findings provide important evidence to develop interventions targeting childcare providers.

PENANGANAN AWAL KEJANG DEMAM PADA BAYI DAN BALITA DI RW 01 KELURAHAN WONOKROMO SURABAYA

ABSTRAK Kejang demam atau febris konvulsi merupakan salah satu penyebab dari kematian mendadak pada bayi dan balita. Diketahui di lingkungan RW 01 kelurahan Wonokromo Surabaya jumlah bayi dan balita cukup banyak, dan kebanyakan ibu-ibu memiliki pemahaman yang keliru dalam penanganan kejang demam. Kegiatan Pengabdian Masyarakat ini dilakukan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan pemahaman tentang cara menangani kejang demam pada bayi dan balita. Waktu pelaksanaan kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini jangka waktu 3 bulan. Metode yang dilakukan adalah mengumpulkan kader-kader dan ibu–ibu yang memiliki bayi dan atau balita, kemudian diberikan penyuluhan dan mendemonstrasikan tentang cara penanganan awal kejang demam di rumah, mereka pun menirukan demonstrasi. Penyuluhan menggunakan metode ceramah ,demonstrasi dan tanyajawab. Tingkat pengetahuan responden dapat diketahui dengan melakukan pre test berupa kuesioner yang akan diisi oleh responden. Pre test dilakukan sebelum penyuluhan dan demonstrasi. Sedangkan untuk mengetahui peningkatan pengetahuan responden tentang kejang demam dapat diketahui dengan membandingkan hasil pre test dan post test yang akan diisi responden setelah dilakukan penyuluhan. Hasil kegiatan pemahaman peserta meningkat sebanyak 95,1%. Penyuluhan bermanfaat untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan orangtua dalam penanganan awal saat kejang demam. Kata kunci: Kejang demam, bayi, balita ABSTRACT Fever convulsions or febrile convulsions are one of the causes of sudden death in infants and toddlers. It is known that in RW 01, Wonokromo sub-district, Surabaya, the number of babies and toddlers is quite a lot, and most mothers have a wrong understanding in handling febrile seizures. This Community Service activity is carried out to increase knowledge and understanding of how to fear babies and toddlers. The period of implementing this community service activity is 3 months. The method used was to gather cadres and mothers who had babies and / or toddlers, then given counseling and demonstrated how to treat early fever seizures at home, they imitated. Extension using lecture, reproduction and question and answer methods. The respondent's level of knowledge can be identified by conducting a pre-test in the form of a questionnaire that the respondent will fill out. The pre test was carried out before education and development. Meanwhile, to find out the increase in knowledge about respondents which can be seen by comparing the results of the pre test and post test that will be filled in after counseling. The results of the participants' understanding activities increased by 95.1%. Education is useful for increasing parental knowledge in early management of febrile convulsions. Key words: Fever convulsions, infants, toddlers

Correlation of serum magnesium levels in febrile convulsions in children: a cross sectional comparative study

Background: Febrile convulsions is one of the most common type of seizures seen in children. It has been suggested that low serum magnesium (Mg) has occasionally been associated with epilepsy. A positive correlation of the hypomagnesemia with the severity of epilepsy was also found. The present study aimed to estimate the levels of serum magnesium in children with febrile convulsions and to compare serum magnesium levels with normal children.Methods: Fifty patients who were eligible after screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study group after a signed written informed consent and 50 controls were also taken. A detailed history, clinical examination and these investigations were done – complete blood count (CBC) (Hb, DC and ESR), serum calcium, serum magnesium, serum electrolytes, random blood sugar and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.Results: The serum magnesium level was normal in 45 patients (90%) with febrile convulsions, low levels in 4 cases (8%) and high levels seen in 1 case (2%). Serum magnesium levels were normal in all 50 controls. In this study, the serum magnesium levels has got no correlation in patients with febrile convulsion. So, routine magnesium supplementation need not be prescribed in normal subjects to prevent febrile convulsions.Conclusions: Routine measurement of serum levels of Mg, glucose and calcium are warranted in subject with febrile convulsions. However, large prospective studies are further required in future to establish the correlation of serum Mg and febrile convulsions so that a standard guidelines can be set up which could be followed universally.