Profile of childhood disability.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N Laisram.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The clinical pattern and etiology of 544 cases of cerebral palsy were studied retrospectively. Of these cases, 354 (65.1%) were males. Four hundred and ninety seven (91.4%) cases were of spastic type. Hypotonic, ataxic and athetoid cerebral palsy were observed in 5.5, 1.5 and 1.3% cases, respectively. There was one case each of tremor and mixed type. In the spastic group, quadriplegia comprised the maximum number of cases (34.9%). Hemiplegia (28.7%) and diplegia (21.9) were also common. Mental retardation was found in 47.2%, while speech impairment was observed in 37% cases. Other handicaps included visual (9%), seizures (8.8%), and auditory handicap (2.9%). The etiological factors were prenatal in 7.7% cases, natal in 43.8% cases and postnatal in 26.1% cases. More than one etiological factor was observed in 14.5% cases, while in 7.9% cases, no apparent cause could be found.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Six hundred and forty six cases in the age group 8-14 years suffering from paralytic poliomyelitis were analysed to find out the immunization status and its correlation with the incidence of poliomyelitis. In 382 cases where the immunization status was known, it was found that 325 (85.02%) cases were not immunized, 23 (6.02%) cases were partially immunized, while only 34 (8.9%) cases were fully immunized. The difference in the incidence of poliomyelitis between the vaccinated and non-vaccinated categories was found to be significant (p less than 0.001).
The diagnostic value of the soluble antigen fluorescent antibody (SAFA) test in childhood tuberculosis was studied in 117 children in the age group 0-12 years; 79 cases belonged to the study group, 23 children were non-tuberculous controls and 15 were tuberculin-negative healthy controls. The SAFA test was positive in 35 of 44 children with only pulmonary tuberculous lesions (80%) and in 21 of 35 children with other types of tuberculosis (60%). In the 23 non-tuberculous and 15 healthy controls it was positive in 11 cases (48%) and 7 cases (47%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and predictivity of the test were found to be 71%, 53% and 72%, respectively. The diagnostic value of the SAFA test was thus found to be low in childhood tuberculosis, especially in disseminated disease and tuberculous meningitis.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Five hundred and forty four cases of cerebral palsy were studied to find the etiology. Male to female ratio was 1.9:1. Prenatal, natal and postnatal factors were found in 42 (7.72%), 238 (43.75%) and 142 (26.1%) cases respectively. Only 79 (14.52%) cases were found to have more than one factor which could have contributed to brain damage. In 43 (7.9%) cases the prenatal, natal and postnatal history were normal and the cause was not known. Toxemia (1.29%) cases and microcephaly (1.84%) cases were the most common etiological factors in the prenatal category. Among the natal causes, birth anoxia was the most common etiological factor and was observed in 24.45% cases. Infections of the central nervous system comprised the major etiopathogenetic factors of the postnatal causes--11.95% cases had encephalitis, while 5.15% cases had meningitis. In cases where more than one etiology was present, the most frequent causes were a combination of prematurity or birth anoxia in association with toxemia, antepartum hemorrhage, prolonged labour, twins, forceps or caesarean delivery. Anoxia was consistently the most common etiological factor in those cases of monoplegia paraplegia, quadriplegia, diplegia, and ataxia, i.e. in 0.55%, 1.29%, 11.76%, 6.07% and 0.55% cases respectively. The present study reveals that majority of the cases were found to have natal or post natal etiology.