Biomedical subjects

S O Iloeje

Publications and source records attributed to S O Iloeje.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Ethosuximide induced lymphadenopathy--a case report.

A wide range of adverse effects has been reported following prolonged use of anticonvulsant drugs. More commonly reported adverse effects for ethosuximide include gastric disturbances, psychiatric disorders and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Rare instances of leukopenia and pancytopenia have been noted. A case is presented of a 12 year old girl who developed generalized lymphadenopathy with progressive weight loss and leukopenia following prolonged use of ethosuximide for simple absence seizures. The enlarged lymph nodes regressed with withdrawal of the drug but re-appeared when the drug was recommenced. Sodium valproate was then introduced and ethosuximide discontinued. The seizures were successfully controlled with sodium valproate. Histopathology report of the lymphnode biopsy showed marked reactive lymphnode hyperplasia.

Anticonvulsants↗

PubMed1997

Serum calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphate levels in epileptic children treated with phenobarbitone.

A longitudinal study to estimate the serum calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase levels of 89 ambulatory epileptic children, aged between 3 years and 12 years, and having generalised tonic-clonic seizures, was carried out. None was on any form of medication for the treatment of seizures prior to presentation. Each patient received only phenobarbitone during the period of study. Serum levels of the biochemical parameters were determined at presentation, 6 months and 12 months, while serum phenobarbitone levels were estimated at 6 months and 12 months. Mean serum calcium, phosphate and alkaline phosphatase of the patients remained within the normal range. Using the paired 't' test, the differences in the levels of the parameters at the three measurements were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Serum phenobarbitone levels remained within the therapeutic range during the period of study. Our results show that over a 12-month period, serum levels of calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase, remain normal in ambulant epileptic children treated with phenobarbitone.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1994

Measurement of muscle tone in children with cerebellar ataxia.

An electro-mechanical device has been used to measure muscle tone in 12 children with cerebellar ataxia and in 12 healthy children matched for age and sex. All the children also had their tone assessed clinically. The machine measurement showed that six (50%) of the 12 ataxic children had hypotonia, one was hypertonic, while five had normal tone. There was significant correlation between estimation of muscle tone by the machine and by clinical examination. The machine will serve as a valuable addition to other devices already being used to measure the other motor deficits encountered in children with cerebellar disease--such as devices that measure gait ataxia, truncal balance, intention tremor and incoordination of the limbs. It is re-emphasized that assessment or confirmation of clinical signs by reliable and reproducible instrumentation, offers a more objective basis for management and follow-up of patients, than clinical testing alone, and eliminates the often-encountered inter-tester discrepancies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Rutter's Behaviour Scale (B2) for children (Teacher's Scale): validation and standardization for use on Nigerian children.

Nigerian teachers were asked to place the children in their classes in either of two groups: Group I, comprising children of normal behaviour, and Group II, children who, in their opinion, had significant behavioural problems. Validity of the teachers' grouping was confirmed, using as reference measure the findings from traditional psychological assessment of the children. The teachers then completed the Rutter Child Behaviour Questionnaire (Teachers' Scale) for the same children. The children's scores on the Rutter Scale were matched against the teacher's grouping, the aim being to identify the Rutter Score that separates the children into two 'behaviour' groups that agree most closely with the teachers' own grouping. Results show that this was achieved at the Rutter Score of 10 (k = 0.66). Children scoring 10 or more on the Rutter scale appeared mostly in Group II, while those scoring less than 10 were mostly in Group I. Rutter's scale was also found to be a highly valid instrument for identifying Nigerian children with behavioural problems. It is recommended that Nigerian children scoring > or = 10 on Rutter's Behaviour Questionnaire (Teacher's Scale), should be regarded as children with behavioural disorder. This is one point higher than the score of > or = 9 recommended for British children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Cerebellar ataxia in childhood: a review of clinical features, investigative findings and aetiology in 30 cases.

The symptoms, neurological deficits and aetiology of cerebellar ataxia were reviewed in 30 children aged from 4 to 16 years, who had been extensively investigated. Fourteen (46.6%) children had perinatal problems, and in 6 (20%), ataxia resulted from these perinatal events. Besides unsteady gait, a common presenting complaint was delayed motor milestones, noted in 15 (50%) patients. In most children (76.6%), clinical examination indicated involvement of more than one of the three main cerebellar divisions, viz archicerebellum, paleocerebellum and neocerebellum. Hypotonia, found in 11 (36.6%) children, was the third most common sign after gait and truncal ataxia. A variety of aetiological factors was identified, the two most frequent being hydrocephalus in 7 (23.3%) children, and perinatal problems in 6 (20%). The findings are discussed against the background of current literature on the subject.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

The pattern and prognosis of speech disorders among children in Enugu, Nigeria.

Of 965 children with neurological disorders seen in the Child Neurology Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu over a 3-year period (1985-87), 80 (8.3%; 41 boys and 39 girls) had speech problems. The most common speech disorder was dyslalia. Twenty-six (32.5%) of the 80 children were mentally retarded. Besides speech problems, some of the children had other neurological disorders such as hyperactivity, recurrent seizures, microcephaly and deafness. Varying degrees of improvement in speech were observed in only eight girls and four boys, amounting to 24% of the 50 who were followed up for a period ranging from 3 months to 3 years (mean follow-up period 12.26 months). Eight of those who improved (66.6%) did so within the first 18 months of follow-up. There was a disturbingly high rate of default from follow-up, 30 of the patients (37.5%) failing to keep appointments at the clinic after the first assessment. Also, there was a long delay between onset of symptoms and presentation to hospital (mean delay 45.3 months). With the recent acquisition of the services of a speech therapist by the hospital, it is hoped that the prognosis for children with speech problems will be considerably improved.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Gross motor development of Nigerian children.

A prospective study of 320 Nigerian children was undertaken to determine their pattern of motor development by recording the age at attainment of 12 gross-motor milestones. The children were all born full term and were neurologically normal at birth. They were recruited in the first week of life and seen at regular intervals in a well-baby clinic, where their parents were questioned about the ages at attainment of milestones. Results show that most gross-motor milestones were attained at earlier ages by these children than by children studied to establish norms for the traditional tests of motor development that have long been in use. Our findings confirm several previous reports which emphasize the more rapid attainment of motor milestones such as 'sit without support', 'crawl', 'stand well alone' and 'walk well alone' by black as compared with white children. But, conversely, a number of transitional milestones such as 'roll over', 'pull self to stand' and 'stand holding on' were achieved later by children in this study than by their non-African counterparts. Girls in this study were slightly advanced, relative to boys, in their attainment of most milestones. The results of this study have been incorporated into a chart which can be used in well-baby clinics to detect children with motor delay.

Black People↗

PubMed1991

Psychiatric morbidity among children with sickle-cell disease.

The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity was investigated among 84 children with sickle-cell disease (SCD) and 84 healthy matched controls, using Rutter's Behaviour Questionnaires. The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity on the parents' and teachers' scales, respectively, was 26.2 and 22.6 per cent for children with SCD and 4.8 and 6.0 per cent for controls. Boys with SCD had significantly higher mean scores than girls, with older children having higher scores than younger ones. Behavioural deviance in seven children occurred both at home and in school, while in 27 it was situational. 34 children had psychiatric morbidity: 14 were neurotic, 11 were antisocial, six were antisocial and neurotic, and the diagnostic category for each of the remaining three differed. Behavioural problems among children with SCD and implications for therapy and prevention are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1991

Febrile convulsions in a rural and an urban population.

By means of personal interview of parents in their homes, using a questionnaire, the prevalence rate and some other factors associated with febrile convulsions, were determined in a rural and an urban population of Anambra State of Nigeria. Significantly different rates of 11.61% and 8.05% respectively were obtained for the rural and urban population surveyed. Other factors examined included age of onset and sex distribution, family history, recurrence rates, and severity of seizures. Clinical examination of affected children revealed that 2.9% of the children in the urban population had postictal neurological deficits, while the corresponding figure for the rural population was 5.5%.

Child↗

PubMed1989

A review of neurological disorders seen at the Paediatric Neurology Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.

A review of 965 children with neurological disorders, seen at the Paediatric Neurology Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, over a 3-year period (1985-1987), revealed that epilepsy was the most common neurological problem affecting 60% of the children, followed by cerebral palsy (16%), speech disorders (8.3%), mental retardation (7.2%), behaviour disorders (2.2%), paralytic poliomyelitis (1.55%), premature craniosynostosis (1.0%), visual and auditory impairment (1.0%) and muscle disorders (0.72%). Perinatal problems such as birth asphyxia, severe neonatal jaundice and infections were the most common aetiological factors identified. Facilities for rehabilitation of the children were inadequate and this, together with the people's ignorance of the natural history of some of the neurological disorders, may account for the high rate of default from follow-up observed in this study. The need for improved maternal and perinatal health services and vigorous health education strategies is emphasized by this review. The positive effect of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) is reflected in the sharp decline in the proportion of children with neurological disorders owing to paralytic poliomyelitis, from 9.2% in the period 1978-1980, to 1.55% in the present study.

Child↗

PubMed1989

The pattern of childhood epilepsy with mental retardation in Nigeria.

Of 580 epileptic children, 353 males and 227 females, seen at the Paediatric Neurology Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, from 1985 to 1987, 18 per cent were mentally retarded, a much higher prevalence rate than in the general population. Nine different seizure types were seen, with generalized tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal) leading in frequency. The highest incidence of mental retardation occurred among the children with infantile spasms (51 per cent). For all the seizure types, there was a long delay in seeking medical attention (mean interval, 1.7 years). The mean interval for epileptics with mental retardation was even higher (2.77 years). Factors found to increase the chances of an epileptic child having mental retardation include episodes of status epilepticus, early age at onset of seizures, and long delay before presentation to hospital for treatment. There is need for increased efforts aimed at the elimination of these factors and also for a well organized programme to educate the population about the nature of epilepsy, and the importance of compliance with the treatment schedule.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Pyridoxine therapy on Nigerian children with infantile spasms.

Nine Nigerian children, with infantile spasms, 4 boys and 5 girls age 2.5-15 months, were treated with high doses of vitamin B6. Unlike results from some European and Japanese centres, our results have not been encouraging. Possible reasons for this poor response are suggested.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1988

Trophic limb changes among children with developmental apraxia.

Measurements were made of the hands and feet of 16 children with developmental apraxia and of 16 control children, matched for age and sex. Pathological limb asymmetry was found in seven of the clumsy children and in only two of the controls. Pathological asymmetry of the feet was found exclusively among the clumsy children, and occurred more frequently than asymmetry of the hands. The incidence did not appear to be influenced by sex. The importance of pathological asymmetry of the limbs, and especially the feet, is that it may be a pointer to underlying neurological disorder. Such asymmetries should be specifically looked for among children with apraxia: if found, they call for more detailed neurological assessment.

Apraxias↗

PubMed1987

Developmental apraxia among Nigerian children in Enugu, Nigeria.

Developmental apraxia was studied among 421 eight- to 12-year-old children attending a normal school in Enugu, Nigeria. 25 children were found to be clumsy, a rate of 5.9 per cent. Neurological examination revealed a higher incidence of abnormality, principally dysdiadochokinesia, among the clumsy children than among a control group. There were no significant differences in perinatal factors between the two groups. The social, educational and psychological implications of developmental apraxia are discussed.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of socio-cultural factors on febrile convulsions in Nigeria.

Certain socio-cultural factors such as the beliefs of parents regarding febrile convulsions, and the actions they took when their children began to convulse, were examined among Nigerian parents. It was discovered that an overwhelming majority of parents had gross misconceptions about febrile convulsions, and took inappropriate or even harmful actions in an attempt to control the convulsions. It is thought that these social attitudes and behaviours contribute immensely to the high prevalence rate, high morbidity and unfavourable prognosis of febrile convulsions in this part of the world.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Childhood intracranial neoplasms Enugu, Nigeria.

This paper reviews children with intracranial neoplasms seen at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, (UNTH), Enugu, over an 8-year period (1978-1985). There were 21 children, aged 4-14 years, with histologically confirmed intracranial neoplasms. The male to female ratio was 2:1. Of all cases, there was a preponderance of cranio-pharyngiomas (38.1%), followed by the astrocytomas and medulloblastomas with 14.3% each, a result which is at variance with findings elsewhere. The poor prognosis was partly due to late presentation complicated by relatively inadequate diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. A plea is made for the improvement of neurodiagnostic and therapeutic facilities in some regional hospitals in developing countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mesenteric cysts.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Compliance by cerebral palsy (CP) patients attending a child neurology service, in a developing country: a preliminary study.

In an attempt to determine the extent to which cerebral palsy patients complied with doctors' recommendations, by regularly attending the follow-up clinics of the Paediatric Neurology Unit of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, the records of the CP patients seen in the Unit during three years (1985-1987) were scrutinized. A very high default rate of over 88% was noted. Of the 155 CP patients registered during the period, only 18 were still attending the clinic by the end of 1988, the follow-up period ranging from 12 to 47 months. Default from follow-up correlated significantly with the socio-economic status of the patients. There was no correlation between compliance and the type of CP, or the presence of other concurrent neurological disorders. It is thought that early recognition of factors that are associated with poor compliance is important. It will result in early identification of the group at risk for default, and in efforts being made to give them the support and advice that will enable them to benefit fully from the available services.

Cerebral Palsy↗