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The euthanasia debate.

Debates about the moral dilemmas of euthanasia date back to ancient times. Many of the historical arguments used for and against the practice remain valid today. Indeed, any form of discussion on the subject often provokes emotive responses, both from members of the medical profession and the general public. For this reason alone, the issue will continue to be debated at all levels of society. There are, however, other factors that ensure euthanasia will remain a subject of major controversy within medical, legal and governmental bodies. Firstly, the act of euthanasia itself is illegal, yet in its passive form occurs on a daily basis in many of our hospitals (1). Secondly, medical advances have made it possible to artificially prolong the life of an increasing number of patients far beyond what was possible only a few years ago. Furthermore, we must all contend with the reality that financial constraints are an important consideration in modern health care provision. Finally, there is an ethical difficulty in interpreting the concept of a patient's right, or autonomy, versus the rights and duty of a doctor. Before attempting to answer the questions posed by these issues, it is important to have some accurate definitions of both euthanasia and of the concept of morality. According to the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics, the precise definition of euthanasia is "a deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life, to relieve intractable suffering" (2). The term can be further divided into voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. The former is said to occur if a competent patient makes an informed request for a life terminating event and the latter can be used if a patient does not give informed and specific consent for such treatment. It is the occurrence of involuntary euthanasia which forms one of the main arguments against legalisation. This is discussed in greater detail below. Euthanasia is frequently separated into active and passive forms. A number of authors consider these terms to be misleading and unhelpful. They are, however, used in the literature and in discussion and consequently should be understood. Active euthanasia takes place if deliberate steps are taken to end a patient's life; this would include administration of potassium containing compounds to induce cardiac arrest, a practice that is illegal in this country. Passive euthanasia is the withholding of treatments necessary for the continuance of life. Whether the administration of increasingly necessary, albeit toxic doses of opioid analgesia is regarded as active or passive euthanasia is a matter of moral interpretation, but in order to pacify doctors' consciences, it is usually regarded as a passive measure. Many people, therefore, regard it as an acceptable facet of good professional practice.

Ethics, Medical↗

Natural rubber latex allergy is not a cause of sudden infant death.

BACKGROUND: The causes for sudden infant death (SID) remain unclear. As infants can become sensitized to NRL allergens by pacifiers and latex mattresses, we tried to establish whether there is a relationship between SID and natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy. METHODS: We determined NRL-specific IgE concentrations in 112 unselected cases of SID by the CAP-FEIA method. RESULTS: NRL-specific IgE could be detected only in 1 sample (0.64 kU/l; CAP class 1). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that NRL allergy is not a cause of SID.

Anaphylaxis↗

The absence of the paternal penis.

Girls' experiences of object loss, in conjunction with female anatomical structure, may lend themselves to a particular genital anxiety regarding openness and emptiness. The relational void in giving up the mother as love object may lead to an internal self-representation of a "hole" to be filled, much as the mouth sucks the pacifier in the absence of the nipple. This image may then be extended to the genital representation. In turning to the father, a girl may find that she lacks a relationship with him in the relational space opened up by the loss of the mother; the penis is symbolically withheld from her in the father's relational distance. This lack of sexual and relational gratification, it is proposed, may be schematized by a female as her body being empty of something. The father's absence--the absence of the paternal penis--may lead to an absence of the mental representation of the vagina and to an inhibition of the role the vagina then plays for a woman in sexual desire. Vaginal repression may serve to disguise object hunger that might otherwise be experienced as vaginal longing. An abbreviated clinical vignette, revolving around a masturbatory fantasy, is offered in partial illustration of the thesis.

Fantasy↗

Pain in neonatal circumcision.

Because newborn circumcision is a quick and safe surgical procedure, any method to relieve pain must be almost risk-free in order to be acceptable. General anesthesia and narcotic analgesia are not appropriate. Dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB) with lidocaine hydrochloride is probably the most effective and safest form of anesthesia for newborn circumcision currently available, but it can cause significant local and systemic reactions. Only a limited number of cases of DPNB have been reported and we feel that this procedure should be used cautiously until there is more published evidence of its safety. Alternative methods of pain relief including oral acetaminophen and topical anesthesia should also be studied. Of special interest is recent evidence that a sucrose-flavored pacifier is an effective analgesic during newborn circumcision.

Acetaminophen↗

Assessing infant suck dysfunction: case management.

Based on this more thorough assessment, the lactation consultant may be able to identify all of the factors contributing to this complex case. In some situations, her skilled interventions will suffice once the underlying problem is addressed. Occasionally, she will identify a factor that falls outside of her area of expertise; when this happens, she must make the appropriate referrals. For example, a referral to a physician for a frenotomy or suspected neurological or other medical problem is appropriate. It is clear that because Baby E's problems were not resolved after 6 weeks of concerned effort, something was missed. It would certainly be appropriate for the lactation consultant to refer the dyad to another lactation consultant who has more expertise in handling clinically challenging breastfeeding problems. If possible, the referring lactation consultant should accompany the dyad so that she can improve her clinical skills. Assuming Baby E does not have underlying medical problems, the most likely causes of Baby E's difficulties are anatomical variation and/or sucking dysfunction. Because the baby is so fussy, it also would be wise to consider the possibility of allergies or food tolerance. Our first rule is " Feed the baby." The second rule is " Correct or work on correcting the problem or problems." Our goal is to achieve exclusive breastfeeding or as close an approximation as possible. We almost never give up on this goal, but we do educate the mother and work professionally with her choices. Until the baby is breastfeeding well, the lactation consultant will probably need to instruct the mother to continue using a pump ( preferably a hospital-grade, electric, bilateral pump). The mother should use the pump physiologically, pumping as many times a day as the baby would breastfeed. As soon as the situation improves, the mother should be instructed to wean gradually from the pump and any other breastfeeding equipment she is using. The goal should always be to help the mother and baby acheive a breastfeeding relationship, preferably without the use of any devices. We usually suggest that the mother avoid all rubber nipples and pacifiers during this learning period. Babies have a strong need to suck. Correct sucking helps the baby organize and be soothed. Whenever possible, we prefer infants to use their mother's breasts for pacification, warmth, love, smell, and food rather than artificial nipples and devices. Mothers almost always want to know how much work and time is involved before committing to following suggested treatment plans. As a general rule, we have found that it will take approximately the same number of weeks as the baby's age to solve the problems completely. In this case, it will probably take about 6 weeks until mother and baby graduate from "breastfeeding school." The first 2 weeks would most likely be very intense for the whole family, with the mother getting very little sleep. VJ is likely to cry when talking to the lactation consultant during this period of intense change. It is helpful during these times to listen to the mother, reinforce that you know how hard she is working and that what she is feeling is normal. Giving the mother a hug and complimenting her mothering efforts go a long way toward encouraging her to continue. It is not a time to give up. The second 2 weeks typically are easier, as everybody is used to the workload and required skills. The focus becomes refining skills. The last 2 weeks is usually a time to reduce and then wean off the equipment and exercises. This timing is just a guideline and must always be individualized. Although it is a tremendous amount of work for the mother, baby, family, and lactation consultant to correct well-established but incorrect breastfeeding behaviors, we have never met a mother who was sorry that she chose to tackle the problem. Even if she tries and then gives up or achieves only a partial milk supply or partial breastfeeding relationship, she can take pleasure in knowing that she left no stone unturned. Unfortunately, mothers and babies with presentations similar to that of VJ and Baby E all too often fail to establish an exclusive breastfeeding relationship. Not only are patience, dedication, time, and skills needed, but there are often multiple underlying problems that need to be solved. With a thorough assessment and appropriate use of skills and equipment by the lactation consultant, success is much more likely. This particular dyad should be able to acheive an exclusive breastfeeding relationship.

Adult↗

A new teaching model to prolong breastfeeding among Latinos.

Latino women in Salt Lake City, Utah, have some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the state. In an attempt to prolong breastfeeding duration in this population, the authors designed a new class to be taught by certified WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) personnel to pregnant Spanish-speaking participants. The class was designed after a literature review and onsite ethnographic research. The term la cuarentena del bebé was introduced to signify the recommended 40 days when mothers should exclusively breastfeed, avoiding bottles, pacifiers, and supplementation. As part of the teaching model, class participants prepare an infant-feeding plan. Preliminary interviews show that WIC participants and staff view the new approach as an improvement. A randomized controlled trial is under way to evaluate the effectiveness of the class.

Breast Feeding↗

The Dutch Institute for Asbestos Victims.

The primary goal of the Dutch Institute for Asbestos Victims is to compensate mesothelioma victims who have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace, while they are still alive, by acting as a neutral mediator between these victims and their (former) employers or their insurers. Representatives of victims, employees, employers, and insurers have agreed to cooperate in the formation and operation of the Institute. The process of reaching a financial settlement has been collectivized, standardized, pacified, and institutionalized. The difficulty of awarding compensation while victims are still alive has led to the Advance Payment Scheme.

Academies and Institutes↗

C1qTNF-related protein-1 (CTRP-1): a vascular wall protein that inhibits collagen-induced platelet aggregation by blocking VWF binding to collagen.

CTRP-1 is a novel member of the C1qTNF-related protein family containing family characteristic collagen and TNF-like domains and shows marked expression in vascular wall tissue. We observed that recombinant human CTRP-1 specifically bound to fibrillar collagen and blocked collagen-induced platelet aggregation. CTRP-1 completely or partially prevented VWF and GPVI-Fc4 binding to collagen, respectively. However, GPVI-Fc4 failed to compete for the binding of CTRP-1 to collagen. CTRP-1 had no effects on alpha(2)beta(1) integrin I-domain binding to collagen. Using whole human blood under flow at low and high shear rates, CTRP-1 prevented platelets from accumulating on a collagen-coated surface but had no effects on "platelet-rolling" on a surface coated with VWF. These data suggest that CTRP-1 prevents collagen-induced platelet aggregation by specific blockade of VWF binding to collagen. By using the Folts vascular injury model in nonhuman primates (Macaca fascicularis), we were able to demonstrate that CTRP-1 can prevent platelet thrombosis in vivo. This effect was achieved in the absence of changes in activated-clotting time (ACT) and template cut bleeding times, suggesting that CTRP-1 has promising antiplatelet thrombotic activity and most likely acts by pacifying the thrombogenic site of vascular injury.

Animals↗

In search of a more perfect heteroarchy:Vermont, civil unions and the harm of "separate-but-equal".

This article focuses on the Vermont civil union solution to the state Supreme Court's mandate in Baker v. State (1999). Using non-subordination theory, the author argues that rather than being a legal victory for lesbians and gay men, the Vermont law integrally contributes to the maintenance of an imbalance of power between heterosexuals and lesbians and gays. The article analyzes the rhetorical strategy employed by lawmakers to respond to what they perceived and portrayed as a menace posed by same-sex marriage and demonstrates that lawmakers reinforced apprehensions surrounding lesbian and gay identity and asserted the familiar heterosexist narrative in an effort to quell the threat posed by Baker. The article concludes that the legislature's genuine motivation behind civil unions was validating their own and their constituents' misplaced fears regarding gay and lesbian identity, and pacifying those fears by denying equal marriage rights to gays and lesbians in an attempt to appear responsive to a perceived threat to heterosexual primacy.

Female↗

The incidence of breastfeeding in our environment.

AIMS: To establish the incidence of breastfeeding and its persistence after three and six months; to identify the factors which might modify attitudes towards breastfeeding. METHODS: An interview, administered to mothers of term born infants of adequate weight for gestational age, after a delivery of one sole foetus, between 1st March and 31st May 1997. Mothers were asked about: previous pregnancies, children and type of feeding; during this pregnancy, their intentions regarding feeding; supervision of pregnancy, and the information received regarding breastfeeding; their work situation, and educational level. Questions regarding the neonatal period referred to the kind of lactation initiated, information received, and the use of a pacifier and supplements. A two-part poll was conducted by telephone after 3 months and after 6 months, enquiring about what kind of feeding was used, the reason for change (if any), who had provided information regarding the change, degree of satisfaction, and work situation. Three hundred and twenty-nine polls were completed, accounting for 70% of the births. RESULTS: During pregnancy, 91% of mothers had intended to breastfeed, and this figure was maintained at birth. A trend towards breastfeeding was observed: 74% of those who had fed earlier children artificially started breastfeeding this time, compared with 7% of mothers who changed from breastfeeding to artificial feeding. After three months, 57% of mothers continued to breastfeed their child, and 24% after six months. High educational level exerted a positive influence on the duration of breastfeeding (OR = 1.7; p = 0.03) and the giving of supplements had a negative effect (OR = 0.4; p = 0.04). The fact that mothers work outside the home did not modify the duration of breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of breastfeeding is high (91%). Among mothers with previous children, there is a greater trend to change from artificial feeding to breastfeeding (74% vs 7%; p < 0.002). The mother's educational level is the most important positive factor, and the early giving of supplements the most important negative factor.

Attitude↗

Transformations of early infantile experiences: a 6-month-old in psychoanalysis.

The aim of the paper is to study the theoretical and technical tools for psychoanalysis adapted to an infantile analysand's requirements. The author presents the case of a 6-month-old boy with his mother in psychoanalytical sessions four times a week; the analysis was terminated after six weeks. After the first two sessions the disturbances between the infant and the mother disappeared from everyday life but continued with increasing intensity as an emotional storm in the sessions during three weeks up to a 12-day break. During and after the break everyday life continued without disturbances. After the break the emotional storm continued in the sessions but abated and was replaced by playing. The infant's creation of a 'fort-da' game with his pacifier indicated a transformation of the mental functioning. The analysis could then be terminated. The study of the process indicates good reasons to adapt psychoanalytical concepts to the prerequisite of the infantile personality and to use the concepts of 'unconscious', 'infantile repression', 'substitute formation', 'return of the infantile repressed', 'infantile transference', 'splitting', 'xKy', 'reverie' and 'containment' as some of the theoretical tools for understanding the infantile personality in a clinical psychoanalytical setting.

Humans↗

Do baby-friendly hospitals influence breastfeeding duration on a national level?

OBJECTIVES: In Switzerland, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) proposed by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was introduced in 1993 to promote breastfeeding nationwide. This study reports results of a national study of the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding in 2003 throughout Switzerland and analyzes the influence of compliance with UNICEF guidelines of the hospital where delivery took place on breastfeeding duration. METHODS: Between April and September 2003, a random sample of mothers who had given birth in the past 9 months in Switzerland received a questionnaire on breastfeeding and complementary feeding. Seventy-four percent of the contacted mothers (n = 3032) participated; they completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported the age at first introduction of various foods and drinks. After excluding questionnaires with missing information relevant for the analyses, we analyzed data for 2861 infants 0 to 11 months of age, born in 145 different health facilities. Because it was known whether each child was born in a designated baby-friendly hospital (45 hospitals) or in a health facility in the process of being evaluated for BFHI inclusion (31 facilities), we were able to assess a possible influence of the BFHI on breastfeeding success. For this purpose, we merged individual data with hospital data on compliance with the UNICEF guidelines, from a data source collected on an annual basis for quality monitoring of designated baby-friendly hospitals and health facilities in the evaluation process. Information on actual compliance with the guidelines allowed us to investigate the relationship between breastfeeding outcomes and compliance with UNICEF guidelines. We were also able to compare the breastfeeding results with those for non-baby-friendly health facilities. The comparison was based on median durations of exclusive, full, and any breastfeeding calculated for each group. To allow for other known influencing factors, we calculated adjusted hazard ratios by using Cox regression; we also conducted logistic regression analyses with the 24-hour dietary recall data, to calculate adjusted odds ratios for validation of results from the retrospectively collected data. RESULTS: In 2003, the median duration of any breastfeeding was 31 weeks at the national level, compared with 22 weeks in 1994, and the median duration of full breastfeeding was 17 weeks, compared with 15 weeks in 1994. The proportion of exclusively breastfed infants 0 to 5 months of age was 42% for infants born in baby-friendly hospitals, compared with 34% for infants born elsewhere. Breastfeeding duration for infants born in baby-friendly hospitals, compared with infants born in other hospitals, was longer if the hospital showed good compliance with the UNICEF guidelines (35 weeks vs 29 weeks for any breastfeeding, 20 weeks vs 17 weeks for full breastfeeding, and 12 weeks vs 6 weeks for exclusive breastfeeding). To control for differences in the study population between the different types of health facilities, hazard and odds ratios were calculated as described above, taking into account socioeconomic and medical factors. Although the analysis of the retrospective data showed clearly that the duration of exclusive and full breastfeeding was significantly longer if delivery occurred in a baby-friendly hospital with high compliance with the UNICEF guidelines, whereas this effect was less prominent in other baby-friendly health facilities, this difference was less obvious in the 24-hour recall data. Only for the duration of any breastfeeding could a positive effect be seen if delivery occurred in a baby-friendly hospital with high compliance with the UNICEF guidelines. Known factors involved in the evaluation of baby-friendly hospitals showed the expected influence, on the individual level, on duration of exclusive, full, and any breastfeeding. If a child had been exclusively breastfed in the hospital, the median duration of exclusive, full, and any breastfeeding was considerably longer than the mean for the entire population or for those who had received water-based liquids or supplements in the hospital. A positive effect on breastfeeding duration could be shown for full rooming in, first suckling within 1 hour, breastfeeding on demand, and also the much-debated practice of pacifier use. After controlling for medical problems before, during, and after delivery, type of delivery, well-being of the mother, maternal smoking, maternal BMI, nationality, education, work, and income, all of the factors were still significantly associated with the duration of full, exclusive, or any breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that the general increase in breastfeeding in Switzerland since 1994 can be interpreted in part as a consequence of an increasing number of baby-friendly health facilities, whose clients breastfeed longer. Nevertheless, several alternative explanations for the longer breastfeeding duration for deliveries that occurred in baby-friendly hospitals can be discussed. In Switzerland, baby-friendly hospitals actively use their certification by UNICEF as a promotional asset. It is thus possible that differences in breastfeeding duration are attributable to the fact that mothers who intend to breastfeed longer would choose to give birth in a baby-friendly hospital and these mothers would be more willing to comply with the recommendations of the UNICEF guidelines. Even if this were the case, however, this selection bias would not explain the differences in breastfeeding duration between designated baby-friendly health facilities with higher compliance with the UNICEF guidelines and those with lower compliance. Especially this last point strongly supports a beneficial effect of the BFHI, because mothers do not know how well hospitals comply with the UNICEF program. The fact that breastfeeding rates have generally improved even in non-baby-friendly health facilities may be indirectly influenced by the BFHI; its publicity and training programs for health professionals have raised public awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding, and the number of professional lactation counselors has increased continuously. Breastfeeding prevalence and duration in Switzerland have improved in the past 10 years. Children born in a baby-friendly health facility are more likely to be breastfed for a longer time, particularly if the hospital shows high compliance with UNICEF guidelines. Therefore, the BFHI should be continued but should be extended to include monitoring for compliance, to promote the full effect of the BFHI.

Breast Feeding↗

Pain in infants who are younger than 2 months during suprapubic aspiration and transurethral bladder catheterization: a randomized, controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Proper diagnosis of urinary tract infections depends on obtaining an uncontaminated urine sample for culture. Suprapubic aspiration and transurethral catheterization are the 2 recommended procedures for obtaining specimens for urine culture from young infants. The objective of the current study was to compare the pain that is experienced during these 2 procedures when performed in young infants. METHODS: A prospective, single-blind, randomized, controlled study was conducted at a university-affiliated hospital in Israel. Institutional Research Ethics Board approved the study. Infants who were 0 to 2 months of age and presented to the emergency department with fever and therefore required urine collection for culture were randomly assigned evenly into 2 sample collection groups: suprapubic aspiration or transurethral catheterization. Patients were excluded when they were born prematurely or had had a previous sepsis workup or other painful procedures or an anomaly of the urogenital system or abdominal wall. Eutectic mixture of local anesthetic cream that contained lidocaine and prilocaine was applied 1 hour before the procedure. The urethra was catheterized using a 5-Fr latex-free feeding tube that was lubricated with sterile water-soluble jelly that contained 2% lidocaine hydrochloride. Pediatric residents who were experienced with the procedures performed both suprapubic aspiration and transurethral catheterization. The parents were instructed to use any comfort strategies that they wished, including verbal or physical comforting and pacifiers. Pain during collection was assessed on a 100-mm visual analog scale by a nurse and a parent. In addition, the infant's upper part of the body was videotaped during the procedure. An investigator, who was blinded to the procedure, assigned a point score according to the Douleur Aigue du Nouveaune neonatal acute pain scale. For ensuring a successful blinding process, the following steps were taken. First, camera recording started 30 seconds before the procedure to prevent the possibility of distinguishing between the procedures on the basis of their duration. Second, the physician and the nurse were asked not to speak during the procedure to avoid revealing the nature of the procedure. Third, the person who videotaped the procedure watched the tape before it was analyzed to ensure the impossibility of identifying the procedure from the tape. The Student's t test was used to compare the groups. The primary outcome was the mean Douleur Aigue du Nouveaune score. Secondary outcomes were the mean visual analogue scale for pain as estimated by the parents and by the nurse. We estimated that 25 patients would be needed in each group to detect a difference in the mean Douleur Aigue du Nouveaune score of at least 2 points with a power of 80% and alpha of .05. RESULTS: The study was conducted between April 1, 2004, and April 30, 2005. Fifty-eight infants were recruited; 29 were randomly assigned to suprapubic aspiration, and 29 were randomly assigned to transurethral catheterization. Seven infants were excluded because of consent withdrawal (3 patients), because of technical difficulties during videotaping (3 patients), or because the child voided during the procedure (1 patient). Twenty-seven infants in the suprapubic aspiration group and 24 in the transurethral catheterization group completed the study. All male infants were circumcised. An adequate urine sample was obtained in 18 (66%) of 27 patients in the suprapubic aspiration group and in 20 (83.3%) of 24 in the transurethral catheterization group. The mean Douleur Aigue du Nouveaune score was significantly higher in patients who were randomly assigned to suprapubic aspiration compared with patients who were randomly assigned to transurethral catheterization (7 and 4.5, respectively). The differences in Douleur Aigue du Nouveaune score also were significant in a subgroup analysis of boys and girls. Mean visual analogue scale scores by parents was higher in the suprapubic aspiration group compared with transurethral catheterization (63 +/- 27 mm vs 46 +/- 26, respectively). Similarly, mean visual analogue scale scores by nurses was higher in the suprapubic aspiration group compared with transurethral catheterization (3 +/- 18 mm vs 43 +/- 25 mm, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In infants who are younger 2 months, suprapubic aspiration is more painful than transurethral catheterization. Health professionals should consider these differences when choosing a method for obtaining a urine sample from young infants.

Crying↗

[The importance of the pediatrician in oral health care promotion].

The degree to which the pediatrician's knowledge might contribute to preventive dentistry is investigated. Questionnaires concerning aspects such as breastfeeding, diet, pacifier use, fluoride use, oral hygiene and the recommended moment for the first dental visit were sent to a random sample of 85 pediatricians in S. José dos Campos. Answers were received from 48 (56.4%) of them. Data showed that orientation about preventive dentistry was not a common procedure among the majority of the pediatricians, suggesting that better integration between physician and dentist is necessary if children are to grow up with better general and dental health.

Age Factors↗

[The relationship between oral habits and malocclusion in preschool children].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the way oral habits and speech problems affect dental occlusion in preschool children. METHODS: A random sample of 2,139 boys and girls aged 3-5 years old was evaluated. The children were enrolled in private and state institutions in the city of Bauru, São Paulo State, Brazil. The cross-sectional study was developed in two steps: occlusion assessment, and a questionnaire about their social and economic status. The occlusal anatomical-functional characteristics assessment was done according to Angle classification. Additionally, overjet, overbite, crowding, anterior open bite, posterior crossbite, and anterior crossbite were evaluated. A sub-sample of 618 children filled out the questionnaire. The prevalence of malocclusion and some variables of exposure were tested by bivariate analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of malocclusion was 51.3% for boys and 56.9% for girls. There was no difference related to gender. In regard to age, there was a higher prevalence of malocclusion in the 3 year-old group, which decreased significantly with age (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among the environmental factors evaluated, the habit of sucking a pacifier was the most important in the association with malocclusion (OR=5.46) followed by the habit of sucking fingers (OR=1.54). Speech problems did not show any influence in malocclusion occurrence.

Articulation Disorders↗

[Advances in the Brazilian norm for commercialization of infant foods].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the advances in the Brazilian norm for commercialization of infant foods from 1988 to 2002, comparing the different texts with each other and with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. METHODS: This was a descriptive study based on data collected from documents, reports, ordinances and resolutions from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The versions utilized in the comparison were from 1992 and 2002. RESULTS: Comparative analysis made it possible to identify important advances in the legislation. In 1992, liquid and powdered milk were included in the scope, along with teats and dummies (pacifiers), and also warning phrases in advertising and on product labeling. In 2002, regulations for products were published by the National Agency for Sanitary Surveillance, thereby strengthening supervisory actions and including regulations for baby foods, nutrient formulae for high-risk newborns, and nipple protectors. The phrases used in commercial advertising and on product labeling, including dummies, teats and bottles, became Ministry of Health warnings. The labeling was defined according to product types, on the basis of more restrictive rules. CONCLUSIONS: Significant modifications in the control over the marketing of products aimed at mothers during the lactation period. However, there are still some legislative questions that would make it possible to improve the Brazilian norm, in order to protect breastfeeding. There is also a need for the government to implement systematic monitoring routines to supervise this legislation.

Brazil↗

[Sucking in preterm newborns and the sucking stimulation].

BACKGROUND: Non-nutritive sucking stimulation may anticipate the beginning of oral feeding and may influence the development of sucking in pre-term newborns. AIM: To describe the development of the sucking pattern and the effects of NNS. METHOD: Participants of this study were 95 preterm newborns (PTNB), adequate for their gestational age (GA), born with GAs inferior or equal to 33 weeks, randomly distributed in three groups: Group 1 (G 1)--control group--did not undergo NNS stimulation; Group 2 (G2) underwent NNS stimulation with orthodontic pacifier for premature infants; Group 3 (G3), underwent NNS stimulation with a gloved finger. All three groups of newborns underwent weekly NNS evaluations with a gloved finger and, after the beginning of the oral feeding (OF) they underwent NNS and nutritive sucking (NS) evaluations using a baby's mini milk bottle. RESULTS: In all three groups, except for the stress signs in NNS and coordination between sucking- swallowing-breathing in NS, as the corrected gestational age (GA at birth plus postnatal age) increased, the occurrence probability of all studied sucking characteristics (NNS and NS) rose. In the NNS: sucking began easily (SBE) with no differences between the groups regarding rhythm, strength and coordination between lips, tongue and jaw; there was a higher probability of labial sealing, of tongue central groove formation and of tongue peristaltic movements in G3; stress signs were higher in G2 (> 37 weeks). In the NS: SBE, coordination between lips, tongue and jaw, volume of ingested milk per total time did not show differences between the groups; rhythm and coordination between sucking, swallowing and breathing were higher in G3, labial sealing was higher in G1and G3 (< 34 weeks), and stress signs higher in G2 (> 33 weeks). CONCLUSION: The sucking pattern of PTNB developed due to the corrected gestational age, observing that NNS stimulation increased the occurrence probability of labial sealing, rhythm, tongue central groove formation, tongue peristaltic movements and coordination between sucking, swallowing and breathing. The gloved finger was the most effective instrument for NNS stimulation.

Breast Feeding↗

[Brazilian guidelines for marketing baby food: history, limitations and perspectives].

The objective of this paper is to present and discuss Brazilian policy concerning actions to protect breastfeeding, especially the history, international and national background, limitations, and perspectives of the Brazilian Guidelines for the Marketing of Baby Food, Pacifiers and Bottles. The Brazilian Guidelines, which play a crucial role in protecting breastfeeding against industry marketing strategies, were based on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, proposed by the World Health Organization in 1981. The first version of the Brazilian Guidelines was released in 1988, and there were subsequent revisions in 1992 and 2001/2002. In 2006, the Guidelines became national law. However, the strides made over this period in terms of regulation have been few because the law is not always observed. Thus, it is essential that all actors involved, including government officials, manufacturers and sellers of baby food and other baby products, teaching and health professionals and their associations, international bodies, and non-governmental organizations make a commitment to enforce the current law.

Brazil↗