Abstract Objectives To identify the impact of birth weight on the development of metalinguistic skills and performance in reading, writing, and arithmetic in students aged 6 to 10 years, enrolled from the 1st to the 4th grade of Elementary School in public schools of the metropolitan region of São Paulo. Methods The concurrent cohort included 315 students. Birth weight was the exposure variable, and the outcomes were performance in receptive and expressive language, oral metalinguistic skills, and performance in writing, arithmetic, and reading. The tools employed were the Test of Language Competence (TLC) and the School Performance Test (SPT). Students were grouped into quartiles by birth weight for data analysis (P1: < 2170 g, P2: from 2171 g to 2450 g, P3: from 2451 g to 3150 g, and P4: > 3150 g). Results The authors observed a tendency for the lower performance of the two groups with lower birth weights in listening comprehension and oral expression. The lower-weight group tended to perform poorly compared to the other groups vis-à-vis reading. In the global result of the SPT, worse performance was observed in the students in the first quartile compared to the others (p= 0.019). The multivariate analysis revealed no association between birth weight and results in the tests applied after adjusting for maternal schooling. Conclusions Birth weight can interfere with oral and written language development. However, the determination of these processes occurs in the face of complex interaction that includes sociodemographic factors, especially family support and maternal schooling. reading writing 1 years st th Paulo 31 variable TLC (TLC SPT. SPT . (SPT) P1 P (P1 217 P2 245 P3 P4 g. g) expression lowerweight visàvis vis à p= p (p 0.019. 0019 0.019 0 019 0.019) schooling However factors 3 (SPT (P 21 24 001 0.01 01 2 00 0.0 0.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o conhecimento e as práticas sobre desenvolvimento infantil de médicos que atuam em Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS). MÉTODO: Estudo transversal, descritivo, realizado nas UBS de Embu (SP). Procedimentos do estudo: 1) avaliação do conhecimento por teste contendo 20 questões de múltipla escolha sobre desenvolvimento da criança aplicado a 31 médicos (universo) que prestam assistência pediátrica em UBS; 2) avaliação das práticas - entrevista semiestruturada aplicada para uma amostra de 154 mães/cuidadores que acompanhavam crianças com idade menor ou igual a 36 meses em consulta médica agendada em UBS do município. Para comparação de variáveis categóricas (avaliação/orientações sobre desenvolvimento em consultas de crianças de diferentes faixas etárias), utizou-se o qui-quadrado. RESULTADOS: A média de acertos dos médicos foi de 14,8 questões; sete questões apresentaram índices de erros superiores a 30% (desenvolvimento sensorial, aquisição de linguagem, fisiologia do sistema nervoso, diagnóstico clínico e laboratorial de infecções congênitas, erros inatos do metabolismo) e quatro questões apresentaram acertos acima de 85% (marcos do desenvolvimento motor, pessoal-social, fatores de risco e síndrome genética). Quanto às práticas, em 69 (45%) consultas o médico perguntou a opinião da mãe/cuidador sobre o desenvolvimento da criança, em 80 (52%) a mãe/cuidador referiu que o médico fez alguma pergunta e/ou avaliou o desenvolvimento e em 64 (42%) orientou sobre como estimular a criança. CONCLUSÕES: Identificaram-se falhas de conhecimento e nas práticas dos profissionais referentes ao desenvolvimento da criança, o que indica a necessidade de implementar educação permanente.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge and practices regarding child development among physicians working in primary healthcare units. METHOD: Cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at primary healthcare units in Embu, São Paulo, Brazil. Study procedures: 1) Evaluation of knowledge: test consisting of 20 multiple-choice questions on child development applied to all 31 physicians who were providing pediatric care at the primary healthcare units; 2) Evaluation of practices: semi-structured interview applied to a sample of 154 mothers/caregivers of children aged up to 36 months during follow-up visits at primary healthcare units in the municipality. For the comparisons of categorical variables (evaluation/advices about development in visits of children at different ages), the chi-square test was employed. RESULTS: The mean number of correct responses among physicians was 14.8. The error rate for seven questions was greater than 30% (sensory development, language acquisition, physiology of the nervous system, clinical and laboratory diagnosis of congenital infections and innate errors of metabolism) and the rate of correct responses was greater than 85% for four questions (motor and personal-social development markers, risk factors and genetic syndromes). Regarding practices, in 69 (45%) visits, the doctor asked the mother/caregiver's opinion about the child's development; in 80 (52%), the mother/caregiver said that the doctor assessed the development; and in 64 (42%), the mother/caregiver said that the doctor advised them on practices for child's stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Faulty knowledge and practices regarding child development were identified among primary care professionals, indicating the need for continued education.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunogenicity of a combined DTPa-HB vaccine co-administered with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (PRP-T) in Brazilian infants. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective and open clinical study, in which 110 infants were immunized with a three-dose primary vaccination regime at two, four and six months of age and with a single booster vaccination. Blood samples were drawn immediately before the first dose, one month after the third dose, at the time of the booster dose and one month after the booster to assess seropositivity and antibody geometric mean titers (GMTs) of antibodies for diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b and for the three pertussis antigens: Pertussis Toxin (PT), Filamentous Hemagglutinin (FHA) and Pertactin (PRN). RESULTS: Among the original 110 infants, 93 completed the study. Seropositivity was 100% for all seven involved antibodies, after the primary vaccination course. At the time of the booster dose, all antibodies (except diphtheria 33.7% and anti-PT 59%) were seropositive for more than 94% of subjects. After the booster, seropositivity increased to 100% for all antibodies. The GMT of these antibodies followed a similar pattern, with a strong increase after the primary course, followed by a second increase after the booster dose. At this time, GMT was2- to 7-fold higher than after the primary course, for all vaccine components. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant administration of DTPa-HB and Hib vaccines elicited strong seroprotection for all the antigenic components. No interference with antibody response was evident. The vaccines provided high immunogenicity, following both the primary vaccinations and the booster dose.

OBJETIVO: realizar revisão bibliográfica sobre dores recorrentes na infância e na adolescência, com enfoque no diagnóstico diferencial e manejo desses pacientes. FONTES DE DADOS: levantamento bibliográfico no Medline e Lilacs, abrangendo os últimos quatro e dez anos, respectivamente, além de estudos e textos clássicos que tratam sobre o tema. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: estudos realizados em diferentes partes do mundo demonstram que as dores recorrentes mais freqüentes na infância e adolescência são dor abdominal, cefaléia e dor em membros. A ocorrência de causa orgânica é baixa, observada em 5% a 10% dos casos. Dentre as causas orgânicas bem definidas de dor abdominal recorrente, cefaléia e dor em membros, não se observa nenhuma etiologia predominante. Foram analisados os principais avanços quanto à fisiopatologia das dores recorrentes, nas suas diferentes localizações, apresentando-se uma orientação para abordagem diagnóstica e terapêutica das afecções mais freqüentes em pediatria. CONCLUSÕES: as dores recorrentes na infância e adolescência são muito freqüentes e determinam significativa demanda aos serviços de saúde. A anamnese, o exame físico e o seguimento do paciente constituem a base para abordagem dessas crianças e adolescentes.

OBJECTIVE: to perform a bibliographic review of recurrent pain in children and adolescents, focusing on differential diagnosis and management of such patients. SOURCES OF DATA: search of Medline and Lilacs databases, covering the last four and ten years, respectively. Classical studies and texts related to the matter were also included. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: studies carried out in different parts of the world demonstrate that the most frequent kinds of recurrent pain in children and adolescents are abdominal pain, headache, and limb pain. The occurrence of organic etiology is low, observed in 5% to 10% of the cases. Among the well defined organic etiology, no predominance is observed. The main advances regarding the pathophysiology of recurrent pain in its main localizations were analyzed. Guidelines for the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of the most common infantile diseases related to recurrent pain are presented. CONCLUSIONS: recurrent pain in children and adolescents is very common and determines significant demand on healthcare services. Defined etiology is only presented by 5% to 10% of patients. Anamnesis, physical examination and follow-up are extremely important instruments for dealing with such patients.