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Headaches are relatively common in childhood. Undue irritability in young children may be an indication of recurrent or persistent headaches. Older children may have headaches which are related to increased intracranial pressure from any cause, migraine, tension, trauma, and systemic disease. These painful episodes may precede, follow or be the only manifestation of convulsions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrombosis is a rare situation in pediatric practice. That makes it impossible to have homogenous series and therefore treatment regimens are difficult to be well defined. In this article the authors present: - neonatal thrombosis (arterial and venous), thrombosis in infants and older children; - treatment regimens (indications regarding the etiology) in neonates, infants, children; - thrombolitic treatment (dosage, duration of treatment, precautions and biologic follow-up); - conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rett syndrome, a neurodegenerative disorder, occurs almost exclusively in female children and has an incidence of 1/15.000. Development proceeds normally until 1 year of age when regression of language and motor milestones and acquired microcephaly become apparent. An ataxic gait or fine tremor of hand movements is an early neurologic finding. Most children develop peculiar sighing respirations with intermittent periods of apnea that may be associated with cyanosis. The hallmark of Rett syndrome is repetitive hand-wringing movements and a loss of purposeful and spontaneous use of the hands which may not appear until 2-3 years of age. Autistic behavior is a typical findings in all patients. Generalized tonic-clonic convulsions occur in the majority and are usually well controlled by anticonvulsivants. Feeding disorders and poor weight gain are common. Several studies have shown elevated CSF levels of endorphins in Rett syndrome. Trials of opiate receptorblocking agents (e.g., naltrexone) have improved the apnea and behavior abnormalities in some patients. After the initial period of neurologic regression, the disease process appears to plateau, with a persistence of the autistic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After presenting the main characteristics of tics, the authors are evaluating the etiopatogeny, considering their psychogenic or somatogenic nature. Tics may not be considered exclusively nevrotic and for each case we must establish how much of the clinical signs can be determined by the psychogenic factors. Finally the authors are discussing about preventing and treatment of tics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central nervous system (CNS) tumors comprise 15% to 20% of all malignancies occuring in childhood and adolescence. Symptoms and signs depend on the growth rate of the tumor, its location in the central nervous system (CNS) and the age of the child. This article describes the presentation, diagnosis and the management of these tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group B Streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae). Infections colonizes the maternal urethra, vaginal tract and rectum; it is sexually transmitted but colonization is usually asymptomatic. In the mother, group B Streptococcus can cause puerperal sepsis, endometritis and preterm delivery. The biggest risk, however, is to the newborn. The risk of infection appears enhanced in twins. The most devastating form of infection is early-onset bacteremia with shock, pneumonia and, occasionally, meningitis. All three serotypes (I, II, III) can cause early-onset infection although type III is most common in infections that are seen after the first week of age. All three serotypes (I, II, III) can cause early-onset infection although type III is most common in infections that are seen after the first week of age (see table 1). The author presents: morphopathology (pneumonia, especially in early onset group B Streptococcus infections; meningitis, meningoencephalitis in late onset group B Streptococcus infections); clinical manifestations; diagnosis (positive, differential); evolution and treatment; prevention and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrauterine Listeria monocytogenes infection may result in abortion early in gestation and stillbirth later on or congenital infection with early neonatal death. Newborn acquiring Listeria late in pregnancy or during birth manifest diverse clinical signs ranging from septicemia to focal skin lesions. Two clinical syndromes: •the first with early onset presents in the first two days of life and is characterized by septicemia and high mortality rate; •the second form (late onset) presents after the fifth day of life and represents infection acquired during delivery or postnatally - with meningitis or meningoencephalitis. The diagnosis of listeriosis is suggested by the clinical picture and gram stain vizualization of listeria, a grampositive bacteria. Treatment of listeriosis is most often initiated with a combination of ampicillin and an aminoglycoside - gentamicin. The outcome is favorable in most cases, the exception being the cases with fulminant sepsis and meningoencephalitis often complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation and bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the term ‟congenital„ is inaccurate it is so widely accepted that it is used interchangeably with ‟prenatal„ as signyfing syphilis acquired in utero or at birth. Prenatal (congenital) syphilis, reported among infants under a year of age, is estimates with a incidence in growing during the past decade, result from environmental factors of climate and culture and, possibly also, genetic differences in parasit or host, or both (Finberg L. 2000). The author presents: etiology; transmission of prenatal syphilis; pathogenesis and clinical manifestation in early congenital (prenatal) syphilis; in late congenital syphilis; diagnosis; treatment and prophylaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neonatal sepsis (in utero), perinatal and afterbirth - postnatal is a disease with low incidence, but with high risk. Although incidence of the most common etiology - group B Streptococus - has been reduced by prophylactic treatment with penicillin - neonatal sepsis has not been eradicated, and vigilance must remain high. The author presents: etiology; pathogeny; clinical manifestations; diagnosis (positiv, differential, etiological); management with a plan of treatment with antimicrobial agents and supportive care; evolution, complication and prognosis in neonatal sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'auteur présente: définition; démarche diagnostique [angine streptococcique, angines virales, angine érythémateuse, angine érythémato-pultacée, angine pseudo-membraneuses, angines ulcéro-nécrotiques, angines phlegmoneuses, angines vésiculeuses [l'herpangine]; l'examen bactériologique; complications des angines streptococciques; traitement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]