Hospital noise levels were measured for four consecutive days every two hours throughout the day in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), a normal nursery room and inside infant incubators when the latter were associated with different types of life-support equipment. There was a difference in the noise level between normal nursery and NICU, whereas a considerable increase of noise was recorded when the infant received supplemental oxygen, was under ventilator or when an air compressor was in operation. High noise levels were equally the same both in a.m. and p.m. hours in the NICU. As many high risk infants spend a long time in a NICU, there is an urgent need for further evaluation of noise levels and their effect on the outcome of infants.

Aim To evaluate the hearing loss and associated risk factors in low-birth weight infants in our institution.Materials and Methods This study was conducted in 100 infants who were admitted in our hospital between June 2013 and December 2014. Auditory brainstem-evoked response (ABER) was used to evaluate the hearing threshold with response to audiological clicks-associated risk factors.Results Of the total 100 infants who were taken up for study, 62 infants had hearing loss, and coexisting risk factors were present in 53 children, major risk factor being of genetic origin.Conclusion Screening in the low-birth weight is mandatory to identify the hearing loss and associated risk factors for early intervention within 6 months of age to reduce the disability in the child and for better rehabilitation.

Serial skin (sole) and rectal temperatures were simultaneously taken from 55 healthy and 26 septicaemic newborn infants to find out prospectively whether septicaemic newborn infants have any thermoregulatory reaction to the septicaemia, and whether regular temperature measurements could help in the early diagnosis of septicaemia. The septicaemic infants were divided into three groups: the first comprised eight feverish infants, the second 11 with normal temperatures who were in relatively good clinical condition, and the third seven with normal temperatures who were in poor clinical condition. All 55 healthy babies had rectal temperatures of less than 37-8°C and a mean rectal-sole temperature difference of 2-5°C. The first group of septicaemic infants had rectal temperatures over 37-8°C and a high mean temperature difference of 6-9°C, whereas the second group had rectal temperatures less than 37-8°C and a mean temperature difference of 4*7°C. Infants of the third group had a low rectal temperature and a low mean temperature difference (1.1°C).We conclude that septicaemic newborn infants show an adequate thermoregulatory reaction, which is reflected by a widening of the rectal-sole temperature difference of more than 3-5°C, except for those who are critically ill, who lose this ability. In view of these results infants with normal temperatures but with a rectal-sole temperature difference of more than 3-5°C should be suspected of septicaemia and investigated thoroughly. Fever is a common sign of infection in children and adults. The regulation of body temperature at a raised point (fever) is achieved by two main mechanisms: firstly, increase of heat production by shivering or non-shivering thermogenesis and, secondly, decrease of heat dissipation, mainly by peripheral vasoconstriction. The end result of these mechanisms is a widening of the gap between the core (rectal) and skin temperature gradients."It is often said that newborn babies, and espe- Patients and methods A total of 81 newborn infants were studied. Fifty five were healthy babies (group A) and the remaining 26 were septicaemic (group B). The diagnosis of septicaemia was made on the clinical picture and confirmed by positive cultures from blood or cerebrospinal fluid, or both, in 21 cases and by necropsy examination in five cases. All infants were studied between the fifth and the 12th day of life and, during the whole period of the study, all premature babies and those with septicaemia were nursed in incubators in an environment the temperature of which was regulated according to their weight and extrauterine age.5 Temperature measurements were made by a special tele-thermometer (Yellow Spring 43TA) and always by the same person (HL). The probe of the thermometer was inserted into the rectum to a depth of 5 cm in full term, and 4 cm in preterm babies and was left there for three minutes.6 Simultaneously the sole (skin) temperature was recorded by the special skin sensor of the instrument. The skin sensor was placed vertically over the sole ...

In the entire study population, serum PYY concentrations correlated negatively with gestational age and anthropometric measurements (birth weight, body weight, body length, body mass index, and head circumference) and positively with serum ghrelin concentrations, whereas there was no significant correlation between PYY concentration and caloric intake or weight gain. Multiple regression analysis, after correction for prematurity, revealed that serum PYY concentrations correlated independently with

The rectal-axillary temperature difference (R-A) was measured in the morning, at midday, and in the afternoon on 1,519 occasions in 1,149 children from birth to 5 years old. Of these, 302 children were febrile (rectal temperature > or = 38 degrees C) and 847 were afebrile. A wide range in R-A was found for each individual in both groups. The magnitude of this difference was not associated with sex or age. In febrile children, the R-A was significantly greater (P < .0001) at the apparent onset of fever (1.04 +/- 0.25 degrees C) than later, when fever had been present for at least two hours (0.53 +/- 0.22 degrees C). These findings indicate that it is impossible to find a standard number by which to convert axillary to rectal temperature or vice versa. Furthermore axillary temperature may be relatively low or even "normal" despite an elevated rectal temperature at the onset of fever.