This study was carried out to determine the vitamin A status and nutritional intake of carotenoids of 213 children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years in a rural community in Nigeria. There were 109 males and 104 females. A total of 57 (26.8 per cent) children were deficient in serum retinol levels (< 10 microg/dl) while 102 (47.9 per cent) had low levels (10-19 microg/dl). The highest prevalence of serum retinol deficiency was in the 6-12 months age group, most of whom were breastfeeding and there was poor correlation between duration of breastfeeding and serum retinol levels. The prevalence of night-blindness was 1.5 per cent; however, none of the children had xerophthalmia. Chronically malnourished children had lower mean serum retinol levels than well nourished children. There was a high consumption of carotenoid-containing food, but despite this there was a high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency. We therefore suggest that measures to combat vitamin A deficiency should include vitamin A supplementation on a short-term basis. On a long-term basis parents should be educated on the importance of the consumption of locally available sources of provitamin A and pre-formed vitamin A rich foods, and the avoidance of overcooking. Parents should also be encouraged to grow more beta-carotene containing foods.

Background: Adequate early infant nutrition is essential for subsequent optimum growth and development of the child. Exclusive breastfeeding is the cornerstone of the best possible nutrition in early infancy.Objective: To assess current breastfeeding practices in early infancy in Benin City and further progress ( if any) that may have been made in the realisation of optimal early infant feeding practices in the locale in the preceding decade.Methods: A community-based household survey was carried out in three representative wards in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City, from June to September, 2009. Infant feeding practices were evaluated using pre-tested questionnaires on 1068 mothers of infants aged less than 12 months.Result: Five hundred and forty-six (51.1%) infants were aged less than 6 months. The Ever Breastfed Rate was 100.0% while the Timely Suckling Rate was 35.5%. The Exclusive and Predominant Breastfeeding Rates were respectively 40.7% and 30.4% while the Bottle-feeding Rate was 32.2%. Most (98.4%) mothers had correct information about exclusive breastfeeding obtained mainly from antenatal clinics and immunization centres. Factors significantly associated with EBF were high maternal education (χ2 = 9.718; p = 0.045), high socioeconomic status (χ2 = 12.910; p = 0.012), increasing maternal age (χ2 = 14.777; p = 0.022), higher parity (χ2 = 15.212; p = 0.009), delivery in hospital (χ2 = 15.079; p = 0.020) and infant’s age (χ2 = 100.482; P = 0.0001).Conclusions/Recommendations: Breastfeeding practices in Benin City have not improved much from what obtained a decade earlier. Greater emphasis on female education and socio-economic empowerment are advocated as tools for improvement. Reinvigoration of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative is also recommended to ensure continued health facility interface that would ensure community mobilisation and support for optimal breastfeeding.Key Words: Breastfeeding, Practices, Early Infancy, Benin City

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Introduction: Paediatric gastroenterology has become an established subspecialty in the last five decades in developed and some developing countries. Endoscopy is the cornerstone of this sub-specialty. In Nigeria, it is still at its infancy stage, though with increasing local interest. This is a report of the first Paediatric Endoscopy Workshop in Nigeria organized as a pre -conference by the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) and the Nigerian Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NISPGHAN).Aim: The aim of the conference was to promote and create awareness on paediatric gastroenterology as a subspecialty and introduce participants to the practice of paediatric endoscopy.Method: This was a two day preconference workshop. Paediatricians, paediatric resisdents and nurses were in attendance. One International and three National resource persons were on ground to impart the needed knowledge and skills. Training involved didactic lectures, hands-on sessions using manikins and three live sessions involving the upper gastrointestinal tract.Results: There were 40 attendees on day 1: 22 (55%) paediatric residents, 12 (30%) consultant paediatricians and six (15%) nurses. Day 2: 22 (52%) paediatric residents, 12 (29%) consultant paediatricians and eight (19%) nurses. Three children (two females and one male) had upper GI endoscopy (with biopsy done in two cases) during the pre-conference workshop as live sessions. They were aged eight, nine and 16 years. Indications for endoscopy were recurrent haematemesis in an eight year old female patient and recurrent upper abdominal pain in the other two patients (a male and a female). Gastritis was found in the two patients and this was confirmed histologically in one of the patients.Conclusion: The training stirred up participant’s interest in this subspecialty of paediatrics. It brought to fore the need for paediatric endoscopy to be developed in Nigeria. The procedure should be performed at tertiary centres at this stage of our development and the cost of it covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme. Four training centres to aid interested paediatricians and paediatric trained nurses acquire the needed skills are recommended.Keywords: Paediatric endoscopy, Calabar, Nigeria.

Hepatoblastoma is the most common primary malignant hepatic tumour in children, occurring between the ages of 6months to 3years. It most often presents with a painless abdominal mass discovered accidentally in young children. Occurrence in adolescents and adults is rare and is usually associated with non-specific symptoms which often result in delayed diagnosis and commencement of treatment. Abdominal pain preceding a rapidly progressive abdominal mass is a common pattern observed in adolescents and adults. The histologic type commonly seen in adults is associated with a poor prognosis. We report the case of a sixteen year old girl who presented with abdominal pain and distension and jaundice of a short duration. She was well-nourished with marked hepatomegaly and ascites. Hepatic transaminases were highly elevated with deranged clotting profile. She developed features of hepatic encephalopathy and died on the seventh day of admission. A Post-mortem histologic diagnosis of hepatoblastoma was made.