Factors associated with fathers' involvement in infant and young child feeding and nurturing care in the urban slums of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and nurturing care during the first years of children's lives are crucial for ensuring their growth and development. The IYCF and nurturing practices are associated with a multifaceted interplay of context-specific factors where fathers' involvement is necessary. The aim of this study is to explore the current scenario of fathers' involvement in IYCF practices in the urban slums of Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey among the residents of the Sat Tola slum in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh was conducted. To avoid social desirability bias, 361 mothers of children aged <24 months were interviewed regarding fathers' involvement. An operational definition of father's involvement was developed based on 11 criteria and then scoring was applied to classify 'Good Involvement' and associated factors were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Fathers' mean age was around 31 (SD ± 6.09) years and the majority of them (44.32%) completed primary education. Fathers had diversified occupations such as day laborer (32.41%), garment worker (22.71%), and business (14.96%). Factors that were significantly associated with the father's involvement in IYCF practices include educational status (aOR = 3.98, 95% CI = 1.91, 8.26, p < .00) and theiroccupational status (aOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.16, 0.70, p = .00). Fathers were more active for their first child (aOR: 1.99, 95% CI = 1.04, 3.79, p = .03). Having child in the age group of 14-20 months (aOR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.32, 5.64, p = <.01) and wife in the age group of 21-30 years (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.20, 4.58, p = .01) were significantly associated. The study finding explored that fathers' education and occupation as well as mothers' age and education were significantly associated factors for fathers' involvement in the IYCF practices. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to establish the causal relationship between fathers' involvement with IYCF and their impact on child growth and development.

PREVALENCE OF SUB-CLINICAL MASTITIS AT BANARIPARA UPAZILLA, BARISAL

A study was aimed to determine the prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis and also determine the other risk factors that intensify this condition. Prescribed questionnaire was used to take baseline information of the animals and farms and California mastitis test kit was used to determine the SCM in lactating cow at farm level. It appears from this study that an overall prevalence of SCM was 51.56% in milking cows at Banaripara Upazilla, Barisal. Crossbred cows were significantly affected with SCM than local breed lactating cows. The farm type affect significantly (p<0.05) on the occurrence of this diseases. The prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis in cow was significantly (p<0.05) higher in 3rd (80%) parity compared to 1st (38.09%) and 2rd (45.83%) parity as well as non pregnant cows (55.55%) are more prone to infection than pregnant cow (46.43%). The farm floor condition and aged cows don’t have any effect on SCM. Prevalence of sub-clinical mastitis was significantly (p<0.05) higher in high yielding (87.5%) cows than medium (70%) to low (33.33%) yielding cows. A well documented continued research and educational effort is required to increase producer awareness of cost due to mastitis to the dairy enterprise. From this study it was concluded that cow breed, farm type, parity of cows, physiological status of animal and milk yield per cow were found to be important risk factors associated with the occurrence of sub clinical mastitis in dairy cows. The occurrence of this disease remains a substantial problem for dairy producers.

Lupus anticoagulant acquired hypoprothrombinemia syndrome in childhood: two distinct patterns and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Lupus anticoagulant associated with acquired prothrombin deficiency also known as 'lupus anticoagulant hypoprothrombinemia syndrome' (LAHS) is an entity that is well described in adults and is usually associated with autoimmune conditions (LAHS-AI). However, in children, LAHS has unique features that are distinct from the adult type.

AIMS

We report two paediatric cases of LAHS, describe their distinct patterns and review the paediatric literature on LAHS.

METHODS

Case studies on two patients with LAHS were reviewed, details on their presentation, work up and management were extracted. A Medline search was conducted on LAHS in children between 1960 and 2014; Articles in languages other than English were excluded.

RESULTS

The case studies highlight the differences in the two patterns of childhood LAHS. Additionally the review of the literature reveals that there are 15 case reports and 5 case series that report 25 children with LAHS-AI, 9 case reports and 6 case series report 26 children of LAHS associated with viral infections (LAHS-VI). At presentation, all patients with LAHS-AI had positive laboratory tests for autoimmune diseases, most commonly for systemic lupus erythematosus while these tests were negative in LAHS-VI. All patients with LAHS-AI had a protracted course and needed prolonged treatment with immune-suppressive therapy while patients with LAHS-VI resolved spontaneously or needed short-term immune-modulating therapy.

CONCLUSION

In childhood, two distinct patterns of LAHS are observed, either associated with infection or autoimmune disease. Initial diagnostic investigations are critical to differentiating these two patterns as the prognosis and outcome for each is distinct.