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Biomedical subjects

H L Needleman

Publications and source records attributed to H L Needleman.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels.

To measure the neuropsychologic effects of unidentified childhood exposure to lead, the performance of 58 children with high and 100 with low dentine lead levels was compared. Children with lead levels scored significantly less well on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) than those with low lead levels. This difference was also apparent on verbal subtests, on three other measures of auditory or speech processing and on a measure of attention. Analysis of variance showed that none of these differences could be explained by any of the 39 other variables studied. Also evaluated by a teachers' questionnaire was the classroom behavior of all children (2146 in number) whose teeth were analyzed. The frequency of non-adaptive classroom behavior increased in a dose-related fashion to dentine lead level. Lead exposure, at doses below those producing symptoms severe enough to be diagnosed clinically, appears to be associated with neuropsychologic deficits that may interfere with classroom performance.

Attention↗

Child abuse and dentistry: orofacial trauma and its recognition by dentists.

Orofacial trauma was found in 49% of 260 documented cases of child abuse seen during of five-year period at the Children's Hospital Medical Center, Boston. An additional 16% of the cases involved head trauma; the total percentage of head and facial trauma was 65%. Head or facial trauma was the principal reason for admission to the hospital in 45% of the cases. A survey of 537 dentists in Massachusetts showed that the majority were unaware of their legal and social responsibilities to report suspected cases of child abuse. Eleven percent of all dentists surveyed saw orofacial trauma cases that were of a suspicious nature, by only 22 confirmed cases of child abuse were noted by the dentists. Of these, only four were reported to social agencies. In general, oral surgeons and pedodontists saw a higher percentage of these cases and were more aware of their responsibilities than were general practitioners.

Child↗

Dental management of patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation for aplastic anemia.

Acquired aplastic anemia is a rare hematologic disease characterized by a hypoplastic bone marrow and peripheral pnacytopenia. In severe cases, where conservative medical management has been unsuccessful, bone marrow transplantation is now being performed. Between the years 1971 and 1975, twenty-two patients with severe aplastic anemia were seen at the Children's Hospital Medical Center. This article discusses the oral presentations of aplastic anemia and the dental management of nine patients without and thirteen with transplantations.

Adolescent↗

Idiopathic failure of eruption of permanent molar teeth.

Failure of permanent teeth to erupt without any known cause is a seldom occurring phenomenon. However, it brings to light our ignorance of the basic physiologic mechanism of tooth eruption. In this article we present five patients with unerupted permanent molar teeth. In all instances, no obvious cause exists. Indications for operative intervention and management are discussed, but the cases are also presented to focus attention on our lack of knowledge of the physiology of tooth eruption.

Child↗

The use of epsilon-aminocaproic acid for the management of hemophilia in dental and oral surgery patients.

The use of epsilon-aminocaproic acid has proved to be an efficient and practical method for treating hemophiliacs who require dental work. In the past, patients requiring extractions were admitted to a hospital for approximately ten days and received replacement infusions every 12 hours during their stay. This resulted in a large expense because of the cost of the material and the hospitalization itself, not to mention the trauma sustained by the patient both physically and psychologically. Also, by decreasing the number of factor infusions, the risk of complications such as the transmission of hepatitis, allergic reaction, or inhibitor formation decreased. The same protocol using a single infusion of the appropriate factor replacement with supplementary epsilon-aminocaproic acid can be used for the management of patients with other coagulation disorders such as factor IX deficiency (Christman disease), factor XI deficiency, and von Willebrand's disease. Since this paper was submitted, seven more patients have been treated using this protocol. An additional seven odontectomies, 33 extractions, operative dentistry in 18 quadrants, and alveoloplasties in two full arches have been performed. This brings the total to 23 treatment sesions with 18 patients undergoing 124 procedures. One additional minor bleeding episode occurred, resulting in a total rate of four bleeding episodes in 23 treatment sessions and 124 procedures. Our incidence of complications secondary to epsilon-aminocaproic acid specifically remains zero.

Adolescent↗

Dentine lead levels in asymptomatic Philadelphia school children: subclinical exposure in high and low risk groups.

Dentine lead levels were measured in 760 asymptomatic school children from two school districts, one considered high risk for lead exposure, one considered low risk. Elevated levels were found in black children living in deteriorated housing and in those white children from housing in good repair who lived and attended school in proximity to major manufacturer of paint and lead products.

Black or African American↗