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John R Østergaard

Publications and source records attributed to John R Østergaard.

2 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

[Positional plagiocephaly].

INTRODUCTION: To prevent early sudden infant death syndrome, the health authorities recommend that newborn infants sleep on their back. This has led to an increase of positional plagiocephaly. The aim of this study was to describe this condition and to recommend a preventive treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective registration of 133 children with positional plagiocephaly seen in the period from 1994 to 2000. RESULTS: The number of children with positional plagiocephaly increased from two in 1994 to a maximum of 43 in 1999. 83 were males and 50 were females. 84 were dextral and 49 were sinistral. In seven (14%) of the sinistral and three (4%) of the dextral, we found a physical explanation of the head turning. In 51 children, X-rays of the skull were performed, but no synostosis was found. DISCUSSION: The back-sleeping position of infants is a promotive factor to positional plagiocephaly which may be prevented by simple alternating head positioning. Otherwise early (< 6 months of age) corrective physiotherapy and positioning or an orthoplastic helmet must be considered. The diagnosis of positional plagiocephaly is based on clinical observations. There is a favourite head turning, an ipsilateral occipital flattening, an ipsilateral frontal bossing, and the ipsilateral ear is moved forward.

Craniosynostoses↗
PubMed2002

Risk factors for febrile convulsions.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relative importance of genes and early environment in the etiology of febrile convulsions. METHODS: We performed a follow-up study using data from two nationwide registers in Denmark, 1980-1998. The study population comprised 10,224 younger siblings of children who had had febrile convulsions, and 21,218 younger siblings of children who had never been hospitalized with febrile convulsions. RESULTS: The study provides three main findings. First, if a previous child had had a febrile convulsion, the risk was lower for the next child if either parent changed partners. Compared with full-siblings, the hazard ratio (HR) of febrile convulsions was 0.6 for paternal half-siblings and 0.7 for maternal half-siblings. In contrast, if there was no history of febrile convulsions in the previous child, a change in partner was associated with a slight increase in risk (1.2 among paternal half-siblings and 1.3 among maternal half-siblings). Secondly, the risk of febrile convulsion was strongly associated with the number of hospitalizations for febrile convulsions experienced by the older siblings, with a doubling of risk among those whose older sibling had had three or more hospitalizations. Thirdly, the risk of febrile convulsions increased with decreasing gestational age, birth weight, and birth weight ratio regardless of family history. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the etiology of febrile convulsions depends on a genetic susceptibility that can be transmitted through both parents, and corroborates the hypothesis that multiple febrile convulsions may constitute a separate etiological entity.

Birth Weight↗