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Biomedical subjects

M Crouchman

Publications and source records attributed to M Crouchman.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

A practical outcome scale for paediatric head injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the commonest cause of acquired disability in childhood. A major obstacle to the evaluation of acute and rehabilitative therapies after TBI is the lack of simple descriptors of outcome. We developed the King's Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSCHI), as a specific paediatric adaptation of the original adult Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). The KOSCHI expands the five category GOS to provide increased sensitivity at the milder end of the disability range. The GOS category of "persistent vegetative state" was replaced by "vegetative". "Good recovery" was allocated two categories, in acknowledgement of the long term importance of relatively minor sequelae in a developing child. The scale was quick and easy to use. Inter-rater reliability studies show that even with such an apparently simple scale, some training may be required. The KOSCHI provides a practical scale for paediatric head injury which will enable clinicians to describe rate and extent of recovery, and evaluate the effects of service and research interventions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Why are brain tumours still being missed?

The prediagnosis period of 74 children with primary brain tumours was assessed to examine their presentation and reasons for any delay in diagnosis. Medical case notes were reviewed and parents were interviewed and asked to complete psychological questionnaires. Mean (SD) duration of clinical history was 20.0 (29.1) weeks. Most common symptoms were vomiting (65%) and headache (64%). Only 34% of headaches were always associated with vomiting and only 28% occurred 'early morning'. Changes in the child's personality (47%) were also common. The average number of consultations before diagnosis was 4.6. Migraine was diagnosed in 24% of children and a psychological aetiology in 15%. One quarter of the children had altered levels of consciousness on arrival at the unit. Results indicate that delay in diagnosis still occurs, despite strong parental concern. The nonspecificity of symptoms and a high incidence of psychological symptoms may confound the clinical picture and are considered along with other possible contributory factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Three sibs with phalangeal anomalies, microcephaly, severe mental retardation, and neurological abnormalities.

This paper describes three children of a Pakistani first cousin marriage with a distinctive, non-progressive disorder characterised by variable phalangeal anomalies, microcephaly, pre- and postnatal growth retardation, poor vision, dystonic movements, a characteristic face, and severe mental retardation. This combination of features seems to be distinct and to represent a new autosomal recessive syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1990

A sibship with Roberts/SC phocomelia syndrome.

We report on a family in which 3 sibs have Roberts/SC phocomelia syndrome. One child has survived to age 9 years. The clinical manifestations and the natural history of this syndrome are reviewed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1987

Environmentally induced transient motor signs in infancy.

Three children are described who developed abnormal motor signs in the lower limbs during late infancy. Although the clinical picture mimicked cerebral palsy, it was possible intermittently to demonstrate normal tone and function. The emergence of these signs coincided with periods of artificially increased stimulation of the feet and legs, and they disappeared rapidly after withdrawal of the stimulation. It is possible that environmental factors are involved in at least some children who develop transient abnormal motor signs.

Female↗
PubMed1986

The effects of babywalkers on early locomotor development.

The mothers of 66 infants were interviewed to obtain information on their children's motor development. The children were divided into three groups according to the length of time they spent in a babywalker. There was no difference between the groups in age at onset of sitting or walking, but children in the high-user group showed a significant delay in onset of prone locomotion compared with the low-user and non-user groups. This suggests that for some infants the excessive use of babywalkers alters the pathway of normal locomotor development.

Child Development↗
PubMed1985

What mothers know about their newborns' visual skills.

Fifty-four mothers were asked whether they had observed evidence that their baby could see, whether this was expected, and where they had obtained information about babies. 61 per cent had not expected their baby to see, and 47 per cent did not think their baby could see. These findings were not affected by social class, parity, age of baby, or hospital attended. The most common source of information was reading matter, but mothers were often misinformed and confused. Most had seen their baby smile but there was a tendency among those who did not think their baby could see to attribute this to 'wind' rather than to a social response. 81 per cent of mothers breastfed initially. On follow-up there was a tendency for those who had thought their baby could see at the time of the first interview to maintain breastfeeding beyond the first month and to continue breastfeeding for longer than mothers who had thought that their baby could not see.

Adolescent↗