World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics

BACKGROUND Despite growing recognition of the importance of structured communication training, no formal curricula existed to equip neonatal-care providers with the skills needed to elicit and incorporate family values into antenatal consultations. A local review found that 80% of consult notes for anticipated extreme preterm births lacked documentation of family context, beliefs and values, with…

BACKGROUND Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), an immunomodulatory therapy/agent has been increasingly used and its off label use is on the rise in critical care units. We planned to analyze the indications of IVIG in different disease conditions in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This is a single- center ambispective audit on IVIG use. AIM To study the usage pattern of IVIG among children a…

BACKGROUND Hyperkalaemia is a potentially life-threatening electrolyte disturbance, most commonly encountered in neonates and infants with renal or endocrine abnormalities. Persistent hyperkalaemia in an otherwise clinically well child is unusual and warrants careful investigation. This case illustrates a rare coexistence of pseudohypoaldosteronism and adrenal insufficiency in an otherwise well i…

BACKGROUND Malnutrition is a well-recognized complication of pediatric heart disease, resulting from increased metabolic demands, feeding difficulties, and recurrent illness. It contributes significantly to poor growth, impaired immunity, increased susceptibility to infections, and adverse clinical outcomes, including higher perioperative risk. Assessing nutritional status in this population is t…

The gut-brain axis (GBA) is a complex, bidirectional communication network critical to integrating central nervous system functions with gastrointestinal (GI) health. This review examines how disruptions to the GBA during the critical early-life developmental window – a period of rapid neurogenesis and microbial colonization – contribute to long-term neurocognitive and psychiatric vulnerabilities…

BACKGROUND Caring for children with cancer deeply affects mothers’ daily lives, emotions, and family roles; however, to date, little has been learned about these experiences in the context of Jordan. AIM To examine the lived experiences of Jordanian mothers of children with cancer, with a focus on their coping mechanisms, support systems, and challenges. METHODS This descriptive qualitative study…

Autism regression, defined by the loss of previously acquired social, communicative, and language skills, affects approximately 25%-30% of children on the autism spectrum, most commonly emerging between 12 months and 30 months of age. Once debated as a potential artifact of parental recall or observation bias, contemporary evidence—including home-video analyses and prospective sibling studies—est…

BACKGROUND Central nervous system (CNS) infections remain a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and disability among children in low-income and middle-income countries. In India, regional variations in etiology and outcomes are influenced by vaccination uptake, environmental conditions, and healthcare access. Data from rural western India remains limited. AIM To evaluate the epidemiological tr…

BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a severe gastrointestinal disease that primarily affects preterm. Recently, cases with similar clinical manifestations have been observed in full-term infants without Hirschsprung’s disease. Dysbiosis suggested to have role in development of NEC. AIM To compare the gut microbiome composition between full term infants with NEC and healthy controls and …

BACKGROUND Disruptions in the early-life gut microbiome have been reported to be associated with various health conditions. However, few studies have investigated the establishment of the gut microbiota in the immediate postnatal period. AIM To characterize the gut microbiota of neonates within the first 100 hours after birth. METHODS A total of 512 healthy neonates born at a tertiary hospital we…

Pediatric myopia is conventionally characterized as a refractive anomaly influenced by optical defocus and environmental factors. Emerging evidence suggests that axial elongation during childhood may be usefully reframed through a neuro-ophthalmic perspective, integrating retinal signaling, visual cortex maturation, and neuroplasticity. This minireview examines myopia within an eye–brain axis fra…

BACKGROUND Hypomyelinating leukodystrophies are rare neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired myelin development and early motor delay. Hypomyelinating leukodystrophy type 19 (HLD-19), also termed transient hypomyelination of infancy, is caused by TMEM63A variants. It can clinically resemble other hypomyelinating leukodystrophies but is distinguished by developmental improvement. Ho…

BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition associated with debilitating comorbidities [e.g. , aggression, irritability, gastrointestinal (GI) issues]. Medical management primarily targets these symptoms, as no drug is Food and Drug Administration-approved for core social-communication deficits. AIM To synthesize the efficacy and safety of five major …

BACKGROUND Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common congenital malformations, often requiring surgical intervention during the early neonatal period. Although most children with CHDs are born at full term with appropriate birth weights, many of them develop malnutrition during the first weeks of life, resulting in complications after cardiac surgery. This study aimed to provide new ins…

Pediatric musculoskeletal trauma differs significantly from adult injuries due to the dynamic and evolving nature of the growing skeleton. The presence of open growth plates (physes), secondary ossification centers, and a more elastic bone structure contributes to unique injury patterns and imaging findings in children. Proper interpretation of pediatric imaging requires an in-depth understanding…

BACKGROUND Insulin resistance (IR) plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. While non-invasive imaging methods are increasingly used in pediatrics, the extent to which hepatic elastography reflects IR in children remains unclear. AIM To evaluate the association between ultrasound-based hepatic elastography parameters and clinical indice…

BACKGROUND Pediatric acute cholecystitis is a growing concern due to rising childhood obesity rates and associated metabolic abnormalities. AIM To identify demographic and clinical risk factors, evaluate surgical outcomes, and analyze the impact of complications on hospitalization in pediatric patients undergoing cholecystectomy. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on 12750 pediatric pati…

BACKGROUND Functional constipation (FC) is a common condition among children worldwide. Although the Rome IV criteria are diagnostic standard, evaluating infants and toddlers can be challenging. The Bristol stool chart (BSC) is a simple tool for describing stool consistency, but its diagnostic accuracy in young children is uncertain. AIM To compare the diagnostic performance of the BSC and Rome I…

BACKGROUND Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that causes psychological, social, academic, and occupational impairments. Despite numerous studies, its etiopathogenesis remains incompletely understood. AIM To compare serum kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolite levels and metabolite ratios between drug-naive children with ADHD and healthy controls. METHODS Th…

Autoimmune diseases represent serious conditions characterized by immune dysregulation, which compromises the body’s defense mechanisms and affects responses to infections and Vaccines. In addition to this, the treatment of these diseases involves mostly immunosuppressant’s. I read with great interest the study published in the World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics by Makarova et al , examining va…