Zümrüt Başbakkal

The effectiveness of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil as a treatment for infantile colic.

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil as a possible treatment for this condition. This research was carried out on a group of 40 infants between 2 and 6 weeks of age with a gestational age of 38-42 weeks and normal development and growth. All the infants weighed between 2500 and 4000 g at birth and all exhibited the signs of colic. Infants in the treatment group received abdominal massage by their mothers using lavender oil, while those in the control group were not subject to an intervention. The infants in both control and treatment groups were monitored once a week by the researchers, in total five times. The effect of the massage was measured in terms of changes in the length of time the infants cried per week. The use of aromatherapy massage using lavender oil was found to be effective in reducing the symptoms of colic.

Quality of Life and Chemotherapy-related Symptoms of Turkish Cancer Children Undergoing Chemotherapy

This cross-sectional and descriptive study was designed to determine symptoms emerging due to chemotherapy treatment and their effects on childrens quality of life. The research was carried out between February 2008 and February 2009 at the pediatric oncology clinics in four hospitals, focusing on 93 patients receiving chemotherapy. A survey form, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0) and the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) were used as data collection tools. Chi-square and Student t tests were performed for data analysis. Some 51.6% of the children were aged 13-15 years old, and 51.8% were boys and 50.5% were diagnosed as having solid tumors. There were significant relations between: antimetabolite chemotherapeutics and feeling irritable and worrying (p=0.001, p=0.030); vinkoalkaloid and numbness/tingling in hands/feet (p=0.043); antracyclines and lack of energy and skin changes (p=0.021, p=0.004); and corticosteroids and lack of appetite, nausea and sadness (p=0.008, p=0.009, p=0.009). Several symptoms such as feeling sad, worrying and feeling irritable caused a significant decrease in the total domain of quality of life scores (p=0.034, p=0.012, p=0.010, respectively). Chemotherapeutic drugs can cause symptoms that can seriously affect quality of life in children.

Health Professionals’ Estimation of Cancer-Related Fatigue in Children

Many studies show that cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced by children as a side effect of cancer therapy. This problem has grown considerably in recent years; the exact mechanisms underlying fatigue remain unclear. Therefore, assessing and managing this symptom can be problematic. This article describes the findings from a survey evaluating how health professionals (n = 56) at the Pediatric Oncology Centers in Izmir currently define and assess cancer-related fatigue. The results demonstrate that while the problems associated with fatigue are acknowledged, assessment tools are not widely used, and the majority of health professionals report that they would benefit from further education on the subject to assist in the care of patients.

Depression among mothers of children and adults with an intellectual disability in Turkey.

The aim of this study was to determine sociodemographic factors that play a role in depression among mothers of children and adult with an intellectual disability. The research was conducted in 24 special education and rehabilitation centres in Izmir (in Turkey) provincial centre in which intellectually disabled individuals are taught. A total of 355 mothers were reached in the research. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews. Two forms were used for data collection in the research: Family Description Questionnaire Form and Beck Depression Inventory. The mothers included in the study had mean depression scores of 16.7 +/- 10.06 (minimum: 0, maximum: 49). There was a significant relation between depression scores of the mothers and education level of the mothers and their spouses and financial status of the families. Mothers with insufficient income and lower education levels were found to be at risk of depression.

The Turkish Version of the Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Tool

This study demonstrates that the original English version of the Breastfeeding Attrition Prediction Tool (BAPT) was successfully adapted to Turkey, as methodologically demonstrated here. The results of this study show that the Turkish version of the BAPT is similar to the original version and that it can be used with Turkish women to identify mothers who may be at high risk of weaning prematurely.

Semiologic seizure classification: The effectiveness of a modular education program for health professionals in pediatrics

We tested the effectiveness of a modular education program on Semiologic Seizure Classification (SSC) in helping health professionals in pediatrics correctly recognize seizures in childhood. The study samples included 20 residents, 20 nurses, and 10 EEG technicians working in pediatrics. The study was conducted in two steps. First, a modular education program comprising CD-ROMs including 58 video clips of epileptic seizures designed for the original SSC was developed. Second, each participant took a pretest by viewing the pretest CD-ROM, participated in the modular education program with a CD-ROM, and finally took a posttest with the posttest CD-ROM. The pretest scores were found to be low in each subgroup of the study population: the average scores were 8 for the residents (minimum 4-maximum 10), 2 for the nurses (min 0-max 4), and 2.5 for the EEG technicians (min 0-max 8). After participating in the modular education program, correct recognition of seizures increased in the posttest: the average scores were 15.5 for the residents (min 9-max 20), 15 for the nurses (min 13-max 20), and 13.5 for the EEG technicians (min 3-max 19). The increase in the scores in the subgroups and in all study groups in general was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). The modular education program developed for SSC was found to be highly effective in teaching health professionals working in general pediatric clinics to correctly recognize seizure types.

A validity and reliability study investigating the Turkish version of the Infant Colic Scale.

The Infant Colic Scale is used to diagnose colic and to determine factors that cause colic. This study aimed to establish the validity and reliability of the Infant Colic Scale for the Turkish population. The research sample included mothers (N = 110) of 132 infants with colic registered at three public health clinics in the Denizli province. Language validity, content validity, and construct validity were examined. On the basis of the Infant Colic Scales internal consistency reliability analysis, three items were removed. Factor analysis resulted in five subscales. The Cronbachs alpha coefficients were .55 to .89 for the subscales, and .73 for the total scale. The scales test–retest reliability was .65. The Infant Colic Scale was found to be a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish population.

A Study on the Effects of Loneliness, Depression and Perceived Social Support on Problematic Internet Use among University Students

Abstract The present study investigated the effects of loneliness, depression and perceived social support on problematic Internet use among university students. The participants were 459 students at two universities in Turkey. The study data were collected with a Questionnaire Form, Problematic Internet Use Scale (PIUS), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (Version 3), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Mann-Whitney U Test and Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance were conducted to examine the differences; and correlation and regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between variables. There was a positive significant correlation between the PIUS and MSPSS and the UCLA Loneliness Scale and a negative significant correlation between the PIUS and Beck Depression Scale (BDS). The female students had higher total PIUS scores. The results also illustrated that there was a statistically significant difference in total PIUS scores according to having a social network account.

Infiltration and extravasation in pediatric patients: A prevalence study in a children’s hospital:

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of infiltration and extravasation among children staying in a children’s hospital and the interventions carried out when infiltration or extravasation occurred. Methods: A prospective and descriptive research design was used in the study, conducted between September 2015 and February 2016, and determined the prevalence of infiltration and extravasation and their characteristics. The study sample consisted of 297 peripheral catheters in 173 pediatric patients. Results: Of 297 peripheral catheters, 50.8% were located on the right and 30.6% were inserted in the dorsal metacarpal vein. Infiltration and extravasation occurred in 2.9% and 2.3% of the patients, respectively. The prevalence of infiltration and extravasation was 5.5 and 4.4 per 1000 patient-days, respectively. The applied interventions after infiltration or extravasation included covering with a gauze dressing or alcohol-soaked cotton, cold application, irrigation with physiological saline, and elevation. Conclusion: The infiltration and extravasation prevalence were found to be high, but the interventions to address them were inadequate. Training and implementation strategies should be planned for pediatric nurses to prevent infiltration and extravasation.