Guest Editorial

Respected members of IAP Karnataka and Readers,

Karnataka Pediatric Journal (KPJ) has over the years occupied an important space in the field of pediatrics in Southeast Asia and across. It gives me an immense pleasure to be a guest editor of this reputed journal.

KPJ has provided an outlet to talented clinicians across Karnataka to share their clinical and research work across medical fraternity, this edition is a special edition covering the domain of neurology and bring across experts in this field with topics relevant to office-based pediatrician on a day-to-day basis and also to colleagues who have special interest in the neurology.

The first topic from Dr. Saha and colleagues from Dhaka examines the issues and controversies surrounding the management of febrile seizure, a common clinical condition with varying lines of management, we hope this article will help in clarifying role of prophylaxis clobazam in prevention of recurrence and clarifying no role for anti epileptic drugs as a routine

Dr Surana and Dr Pujar and colleagues speak about the management of status epilepticus and its long-term morbidity and mortality. Dr Pujar has done his PhD on the topic of long term sequalae in status epilepticus, and he shares his insight on risk of mesial temporal lobe sclerosis and risk factors that can lead significant morbidity and mortality following to convulsive status epilepticus (CSE)

EEG is an often used and abused test in the field of pediatric neurology, Dr Asim Shahid, Epileptologist from Cleveland shares the many benign variants that often baffle a EEG reader, often these benign variants are over read as abnormal leading to medicating children unnecessarily which is apart from the stigma and hassles parents have to face in long term follow up!

MRI is easily accessible these days and often requested in children with any neurological disorders, Dr Kamble, Neuroradiologist from Aster Hospitals, Bengaluru, sheds light on varied sequences that yields better information in facilitating diagnosis. MRI in children is demanding in sedation, co-ordination and convincing parents, hence it helps to get it right first time, hope this article helps in choosing the right imaging. Dr Kamble emphases MRI scanning is a dynamic process which requires active engagement between the treating clinician and reporting radiologist to plan sequences and also adapt sequences once initial images are completed.

As medicine evolves, newborn screening (NBS) is to become a norm, which is routinely done in major cities, however there is still a huge vacuum in infrastructure and expertise in interpreting these tests, Dr Anil Jalan who is a walking encyclopedia in metabolic medicine sheds light on the cost advantage and effectiveness of NBS.

Dr Sankhyan and Dr Bhagwat from PGI, Chandigarh essay on an absorbing topic of Vitamin responsive conditions which is not only intriguing to our mind, but also highlights there are many disorders which if investigated and treated in time leads to an excellent outcome. Infantile tremor syndrome commonly known as ITS is often mis-diagnosed as seizure, whereas this condition responds to mega doses of Vitamin b12 and is completely reversible. Similarly, pseudo paralysis caused by Vitamin C deficiency, biotin thiamine-responsive basal gaglia disease is some of the reversible condition this article sheds light on.

Finally, this edition closes with fine case reports from Dr Lokesh Saini who head the division of paediatric neurology at AIIMS Jodhpur on dystonia management which is an uncommon presentation, and Dr Vykuntaraju from Indira Gandhi Institute at Bengaluru shares a case of sodium channel mutation presenting with epileptic spasms.

This interesting compilation of topics will surely stimulate the minds and hope it adds value to your day-to-day practice.

I wish to gratefully acknowledge authors for sparing time, Dr. Bidisha Banerjee, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru; Dr. Sithara Ramdas, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Oxford; Dr. Rashmi Adiga, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Bengaluru; Dr. Mahesh Kamate, JNMC, Belagavi, and finally, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Bhaskar Shenoy for considering to bring this special edition.

With best wishes

Ravi