Repositório Científico da Unidade Local de Saúde de Santo António
Scientific Repository of the ULS Santo António
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Cyberbullying in pre-adolescence - reality of a city in northern Portugal
Melo, Vanda; Pacheco, Pedro; Portela, Mariana; Costa, Sandra; Ribeiro, Helena
Introduction: The rapid evolution of communication technologies has enabled easy and premature access for children and young people to social networks, the internet, and smartphones. The indiscriminate use of these technologies has led to the emergence of cyberbullying. The objective was to analyse the prevalence of cyberbullying and the most frequent forms involved in this age group.
Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted through anonymous questionnaires distributed in primary schools (2nd and 3rd cycles) in the municipality.
Results: The study included 482 students, with a median age of 12 years (9-15 years), and a similar gender distribution (55% female, 45% male). Regarding the daily screen time, 20.5% reported spending less than 1 hour, 47.7% between 1 to 3 hours, while 31.1% spent more than 3 hours per day. The prevalence of cyberbullying in the studied sample was 30.9%, with 34.9% of them admitting to being victims in the last 3 months, with only 50% requesting help. The most reported type of cyberbullying was being excluded from a chat or social network. In the subsample of children who experienced cyberbullying, a statistically significant relationship was found between victimization and being female (p-value 0.046) and between victimization and being an aggressor (p-value <0.001).
Conclusion: According to this study, the exposure to digital technology in this age group is practically universal, with a cyberbullying prevalence of around 31%. This alarming victimization rate occurs during a crucial phase of the child’s social and emotional development.
Perinatal clinical case
Publication . Alves, Marta; Branco, Liliana; Lopes, Andreia; Pereira, Bárbara
A 16-day-old male was observed at the Emergency Department for a right cervical mass noticed on the same day by the parents, with no other associated symptoms. He was a fullterm child, delivered by vacuum extraction, with an uneventful perinatal period.
At the time of physical examination, a cervical mass was palpable in the inferior portion of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, in association with ipsilateral torticollis.
Cervical ultrasound revealed a fusiform thickening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, with well-defined, hypoechoic margins, confirming the diagnosis of fibromatosis colli.
Parents were instructed to adopt positioning measures and physical therapy was initiated, with clinical resolution by seven months of age.
Fibromatosis colli is the most severe presentation of congenital muscular torticollis. Although typical clinical findings usually enable the diagnosis, cervical ultrasound is useful to confirm muscular origin of the mass.
Torticollis in the opposite direction of the mass, spinal deformities, abnormal eye movements, or other abnormal neurological findings
Imaging clinical case
Publication . Martins, Cristiana; Ferreira, Jorge; Pereira, Gabriela
Introduction: Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is a rare and benign leukocytoclastic vasculitis, frequently misdiagnosed.
Case report: A twelve-month-old boy presented with a seven-day history of coryza and cough associated with lowgrade fever and the sudden appearance of a purpuric rash over the left lower limb. It progressed to an annular purpuric rash, with well-defined edges, on the face, limbs, ears, buttocks, and scrotum, with right tibiotarsal joint edema. Mild thrombocytosis was detected on laboratorial investigation. Patient was treated with a two-day course of oral betamethasone, with clinical improvement. No complications were reported within three weeks of follow-up.
Discussion: AHEI has a sudden onset and a benign, self-limiting course. This report may be a helpful reminder to discriminate AHEI from other, more serious diseases, avoiding exhaustive and unnecessary investigation.
Dermatology clinical case
Publication . Brandão, Pedro; Falcão-Reis, Inês; Rodrigues, Cátia; Ferreira, Vânia; Sá, Isabel
Ulcus Vulvae Acutum or Lipschütz ulcer is a rare cause of acute vulvar ulcer that usually affects young, non-sexually active women and consists on the sudden emergence of vulvar ulcers some days after an influenza-like syndrome, usually caused by Epstein-Barr virus. Despite its exuberant presentation, such ulcers are benign and self-limited. Diagnosis is clinical and treatment, symptomatic. Lesions typical resolve within a few weeks, leaving no scars.
The authors describe the case of a 17-year-old, sexually active female adolescent with Lipschütz ulcers.
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita affecting a monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy
Publication . Brás, Rafael; Veloso, Helena; Moleiro, Maria; Rodrigues, Sofia; Inocencio, Gonçalo; Mota, Céu; Soares, Gabriela; Rodrigues, Maria Céu; Braga, Jorge
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita is a clinically and etiologically heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by presence of contractures involving at least two different body areas. It is observed in one in every 3000−5000 live births. A case of singleton arthrogryposis in a spontaneous monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy is reported. Diagnosis was established after morphological ultrasound. There were no further complications during pregnancy. After cesarean delivery, diagnosis of amyoplasia involving the four limbs was confirmed. Newborn is currently undergoing motor rehabilitation. The higher risk of singleton arthrogryposis in monochorionic twin pregnancies is documented and appears to be related with vascular changes early in the course of pregnancy. In amyoplasia, some degree of disability and dependency is expected, even with postnatal rehabilitation.