Along with changes in the child-rearing environment, the role that fathers are expected to play in child care has come to be regarded as more important today than ever. At our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we have a childcare course for fathers with the aim of bringing out paternal love in them and encourage them into doing kangaroo care. In actuality, however, many fathers, who are pressed with business, find it difficult to participate in the childcare program. This study was conducted to clarify the effects of the relationships between fathers and newborn babies in hospital and the paternal involvement in child care upon the development of fatherhood. For this purpose, the changes in fathers' feelings toward their babies during hospitalization were graded by the use of “emotion scores” developed by Hanazawa. The results showed that the score for “closeness” went up in all the subjects. The largest number of subjects were found to have feelings that they really became fathers especially when they took their child into their arms. This form of contact was though to be an important factor contributing to the awakening of fatherhood. As the day babies are scheduled to be discharged from the hospital was drawing near, it was found, not a small number of fathers were beginning to feel “uncertain” or “uneasy”. This feelings could be taken for granted especially when their babies were born with low birth weight. We thought it necessary to develop a program tailored for fathers individually and prepare an environment where fathers and their babies feel comfortable.
Fatherhood ; Infant, Newborn ; child care service ; Fostering ; Hospitals

After-hours care (AHC) provides medical care after the regular weekday work hours of clinics. In Korea, data from the National Emergency Department Information System showed that approximately 40% of the pediatric patients need AHC. To meet this need, many countries have different models of AHC. In this article, the authors tried to summarize and emphasize the advantages and disadvantages of AHC models in several leading countries. This article can be useful in designing AHC models in Korea because the proportions of potential patients requiring AHC are substantial, and the adoption of AHC models should be seriously considered.
After-Hours Care* ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Korea ; Night Care

The purpose of this study was to analyze the differences between child-care facilities and kindergartens towards the need for foodservice support by Center for Child-Care Foodservice Management (CCFSM). For this study, questionnaires were sent out from August of 2008 to April of 2009 to directors of 1,478 child care facilities and 299 kindergartens in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do via postal service. A total of 267 questionnaires were usable with 203 (13.7%) of child-care facilities and 64 (21.4%) of kindergartens. Statistical data were analyzed by SPSS 15.0 for descriptive analysis and t-test. For political and administrative support, government funding for foodservice was the highest need and hiring nutritionists was significantly different by type of facility (p < 0.01). Both child-care facilities (4.29) and kindergartens (4.41) demanded the balanced menu from CCFSM. There were significant differences of "information about food material sanitation management" (p < 0.05), "hygiene safety management method according to working process" (p < 0.05), "hygiene safety management method of foodservice facilities and equipment" (p < 0.05). In education and training contents from center, "types and methods to manage foodservice facilities and equipment" for directors, "dietary education by age" for teachers, and "the rules of personal sanitation and working process" and "gas, electricity and fire prevention" for culinary workers had the highest mean score of requirements.
Child ; Child Care ; Electricity ; Financial Management ; Fires ; Humans ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Safety Management ; Sanitation

Initial vital signs of children at the emergency department may be abnormal because of anxiety and irritability, resulting in unrealistic triage levels. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric triage by clinical decision based on the patient's general condition. The Pediatric Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (PedKTAS) has been used nationwide for triage since 2016. The triage level, as assessed by an experienced triage nurse and based on the patient's clinical condition, was defined as the ‘real practice (RP)-level,’ while the re-calculated triage level, as assessed by the direct application of initial vital signs, was defined as the ‘simulation (S)-level.’ A total of 22,841 patients were triaged during the study period. The hospitalization rate according to RP-PedKTAS levels exhibited a significant correlation with the expected hospitalization rate suggested by the Pediatric Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) (P = 0.002), whereas the S-PedKTAS levels did not (P = 0.151). Compared with the previously reported pediatric CTAS level-specific hospitalization rate and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate, RP-PedKTAS was significantly correlated with both hospitalization rate and ICU admission rate (P = 0.001 and P = 0.012, respectively). However, S-PedKTAS showed no significant correlation in both (P = 0.267 and P = 0.188, respectively). The determination of triage levels based on clinical decision rather than the direct application of abnormal initial vital signs to PedKTAS is more accurate in predicting the hospitalization rate and ICU admission rate.
Anxiety ; Child ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Triage* ; Vital Signs*

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was conducted to examine the status of the health examination in child care centers. METHOD: The participants in this study were 631 child care centers. A self report questionnaire on health examination which has been examined for content validity, was distributed by mail to 2,000 child care centers using randomized sampling. RESULT: Of the sample, 76.2% child care centers had done health examination for children. Height & weight, urinalysis, dental check, anemia test and visual acuity were the most frequently performed items. The rate for maintaining a health record was highest in the national/public child care centers. Child care centers more closely related to community health centers, showed higher rates of health examination. CONCLUSION: Health care personnel and financial aids should be provided for child care centers to enhance the level of health management of children.
Anemia ; Child ; Child Care* ; Child* ; Community Health Centers ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Status ; Humans ; Infant ; Postal Service ; Self Report ; Urinalysis ; Visual Acuity ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Clinical studies of falls as a major mechanism of pediatric injury are scarce in Korea. This study was conducted to help collect basic data for establishing strategies for preventing pediatric falls and for initial management in cases of pediatric falls. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 59 pediatric patients admitted to the emergency department of Kyungpook National University Hospital with a history of falls from January 2000 to December 2001. Data collected included the patient's age, gender, site and height of fall, the surface fallen upon, body region of injuries, method and outcome of management, and Injury Severity Score (ISS). RESULTS: The incidence of falls in children 4 years of age or younger and between 5 and 9 years of age was similar. Of all falls, 54.3% occurred at sites such as the home or a building in which it was presumed to be possible for a caretaker to attend to the children. The body region injured most commonly was the pelvis/extremity. The ISS was significantly higher when the patient fell from height of 2 meters or more or when the body region injured most severely was the head/neck. CONCLUSION: Strategies to prevent pediatric falls, which focus on careful supervision of children, reinforcement of safeguards at playgrounds, development of educational programs, and social provision of a means of child care during a caretaker's absence, are necessary to decrease the incidence of pediatric falls. In addition, the potential for severe injury is greater when the patient falls from a height of 2 meters or more, or when the body region injured most 555 severely is the head/neck.
Body Regions ; Child ; Child Care ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injury Severity Score ; Korea ; Medical Records ; Organization and Administration

PURPOSE: We studied the management of young children with histories of food allergies at child care centers, along with the diagnosis and follow-up management after a visit to a hospital emergency department (ED). METHODS: 1) The survey was conducted in April 2010 in Seoul, Korea. Three hundred forty-five child care centers caring for children between the ages of 0 and 5 years were contacted by mail. The questionnaire was designed to identify symptoms and management of children in child care centers with histories of food allergies. 2) We studied children who were diagnosed with angioedema or anaphylaxis between January 2002 and August 2010 in the ED of Korea University. RESULTS: 1) According to the 345 collected questionnaires, 243 child care centers asked parents about their children's allergic diseases and 492 children had food allergies. A reported 461 children from 207 child care centers had food restrictions. Only 21 child care centers supplied substitute foods with the same amounts and types of nutrients. One hundred forty-five teachers had received education about food allergies. 2) Thirty children were diagnosed with anaphylaxis or angioedema after food ingestion. Only seven children visited a physician after being discharged from the ED. CONCLUSION: This study identified a lack of food allergy education at child care centers and in homes. Child care centers need to be equipped with knowledge to prevent severe allergic reactions. Also, parents should know more about the importance of food allergies in their children.
Anaphylaxis ; Angioedema ; Child ; Child Care ; Eating ; Emergencies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Food Hypersensitivity ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Korea ; Parents ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of study was to describe and evaluate the educational status regarding clinical practicum for child health nursing to facilitate student's clinical compliance for the bachelor's degree in Korea. Methods: The study was a descriptive study and included data from 40 institutions among the 53 university nursing programs in Korea(75.5% response rate). Data were collected using mailed semi structured questionnaires and content analysis was done. RESULTS: Findings show that most institutions have common learning objectives for the clinical practicum; neonatal care, high risk infant care, hospitalized child care, and advanced nursing practice. The mode for theoretical credits in child health nursing was 5 to 6 and 3 to 4 credits for clinical practice. The practice settings were prepared to provide diverse experiences, including childcare centers, and community centers with various learning activities. Evaluation for learning outcomes included faculty and instructors. It was pointed out that updating evaluation based on student and faculty feedback is important for a comprehensive practicum evaluation. Conclusions: Findings suggest that there is a -need for a generalized curriculum for clinical practicum and for the expanding role of advanced nursing practice-, a need for diverse clinical settings for practice, and effective guidance and learning activities. It is significantly noted that the attitude and teaching methodologies of clinical instructor's are highly important to effective clinical learning outcomes.
Child ; Child Health* ; Child* ; Child, Hospitalized ; Compliance ; Curriculum ; Educational Status ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Care ; Korea* ; Learning ; Nursing* ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: Seasonal variations in asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits have long been recognized. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal patterns of asthma in children and adolescents who presented at emergency departments in Korea. METHODS: We analyzed the National Emergency Department Information System records from 117 emergency departments in Korea that comprised all of the patients with asthma who were aged 3-18 years and who presented at the emergency departments from 2007 to 2012. The children and adolescents were divided into 3 groups based on their ages, namely, 3-6 years, 7-12 years, and 13-18 years. The data were tabulated, and graphs were created to show the seasonal trends in the monthly numbers of emergency department visits as a consequence of asthma. RESULTS: A total of 41,128 subjects were identified, and the male-to-female ratio was 1:0.5. General ward admissions comprised 42.6% (n=17,524 patients) of the emergency department visits, and intensive care unit admissions comprised 0.8% (n=335 patients) of the emergency department visits. The monthly numbers of emergency department visits for asthma varied according to the season, with high peaks during fall, which was from September to November, and low levels in summer, which was from June to August. CONCLUSIONS: Important differences in the seasonal patterns of emergency department visits for asthma were evident in children and adolescents. Identifying seasonal trends in asthma-related emergency department visits may help determine the causes and reduce the likelihood of asthma exacerbation.
Adolescent* ; Asthma* ; Child* ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Epidemiology ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Information Systems ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Patients' Rooms ; Seasons*

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to investigate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the patients with acute bronchiolitis who visited in 146 Emergency Departments (EDs) in Korea in 2012. METHODS: We used the NEDIS (National Emergency Department Information System) database to obtain all children with acute bronchiolitis who visited ED under the age of 3 between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. RESULTS: Totally 18,313 children with acute bronchiolitis were enrolled at this study. The male to female ratio was 1.55:1 and mean age was 10 months. The peak proportion was 17.3% in November during the whole year. The most common chief complaints were fever (38.5%), cough (37.4%), dyspnea (9.5%), gastrointestinal symptom (6.7%), and wheezing (2.5%). The most common accompanying disease was pneumonia (13.3%). The rate of hospital admission and intensive care unit admission were 34.5% and 0.3%, respectively. A predictor for admission via ED was respiratory difficulty. CONCLUSION: These data expand our understanding of clinical characteristics of patients with acute bronchiolitis who visited all ED in Korea in 2012.
Bronchiolitis* ; Child ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea* ; Male ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Sounds