Consequently, abstinence only programs may not be enough to lower the risk of sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs), such as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV AIDS). Paradoxically, in another study, it was shown that the more strongly abstinence was emphasized by the law, the higher the average teenage pregnancy and birth rates were.2 In fact, the same study concluded that while abstinence-only programs were not successful, areas that taught comprehensive sex and/or HIV education and covered abstinence along with contraception and condom access tended to be more successful, and had the lowest teen pregnancy rates. (see full-text for continuation)

BACKGROUND: Advances in information and communication technologies facilitate opportunities for sexual exploitation and abuse of children online (SEACO). Despite the presence of laws against child pornography, trafficking, and cybercrime, the Philippines has become known as a key hub of the billion-dollar global child cybersex industry.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to provide insight on SEACO in the Philippines.

METHODS: The methodology consisted of a review of readily available news articles and reports. The search term "Philippines cybersex" was used in Advanced Search in Google News (https://news.google.com.ph) for English language reports from 1995 to 2015 to describe the geographic distribution of media reported cases of SEACO, the profile of victims and offenders, and how offenders and victims became involved in SEACO.

RESULTS: The review found 55 reports and articles from 2011 to 2015. Cases were reported from 9 regions in the country with victims ranging from 18 months to 17 years in age. Three types of SEACO were identified: live streaming of child sexual abuse, child sexual abuse material (child pornography), and sextortion using minors.

CONCLUSION: Cases of SEACO were found to be present throughout the country. National policies and preventive measures are needed to stem this crime.

Objectives. 1) To determine the nutritional status of pregnant adolescents aged 14 to 19 years seen at the Philippine General Hospital Teen Mom Clinic from February to July 2014; 2) To describe the demographic characteristics, pregnancy history, and lifestyle and health habits of adolescent mothers; 3) To describe the adequacy of the daily intake of nutrients (caloric energy, carbohydrates, protein, fats, folate, calcium, and iron) of adolescent mothers; and 4) To determine the association of specific demographic characteristics with body mass index categories.

Methods. This was a prospective cross-sectional study. Included were the pregnant adolescents aged 14 to 19 years of age, referred to the Teen Mom Clinic, who planned to deliver at the Philippine General Hospital. Informed consent and assent forms were signed, and the principal investigator interviewed the subjects for demographic and clinical history at the time of enrolment. The adolescents were taught and instructed to fill up the food diary (2 weekdays and 1 weekend) and the food frequency (once) forms. These were submitted on their next visit and given to a licensed nutritionist for analysis. The nutritional status was assessed by gathering the weight and height of the patients in order to compute for the body mass index at the time of enrolment in the study.

Results. The percentage distribution of nutritional status of pregnant adolescents consisted of the following: 65% normal; 28% underweight; 3.5% overweight; 3.5% obese. The 60 pregnant adolescents had a mean age of 16.9 years (SD 1.2). Their partners had a mean age of 20.3 years [SD 3.8]. On the average, they had a total of five pre-natal checkups. Majority of the respondents (85%) still depended primarily on their parents for financial support. Around 93% of the pregnancies were unplanned. Their median percent adequacy for daily calories was 72%, carbohydrates 69%, proteins 73%, and fats 86%. For the micronutrients, the median percent adequacies for folate, calcium, and iron, based on the needs of pregnant women, were 18%, 63%, and 29%, respectively. If amounts were compared to the requirements by age, the median adequacies of intake were 27%, 50%, and 41%, respectively. The nutritional status was not found dependent on the age, educational attainment, number of siblings, and the monthly family income of the respondents.

Conclusion. Only 65% of the pregnant adolescents had normal nutritional status. There was still an elevated level of malnutrition among pregnant adolescents as shown in this study: 28% were underweight, 3.3% were overweight, and another 3.3% were obese.

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors are rare ovarian malignancies accounting for 3 to 5% of all ovarian malignancies. They are mostly seen in adolescents and young women and are usually unilateral making fertility preservation imperative. Raised alpha-feto protein level is the hallmark of this tumor. Presented is a case of a premenarcheal 13 year old female diagnosed with yolk sac tumor and who underwent fertility-sparing surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy post-operatively, with good outcome. In young patients, conservative surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy has made the preservation of fertility possible, even in patients with advanced disease. The increase in cure rates has shifted the focus of recent studies to the long term menstrual, reproductive, and gynecologic outcomes in these patients. 

OBJECTIVE: To discuss a case of congenital muscular torticollis and its presentation, pathophysiology and management. 

METHODS:

                    Design: Case Report

                    Setting: Tertiary Private Hospital

                    Patient: One

RESULTS: An 11-year-old girl presented with tilting of head to the right and progressive limitation of head movement since infancy. MRI showed a shortened right sternocleidomastoid muscle. The patient underwent surgical release of torticollis. Full range of motion of the neck was achieved after the surgical management.

CONCLUSION: Congenital torticollis is a rare condition of the head and neck region. Physicians should be familiar with this entity and its presentation and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with progressive limitation of head movement in order to initiate early treatment and avoid progressive physical deformity.

KEYWORDS: congenital muscular torticollis; familial spasmodic torticollis

Despite the existing campaigns on obesity prevention, there's still high incidence which can lead to complications. This study determined the effectiveness of obesity prevention campaign (OPC) among adolescents, and the difference according to sex and groups. Aquasi-experimental time-series design was used. The participants were 56 Grade 7 high school students from Baguio City, randomly chosen through one-stage cluster sampling, assigned in the interventions groups, assessed using a self-made questionnaire, introduced with OPC and reassessed for three weeks. Frequency percentages and Chi-square were utilized. The brochure plus health teaching is an effective OPC. There is a significant difference in BMI according to sex of the adolescents. The OPC yielded effective results in the physical aspects for both groups. Repeated campaign can produce a successful effect in preventing obesity among adolescents. Utilization of either the brochure alone or brochure with health teaching is enough to create a successful change.

The DSME program is aimed to educate adolescents about diabetes mellitus: disease process, survival skills, exercise management, drug management, diet management, prevent acute and chronic complications and optimize quality of life. This study utilized the quasi experimental pre and post-test design involving 15 adolescent patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. The DSME materials were composed of five modules that included topics in diabetes awareness, survival skills, exercise, drug and diet management. Knowledge, Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Random Blood Sugar (RBS) and waist and hip ratio (WHR) were tested. The Intervention phase was implemented in three months where each module was completed by patients in two weeks. Pre and post-test examinations were done after each module. Participants have very satisfactory knowledge in diabetes awareness, survival skills, exercise, drug management before and after the DSME program. However, participants knowledge in diet management were unsatisfactory before and after the DSME program. FBS were high but RBS levels and WHR were in normal levels before, during and after the DSME program. Knowledge scores were significantly different before and after the implementation of all the modules (Module 1 to Module 5) to the participants. RBS results were significantly different after the implementation of the Module 1- DM awareness and Module 5- diet management. However, no significant differences were obtained in the RBS results of the participants after the implementation of Module 2, 3, 4, and 5. No significant differences were also obtained in the WHR parameters of the participants in each of the implementation of DSME. No significant differences in the FBS results were obtained after the implementation of the DSME modules. The module type DSME is effective in increasing knowledge of the adolescent patients in diabetes and its management. The content of the diet management module needs to be strengthened and be tested again for its effectiveness in increasing knowledge of adolescent patients.

BACKGROUND: There are numerous studies on adult patients admitted for COVID-19 but there is paucity of local data in children.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the clinical presentation and outcome of children admitted for COVID-19.

METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective review of medical records of patients 0 to 18 years old with COVID-19 admitted in Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC). Descriptive statistics summarized the clinical profile of the patients. Pearson's Chi-Square and Fischer's Exact Test were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: There were 100 confirmed COVID-19 pediatric patients admitted at PCMC from March 2020 to March 2021. Most were within the 0-4 years of age (52%). Fever (63%), respiratory symptoms (31%), and shock (28%) were the predominant clinical manifestations. Most (78%) had no exposure to symptomatic household contacts but all came from communities with known local transmission. Fourteen cases of hospital-acquired COVID-19 were also identified. Out of the 100 cases, 53 had critical COVID-19 on admission and 82 had co-morbidities, mostly neurologic, hematologic and infectious diseases. Seventy-four patients recovered and 26 patients died.

Fever (p-value=0.014) and shock (p-value=0.000), thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis (p=0.030) and electrolyte imbalances (p=0.045) were significantly associated with critical COVID-19. There was no significant association between the presence of co-morbid conditions on admission and clinical outcome. O2 support by facemask (p=0.001) or by mechanical ventilator (p=0.001), and inotropic support (p=0.000) were significantly associated with mortality.

CONCLUSION: Children admitted for COVID-19 infection generally recover but those with critical COVID-19 is highly associated with mortality.

BACKGROUND: The steady rise in the number of teenage pregnancies in Los Baños, Laguna was identified as a public health concern that needs to be addressed immediately given the numerous complications to the teenage mother and her infant.

METHODS: The study used a multicomponent strategy which included 1) a survey of Grades 7-12 students, 2) training of midwives, and 3) advocacy for parents to enhance existing projects on teenage pregnancy.

RESULTS: The survey showed that students value the opinion of friends of the same gender but prefer to get information from a health professional.

CONCLUSION: The students did not see their parents as a preferred source of information for sexual health. Approximately one-third of the respondents mistakingly believed that teenagers will never get pregnant during their first sexual encounter. Recommendations include training teachers to provide professional advice, inclusion of more schools for the survey, further training on other counselling techniques, and extension of advocacy to other pertinent sectors of the community.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic disorder complicated by neurobehavioral comorbidities, including affective disorders, which adversely affect quality of life. There is increasing prevalence of these disorders in children especially in adolescents, however, the need for mental health care often remains unmet.

OBJECTIVES: The study determined the prevalence of anxiety and/or depression in adolescents with epilepsy and the association of these disorders with sociodemographic variables and seizure-related factors such as age of onset, duration of epilepsy, seizure frequency, electroencephalogram/neuroimaging abnormalities, type of epilepsy including epilepsy syndromes and drug treatment.

METHODOLOGY: This is an analytical, cross-sectional study. All adolescent patients with epilepsy seen at OPD who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were screened using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)/ Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Pilipino (HADS-P). Charts of the patients at the Neurology section (Pay and Charity service) were reviewed. Epilepsy-related and sociodemographic variables in association with anxiety and depression were determined and analyzed.

RESULTS: A total of 145 adolescent patients were included in the study. There was a 17.4% prevalence of anxiety and 3.4% prevalence of depression in this study population according to the screening tool. However, a confirmatory diagnosis was not done in some patients. There was no significant factor associated with occurrence of anxiety. Factors that were highly associated with depression were a psychiatric illness in the first-degree relative, frequent seizures at onset, no anti-epileptic drug use, and monotherapy at the time of the study. Presence of anxiety also increased the odds of having depression.

CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS: Affective disorders are common in adolescents with epilepsy and factors related to their occurrence must be anticipated. Hence, the need to screen the patients for psychiatric symptoms early and regularly.