Authors: Freeman, K.; Salt, A.; Prusa, A.; Malm, G.; Ferret, N.; Buffalono, W.; Schmidt, D.; Tan, H. K.; Gilbert, R. E.

Source: Child: Care, Health and Development, Volume 31, Number 5, September 2005 , pp. 631-632(2)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

<bookdetails> .

<namegroup type="author"> <name type="author"> <surname>Freeman</surname> <forenames>K.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Salt</surname> <forenames>A.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Prusa</surname> <forenames>A.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Malm</surname> <forenames>G.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Ferret</surname> <forenames>N.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Buffalono</surname> <forenames>W.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Schmidt</surname> <forenames>D.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Tan</surname> <forenames>H. K.</forenames> </name>, <name type="author"> <surname>Gilbert</surname> <forenames>R. E.</forenames> </name> and <corporatename type="author">European Multicentre Study on Congenital Toxoplasmosis (emscot)</corporatename> </namegroup>. ( <date date="2005">2005</date>) , <volume>5</volume>, <page type="first">23</page> <miscellaneoustext>. Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpaediatr/ (accessed 14 July 2005). </miscellaneoustext> </bookdetails> Background

Information is lacking on the effects of congenital toxoplasmosis on development, behaviour, and impairment in later childhood, as well as on parental concerns and anxiety. This information is important for counselling parents about the prognosis for an infected child and for policy decisions on screening. Methods

We prospectively studied a cohort of children identified by screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women or neonates between 1996 and 2000 in 10 European centres. At 3 years of age, parents of children with and without congenital toxoplasmosis were surveyed about their child's development, behaviour, and impairment, and about parental concerns and anxiety, using a postal questionnaire. Results

Parents of 178/223 (80%) infected, and 527/821 (64%) uninfected children responded. We found no evidence that impaired development or behaviour were more common in infected children, or that any potential effect of congenital toxoplasmosis was masked by prenatal treatment. Parents of infected children were significantly more anxious and reported more visual problems in their children. Conclusions

On average, children aged 3 to 4 years with congenital toxoplasmosis identified by screening and treated during infancy in this European setting had risks of abnormal development and behaviour similar to uninfected children. Parental anxiety about infected children needs to be addressed by clinicians. Future studies with longer follow-up and clinician-administered assessments may be better able to detect any subtle differences in child outcomes.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2005.00560_4.x

Publication date: 2005-09-01

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• In this Subject: Pediatrics ,  Families & Communities ,  Social & Public Welfare
• By this author: Freeman, K. ;  Salt, A. ;  Prusa, A. ;  Malm, G. ;  Ferret, N. ;  Buffalono, W. ;  Schmidt, D. ;  Tan, H. K. ;  Gilbert, R. E.

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