Background: The aim of this study was to analyse patients who underwent bronchoscopy for suspected foreign body aspiration (FBA) and to evaluate the properties of computed tomography (CT) in preventing unnecessary bronchoscopy, which carries the risk of serious complications. Methods: All patients younger than 18 years of age who were evaluated for FBA at a tertiary children’s hospital between June 2014 and February 2023. Results: A total of 165 children were included in this study. In Group I (only bronchoscopy), the detection rate of FBA was 77.9%, whereas in Group II (CT ± bronchoscopy), the detection rate of FBA was 93%. Additionally, the negative diagnosis rate in Group II (7%) was significantly higher compared to Group I (22.1%). Conclusions: Low-dose chest CT is a highly effective and reliable imaging method for the diagnosis of FBA due to its rapid performance, minimal radiation exposure, and high sensitivity and specificity; therefore, it can prevent unnecessary bronchoscopies in suspicious cases and increase the positive bronchoscopy rate.

Introduction: Acute viral gastroenteritis is the second most common cause of high morbidity and mortality in childhood. Viral gastroenteritis is the most common cause of severe diarrhea and associated hospitalizations especially in toddlers. It has been shown that the administration of 20 mg of zinc daily during acute diarrhea reduces the duration of watery diarrhea by 25% and it has been reported to have protective and therapeutic effects in the acute period. The aim of this study is to retrospectively determine the beneficial effects of oral zinc supplementation on the severity and duration of complaints of toddlers who were treated in our clinic with the diagnosis of acute viral gastroenteritis.Methods: Toddlers who were hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics for acute viral gastroenteritis between October 2016 and March 2018 were included in the study. The study was retrospective and the data of the patients were obtained from the patient files. The diagnosis of acute viral gastroenteritis was made by detecting the adenovirus-rotavirus antigen in the fresh stool specimens. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1: patients who received zinc supplementation in addition to support treatment. Group 2: patients who received only supportive therapy.Results: The mean number of vomiting was 3.60 / day and watery diarrhea was 5.20 / day in group-1 while number of vomiting was 6.1 / day and watery diarrhea was 8.9 / day in group-2 in the 36th hour during treatment. The tolerability of oral feeding at 36 th hour was 49.39% ( 41) in group-1 and 45.07% (32) in group-2. The mean number of vomiting and watery diarrhea in group-1 cases at 72th hours was 1.2 / day and 4.30 / day, while in group-2 cases, 3.90 / day and 7.20 / day. Conclusions: Although the physiopathology of the effects of zinc on gastroenteritis is not yet fully understood, diarrhea is seen both as a cause and as a result of zinc deficiency. The fact that patients with gastroenteritis benefit from zinc support suggests that zinc enhances this effect by increasing intestinal immunity.

Objective: The Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes of February 6, 2023 severely disrupted healthcare services, with children—one of the most vulnerable groups—being at particular risk for trauma, infections, and interruptions in chronic disease management. This study evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics of pediatric inpatients in 2 hospitals in Hatay (Defne State Hospital and Mustafa Kemal University Hospital) by comparing pre- and post-earthquake periods. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included pediatric patients admitted between December 2020–March 2022 (pre-earthquake) and December 2023–March 2024 (post-earthquake). Medical records were reviewed for demographic data, diagnoses, length of hospital stay, and discharge outcomes. Results: A total of 920 patients were included (313 pre-earthquake, 607 post-earthquake). After the earthquake, children admitted were younger (mean age 3.6 ± 4.3 years), had shorter hospital stays (2.6 ± 2.1 days), and were less often foreign nationals compared to the pre-earthquake cohort. Respiratory system infections were the leading diagnosis overall (61.7%), with a notable increase in the post-earthquake period (75.9%). Pediatric neurology and nephrology wards were entirely closed, while endocrinology admissions nearly disappeared. Most patients (90.1%) were discharged in good condition, and referral rates to higher-level centers remained low. Conclusion: Respiratory infections emerged as the leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations after the earthquake. The rapid re-establishment of pediatric inpatient services allowed most cases to be treated locally, yet the closure of pediatric subspecialty wards underscores longterm challenges. Disaster preparedness must therefore encompass not only acute trauma care but also sustained management of pediatric infections and chronic diseases.