Only a few of the potential health benefits attributed to probiotics have been confirmed in well-designed, well-conducted, randomized, controlled trials. In this review, the available evidence on efficacy of probiotics is presented. To identify published evidence, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library (all up until August 2008) were searched for randomized controlled trials or the irmeta-analyses, using relevant keywords. The reviewis focused on children. When no published data on children were available, adult studies are discussed; however, it is note worthy that data from adults may not be transferable to the pediatric population.

The safety and effectiveness of vaccinations in patients with immune deficiency are determined individually andby immunosuppression degree. Immunocompromised patients vary in their degree of immunosuppression and susceptibility to infection. Polish Working Group on Prophylaxis of Infectious Diseases in Immunocompromised was established in 2007. The Group is has beenco-operated with the Polish Society of Vaccinology. The main objective of the Polish Working Group on Prophylaxis of Infectious Diseases in Immunocom promisedis to establish a general reference on vaccination andimmunization in patients with primary and secondary (acquired) disorders.

Asthma guidelines in childhood are usually only a part of bigger documents covering this problem both in adult and children. Despite the fact that the definition of asthma is the same for adults and children, all researchers agree that diagnosis and therapy in childhood address many separate issues. The PRACALL guidelines published in 2008 is the international document focused exclusively on pediatric asthma. PRACTALL is the part of common EAACI and AAAAI initiative. They were developed by pediatric asthma group consisting of approximately 40 international experts and they recommend practical strategies for clinicians involved in asthma treatment in children.

Pericardial diseases are important however rather rare diseases in children. Among them most often occursacute pericarditis. The etiology of acute pericarditis includesviral and bacterial infection, systemic diseasesand disorders spreading by continuity from adjacentorgans. In about 30% of cases the etiology is unknown (idiopathic pericarditis). The treatment depends on the etiology of pericarditis. It is symptomatic in mild cases while in purulent pericarditis intensive causal treatmentis necessary. The life-threatening cardiac tamponade may develop in case of rapidly increasing fluid in the pericardium. Pericarditis is a recurrent disorder. The consequences of inflammatory process could be constrictive pericarditis. The other pericardial diseases suchas congenital defects, neoplasms and cysts appear very rarely.

This article presents recommendations for sport participation after surgical or percutaneous interventional treatment of congenital heart defects. Professional sports in children after correction of the congenital heart defects is aggravated with the risk of a sudden death. These patients require a complex cardiological valuation before permitting the participation in sport activity, as well as periodical verification of the sport influence on the cardio-vascular system.

Chickenpox is considered to be not serious, contagious illness of the child’s age. However there are notifications about very serious post-complications, including death. In the article we describe a history of the fourteen years old patient, a case of a sudden ventricular stand still of ventricular fibrillation that occurred in post-chickenpox. In further observation, patient revealed ventricul ararrhythmia and cardiac function failure, confirmed by 24 hours Holter-EKG, CMR and echocardiography.

The belief that individual can influence and control the course of events is a factor which enables a person to overcome experienced difficulties. In some studies, however, the universality of this statement has been questioned.

Aim:
In this study the problem of relation between individual sense of health control in chronically ill adolescents and effectiveness of their cooperation in the process of treatment was studied.

Materials and methods:
A group of 60 chronically ill adolescents, aged 12 to 22 took part in this study, 35 males and 25 females. Half of them (30 persons) were patients with type 1 diabetes while the other half – (30 persons) suffered from primary hypertension. To measure locus of the sense of control 2 questionnaires were used: The Health Locus of Control Scale (HCL) for Children and The Multidementional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC)for Adults, in Polish version by Z. Juczyński (2001). To evaluate the level of cooperation and the results of treatment a four-item-poll was constructed to be filled up by the doctor.Results: Individuals with external locus of control scored higher on the results of treatment scale. Patients receiving higher notes on the scale of cooperation more often had internal locus of health control. Results varied depending on patients age, disease type and methods of measurement.

Conclusions:
Locus of the sense of control is important for patient`s cooperation in the process of treatment and its results. But the data gathered in this study is more diversified than implied by theoretical model indicating importance of internal locus of the health control for the effectiveness of treatment.

Childhood obesity is associated with elevated risk factors of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Several studies have documented a positive association between waist circumference and risk factors for chronic disease in children and youth. Early diagnosis based on current appropriate standards appears to be of great importance. However, current data on assessment of central adiposity in children are misleading and there is a need of urgent standardization. This study has presented smoothed reference data for waist and hipcircumference for Polish children 7–18 y of age for the first time. The LMS method based on Box–Cox transformation was used for construction of percentile curves. We found that there is significant increase in waist circumference in comparison with earlier reports, no differences between our results and waist circumference in Canadian children and still lower values in Polish children in comparison with US children population. However, about 30% of Polish children have waist circumference above cardiovascular risk thresholds.

This article presents and describes basis of physycian’s and dentists professional responsibility. The legal grounds of the above mentioned responsibility are pointed out and there is procedure of professional responsibility presented. The types of penalties, that can be inflicted, are enumerated.

One of ethical standard problems are relations between doctors and politics, as well as ethical behavior of doctors – politics and doctors, trade unions members. Such relations are creating conflicts of interes, which cannot be easily solved effectively for patients.

Updating the laws, claims of patients and increasing costs of financial compensation awarded by the courts to the aggrieved party cause that the civil liability (CL) insurance contracts for physicians may be insufficient to provide full protection. One of the elements, which has to be included in each CL insurance contract, isthe highest minimal amount of guaranteed fund that determines the responsibility level of the insurer. Within the mandatory CL insurances, the minimal guaranteed fund is defined by the law. Observing increasing compensation rates awarded by the courts, it should be stated that the level of guaranteed fund, determined by the employer, does not provide full protection for the physician in each situation. In many cases, full security against the risk of covering the damage from own resources is provided by an additional voluntary CL insurance contract.