MD · Paediatrics

Paediatrics thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

A paediatric thesis usually draws on one of four places: the sick newborn care unit, the paediatric ward, the immunisation and well-baby clinic, or the paediatric intensive care unit, and each has a very different rhythm, so the choice of site decides the timeline more than the question does. Consent is taken from a parent who is frequently frightened and occasionally illiterate, follow-up depends on a family returning from a village, and assent is required from older children, all of which the ethics committee will examine closely. Examiners press on how age bands and gestational age were defined, whether growth was plotted against a stated reference, and whether a developmental or severity score was applied by someone trained to use it.

Topic register · 45 entries · 7 designs^[6]

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NMC PGMER-2023
NBEMS 180 days / 26 months
UGC 2018 · under 10%
ICMR 2017 · ethics

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Study design

Feasibility in a teaching unit

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Showing 45 of 45 topics

The sample figure on each plate is a planning range read off the design, not a calculated answer. Your own number comes from a calculation against your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability in your setting, the power you want — and it belongs in the synopsis with those assumptions written beside it.

Topic 01 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical profile and blood culture isolates in neonates admitted with suspected sepsis
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with culture-proven sepsis, with the organisms isolated and their antibiotic susceptibility pattern
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–400 admissions with suspected sepsis, since culture positivity is the limiting factor; refine by calculation
What your unit must already have
- a sick newborn care unit admitting both inborn and outborn neonates
- microbiology accepting paediatric blood culture bottles with a stated minimum volume
- a written case definition separating early and late onset sepsis
What derails it
Yield depends almost entirely on the volume of blood the resident actually manages to put in the bottle at two in the morning, so set a minimum volume, record the volume drawn for every case, and train the night staff before enrolment opens.
Topic 02 / 45
Link to this entry
Haematological sepsis screen and C-reactive protein against blood culture in suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value of a pre-defined sepsis screen against blood culture
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 200–300 neonates, driven by the expected sensitivity and the culture-positive proportion
What your unit must already have
- micro-ESR, total and differential counts and CRP available for neonatal samples
- a fixed timing for the screen relative to the culture draw
- a microbiology laboratory with a documented turnaround
What derails it
Blood culture as reference standard is weak when the mother has had intrapartum antibiotics, which is common, so record maternal antibiotic exposure and pre-specify whether those neonates are analysed separately or excluded.
Topic 03 / 45
Link to this entry
Kangaroo mother care in low birth weight neonates: daily weight gain and duration of hospital stay
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Mean daily weight gain in grams during the unit stay, with duration of stay as a secondary outcome
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 90–140 neonates, subject to a calculation using the standard deviation of weight gain
What your unit must already have
- a kangaroo mother care area or screened cots with chairs where mothers can sit for long periods
- a single electronic weighing scale checked against a standard weight
- a register recording the hours of skin-to-skin contact achieved each day
What derails it
The exposure is hours of contact and it varies enormously between mothers, with the ones who have other children at home managing the least, so record actual hours rather than labelling a baby as receiving kangaroo care, or the comparison becomes meaningless.
Topic 04 / 45
Link to this entry
Transcutaneous bilirubin compared with total serum bilirubin in term and late preterm neonates
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Agreement between transcutaneous and serum bilirubin, with the sensitivity of the transcutaneous value for detecting a serum level above the phototherapy threshold
Collection time
10 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 150–250 paired measurements, driven by the agreement limits you wish to estimate
What your unit must already have
- a working transcutaneous bilirubinometer with a current calibration record
- laboratory serum bilirubin available at short notice
- paired samples taken within a fixed interval of each other
What derails it
The transcutaneous reading is invalid once phototherapy has started or if the probe is applied over a bruise, so pair the readings before phototherapy begins and record the exact site, otherwise a chunk of your pairs will have to be discarded.
Topic 05 / 45
Link to this entry
Factors associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia requiring exchange transfusion: a case-control study
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Odds of maternal and neonatal factors in neonates needing exchange transfusion compared with jaundiced neonates managed with phototherapy alone
Collection time
12 to 15 months, often supplemented with records
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–80 cases with two controls each, subject to a calculation against the exposure proportion assumed
What your unit must already have
- a unit performing exchange transfusion often enough to accumulate cases
- blood group and Coombs testing for mother and baby
- records of outborn referrals with their age at presentation
What derails it
Most babies needing exchange are outborn referrals who arrive late, so cases and controls will differ in place of birth before anything else, and you must either match on that or state that you are studying referred hyperbilirubinaemia.
Topic 06 / 45
Link to this entry
Outcome of bubble continuous positive airway pressure in preterm neonates with respiratory distress
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion failing continuous positive airway pressure and needing mechanical ventilation or surfactant within the pre-specified period
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 100–150 neonates, subject to a calculation against the expected failure proportion
What your unit must already have
- bubble CPAP circuits with appropriate prongs in several sizes
- blood gas or at least reliable pulse oximetry with a fixed target range
- a written failure definition agreed with the unit in advance
What derails it
CPAP failure is often a nursing judgement rather than a measurement, and prong displacement accounts for a good share of it, so write an objective failure definition with numbers in it and record the reason for every escalation.
Topic 07 / 45
Link to this entry
Thompson score in the first days of life and short-term neurological outcome in perinatal asphyxia
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with an abnormal neurological examination at discharge, in relation to the peak Thompson score
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 70–110 neonates with perinatal asphyxia, which depends on your delivery load
What your unit must already have
- a labour room with documented Apgar scores and cord gas or a clear asphyxia definition
- daily scoring by one or two trained examiners
- a discharge neurological examination proforma
What derails it
Serial scoring needs the same examiner at the same hour each day, and in a unit with rotating residents the score becomes noise, so nominate the examiners by name in the protocol and keep a log of who scored each baby.
Topic 08 / 45
Link to this entry
Screening for hypoglycaemia in at-risk newborns during the first forty-eight hours
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with at least one capillary glucose below the unit threshold during protocol screening, by risk category
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 250–350 at-risk newborns, to be fixed by a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- glucometers validated for neonatal use with adequate strips
- a written screening schedule with fixed time points
- laboratory glucose available to confirm low readings
What derails it
Glucometer readings at low values are unreliable and the confirmatory laboratory sample is often not sent because treatment has already begun, so mandate a simultaneous laboratory sample for every low reading and plan the strip supply for the whole year up front.
Topic 09 / 45
Link to this entry
Cord clamping at one minute compared with three minutes in term neonates: haematocrit and need for phototherapy
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Venous haematocrit at forty-eight hours, with the need for phototherapy as a secondary outcome
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–80 per arm, subject to a proper calculation using the standard deviation of haematocrit
What your unit must already have
- obstetric department willing to follow the allocated clamping time in the labour room
- ethics approval and Clinical Trials Registry of India registration before the first enrolment
- a haematology analyser and a fixed sampling time
What derails it
An arm that clamps the cord immediately will not clear the ethics committee now that delayed clamping is the recommended practice, so the comparison has to be between two accepted times, and the procedure is carried out by the obstetric team in a busy labour room: get their written agreement, keep the allocation in a sealed envelope at the labour table, and record every deviation.
Topic 10 / 45
Link to this entry
Inpatient outcome of children with severe acute malnutrition managed by the WHO protocol
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Mean weight gain in grams per kilogram per day during the stay, with the proportion achieving discharge criteria
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 90–140 children, subject to a calculation using the standard deviation of weight gain
What your unit must already have
- a nutritional rehabilitation centre or ward beds where feeds are actually prepared and given
- therapeutic feed supply for the whole study period
- one weighing scale and infantometer with daily calibration checks
What derails it
Mothers take these children home well before discharge criteria are met because of wages and other children, so define your primary outcome on a fixed day of admission rather than at discharge, or half your cohort will be censored.
Topic 11 / 45
Link to this entry
Serum zinc in children with persistent diarrhoea compared with children with acute diarrhoea
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Mean serum zinc compared between children with persistent and acute diarrhoea
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 50–80 per group, subject to a proper calculation using the standard deviation of serum zinc
What your unit must already have
- serum zinc assay in house or through a single fixed laboratory
- trace-element-free collection tubes and a written sample handling protocol
- a ward seeing persistent diarrhoea, which is less common than acute
What derails it
Zinc results are ruined by ordinary rubber-stoppered tubes and by haemolysis, so arrange the correct tubes before enrolment and have one person trained to collect and separate the samples, otherwise the values will be uninterpretable.
Topic 12 / 45
Link to this entry
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection compared with controls
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D compared between children with recurrent infection and age-matched controls without
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 50–80 per group, subject to a formal calculation
What your unit must already have
- 25-hydroxyvitamin D assay through one laboratory
- a written definition of recurrent infection with episode counts from records or a parent diary
- a control route from the immunisation or well-baby clinic
What derails it
Recurrent is usually defined from a parent's recollection of how many times the child had a cough, which is unreliable, so require documentation of episodes or use a structured recall instrument with explicit time anchors.
Topic 13 / 45
Link to this entry
Exclusive breastfeeding practices and their determinants among mothers of infants under six months
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion exclusively breastfeeding by the WHO twenty-four-hour recall definition, with the factors recorded alongside
Collection time
8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300–400 mother-infant pairs for a prevalence estimate, subject to calculation
What your unit must already have
- immunisation clinic or well-baby clinic attendance
- a structured interview schedule in the local language
- interviewers who are not the treating doctor
What derails it
Mothers answer this question the way they believe the hospital wants, so a twenty-four-hour recall administered by the paediatrician will overstate exclusivity; have a non-clinical interviewer ask, and ask about specific items such as water and honey rather than the word exclusive.
Topic 14 / 45
Link to this entry
Complementary feeding practices assessed against the WHO infant and young child feeding indicators
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion meeting each of the stated WHO indicators for timely introduction, dietary diversity and meal frequency
Collection time
8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 300–400 children aged six to twenty-three months, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- paediatric OPD or immunisation clinic attendance in this age band
- the current WHO indicator definitions applied without modification
- a twenty-four-hour dietary recall form in the local language
What derails it
Dietary diversity depends on whether yesterday was an ordinary day, and festival days and fasting days distort the recall, so record the day of the week and any festival, and avoid collecting data only on clinic days that cluster at the week's end.
Topic 15 / 45
Link to this entry
Nutritional status of under-five children attending an immunisation clinic assessed against WHO growth standards
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion stunted, wasted and underweight by WHO z-score cut-offs
Collection time
8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 350–500 children, to be fixed by a prevalence calculation for the least common category
What your unit must already have
- an infantometer and stadiometer plus a digital weighing scale, all calibrated
- WHO growth standard software or tables for z-score computation
- date of birth verifiable from an immunisation card
What derails it
Length measurement in a struggling toddler is the largest source of error in this study, and a centimetre moves a child across the stunting cut-off, so use two people for every length, measure twice, and document your own repeatability on a pilot.
Topic 16 / 45
Link to this entry
Iron deficiency anaemia in children aged six to fifty-nine months and its dietary and socio-demographic correlates
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion anaemic by WHO cut-offs with a microcytic hypochromic picture, and the distribution of recorded dietary factors
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–350 children, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- haemoglobin by a single automated analyser rather than a mix of methods
- serum ferritin with CRP if you intend to confirm iron deficiency
- a structured dietary and socio-demographic schedule
What derails it
Haemoglobin from a finger prick and from a venous sample differ enough to change the anaemia category, so use one sampling route throughout and state it, rather than mixing capillary and venous values as the clinic finds convenient.
Topic 17 / 45
Link to this entry
WHO-IMNCI clinical classification of pneumonia against chest radiography in children under five
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Sensitivity and specificity of the clinical classification against radiographic evidence of pneumonia read by a blinded reporter
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 180–280 children, driven by the expected sensitivity and the radiographic positive proportion
What your unit must already have
- chest radiography available for every enrolled child with a reporter blinded to the clinical category
- respiratory rate counted for a full minute by a trained observer
- pulse oximetry at triage
What derails it
Respiratory rate counted for fifteen seconds and multiplied, which is what happens in a busy OPD, moves children across the fast-breathing threshold, so insist on a sixty-second count with a timer and have the counter blind to the radiograph request.
Topic 18 / 45
Link to this entry
Nebulised three per cent saline compared with normal saline in infants with acute bronchiolitis
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Change in a pre-specified clinical severity score at forty-eight hours, with length of stay as a secondary outcome
Collection time
15 to 18 months, with enrolment concentrated in the bronchiolitis season
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40–70 per arm, subject to a proper calculation using the standard deviation of the severity score
What your unit must already have
- ethics approval and Clinical Trials Registry of India registration before the first enrolment
- identical nebuliser solutions prepared by someone not assessing outcome
- a scorer blinded to allocation
What derails it
Bronchiolitis arrives in a seasonal burst of a few weeks, so if you are not ready with approvals, registration and pre-labelled solutions before that season starts you will wait an entire year for the next one.
Topic 19 / 45
Link to this entry
Asthma control by the Childhood Asthma Control Test and inhaler technique in children on inhaled therapy
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with uncontrolled asthma by the stated test cut-off, with the number of inhaler technique errors on a checklist
Collection time
9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 150–220 children, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric chest or allergy clinic with children on inhaled therapy
- the control test in the local language with documented translation
- a device technique checklist and placebo devices for demonstration
What derails it
Children demonstrate a better technique in front of the doctor than they use at home, and a new spacer handed out at the clinic masks the problem entirely, so ask the child to use their own device brought from home and record whether it was brought.
Topic 20 / 45
Link to this entry
Clinical assessment of dehydration and hospital course in children with acute gastroenteritis
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion needing intravenous rehydration, in relation to the dehydration category assigned at triage
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 children, subject to a calculation against the expected proportion needing intravenous fluids
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric emergency or ward receiving gastroenteritis directly
- a single dehydration assessment scheme applied by trained staff
- accurate admission weight on a calibrated scale
What derails it
Dehydration categories rest on signs such as skin turgor and sunken eyes that two observers grade differently, so train all assessors on the same scheme, record who assessed each child, and report inter-observer agreement from a pilot.
Topic 21 / 45
Link to this entry
Rotavirus antigen detection in children admitted with acute gastroenteritis and their clinical severity
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with a positive stool rotavirus antigen test, with the Vesikari severity score compared between positive and negative children
Collection time
12 months to cover the seasonal pattern
Sample, as a planning figure
about 150–250 admissions, subject to a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- stool rotavirus antigen kits budgeted for the full year
- a stool collection and storage protocol the ward can actually follow
- immunisation status including rotavirus vaccine recorded from the card
What derails it
Stool samples are the hardest specimen to get in a child already on oral rehydration who passes nothing for hours, so allow a collection window and a nappy-based collection method, or your missing sample count will exceed your positives.
Topic 22 / 45
Link to this entry
Serum ferritin in children with simple febrile seizure compared with febrile children without seizure
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Mean serum ferritin compared between children with a simple febrile seizure and febrile controls of the same age band
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–90 per group, subject to a proper calculation using the standard deviation of ferritin
What your unit must already have
- serum ferritin with CRP through one laboratory
- a control route from the same febrile population on the same days
- a written definition of simple febrile seizure applied consistently
What derails it
Ferritin rises with the fever itself, which is present in both groups by design but for different durations, so record the duration of fever before sampling and measure CRP, or the comparison will be about illness duration rather than iron stores.
Topic 23 / 45
Link to this entry
Steroid response pattern in children with a first episode of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion achieving remission within the pre-specified period of daily steroid therapy, by a stated definition of remission
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 60–100 children, which usually requires the full eighteen months in a single unit, and is subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric nephrology or general paediatric clinic following these children
- urine protein testing by a consistent method at each visit
- a follow-up schedule families can realistically attend
What derails it
Remission is defined on urine protein measured at home or at a local laboratory between visits, and those results arrive on scraps of paper in different units, so supply dipsticks with a written chart and insist on one laboratory for quantitative values.
Topic 24 / 45
Link to this entry
Urine culture yield and imaging findings in febrile infants evaluated for urinary tract infection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with a positive urine culture by a stated colony count threshold, with the proportion showing an abnormality on ultrasound
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 febrile infants, subject to a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- a clean-catch or catheter urine collection protocol with trained nursing staff
- microbiology willing to process paediatric urine promptly
- ultrasound with a paediatric reporter
What derails it
Bag urine samples produce contaminants that look like infection, and they are what a busy ward will collect unless you forbid it, so specify the collection method for every sample and record it, discarding bag samples from the primary analysis.
Topic 25 / 45
Link to this entry
Development at twelve months in low birth weight infants assessed by the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants
DesignCohortFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Mean motor and mental development quotients at twelve months of corrected age, compared across birth weight bands
Collection time
18 months, with enrolment in the first six
Sample, as a planning figure
around 80–120 infants after allowing for attrition, subject to a formal calculation
What your unit must already have
- an examiner trained and certified to administer the scale
- the complete test kit available in the department
- a follow-up clinic with active recall by telephone and home address
What derails it
The assessment takes close to an hour per child and can only be done by the trained examiner, so if the one trained person is the candidate, a month of leave or exam duty silently breaks the follow-up window; build a second trained assessor into the plan.
Topic 26 / 45
Link to this entry
Screening for autism spectrum risk with the M-CHAT-R in children aged eighteen to thirty months attending a paediatric OPD
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion screening positive on the M-CHAT-R with the follow-up interview completed, and the proportion proceeding to specialist assessment
Collection time
10 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 300–450 children, since the screen-positive proportion is small; refine with a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- the instrument in the local language with a documented translation
- a trained interviewer for the structured follow-up questions
- a referral pathway to child psychiatry or developmental paediatrics for positives
What derails it
A screening study creates an obligation you must be able to meet: screening positives whom nobody can assess further is both an ethics problem and an unanswerable viva question, so secure the specialist pathway in writing before you submit the synopsis.
Topic 27 / 45
Link to this entry
Functional classification and associated impairments in children with cerebral palsy attending a paediatric clinic
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of Gross Motor Function Classification System levels, with the proportion having each recorded comorbidity
Collection time
10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–150 children, subject to a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- a clinic or therapy unit where these children attend regularly
- one or two assessors trained to apply the classification
- access to hearing, vision and seizure records for comorbidity
What derails it
Families bring these children only when there is a specific complaint, so a clinic-based sample over-represents the more severely affected; state this plainly and consider recruiting through the physiotherapy list as well as the OPD.
Topic 28 / 45
Link to this entry
Antiepileptic drug adherence and seizure control in children with epilepsy on follow-up
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion seizure-free over six months of follow-up, in relation to adherence measured by pill count and a structured parent interview
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 100–150 children, subject to a calculation against the seizure-free proportion assumed
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric neurology or general paediatric epilepsy follow-up clinic
- a seizure diary families will keep, with a simple format
- pill counts recorded at each visit
What derails it
Parents bring an empty strip and say the medicine finished on time, so pill counts based on what is brought are unusable unless you dispense from the hospital and count returns; decide which adherence measure you will trust before enrolment.
Topic 29 / 45
Link to this entry
Transfusion requirement, serum ferritin and growth in children with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Annual transfusion volume per kilogram, serum ferritin, and height and weight z-scores against WHO standards
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 70–110 children, governed by the size of your thalassaemia day care register
What your unit must already have
- a thalassaemia day care unit with transfusion records going back at least a year
- serum ferritin through one laboratory
- calibrated anthropometry equipment
What derails it
Transfusion records are split between your day care and the private blood banks families use when blood is short, so reconstruct the annual volume from the patient-held card as well as your register, and record how many transfusions you could not verify.
Topic 30 / 45
Link to this entry
Pulse oximetry screening of newborns for critical congenital heart disease: screening yield and echocardiographic findings in screen-positive infants
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Proportion screening positive by a stated pre-ductal and post-ductal saturation protocol, with echocardiographic findings in those positive
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 1500–3000 newborns screened, depending on your delivery load, with the figure fixed by a proportion calculation for the screen-positive yield rather than for sensitivity
What your unit must already have
- a delivery load large enough to make screening meaningful
- motion-tolerant pulse oximeters dedicated to the screening protocol
- echocardiography available for every screen-positive newborn within days
What derails it
A single unit will not accumulate enough echocardiography-confirmed cases in eighteen months to estimate sensitivity, so write the objective as screening yield with echocardiographic findings in the screen-positive babies, and say in the protocol why sensitivity is not being claimed.
Topic 31 / 45
Link to this entry
Echocardiographic findings in children diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with each pattern of valvular involvement on echocardiography, by the revised Jones criteria category at diagnosis
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 50–90 children, depending entirely on how many cases your unit actually sees
What your unit must already have
- echocardiography with a reporter confident in paediatric valve assessment
- ASO titre and throat swab facilities
- the revised Jones criteria applied in a written form
What derails it
Subclinical carditis is only detected if the echocardiographer applies the specific morphological and Doppler criteria rather than reporting mild regurgitation, so agree the reporting template with cardiology in advance or your cases will be unclassifiable.
Topic 32 / 45
Link to this entry
PRISM III score at admission and mortality in a paediatric intensive care unit
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Discrimination for PICU mortality as area under the ROC curve, with observed to expected mortality ratio
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200–300 admissions so that enough deaths accrue, subject to a formal calculation
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric intensive care unit with the variables recorded in the first twelve to twenty-four hours
- blood gas and biochemistry access at all hours
- a scoring sheet completed prospectively at a fixed time
What derails it
Children who die within the first hours of admission often have incomplete first-day variables, and dropping them biases the score upward, so define how you will handle early deaths and incomplete variables in the protocol.
Topic 33 / 45
Link to this entry
Fluid-refractory septic shock in children: time to shock reversal and need for inotropes
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion achieving shock reversal by a stated definition within the first six hours, with inotrope requirement
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
about 70–110 children with septic shock, subject to a calculation against the reversal proportion assumed
What your unit must already have
- paediatric emergency and PICU with a written shock protocol
- infusion pumps and inotrope availability without delay
- lactate or at least perfusion parameters recorded at fixed time points
What derails it
The clock starts at recognition, and recognition time is recorded inconsistently when a child arrives already shocked in the emergency room, so define time zero precisely and enter it in the case sheet at the bedside rather than reconstructing it.
Topic 34 / 45
Link to this entry
Diagnostic yield of gastric aspirate and induced sputum for Xpert MTB/RIF in children with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Proportion with a positive nucleic acid amplification result from each specimen type, against a composite clinical reference standard
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 90–140 children with presumptive tuberculosis, refined once the reference standard is fixed
What your unit must already have
- Xpert testing access with a documented specimen pathway
- nebulisation and suction facilities for induced sputum in children
- a paediatric tuberculosis clinic or a district programme linkage for follow-up classification
What derails it
Sputum induction in a small child is a two-person procedure needing a quiet space and trained hands, and a single unskilled attempt yields saliva, so arrange the trained staff and a dedicated room before you enrol, not after the first ten failures.
Topic 35 / 45
Link to this entry
Immunisation coverage and dropout among children aged twelve to twenty-three months attending a paediatric OPD
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion fully immunised for age by card verification, with dropout between stated antigen pairs
Collection time
8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 300–420 children, to be fixed by a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- immunisation card verification rather than recall alone
- a structured schedule recording the reasons for any missed dose
- interviewers trained to read the state card format
What derails it
Children attending a teaching hospital OPD are not the community, and the ones without cards are disproportionately the unimmunised, so record card availability as a variable and do not quietly exclude cardless children from the denominator.
Topic 36 / 45
Link to this entry
Adverse events following immunisation reported in an immunisation clinic over one year
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with a minor or severe adverse event within the stated follow-up window after each vaccine, classified by the national reporting definitions
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 400–600 immunisation encounters, since events are uncommon; refine with a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- an immunisation clinic with a stable weekly attendance
- telephone follow-up at fixed intervals after vaccination
- the national adverse event classification used as written
What derails it
Minor events are only captured if someone telephones on the right day, and mothers will not mention a single day of fever a week later, so fix the call window at forty-eight to seventy-two hours and record how many families could not be reached.
Topic 37 / 45
Link to this entry
Warning signs and fluid requirement in children admitted with dengue
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion needing a fluid bolus or colloid by a stated protocol, in relation to warning signs at admission
Collection time
12 to 15 months across two seasons if needed
Sample, as a planning figure
about 120–180 confirmed admissions, subject to a calculation against the expected proportion
What your unit must already have
- NS1 and dengue IgM testing in house
- serial haematocrit at fixed times with paediatric sample volumes
- a written fluid protocol so bolus decisions are comparable
What derails it
Fluid decisions in children are made on clinical impression at the bedside by whoever is on duty, so without a written protocol your outcome measures the doctor rather than the child; fix the bolus triggers in the protocol and record deviations.
Topic 38 / 45
Link to this entry
Body mass index percentile and blood pressure in school-aged children attending a paediatric OPD
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with blood pressure above the age, sex and height percentile threshold, across body mass index categories
Collection time
9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 300–400 children, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- paediatric blood pressure cuffs in at least three sizes
- stadiometer and weighing scale with calibration records
- current percentile charts for both body mass index and blood pressure
What derails it
An adult cuff on a child's arm reads high and is what gets used when the right cuff is missing, so record the cuff size for every reading, take three readings at one sitting, and require a repeat visit before labelling a child hypertensive.
Topic 39 / 45
Link to this entry
Mode of presentation and glycaemic control at diagnosis in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion presenting in ketoacidosis, with HbA1c at diagnosis and the interval from first symptom to diagnosis
Collection time
4 to 6 months of record review across several years
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60–120 records, dictated by how many children your unit has registered
What your unit must already have
- a paediatric endocrine or diabetes register that can be searched by diagnosis
- HbA1c recorded at diagnosis for most children
- ethics committee waiver of consent for record review
What derails it
The interval from first symptom to diagnosis is recorded in the case sheet only when somebody asked, and it is the variable most often blank, so check a sample of files for this field before you build the objective around it.
Topic 40 / 45
Link to this entry
Profile and outcome of accidental poisoning in children presenting to a paediatric emergency
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of agents involved, with the proportion needing intensive care and the in-hospital outcome
Collection time
3 to 5 months of record review over three years
Sample, as a planning figure
about 100–200 records, depending on the unit's emergency volume
What your unit must already have
- emergency records retrievable by presenting complaint or diagnosis
- ethics committee waiver of consent
- a classification of agents fixed before data extraction
What derails it
The agent is often written as unknown liquid or kerosene-like smell because nobody brought the container, so build an unidentified category into your classification rather than forcing cases into named agents at the analysis stage.
Topic 41 / 45
Link to this entry
Screen time and sleep quality in school-aged children assessed with the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with a sleep disturbance score above the stated questionnaire cut-off, in relation to reported daily screen time
Collection time
8 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–350 children, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire in the local language, with a documented translation and permission to use it
- a structured screen time recall covering weekdays and weekends separately
- a clinic or school population in the relevant age band, with school permission if used
What derails it
Reported screen time is a parental estimate that shrinks when a doctor asks, so separate weekday from weekend reporting, ask about each device by name, and record who answered, because fathers and mothers report differently.
Topic 42 / 45
Link to this entry
Anaemia in adolescent girls and adherence to weekly iron and folic acid supplementation
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion anaemic by WHO cut-off for age, with the proportion reporting consumption of the stated minimum number of weekly tablets
Collection time
8 to 10 months
Sample, as a planning figure
around 300–400 girls, subject to a prevalence calculation
What your unit must already have
- haemoglobin by a single method on a consistent sampling route
- a structured adherence schedule with a recall anchor such as tablet colour
- a clinic or school population with permissions in place
What derails it
Adolescent girls report taking the tablet because the teacher distributed it, whether or not they swallowed it, so ask about specific side effects and about the last occasion they skipped, rather than a single yes or no on adherence.
Topic 43 / 45
Link to this entry
Antibiotic prescribing practice in a sick newborn care unit: a point prevalence audit
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion of admitted neonates on an antibiotic on the audit days, with indication, duration and agreement with the unit protocol
Collection time
6 to 8 months of repeated audit days
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250–350 neonate-days across several audit rounds, refined by a proportion calculation
What your unit must already have
- a written unit antibiotic policy to audit against
- access to drug charts on the audit day
- a pharmacology or microbiology colleague to adjudicate appropriateness
What derails it
Judging appropriateness against a protocol that does not exist in writing turns the audit into opinion, so confirm the unit has a documented policy, or make writing down current practice and auditing against it an explicit first step.
Topic 44 / 45
Link to this entry
Short-term outcome of neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion needing mechanical ventilation and the proportion surviving to discharge, by severity at admission
Collection time
3 to 5 months of record review over three years
Sample, as a planning figure
about 80–150 records, depending on delivery volume and referral pattern
What your unit must already have
- neonatal unit records with delivery details retrievable
- a severity classification decided before extraction
- ethics committee waiver of consent
What derails it
Outborn babies arrive without any record of the liquor or the resuscitation, so the exposure that defines your cohort is missing in exactly the sickest group; decide in advance whether outborn neonates with an unverifiable history are included.
Topic 45 / 45
Link to this entry
Retinopathy of prematurity screening in preterm neonates: proportion screened and stage at first examination
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion of eligible preterm neonates screened within the recommended window, with the distribution of stages at first examination
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100–160 eligible neonates, driven by your preterm admission numbers
What your unit must already have
- an ophthalmologist willing to screen on a fixed schedule in the unit
- an indirect ophthalmoscope with the appropriate lens and a dilating protocol
- a discharge register identifying eligible neonates by gestation and birth weight
What derails it
Screening slips because the baby is discharged before the window opens and the family does not return, so the real outcome is often how many were screened at all; build an active recall system and report the defaulters as data rather than hiding them.

The designs

What each design commits you to

The designs in this Paediatrics register

The design is not a label on the title; it decides your ethics route, your timetable and the test that answers your primary question. Only the designs that appear above are explained here.

Cross-sectional
18 topics
One contact per participant. Usually the quickest to complete, and the design most often chosen when time is short.
Prospective observational
13 topics
Participants are followed after enrolment without allocating an intervention. Ethics approval must precede the first enrolment.
Retrospective
3 topics
Existing records only. Faster, but limited by what was recorded, and a waiver of consent is normally sought from the ethics committee.
Randomised controlled
2 topics
Allocation is randomised. Prospective interventional studies are registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India before the first participant is enrolled.
Diagnostic accuracy
4 topics
An index test measured against a reference standard. The sample size depends on the expected sensitivity or specificity and the prevalence in your setting.
Case-control
4 topics
Cases and controls compared for prior exposure. Control selection is where these are most often criticised.
Cohort
1 topic
A defined group followed over time. Attrition is the usual threat, so plan for it in the sample size.

What the feasibility mark means

A judgement about a typical teaching unit, not about yours. Confirm the volume, the equipment and the co-operation a topic needs before your synopsis goes in, because after that the timetable stops being negotiable^[2].

Straightforward
19 topics
Achievable in most teaching units with routine caseload and no equipment beyond what is already in use.
Moderate
22 topics
Achievable, but needs either a specific piece of equipment, a collaborating department, or a caseload you should confirm before committing.
Demanding
4 topics
Only take this on if your unit already has the volume, the equipment and the co-operation it needs. Confirm all three before your synopsis goes in.

Next steps

Before you commit to one

What to do with a topic you like

Three steps, in this order. None of them is us: the first is arithmetic, the second is your guide, the third is a search only you can run.

Do the arithmetic
The figure on each plate is a planning range, not an answer. Put your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability you expect, the power you want — into the free sample size calculator, then divide the result by the eligible patients your unit sees in a month and see whether the months you have left permit it.
Take it to your guide
Nothing on this page is approved by anybody. Your guide and your department decide what is feasible in your unit, and your ethics committee decides whether it may start — before the first participant, not before the analysis^[5]. Where your university ordinance is stricter than anything here, the ordinance wins^[1].
Run the search yourself
We make no claim that any question here is novel, under-studied or a gap, because that depends on a literature search run today in your own field. Read what the search returns before you write the introduction, and be ready to say why the question is worth asking in your setting.

What a thesis in this field has to satisfy — the obligations, the statistics and the questions residents ask first — is set out on the Paediatrics page. Other specialties are in the topic bank index, and the method is worked through in the guides.

Undertakings

Mechanisms, not promises

What protects your draft, and who owns the work

Each line below is a mechanism this platform implements or a published instrument it is built around. None of them is a guarantee, and we are affiliated with no regulator or university.

Protection of your work

Row-level security
Every table enforces row-level access. You read your own record, and nothing else.
View-only streaming
Drafts are streamed to you through an authenticated route, not handed over as a file.
Watermarked to you
Every page you read carries your own name and email across it.
Download gated
The final file unlocks when the fee is settled in full, and not before.
Mumbai region · DPDP 2023
Your record and your documents are held in the Mumbai region, so India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 applies to them.
Anonymised data only
We accept no patient identifiers. An NDA is available on request.

How this works

Instruments we work to

NMC PGMER-2023
The thesis obligations set out in the postgraduate medical education regulations.
NBEMS
DNB and DrNB protocol and thesis timelines, and the page limit, as published.
UGC 2018 · <10%
The academic integrity convention we work to on every draft.
ICMJE · Vancouver
Authorship criteria and reference style, applied as published.
No affiliation
We work to these published instruments. We are affiliated to none of the bodies that issue them.

How this works

Authorship and the uniqueness check

Sole author
Mentoring, editing, statistics and compliance. You remain the sole author of your thesis.
Not ghostwriting
We will not write your thesis for you, and we will not be named in it.
MDSoftune
Word-level uniqueness checking, built with REDENN Informatics Inc., Canada.
Every version
Each draft is checked word by word before your university sees it.

How this works

MDThesis is an independent academic mentorship practice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the NMC, NBEMS, UGC or any university.

Free feasibility call

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

A senior doctor replies within one working day. No obligation. MD, MS, DNB, DrNB, DM, MCh, MDS and international programmes.

Request for a feasibility call

No obligation

Reply within one working day · No obligation · Your details are not shared

Prefer to write to us first? Contact the practice. We mentor and edit; you remain the sole author of your thesis.

References

[1]
Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, National Medical Commission. In force 1 January 2024. Thesis requirements at Regulation 5.2. nmc.org.in
[2]
DNB and DrNB thesis guidelines, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. Protocol within 180 days of joining for three-year courses and 90 days for the two-year post-diploma DNB; research study complete by 24 months; thesis by 26 months; 80-page limit inclusive of certificates and annexures. natboard.edu.in
[5]
National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants, 2017, Indian Council of Medical Research. Ethics approval precedes data collection. icmr.gov.in
[6]
Counts of specialties, tracked stages, supported currencies and supported countries are structural facts of this platform, read from its own configuration rather than from a claim.

Document: Topic bank — Paediatrics · Revision 1 · Last reviewed 10 SEPT 2026

Issued by MDThesis, a brand of REDENN Informatics Private Limited

Paediatrics thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for eachPaediatrics thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Clinical profile and blood culture isolates in neonates admitted with suspected sepsis

Haematological sepsis screen and C-reactive protein against blood culture in suspected early-onset neonatal sepsis

Kangaroo mother care in low birth weight neonates: daily weight gain and duration of hospital stay

Transcutaneous bilirubin compared with total serum bilirubin in term and late preterm neonates

Factors associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia requiring exchange transfusion: a case-control study

Outcome of bubble continuous positive airway pressure in preterm neonates with respiratory distress

Thompson score in the first days of life and short-term neurological outcome in perinatal asphyxia

Screening for hypoglycaemia in at-risk newborns during the first forty-eight hours

Cord clamping at one minute compared with three minutes in term neonates: haematocrit and need for phototherapy

Inpatient outcome of children with severe acute malnutrition managed by the WHO protocol

Serum zinc in children with persistent diarrhoea compared with children with acute diarrhoea

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in children with recurrent lower respiratory tract infection compared with controls

Exclusive breastfeeding practices and their determinants among mothers of infants under six months

Complementary feeding practices assessed against the WHO infant and young child feeding indicators

Nutritional status of under-five children attending an immunisation clinic assessed against WHO growth standards

Iron deficiency anaemia in children aged six to fifty-nine months and its dietary and socio-demographic correlates

WHO-IMNCI clinical classification of pneumonia against chest radiography in children under five

Nebulised three per cent saline compared with normal saline in infants with acute bronchiolitis

Asthma control by the Childhood Asthma Control Test and inhaler technique in children on inhaled therapy

Clinical assessment of dehydration and hospital course in children with acute gastroenteritis

Rotavirus antigen detection in children admitted with acute gastroenteritis and their clinical severity

Serum ferritin in children with simple febrile seizure compared with febrile children without seizure

Steroid response pattern in children with a first episode of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome

Urine culture yield and imaging findings in febrile infants evaluated for urinary tract infection

Development at twelve months in low birth weight infants assessed by the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants

Screening for autism spectrum risk with the M-CHAT-R in children aged eighteen to thirty months attending a paediatric OPD

Functional classification and associated impairments in children with cerebral palsy attending a paediatric clinic

Antiepileptic drug adherence and seizure control in children with epilepsy on follow-up

Transfusion requirement, serum ferritin and growth in children with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia

Pulse oximetry screening of newborns for critical congenital heart disease: screening yield and echocardiographic findings in screen-positive infants

Echocardiographic findings in children diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever

PRISM III score at admission and mortality in a paediatric intensive care unit

Fluid-refractory septic shock in children: time to shock reversal and need for inotropes

Diagnostic yield of gastric aspirate and induced sputum for Xpert MTB/RIF in children with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis

Immunisation coverage and dropout among children aged twelve to twenty-three months attending a paediatric OPD

Adverse events following immunisation reported in an immunisation clinic over one year

Warning signs and fluid requirement in children admitted with dengue

Body mass index percentile and blood pressure in school-aged children attending a paediatric OPD

Mode of presentation and glycaemic control at diagnosis in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Profile and outcome of accidental poisoning in children presenting to a paediatric emergency

Screen time and sleep quality in school-aged children assessed with the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire

Anaemia in adolescent girls and adherence to weekly iron and folic acid supplementation

Antibiotic prescribing practice in a sick newborn care unit: a point prevalence audit

Short-term outcome of neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome

Retinopathy of prematurity screening in preterm neonates: proportion screened and stage at first examination

What the feasibility mark means

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

Paediatrics thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each