Child Vocabulary, Maternal Behavior, and Inhibitory Control Development among Spanish-Speaking Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peredo, Tatiana Nogueira; Owen, Margaret Tresch; Rojas, Raúl; Caughy, Margaret O'Brien

2015-01-01

Research Findings: The roles of child lexical diversity and maternal sensitivity in the development of young children's inhibitory control were examined in 100 low-income Hispanic Spanish-speaking children. Child communication utterances at age 2½ years were transcribed from 10-min mother-child interactions to quantify lexical diversity. Maternal…

Self-Control and the Developing Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarullo, Amanda R.; Obradovic, Jelena; Gunnar, Megan R.

2009-01-01

Self-control is a skill that children need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Brain regions essential to self-control are immature at birth and develop slowly throughout childhood. From ages 3 to 6 years, as these brain regions become more mature, children show improved ability to control impulses, shift their attention flexibly,…

A Developmental Study of Static Postural Control and Superimposed Arm Movements in Normal and Slowly Developing Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Janet M.

Selected electromyographic parameters underlying static postural control in 4, 6, and 8 year old normally and slowly developing children during performance of selected arm movements were studied. Developmental delays in balance control were assessed by the Cashin Test of Motor Development (1974) and/or the Williams Gross Motor Coordination Test…

Integrating Children's Television Food Advertising Research with the Delay of Gratification and Resistance to Temptation Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Brenda; Jeffrey, D. Balfour

This review considers parents' ability to control their children's consumption of heavily advertised, low-nutrition foods and children's ability to control their own consumption of these foods. In particular, research on television advertising's effect on children and children's development of the ability to delay gratification and resist…

Internal State Language in the Storybook Narratives of Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Investigating Relations to Theory of Mind Abilities

PubMed Central

Siller, Michael; Swanson, Meghan R.; Serlin, Gayle; George, Ann

2014-01-01

The current study examines narratives elicited using a wordless picture book, focusing on language used to describe the characters’ thoughts and emotions (i.e., internal state language, ISL). The sample includes 21 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 24 typically developing controls, matched on children's gender, IQ, as well as receptive and expressive vocabulary. This research had three major findings. First, despite equivalent performance on standardized language assessments, the volume of children's narratives (i.e., the number of utterances and words, the range of unique verbs and adjectives) was lower in children with ASD than in typically developing controls. Second, after controlling for narrative volume, the narratives of children with ASD were less likely to reference the characters’ emotions than was the case for typically developing controls. Finally, our results revealed a specific association between children's use of emotion terms and their performance on a battery of experimental tasks evaluating children's Theory of Mind abilities. Implications for our understanding of narrative deficits in ASD as well as interventions that use narrative as a context for improving social comprehension are discussed. PMID:24748899

Internal State Language in the Storybook Narratives of Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Investigating Relations to Theory of Mind Abilities.

PubMed

Siller, Michael; Swanson, Meghan R; Serlin, Gayle; George, Ann

2014-05-01

The current study examines narratives elicited using a wordless picture book, focusing on language used to describe the characters' thoughts and emotions (i.e., internal state language, ISL). The sample includes 21 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and 24 typically developing controls, matched on children's gender, IQ, as well as receptive and expressive vocabulary. This research had three major findings. First, despite equivalent performance on standardized language assessments, the volume of children's narratives (i.e., the number of utterances and words, the range of unique verbs and adjectives) was lower in children with ASD than in typically developing controls. Second, after controlling for narrative volume, the narratives of children with ASD were less likely to reference the characters' emotions than was the case for typically developing controls. Finally, our results revealed a specific association between children's use of emotion terms and their performance on a battery of experimental tasks evaluating children's Theory of Mind abilities. Implications for our understanding of narrative deficits in ASD as well as interventions that use narrative as a context for improving social comprehension are discussed.

Spontaneous improvement in oculomotor function of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Ego, Caroline; Orban de Xivry, Jean-Jacques; Nassogne, Marie-Cécile; Yüksel, Demet; Lefèvre, Philippe

2014-11-20

Eye movements are essential to get a clear vision of moving objects. In the present study, we assessed quantitatively the oculomotor deficits of children with cerebral palsy (CP). We recorded eye movements of 51 children with cerebral palsy (aged 5-16 years) with relatively mild motor impairment and compared their performance with age-matched control and premature children. Overall eye movements of children with CP are unexpectedly close to those of controls even though some oculomotor parameters are biased by the side of hemiplegia. Importantly, the difference in performance between children with CP and controls decreases with age, demonstrating that the oculomotor function of children with CP develops as fast as or even faster than controls for some visual tracking parameters. That is, oculomotor function spontaneously improves over the course of childhood. This evolution highlights the ability of lesioned brain of children with CP to compensate for impaired motor function beyond what would be achieved by normal development on its own. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehension of handwriting development: Pen-grip kinetics in handwriting tasks and its relation to fine motor skills among school-age children.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Chen; Chao, Yen-Li; Wu, Shyi-Kuen; Lin, Ho-Hsio; Hsu, Chieh-Hsiang; Hsu, Hsiao-Man; Kuo, Li-Chieh

2017-10-01

Numerous tools have been developed to evaluate handwriting performances by analysing written products. However, few studies have directly investigated kinetic performances of digits when holding a pen. This study thus attempts to investigate pen-grip kinetics during writing tasks of school-age children and explore the relationship between the kinetic factors and fine motor skills. This study recruited 181 children aged from 5 to 12 years old and investigated the effects of age on handwriting kinetics and the relationship between these and fine motor skills. The forces applied from the digits and pen-tip were measured during writing tasks via a force acquisition pen, and the children's fine motor performances were also evaluated. The results indicate that peak force and average force might not be direct indicators of handwriting performance for normally developing children at this age. Younger children showed larger force variation and lower adjustment frequency during writing, which might indicate they had poorer force control than the older children. Force control when handling a pen is significantly correlated with fine motor performance, especially in relation to the manual dexterity. A novel system is proposed for analysing school-age children's force control while handwriting. We observed the development of force control in relation to pen grip among the children with different ages in this study. The findings suggested that manipulation skill may be crucial when children are establishing their handwriting capabilities. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Bilingualism Alters Children's Frontal Lobe Functioning for Attentional Control

PubMed Central

Arredondo, Maria M.; Hu, Xiao-Su; Satterfield, Teresa; Kovelman, Ioulia

2017-01-01

Bilingualism is a typical linguistic experience, yet relatively little is known about its impact on children's cognitive and brain development. Theories of bilingualism suggest early dual-language acquisition can improve children's cognitive abilities, specifically those relying on frontal lobe functioning. While behavioral findings present much conflicting evidence, little is known about its effects on children's frontal lobe development. Using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), the findings suggest that Spanish-English bilingual children (n=13, ages 7-13) had greater activation in left prefrontal cortex during a non-verbal attentional control task relative to age-matched English monolinguals. In contrast, monolinguals (n=14) showed greater right prefrontal activation than bilinguals. The present findings suggest early bilingualism yields significant changes to the functional organization of children's prefrontal cortex for attentional control and carry implications for understanding how early life experiences impact cognition and brain development. PMID:26743118

Children who had congenital torticollis as infants are not at higher risk for a delay in motor development at preschool age.

PubMed

Öhman, Anna; Beckung, Eva

2013-10-01

To investigate whether congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) or the time in a prone position as an infant had any influence on motor development at preschool age. A case-control study. Eighty-one children who had participated in a previous study that investigated motor development in infants with CMT and a control group of infants without CMT. A follow-up at the age of 3.5-5 years; the Movement Assessment Battery for Children was used with the earlier CMT group and the control group to assess their motor development. An independent physiotherapist, who was blinded of the children's previous group belonging, assessed the children. Percentile scores of motor development. Multiple regression showed no impact on earlier group belonging or the amount of time spent in a prone position as an infant. The left-handed children had a significantly (P < .01) lower percentile in the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Neither CMT nor spending limited periods of time as an infant in the prone position when awake have any significant long-term effects on motor development. Children who had CMT as infants were not at higher risk for a delay in motor development at preschool age. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Costs and benefits linked to developments in cognitive control.

PubMed

Blackwell, Katharine A; Munakata, Yuko

2014-03-01

Developing cognitive control over one's thoughts, emotions, and actions is a fundamental process that predicts important life outcomes. Such control begins in infancy, and shifts during development from a predominantly reactive form (e.g. retrieving task-relevant information when needed) to an increasingly proactive form (e.g. maintaining task-relevant information in anticipation of needing it). While such developments are generally viewed as adaptive, cognitive abilities can also involve trade-offs, such that the benefits of developing increasingly proactive control may come with associated costs. In two experiments, we test for such cognitive trade-offs in children who are transitioning to proactive control. We find that proactive control predicts expected benefits in children's working memory, but is also associated with predicted costs in disproportionately slowing children under conditions of distraction. These findings highlight unique advantages and disadvantages of proactive and reactive control, and suggest caution in attempting to alter their balance during development. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of Attention Biases to Threat and Effortful Control on Individual Variations in Negative Affect and Social Withdrawal in Very Young Children

PubMed Central

Zapp, Daniel J.; Fettig, Nicole B.; Pérez-Edgar, Koraly

2015-01-01

Early temperamental sensitivity may form the basis for the later development of socioemotional maladjustment. In particular, temperamental negative affect places children at risk for the development of anxiety. However, not all children who show negative affect go on to develop anxiety or extreme social withdrawal. Recent research indicates that reactive control, in the form of attention to threat, may serve as a bridge between early temperament and the development of later social difficulties. In addition, variation in effortful control may also modulate this trajectory. Children (MeanAge=5.57 years) were assessed for attention bias to threatening and pleasant faces using a dot-probe paradigm. Attention bias to threatening (but not happy) faces moderated the direct positive relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Children with threat biases showed a significant link between negative affect and social withdrawal, while children who avoided threat did not. In contrast, effortful control did not moderate the relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Rather, there was a direct negative relation between effortful control and social withdrawal. The findings from this short report indicate that the relation amongst temperament, attention bias, and social withdrawal appears early in life and point to early emerging specificity in reactive and regulatory functioning. PMID:26477597

Dental arch dimensional changes after adenotonsillectomy in prepubertal children.

PubMed

Petraccone Caixeta, Anna Cristina; Andrade, Ildeu; Bahia Junqueira Pereira, Tatiana; Franco, Letícia Paiva; Becker, Helena Maria Gonçalves; Souki, Bernardo Quiroga

2014-04-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the dental arch changes after adenotonsillectomies in prepubertal children and to compare the dental arch dimensions of mouth-breathing and nasal-breathing children. The sample included 49 prepubertal severely obstructed mouth-breathing children and 46 prepubertal nasal-breathing children. Twenty-four of the 49 mouth-breathing children had an adenotonsillectomy and composed the adenotonsillectomy subgroup. The 25 children in whom the mouth-breathing pattern was unchanged during the 1-year study period composed the control subgroup. The mouth-breathing children showed a deeper palatal vault, a larger mandibular width, and a larger mandibular arch length in comparison with the nasal-breathing children. After airway clearance, the adenotonsillectomy group showed a significant maxillary transverse width gain compared with the control subgroup. The control subgroup showed a significant deepening of the palatal height when compared with the adenotonsillectomy subgroup after 1 year. The adenotonsillectomy subgroup had a significantly different pattern of arch development compared with the untreated controls. After adenotonsillectomy, the mouth-breathing children showed greater maxillary transverse development than did the controls. The palatal vault deepened in the untreated children. The mouth-breathing children showed a deeper palatal vault, a larger mandibular width, and a larger mandibular arch length in comparison with the nasal-breathing children. Copyright © 2014 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between parental skills and their attitudes toward importance to develop good oral hygiene skills in their children.

PubMed

Vanagas, Giedrius; Milasauskiene, Zemyna; Grabauskas, Vilius; Mickeviciene, Ausra

2009-01-01

For many years, poor oral hygiene and frequent consumption of sugars is known as key behavioral risk factors for oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Parental attitudes toward children's oral health could be associated with their own oral health skills. We aimed to analyze associations between parental skills and attitudes toward caries development and possibilities to control positive oral health behavior in their children. A cross-sectional study involved 550 parents of 3- to 4-year-old children. A 40-item questionnaire was developed from the Theory of Planned Behavior, Health Belief Model and the Health Locus of Control model, and parental attitudes toward dental caries in their children were analyzed. A total of 397 filled-in questionnaires were collected; the response rate was 72%. Parents with good own oral hygiene skills significantly more often understood the importance of brushing their children's teeth (chi(2)=29.8; df=1; P<0.001). Study results highlighted also significant differences in importance to prevent tooth decay (chi(2)=3.1; df=1; P=0.051), importance to control sugar snacking (chi(2)=10.6; df=1; P=0.001), and parental perceived seriousness of tooth decay in children (chi(2)=9.2; df=1; P=0.002) comparing parents with poor and good oral hygiene skills. Differences in parental efficacy to control proper toothbrushing and parental efficacy to control sugar snacking in children were not significant comparing both groups. More than half (61%) of the parents have reported appropriate own oral hygiene skills. Parental attitudes toward children's oral health were significantly associated with their own oral health behavior and understanding the importance of development of oral hygiene skills in their children.

Bladder and Bowel Control in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Case-Control Study

PubMed Central

Ozturk, Mustafa; Oktem, Faruk; Kisioglu, Nesimi; Demirci, Mustafa; Altuntas, Irfan; Kutluhan, Suleyman; Dogan, Malik

2006-01-01

Aim To determine the age of development of bladder and bowel control and the frequency of enuresis, encopresis, and urinary infections in children with cerebral palsy. Methods The study included 45 children with cerebral palsy who regularly attended a rehabilitation center in Isparta, Turkey, and two groups of age- and sex-matched children, 37 siblings of the children with cerebral palsy and 37 healthy children. Demographic data and information on the age of development of total bladder and bowel control and presence of possible urinary symptoms in children were collected from their caregivers by use of a questionnaire. Frequency of enuresis and encopresis was estimated among the children aged ≥5 years. A mid-way urinary sample was obtained from 40, 22, and 21 children in the cerebral palsy, siblings, and healthy children, respectively. Results The mean age of nighttime bladder and bowel control development was 47 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 35-58) and 45 (36-55) months, respectively, for the children with cerebral palsy, 35 months (95% CI, 24-46) and 26 months (95% CI, 24-28), respectively, for their siblings, and 27 months (95% CI, 22-33) and 25 months (95% CI, 23-27) months, respectively, for the healthy children. Among the children aged ≥5 years, enuresis was present in 11 of 34 children with cerebral palsy, 7 of 30 siblings, and 4 of 30 healthy children (P = 0.200), whereas encopresis was present in 5 children with cerebral palsy, one sibling, and one healthy child. Constipation was significantly more present in chidlren with cerebral palsy than in other two groups (P<0.001). Urine culture was positive in 13 children with cerebral palsy, 1 sibling, and 2 healthy chidlren (P = 0.024). There were no significant differences in other urinary symptoms and laboratory findings among the three groups. Conclusion The children with cerebral palsy gained bladder and bowel control at older age in comparison with their siblings and healthy children. They also had more frequent enuresis and urinary infections. PMID:16625691

Child development following in utero exposure

PubMed Central

Shallcross, R.; Bromley, R.L.; Irwin, B.; Bonnett, L.J.; Morrow, J.

2011-01-01

Objective: Children born to women with epilepsy (WWE), exposed in utero to levetiracetam (LEV, n = 51), were assessed for early cognitive development and compared to children exposed to sodium valproate in utero (VPA, n = 44) and a group of children representative of the general population (n = 97). Methods: Children were recruited prospectively from 2 cohorts in the United Kingdom and assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scale (1996), aged <24 months. Information regarding maternal demographics were collected and controlled for. This is an observational study with researchers not involved in the clinical management of the WWE. Results: On overall developmental ability, children exposed to LEV obtained higher developmental scores when compared to children exposed to VPA (p < 0.001). When compared, children exposed to LEV did not differ from control children (p = 0.62) on overall development. Eight percent of children exposed to LEV in utero fell within the below average range (DQ score of <84), compared with 40% of children exposed to VPA. After controlling for maternal epilepsy and demographic factors using linear regression analysis, exposure to LEV in utero was not associated with outcome (p = 0.67). Conversely, when compared with VPA exposure, LEV exposure was associated with higher scores for the overall developmental quotient (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Children exposed to LEV in utero are not at an increased risk of delayed early cognitive development under the age of 24 months. LEV may therefore be a preferable drug choice, where appropriate, for WWE prior to and of childbearing age. PMID:21263139

The profile of social functioning in children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Næss, Kari-Anne B; Nygaard, Egil; Ostad, Johanne; Dolva, Anne-Stine; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas

2017-06-01

Practitioners and researchers have asserted for decades that social functioning is a strength in children with Down syndrome (DS). Nevertheless, some studies have concluded that children with DS may be at greater risk of impaired social functioning compared to typically developing controls. This cross-sectional study explores the profile of social functioning (social capabilities and social problems) in six-year-old children with DS, compares it with that of typically developing children and reveals possible differences in predictors between groups. Parental reports and clinical tests were utilized. The children with DS had generally weaker social capabilities compared to nonverbal mental age-matched controls, but no significant differences were found for social interactive play, community functioning and prosocial behaviour. No significant differences in predictors for social capabilities between the groups were found. The children with DS had more social problems than the typically developing controls with a similar chronological age and those with a similar nonverbal mental age, but no significant differences in emotional symptoms were found between the children with DS and either comparison group. Vocabulary was a more important predictor of social problems in the children with DS than in the typically developing control groups. Interventions for children with DS should strongly focus on integrating vocabulary skills and social functioning starting at an early age. Implications for Rehabilitation Children with Down syndrome need help and support in social functioning. Systematic training to optimize social capabilities and to prevent social problems should be prioritized. Structured and explicit learning of words important for social interaction with peers and for conflict solutions should be emphasized. Integrated interventions focusing on social functioning and vocabulary should begin in preschool to prepare children for participation in mainstream education.

Development of a robotic device for facilitating learning by children who have severe disabilities.

PubMed

Cook, Albert M; Meng, Max Q H; Gu, Jason J; Howery, Kathy

2002-09-01

This paper presents technical aspects of a robot manipulator developed to facilitate learning by young children who are generally unable to grasp objects or speak. The severity of these physical disabilities also limits assessment of their cognitive and language skills and abilities. The CRS robot manipulator was adapted for use by children who have disabilities. Our emphasis is on the technical control aspects of the development of an interface and communication environment between the child and the robot arm. The system is designed so that each child has user control and control procedures that are individually adapted. Control interfaces include large push buttons, keyboards, laser pointer, and head-controlled switches. Preliminary results have shown that young children who have severe disabilities can use the robotic arm system to complete functional play-related tasks. Developed software allows the child to accomplish a series of multistep tasks by activating one or more single switches. Through a single switch press the child can replay a series of preprogrammed movements that have a development sequence. Children using this system engaged in three-step sequential activities and were highly responsive to the robotic tasks. This was in marked contrast to other interventions using toys and computer games.

The Association between Preschool Children's Social Functioning and Their Emergent Academic Skills.

PubMed

Arnold, David H; Kupersmidt, Janis B; Voegler-Lee, Mary Ellen; Marshall, Nastassja

2012-01-01

This study examined the relationship between social functioning and emergent academic development in a sample of 467 preschool children (M = 55.9 months old, SD = 3.8). Teachers reported on children's aggression, attention problems, and prosocial skills. Preliteracy, language, and early mathematics skills were assessed with standardized tests. Better social functioning was associated with stronger academic development. Attention problems were related to poorer academic development controlling for aggression and social skills, pointing to the importance of attention in these relations. Children's social skills were related to academic development controlling for attention and aggression problems, consistent with models suggesting that children's social strengths and difficulties are independently related to their academic development. Support was not found for the hypothesis that these relationships would be stronger in boys than in girls. Some relationships were stronger in African American than Caucasian children. Children's self-reported feelings about school moderated several relationships, consistent with the idea that positive feelings about school may be a protective factor against co-occurring academic and social problems.

Sleep Problems among Taiwanese Children with Autism, Their Siblings and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Miao-Chun; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Chiang, Huey-Ling; Wu, Yu-Yu; Lee, Ju-Chin; Wong, Ching-Ching; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2012-01-01

The current study compared the sleep schedules, sleep problems among children with autism, their siblings and typically developing children, and to explore other associated factors with sleep problems. We conducted a case-control study consisting 110 children with autistic disorder, 125 unaffected siblings, and 110 age-, sex-, and parental…

An Examination of Handedness and Footedness in Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markoulakis, R.; Scharoun, S. M.; Bryden, P. J.; Fletcher, P. C.

2012-01-01

Motor control deficits have been documented in children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS), but the extent to which these disorders affect the children's footedness must be delineated. Twelve typically developing (TD) children and 12 children with HFA/AS, ages 6-9 years, were recruited. Motor control skills were assessed…

Reduced Delay of Gratification and Effortful Control among Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faja, Susan; Dawson, Geraldine

2015-01-01

We explored internal control of behavior using direct observation and parent report. Previous research has found that both the delay of gratification task and parent-reported effortful control predict later social ability and more positive outcomes in typically developing children. Children with autism spectrum disorder have previously been…

The Development of Two Types of Inhibitory Control in Monolingual and Bilingual Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin-Rhee, Michelle M.; Bialystok, Ellen

2008-01-01

Previous research has shown that bilingual children excel in tasks requiring inhibitory control to ignore a misleading perceptual cue. The present series of studies extends this finding by identifying the degree and type of inhibitory control for which bilingual children demonstrate this advantage. Study 1 replicated the earlier research by…

[Stress and coping with stress by mothers of children with mild cerebral dysfunctions].

PubMed

Virtanen, T; Moilanen, I

1991-09-01

Adapting the paradigm developed by Richard Lazarus, parenting stress and coping were studied among mothers of children (n = 42) with Minimal Brain Dysfunction (MBD) and mothers with non-disabled children (n = 42), aged 6 to 9. The children of control mothers were matched by age, sex, social status, and maternal marital status with the MBD children. The mothers of MBD children were found to experience more parenting difficulties, more negatively toned cognitive appraisals of their stakes in parenting and less positive adaptational outcomes than their controls. The mothers of MBD children appraised their mastery lower than their controls. However, family well-being, or self-esteem did not differ between the mothers of MBD children and their controls.

From Recipients to Partners: Children in Malaria Education in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nakiwala, Aisha Sembatya

2016-01-01

Purpose: Health education that integrates community participation is essential for malaria control. However, children's participation is not generally as active as that of adults, thus turning children into recipients, as opposed to partners in malaria control. The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of how children can…

Development and evaluation of an interactive CD-ROM for children with leukemia and their families.

PubMed

Dragone, Mary Alice; Bush, Patricia J; Jones, Judith K; Bearison, David J; Kamani, Sharmila

2002-04-01

To meet the need for an interactive software product to educate children with leukemia, ages 4-11 years, and their families about the disease and its treatment, we developed and evaluated an interactive, comprehensive, multimedia CD-ROM product, Kidz with Leukemia: A Space Adventure. The prototype was tested using a randomized controlled experimental design. Children with leukemia and their parents were randomized to receive either the newly developed CD-ROM or the book You and Leukemia by Lynn Baker. Health care providers (HCPs) and other content/technical experts evaluated only the CD-ROM. Data were collected on children's health locus of control, their understanding of leukemia, and the satisfaction of participants with their assigned intervention. Children in the CD-ROM group, compared with those in the book group, showed increased feelings of control over their health. Although there was a high level of satisfaction with the CD-ROM among all users, younger children and their parents were most satisfied. In conclusion, the CD-ROM, Kidz with Leukemia: A Space Adventure, was found to be a useful, engaging, and empowering tool for children with leukemia and can serve as a model for developing future health-related educational materials.

Contralateral Associated Movements Correlate with Poorer Inhibitory Control, Attention and Visual Perception in Preschool Children.

PubMed

Kakebeeke, Tanja H; Messerli-Bürgy, Nadine; Meyer, Andrea H; Zysset, Annina E; Stülb, Kerstin; Leeger-Aschmann, Claudia S; Schmutz, Einat A; Arhab, Amar; Puder, Jardena J; Kriemler, Susi; Munsch, Simone; Jenni, Oskar G

2017-10-01

Contralateral associated movements (CAMs) frequently occur in complex motor tasks. We investigated whether and to what extent CAMs are associated with inhibitory control among preschool children in the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study. Participants were 476 healthy, typically developing children (mean age = 3.88 years; 251 boys) evaluated on two consecutive afternoons. The children performed the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment, the statue subtest of the Neuropsychological Assessment for Children (NEPSY), and cognitive tests of the Intelligence and Development Scales-Preschool (IDS-P). CAMs were associated with poor inhibitory control on the statue test and poor selective attention and visual perception on the IDS-P. We attributed these findings to preschoolers' general immaturity of the central nervous system.

Father Doesn't Know Best? Parents' Control of Money and Children's Food Insecurity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenney, Catherine T.

2008-01-01

Although developing-country research has found that spending on children varies depending on which parent controls income, developed-country research tends to ignore intrahousehold allocation. This study uses Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study data (N = 1,073 couples) to analyze how mothers versus fathers controlling money affects U.S.…

Relations of mother's sense of coherence and childrearing style with child's social skills in preschoolers.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Rikuya; Katsura, Toshiki; Shizawa, Miho

2017-01-01

We examined the relationships between mothers' sense of coherence (SOC) and their child's social skills development among preschool children, and how this relationship is mediated by mother's childrearing style. Mothers of 1341 Japanese children, aged 4-5 years, completed a self-report questionnaire on their SOC and childrearing style. The children's teachers evaluated their social skills using the social skills scale (SSS), which comprises three factors: cooperation, self-control, and assertion. Path analyses revealed that the mother's childrearing mediated the positive relationship between mother's SOC and the cooperation, self-control, and assertiveness aspects of children's social skills. Additionally, there was a significant direct path from mother's SOC to the self-control component of social skills. These findings suggest that mother's SOC may directly as well as indirectly influence children's social skills development through the mediating effect of childrearing. The results offer preliminary evidence that focusing on support to improve mothers' SOC may be an efficient and effective strategy for improving children's social skills development.

Parental Attributions of Control for Child Behaviour and Their Relation to Discipline Practices in Parents of Children with and Without Developmental Delays.

PubMed

Jacobs, Myrthe; Marks Woolfson, Lisa; Hunter, Simon C

2017-01-01

Children with developmental delays (DD) are at risk for developing behavior problems. Research suggests that parents' causal attributions for child behavior are related to parenting. This study investigated this association in parents of children with DD compared to parents of typically developing (TD) children. It specifically focused on attributions of child control by separating these from attributions of responsibility, blame and intent, and from attributions of parent control and responsibility. Fifty-one parents of children with DD and 69 parents of TD children completed two questionnaires. The Written Analogue Questionnaire measured causal attributions. The Parenting Scale measured dysfunctional discipline practices. Parents of children with DD viewed the child's role in problematic behavior more positively while also viewing misbehavior as more fixed than parents of TD children. Parents of TD children who viewed their child as more in control over misbehavior used less dysfunctional discipline, but this association was not found for parents of children with DD. The results advance understanding of how parents perceive behavior problems in children with DD and the important role these perceptions play in parental behavior management strategies. More importantly, these perceptions relate to discipline practices differently for parents of children with DD compared to parents of TD children, highlighting that parent interventions should be adapted to the specific needs of parents of children with DD.

Impact of attention biases to threat and effortful control on individual variations in negative affect and social withdrawal in very young children.

PubMed

Cole, Claire E; Zapp, Daniel J; Fettig, Nicole B; Pérez-Edgar, Koraly

2016-01-01

Early temperamental sensitivity may form the basis for the later development of socioemotional maladjustment. In particular, temperamental negative affect places children at risk for the development of anxiety. However, not all children who show negative affect go on to develop anxiety or extreme social withdrawal. Recent research indicates that reactive control, in the form of attention to threat, may serve as a bridge between early temperament and the development of later social difficulties. In addition, variation in effortful control may also modulate this trajectory. Children (mean age=5.57 years) were assessed for attention bias to threatening and pleasant faces using a dot-probe paradigm. Attention bias to threatening (but not happy) faces moderated the direct positive relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Children with threat biases showed a significant link between negative affect and social withdrawal, whereas children who avoided threat did not. In contrast, effortful control did not moderate the relation between negative affect and social withdrawal. Rather, there was a direct negative relation between effortful control and social withdrawal. The findings from this short report indicate that the relations among temperament, attention bias, and social withdrawal appears early in life and point to early emerging specificity in reactive and regulatory functioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fine motor control

MedlinePlus

... figure out the child's developmental age. Children develop fine motor skills over time, by practicing and being taught. To have fine motor control, children need: Awareness and planning Coordination ...

Effect of in-home fortification of complementary feeding on intellectual development of Chinese children.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Ming; Wang, Yu-Ying; Chang, Su-Ying

2010-04-01

To explore the effect of in-home fortification of complementary feeding on intellectual development of Chinese children aged below 24 months. One thousand and four hundred seventy eight children aged 4-12 months were recruited and divided into study groups (formula 1 group and formula 2 group) and control group. In two study groups, in addition to the usual complementary food, children were fed with a sachet of fortified food supplement each day. Protein and micronutrients were provided in formula 1 group. Formula 2 group had the same energy intake as the formula 1 group . In addition to measurement of physical growth and detection of hemoglobin level, Development Quotient (DQ) or Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was assessed. The DQ of children aged below 24 months was 97.2, 95.5, and 93.8 in formula 1 group, formula 2 group and control group, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The DQ of children in formula 1 group, formula 2 group, and control group was 92.7, 90.4, and 88.3 respectively in the first follow up showing statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). And, DQ of children in formula 1 group, formula 2 group and control group were 96.7, 94.5, and 93.7 respectively in the second follow up, showing statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Full-IQ of children in the formula 1 group was 3.1 and 4.5 points higher than that in formula 2 group and in control group respectively. Verbal IQ of children in the formula 1 group was 2.1 and 5 points higher than that in formula 2 group and control group respectively. Performance IQ was 2.5 and 3.1 points higher than that in formula 2 group and control group respectively. All above mentioned comparisons were statistically significant. Fortification of complementary feeding showed persistent effect on intelligence development of young children which could persist to 6 years of age. The critical time for correction of anemia could be under 18 months.

Parent-child interaction over time in families of young children with borderline intellectual functioning.

PubMed

Fenning, Rachel M; Baker, Jason K; Baker, Bruce L; Crnic, Keith A

2014-06-01

A previous study suggested that mothers of 5-year-old children with borderline intellectual functioning displayed lower positive engagement with their children as compared with both mothers of typically developing children and mothers of children with significant developmental delays (Fenning, Baker, Baker, & Crnic, 2007). The current study integrated father data and followed these families over the subsequent 1-year period. Parent and child behavior were coded from naturalistic home observations at both waves. Results revealed that mothers of children with borderline intellectual functioning displayed a greater increase in negative-controlling parenting from child age 5 to 6 than did other mothers; fathers displayed more negative-controlling behavior in comparison to fathers of typically developing children. In addition, children with borderline intellectual functioning themselves exhibited a more significant escalation in difficult behavior than did typically developing children. Cross-lagged analyses for the sample as a whole indicated that maternal negative-controlling behavior predicted subsequent child difficulties, whereas negative paternal behavior was predicted by earlier child behavior. In conjunction with evidence from Fenning et al. (2007), these findings suggest a complex, dynamic, and systemic developmental pattern in the emotional behavior of families of children with borderline intellectual functioning. Implications and areas in need of additional research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Brief report: accuracy and response time for the recognition of facial emotions in a large sample of children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Fink, Elian; de Rosnay, Marc; Wierda, Marlies; Koot, Hans M; Begeer, Sander

2014-09-01

The empirical literature has presented inconsistent evidence for deficits in the recognition of basic emotion expressions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which may be due to the focus on research with relatively small sample sizes. Additionally, it is proposed that although children with ASD may correctly identify emotion expression they rely on more deliberate, more time-consuming strategies in order to accurately recognize emotion expressions when compared to typically developing children. In the current study, we examine both emotion recognition accuracy and response time in a large sample of children, and explore the moderating influence of verbal ability on these findings. The sample consisted of 86 children with ASD (M age = 10.65) and 114 typically developing children (M age = 10.32) between 7 and 13 years of age. All children completed a pre-test (emotion word-word matching), and test phase consisting of basic emotion recognition, whereby they were required to match a target emotion expression to the correct emotion word; accuracy and response time were recorded. Verbal IQ was controlled for in the analyses. We found no evidence of a systematic deficit in emotion recognition accuracy or response time for children with ASD, controlling for verbal ability. However, when controlling for children's accuracy in word-word matching, children with ASD had significantly lower emotion recognition accuracy when compared to typically developing children. The findings suggest that the social impairments observed in children with ASD are not the result of marked deficits in basic emotion recognition accuracy or longer response times. However, children with ASD may be relying on other perceptual skills (such as advanced word-word matching) to complete emotion recognition tasks at a similar level as typically developing children.

In utero exposure to levetiracetam vs valproate: development and language at 3 years of age.

PubMed

Shallcross, R; Bromley, R L; Cheyne, C P; García-Fiñana, M; Irwin, B; Morrow, J; Baker, G A

2014-01-21

To compare the cognitive and language development of children born to women with epilepsy (WWE) exposed in utero to levetiracetam (LEV) or sodium valproate (VPA) and control children born to women without epilepsy not taking medication during pregnancy. The children, aged between 36 and 54 months, were recruited from the United Kingdom and assessed using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales and the Reynell Language Development Scale. Maternal demographic and epilepsy information was also collected for use in statistical regression. This is an observational study with researchers not involved in the clinical management of the mothers enrolled. After controlling for confounding variables, children exposed to LEV in utero (n = 53) did not differ from unexposed control children (n = 131) on any scale administered. Children exposed to VPA (n = 44) in utero scored, on average, 15.8 points below children exposed to LEV on measures of gross motor skills (95% confidence interval [CI] -24.5 to -7.1, p < 0.001), 6.4 points below on comprehension language abilities (95% CI -11.0 to -1.8, p = 0.005), and 9.5 points below on expressive language abilities (95% CI -14.7 to -4.4, p < 0.001). The current study indicates that children exposed to LEV in utero were superior in their language and motor development in comparison to children exposed to VPA. This information should be used collaboratively between health care professionals and WWE when deciding on women's preferred choice of antiepileptic drug.

Specificity of Dyspraxia in Children with Autism

PubMed Central

MacNeil, Lindsey K.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2012-01-01

Objective To explore the specificity of impaired praxis and postural knowledge to autism by examining three samples of children, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and typically developing (TD) children. Method Twenty-four children with ASD, 24 children with ADHD, and 24 TD children, ages 8–13, completed measures assessing basic motor control (the Physical and Neurological Exam for Subtle Signs; PANESS), praxis (performance of skilled gestures to command, with imitation, and tool use) and the ability to recognize correct hand postures necessary to perform these skilled gestures (the Postural Knowledge Test; PKT). Results Children with ASD performed significantly worse than TD children on all three assessments. In contrast, children with ADHD performed significantly worse than TD controls on PANESS but not on the praxis examination or PKT. Furthermore, children with ASD performed significantly worse than children with ADHD on both the praxis examination and PKT, but not on the PANESS. Conclusions Whereas both children with ADHD and children with ASD show impairments in basic motor control, impairments in performance and recognition of skilled motor gestures, consistent with dyspraxia, appear to be specific to autism. The findings suggest that impaired formation of perceptual-motor action models necessary to development of skilled gestures and other goal directed behavior is specific to autism; whereas, impaired basic motor control may be a more generalized finding. PMID:22288405

The Effect of the Values Education Programme on 5.5-6 Year Old Children's Social Development: Social Skills, Psycho-Social Development and Social Problem Solving Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dereli-Iman, Esra

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the Values Education Programme (developed for pre-school children) on the children's social skills, psycho-social development, and social problem solving skills. The sample group consisted of 66 children (33 experimental group, 33 control group) attending pre-school. The Values Education Programme…

The Assessment of Postural Control, Reflex Integration, and Bilateral Motor Coordination of Young Handicapped Children. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeGangi, Georgia; Larsen, Lawrence A.

A measurement device, Assessment of Sensorimotor Integration in Preschool Children, was developed to assess postural control, reflex integration and bilateral motor integration in developmentally delayed children (3 to 5 years old). The test was administered to 113 normal children and results were compared with data collected on 23 developmentally…

Neuromotor Task Training for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niemeijer, A. S.; Smits-Engelsman, B. C. M.; Schoemaker, M. M.

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate neuromotor task training (NTT), a recently developed child-centred and task-oriented treatment programme for children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). A treatment and a non-treatment control group of children with DCD were included. Children were selected if they scored below the 15th centile on…

Brief Report: Compliance and Noncompliance to Parental Control Strategies in Children with High-Functioning Autism and Their Typical Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryce, Crystal I.; Jahromi, Laudan B.

2013-01-01

The present study examined children's compliance and noncompliance behaviors in response to parental control strategies in 20 children with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 20 matched typically-developing children. Observational coding was used to measure child compliance (committed, situational), noncompliance (passive, defiance, self-assertion,…

Timing of cochlear implantation and parents' global ratings of children's health and development.

PubMed

Clark, James H; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Riley, Anne W; Carson, Christine M; Meserole, Rachel L; Lin, Frank R; Eisenberg, Laurie S; Tobey, Emily A; Quittner, Alexandra L; Francis, Howard W; Niparko, John K

2012-06-01

To assess children's health-related quality of life (HRQL) and development after cochlear implant (CI) surgery and compare improvements between different age of implantation categories. Prospective, longitudinal study comparing outcomes of deaf children post-CI with hearing controls. Six US CI centers. Deaf children who received CI (n = 188) and hearing children of comparable ages (n = 97). CI before 5 years of age. Parental ratings of global HRQL and development, as assessed over the first 4 years of follow-up using visual analog scales. Development scores assess parental views of children's growth and development, motor skills, ability to express themselves and communicate with others, and learning abilities. Associations of baseline child and family characteristics with post-CI HRQL and development were investigated using multivariable analysis, controlling for factors that influence post-CI language learning. Baseline deficits of CI candidates relative to hearing controls were larger in development than HRQL. Development scores improved significantly by 4 years after CI, particularly in the youngest CI recipients. Developmental deficits of older CI recipients with early, extended hearing aid use were only partially remediated by CI. Overall, no significant health deficits were observed in CI children after 4 years. Cognition and speech recognition were positively associated with both HRQL and development. Parental perspectives on quality of their child's life and development provide practical insight into the optimal timing of interventions for early-onset deafness. Validity of parental global assessments is supported by clinical measures of speech perception and language learning and comparison with a well-validated health status instrument.

Atypical neural substrates of Embedded Figures Task performance in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Lee, Philip S; Foss-Feig, Jennifer; Henderson, Joshua G; Kenworthy, Lauren E; Gilotty, Lisa; Gaillard, William D; Vaidya, Chandan J

2007-10-15

Superior performance on the Embedded Figures Task (EFT) has been attributed to weak central coherence in perceptual processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural basis of EFT performance in 7- to 12-year-old ASD children and age- and IQ-matched controls. ASD children activated only a subset of the distributed network of regions activated in controls. In frontal cortex, control children activated left dorsolateral, medial and dorsal premotor regions whereas ASD children only activated the dorsal premotor region. In parietal and occipital cortices, activation was bilateral in control children but unilateral (left superior parietal and right occipital) in ASD children. Further, extensive bilateral ventral temporal activation was observed in control, but not ASD children. ASD children performed the EFT at the same level as controls but with reduced cortical involvement, suggesting that disembedded visual processing is accomplished parsimoniously by ASD relative to typically developing brains.

Working memory predicts children's analogical reasoning.

PubMed

Simms, Nina K; Frausel, Rebecca R; Richland, Lindsey E

2018-02-01

Analogical reasoning is the cognitive skill of drawing relationships between representations, often between prior knowledge and new representations, that allows for bootstrapping cognitive and language development. Analogical reasoning proficiency develops substantially during childhood, although the mechanisms underlying this development have been debated, with developing cognitive resources as one proposed mechanism. We explored the role of executive function (EF) in supporting children's analogical reasoning development, with the goal of determining whether predicted aspects of EF were related to analogical development at the level of individual differences. We assessed 5- to 11-year-old children's working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility using measures from the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition battery. Individual differences in children's working memory best predicted performance on an analogical mapping task, even when controlling for age, suggesting a fundamental interrelationship between analogical reasoning and working memory development. These findings underscore the need to consider cognitive capacities in comprehensive theories of children's reasoning development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

III. The importance of physical activity and aerobic fitness for cognitive control and memory in children.

PubMed

Chaddock-Heyman, Laura; Hillman, Charles H; Cohen, Neal J; Kramer, Arthur F

2014-12-01

In this chapter, we review literature that examines the association among physical activity, aerobic fitness, cognition, and the brain in elementary school children (ages 7-10 years). Specifically, physical activity and higher levels of aerobic fitness in children have been found to benefit brain structure, brain function, cognition, and school achievement. For example, higher fit children have larger brain volumes in the basal ganglia and hippocampus, which relate to superior performance on tasks of cognitive control and memory, respectively, when compared to their lower fit peers. Higher fit children also show superior brain function during tasks of cognitive control, better scores on tests of academic achievement, and higher performance on a real-world street crossing task, compared to lower fit and less active children. The cross-sectional findings are strengthened by a few randomized, controlled trials, which demonstrate that children randomly assigned to a physical activity intervention group show greater brain and cognitive benefits compared to a control group. Because these findings suggest that the developing brain is plastic and sensitive to lifestyle factors, we also discuss typical structural and functional brain maturation in children to provide context in which to interpret the effects of physical activity and aerobic fitness on the developing brain. This research is important because children are becoming increasingly sedentary, physically inactive, and unfit. An important goal of this review is to emphasize the importance of physical activity and aerobic fitness for the cognitive and brain health of today's youth. © 2014 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The relationship between gross motor skills and academic achievement in children with learning disabilities.

PubMed

Westendorp, Marieke; Hartman, Esther; Houwen, Suzanne; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

2011-01-01

The present study compared the gross motor skills of 7- to 12-year-old children with learning disabilities (n = 104) with those of age-matched typically developing children (n = 104) using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Additionally, the specific relationships between subsets of gross motor skills and academic performance in reading, spelling, and mathematics were examined in children with learning disabilities. As expected, the children with learning disabilities scored poorer on both the locomotor and object-control subtests than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, in children with learning disabilities a specific relationship was observed between reading and locomotor skills and a trend was found for a relationship between mathematics and object-control skills: the larger children's learning lag, the poorer their motor skill scores. This study stresses the importance of specific interventions facilitating both motor and academic abilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of Contagious Yawning in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, Yukiko; Akechi, Hironori; Tojo, Yoshikuni; Osanai, Hiroo; Hasegawa, Toshikazu

2013-01-01

Most previous studies suggest diminished susceptibility to contagious yawning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it could be driven by their atypical attention to the face. To test this hypothesis, children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children were shown yawning and control movies. To ensure participants' attention to the face, an eye tracker controlled the onset of the yawning and control stimuli. Results demonstrated that both TD children and children with ASD yawned more frequently when they watched the yawning stimuli than the control stimuli. It is suggested therefore that the absence of contagious yawning in children with ASD, as reported in previous studies, might relate to their weaker tendency to spontaneously attend to others' faces. PMID:23970970

Redox Abnormalities as a Vulnerability Phenotype for Autism and Related Alterations in CNS Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

developmental delay (DD) with diagnosis of autism ; 50 children with DD without autism ; 50 age-matched control children (months 1 - 2 ) We have...identified 30 children with sudden onset regression, 20 children with infantile autism , and 50 control children. Figure 1 and 2 present our data to date...toward lower GSH/GSSG and higher oxidized GSSG levels in children with regressive compared to early onset autism . Figure 1 Figure 2 GSH

Sleep problems and temperament in young children with Down syndrome and typically developing controls.

PubMed

Lukowski, A F; Milojevich, H M

2017-03-01

Although group differences have been found between children with Down syndrome (DS) and typically developing (TD) children when considering sleep problems and temperament independently, none of the research conducted to date has examined sleep-temperament associations in children with DS. The present research was conducted to determine (1) whether the sleep problems experienced by children with DS are associated with temperament or (2) if the demonstrated relations between sleep and temperament differ from those that are observed in TD children. The present study included examination of relations between parent-reported sleep problems and temperament in 19 children with DS and 20 TD controls matched on developmental age. The results revealed group differences in temperament and sleep problems. Mediation models indicated that temperament (effortful control and inhibitory control) mediated the association between group and sleep problems; sleep problems also mediated the association between group and temperament (effortful and inhibitory control). Findings indicated that sleep problems may serve as both cause and consequence of variability in effortful and inhibitory control and provide insight as to future experimental studies that should be conducted to better elucidate these relations. © 2016 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-OTHER RELATIONSHIPS DURING PROJECT HEAD START.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LAMB, HOWARD E.; AND OTHERS

PROJECT HEAD START WAS CONCEIVED IN PART, TO INCREASE THE ORDINARILY REDUCED NUMBER OF CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CHILD AND OTHER PEOPLE. FOUR QUESTIONS WERE ASKED. (1) WOULD THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS OF HEAD START CHILDREN DIFFER FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN IN A CONTROL GROUP. (2) WOULD HEAD START CHILDREN DEVELOP APPROPRIATE…

Epilepsy in adolescence: implications for the development of personality.

PubMed

Viberg, M; Blennow, G; Polski, B

1987-01-01

Sixteen adolescent children with onset of epilepsy between the ages of 1 and 12 years and 16 control children were investigated by interview, self-esteem scales, and the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Children with epilepsy had a significantly larger discrepancy between the self-image and the ideal self-image than did the control children. TAT indicated the body and self-image is poorer, the unknown and the risk of acting out more threatening, the sex identity less stable, and the defense not as adaptive as the control group. Persons suffering from epilepsy are often stigmatized. One explanation could be the influence of epilepsy on the development during adolescence of the basic trust of their bodies and of themselves.

Exploring Preschoolers' Engagement and Perceived Physical Competence in an Autonomy-Based Object Control Skill Intervention: A Preliminary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Samuel; Robinson, Leah; Webster, E. Kipling; Barber, Laura

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to describe children's engagement during two (high and low) autonomy-based climates. Twenty-five preschool children participated in a nine-week object control skill intervention. Children completed the object control subscale of the Test of Gross Motor Development 2nd Edition and the perceived physical competence…

Investigation of the Effect of Story-Based Social Skills Training Program on the Social Skill Development of 5-6 Year-Old Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekdogan, Serpil

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Story-Based Social Skills Training Program on the social skill development of 5-6 year-old children. In the study, the pre-test/post-test and retention test experimental design with a control group was used. 5-6 year-old 60 (30 experimental, 30 control) preschool children participated in the…

Anticipatory and compensatory postural adjustments in sitting in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Bigongiari, Aline; de Andrade e Souza, Flávia; Franciulli, Patrícia Martins; Neto, Semaan El Razi; Araujo, Rubens Correa; Mochizuki, Luis

2011-06-01

The aim of this study was to examine postural control in children with cerebral palsy performing a bilateral shoulder flexion to grasp a ball from a sitting posture. The participants were 12 typically developing children (control) without cerebral palsy and 12 children with cerebral palsy (CP). We analyzed the effect of ball mass (1 kg and 0.18 kg), postural adjustment (anticipatory, APA, and compensatory, CPA), and groups (control and CP) on the electrical activity of shoulder and trunk muscles with surface electromyography (EMG). Greater mean iEMG was seen in CPA, with heavy ball, and for posterior trunk muscles (p<.05). The children with CP presented the highest EMG and level of co-activation (p<.05). Linear regression indicated a positive relationship between EMG and aging for the control group, whereas that relationship was negative for participants with CP. We suggest that the main postural control strategy in children is based on corrections after the beginning of the movement. The linear relationship between EMG and aging suggests that postural control development is affected by central nervous disease which may lead to an increase in muscle co-activation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

FEEDING THE CHILD WITH A HANDICAP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DAMON, ALICE A.; AND OTHERS

SUGGESTIONS ON MEETING NUTRITIONAL AND FEEDING SKILL NEEDS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN ARE PRESENTED FOR PARENTS. PRINCIPLES OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMON TO ALL CHILDREN AND THE EFFECT THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS ON FEEDING ARE DISCUSSED. INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN FOR ENCOURAGING CONTROL OF SWALLOWING, SUCKING, TONGUE CONTROL, CHEWING, AND SELF-FEEDING.…

Children with a History of Premature Adrenarche Have Good Health-Related Quality of Life at the Age of 12 Years.

PubMed

Liimatta, Jani; Sintonen, Harri; Utriainen, Pauliina; Voutilainen, Raimo; Jääskeläinen, Jarmo

2018-01-01

Children with premature adrenarche (PA) are taller and more overweight than their healthy peers, and PA girls have a slightly accelerated pubertal development. There is some evidence that early exposure to androgens may have an influence on psychosocial development. The aim of this cross-sectional case-control study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in PA children at the age of 12 years. The HRQoL was assessed for 43 PA (36 girls) and 63 control children (52 girls) at the median age of 12.0 years using the standardized 16D instrument, and the scores of the PA children were compared to those of the control children and reference population. The mean overall HRQoL scores did not differ between PA and control girls, PA and control boys, or all PA and control children or the reference population. Independently of PA, overweight girls had a lower mean overall HRQoL score than lean girls, and both overweight girls and boys were on average worse off on the dimension of appearance than their lean peers. PA children have as good self-rated HRQoL as their peers at the age of 12 years. Overweight is associated with a worse HRQoL profile independently of PA. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Basic Auditory Processing Skills and Phonological Awareness in Low-IQ Readers and Typically Developing Controls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuppen, Sarah; Huss, Martina; Fosker, Tim; Fegan, Natasha; Goswami, Usha

2011-01-01

We explore the relationships between basic auditory processing, phonological awareness, vocabulary, and word reading in a sample of 95 children, 55 typically developing children, and 40 children with low IQ. All children received nonspeech auditory processing tasks, phonological processing and literacy measures, and a receptive vocabulary task.…

Motor Control of the Lower Extremity Musculature in Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arpin, David J.; Stuberg, Wayne; Stergiou, Nicholas; Kurz, Max J.

2013-01-01

The aim of this investigation was to quantify the differences in torque steadiness and variability of the muscular control in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing (TD) children. Fifteen children with CP (age = 14.2 [plus or minus] 0.7 years) that had a Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) score of I-III and 15…

Impact of the application of neurolinguistic programming to mothers of children enrolled in a day care center of a shantytown.

PubMed

de Miranda, C T; de Paula, C S; Palma, D; da Silva, E M; Martin, D; de Nóbrega, F J

1999-03-04

Of the members of a family, the mother is without doubt the most important one, which provides justification for including an evaluation of her mental health as one of the variables to be considered as determining factors in each child's level of development. To assess the impact of the application of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) on child development, home environment and maternal mental health. Randomised controlled trial. The study included children enrolled in the municipal day care center of a shantytown in the City of São Paulo. 45 pairs of mothers and respective children between 18 and 36 months of age. Children's development (Bayley scales); home environment variation (HOME); and maternal mental health (SRQ). Comparison between before and after the intervention was made in terms of children's psychomotor development, home environment and maternal mental health. Application of the NLP technique to the experimental group and comparison with a control group. 1--Experimental (EG), consisting of 23 children submitted to intervention by NLP; and 2--Control (CG), with 22 children with no intervention. Length of intervention: 15 sessions of NLP. 37 children remained in the study (EG = 10, CG = 27). Variations in mental development (OR 1.21, IC 95% 0.0 to 23.08) in their home environment (Wilcoxon): p = 0.96 (before) and p = 0.09 (after); in maternal mental health: p = 0.26, 2 df. There was a trend that indicated positive effects on the home environment from the intervention.

Children's Control/Display Stereotypes.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Errol R; Chan, Alan H S; Tai, Judy P C

2018-06-01

Objective The aim of this study was to determine control/display stereotypes for children of a range of ages and development of these stereotypes with age. Background Little is known about control/display stereotypes for children of different ages and the way in which these stereotypes develop with age. This study is part of a program to determine the need to design differentially for these age groups. Method We tested four groups of children with various tasks (age groups 5 to 7, 8 to 10, 11 to 13, 14 to 16), with about 30 in each group. Examples of common tasks were opening a bottle, turning on taps, and allocating numbers to keypads. More complex tasks involved rotating a control to move a display in a requested direction. Results Tasks with which different age groups were familiar showed no effect of age group. Different control/display arrangements generally showed an increase in stereotype strength with age, with dependence on the form of the control/display arrangement. Two-dimensional arrangements, with the control on the same plane as the display, had higher stereotype strength than three-dimensional arrangements for all age groups, suggesting an effect of familiarity with controls and displays with increasing age. Conclusion Children's control/display stereotypes do not differ greatly from those of adults, and hence, design for children older than 5 years of age, for control/display stereotypes, can be the same as that for adult populations. Application When designing devices for children, the relationship between controls and displays can be as for adult populations, for which there are considerable experimental data.

Birth and adoptive parent anxiety symptoms moderate the link between infant attention control and internalizing problems in toddlerhood.

PubMed

Brooker, Rebecca J; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Ganiban, Jody M; Leve, Leslie D; Shaw, Daniel S; Reiss, David

2014-05-01

Attention control plays an important role in the development of internalizing symptoms in children. We explored the degree to which infants' genetic and environmentally based risk moderated the link between attention control and internalizing problems during toddlerhood. These associations were examined within a prospective adoption design, enabling the disentanglement of genetic and environmental risk for internalizing problems. Attention control in adopted infants was observed during periods of distress at age 9 months. Birth parents' anxiety symptoms were used as an index of genetic risk, while adoptive parents' anxiety symptoms were used as an index of environmental risk. Adoptive mothers and fathers reported on children's internalizing problems when children were 18 and 27 months old. Greater attention control in infancy appeared to mitigate genetically based risk for internalizing problems during toddlerhood when children were raised by adoptive parents who were low in anxiety. Findings suggest that for genetically susceptible children who are raised in low-risk environments, attention control may provide a protective factor against developing internalizing problems across early life.

Birth and Adoptive Parent Anxiety Symptoms Moderate the Link Between Infant Attention Control and Internalizing Problems in Toddlerhood

PubMed Central

Brooker, Rebecca J.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Leve, Leslie D.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Reiss, David

2013-01-01

Attention control plays an important role in the development of internalizing symptoms in children. We explored the degree to which infants' genetic- and environmentally-based risk moderated the link between attention control and internalizing problems during toddlerhood. These associations were examined within a prospective adoption design, enabling the disentanglement of genetic and environmental risk for internalizing problems. Attention control in adopted infants was observed during periods of distress at age 9 months. Birth parents' anxiety symptoms were used as an index of genetic risk, while adoptive parents' anxiety symptoms were used as an index of environmental risk. Adoptive mothers and fathers reported on children's internalizing problems when children were 18- and 27-months old. Greater attention control in infancy appeared to mitigate genetically-based risk for internalizing problems during toddlerhood when children were raised by adoptive parents who were low in anxiety. Findings suggest that for genetically-susceptible children who are raised in low-risk environments, attention control may provide a protective factor against developing internalizing problems across early life. PMID:24472311

Infection prevention and control practices in children's hospitals.

PubMed

Bender, Jeffrey M; Virgallito, Mary; Newland, Jason G; Sammons, Julia S; Thorell, Emily A; Coffin, Susan E; Pavia, Andrew T; Sandora, Thomas J; Hersh, Adam L

2015-05-01

We surveyed hospital epidemiologists at 28 Children's Hospital Association member hospitals regarding their infection prevention and control programs. We found substantial variability between children's hospitals in both the structure and the practice of these programs. Research and the development of evidence-based guidelines addressing infection prevention in pediatrics are needed.

Dysgraphia in Children: Lasting Psychomotor Deficiency or Transient Developmental Delay?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C. M.; Van Galen, Gerard P.

1997-01-01

Used writing tasks recorded on a computer-monitored XY tablet to differentiate between normal variations in psychomotor development and dysgraphia in 16 young children. Found that control of spatial accuracy, not allograph retrieval or size control, discriminated dysgraphic children from others. Poor writers were less accurate than proficient…

Parental Control: A Second Cross-Cultural Research on Parenting and Psychological Adjustment of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwairy, Marwan; Achoui, Mustafa

2010-01-01

Parental control is among the important factors influencing the psychological development of children. In addition to other questionnaires, a questionnaire of father and mother control was administered to adolescents in nine countries. The results showed that parental control differs across cultures. Parental control was higher in the eastern than…

Meta-cognitive processes in executive control development: The case of reactive and proactive control

PubMed Central

Chevalier, Nicolas; Martis, Shaina Bailey; Curran, Tim; Munakata, Yuko

2015-01-01

Young children engage cognitive control reactively in response to events, rather than proactively preparing for events. Such limitations in executive control have been explained in terms of fundamental constraints on children’s cognitive capacities. Alternatively, young children might be capable of proactive control but differ from older children in their meta-cognitive decisions regarding when to engage proactive control. We examined these possibilities in three conditions of a task-switching paradigm, varying in whether task cues were available before or after target onset. Reaction times, ERPs, and pupil dilation showed that 5-year-olds did engage in advance preparation, a critical aspect of proactive control, but only when reactive control was made more difficult, whereas 10-year-olds engaged proactive control whenever possible. These findings highlight meta-cognitive processes in children’s cognitive control, an understudied aspect of executive control development. PMID:25603026

Comparison of Nutritional Status between Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Children in the Mediterranean Region (Valencia, Spain)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marí-Bauset, Salvador; Llopis-González, Agustín; Zazpe, Itziar; Marí-Sanchis, Amelia; Morales Suárez-Varela, Maria

2017-01-01

This case-control study investigated nutrient intake, healthy eating index with 10 items on foods and nutrients, on 3-day food diaries and anthropometric measurements in 105 children with autism spectrum disorder and 495 typically developing children (6-9 years) in Valencia (Spain). Children with autism spectrum disorder were at a higher risk for…

Healthy eating decisions require efficient dietary self-control in children: A mouse-tracking food decision study.

PubMed

Ha, Oh-Ryeong; Bruce, Amanda S; Pruitt, Stephen W; Cherry, J Bradley C; Smith, T Ryan; Burkart, Dominic; Bruce, Jared M; Lim, Seung-Lark

2016-10-01

Learning how to make healthy eating decisions, (i.e., resisting unhealthy foods and consuming healthy foods), enhances physical development and reduces health risks in children. Although healthy eating decisions are known to be challenging for children, the mechanisms of children's food choice processes are not fully understood. The present study recorded mouse movement trajectories while eighteen children aged 8-13 years were choosing between eating and rejecting foods. Children were inclined to choose to eat rather than to reject foods, and preferred unhealthy foods over healthy foods, implying that rejecting unhealthy foods could be a demanding choice. When children rejected unhealthy foods, mouse trajectories were characterized by large curvature toward an eating choice in the beginning, late decision shifting time toward a rejecting choice, and slowed response times. These results suggested that children exercised greater cognitive efforts with longer decision times to resist unhealthy foods, providing evidence that children require dietary self-control to make healthy eating-decisions by resisting the temptation of unhealthy foods. Developmentally, older children attempted to exercise greater cognitive efforts for consuming healthy foods than younger children, suggesting that development of dietary self-control contributes to healthy eating-decisions. The study also documents that healthy weight children with higher BMIs were more likely to choose to reject healthy foods. Overall, findings have important implications for how children make healthy eating choices and the role of dietary self-control in eating decisions. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Sibship and Self-esteem in Children with Asthma.

PubMed

Polizzi, Concetta; Fontana, Valentina; Carollo, Antonio; Bono, Alessandra; Burgio, Sofia; Perricone, Giovanna

2016-06-15

This study has explored the valence of sibship that may empower the self-esteem of children with asthma at the interpersonal, environmental control competence, emotionality management, and body-image levels. It has been assumed that the relationship between siblings may have a moderating effect on the negative impact that asthma has on child's development. Seventy children suffering from chronic asthma have been involved: 40 children with siblings (experimental group) and 30 sibling-free children (control group). The children with asthma have exhibited higher levels of self-esteem in comparison with the sibling-free children. The results of the study, at the clinical significance level, highlight how meaningful could be the involvement of healthy siblings to support the development, and to ease the compliance of children suffering from asthma. The outcomes have confirmed the supportive valence of sibship for the self-esteem of the children with asthma.

Sibship and Self-esteem in Children with Asthma

PubMed Central

Polizzi, Concetta; Fontana, Valentina; Carollo, Antonio; Bono, Alessandra; Burgio, Sofia; Perricone, Giovanna

2016-01-01

This study has explored the valence of sibship that may empower the self-esteem of children with asthma at the interpersonal, environmental control competence, emotionality management, and body-image levels. It has been assumed that the relationship between siblings may have a moderating effect on the negative impact that asthma has on child’s development. Seventy children suffering from chronic asthma have been involved: 40 children with siblings (experimental group) and 30 sibling-free children (control group). The children with asthma have exhibited higher levels of self-esteem in comparison with the sibling-free children. The results of the study, at the clinical significance level, highlight how meaningful could be the involvement of healthy siblings to support the development, and to ease the compliance of children suffering from asthma. The outcomes have confirmed the supportive valence of sibship for the self-esteem of the children with asthma. PMID:27433304

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-05-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho ) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children.

The contribution of maternal care and control, and community type to children's adjustment to political violence.

PubMed

Tangir, Gali; Dekel, Rachel; Lavi, Tamar; Gewirtz, Abigail H; Zamir, Osnat

2017-08-01

This study explored the behavioral and emotional adjustment of Israeli school-age children who are exposed to political violence. Based on Bronfenbrenner's (1986) ecological model and ecological model of psychosocial trauma (Harvey, 2007), we examined the direct contribution of exposure, gender, maternal characteristics (mother's posttraumatic stress symptoms [PTSS], maternal care and maternal control), and community type (development town vs. kibbutz), to school-age children's adjustment. In addition, we examined whether maternal characteristics and community type moderated the association between exposure and adjustment. There were 121 mother-child dyads from the development town of Sderot (n = 62) and from the surrounding kibbutzim (n = 58) participated. Revealed that being a boy, living in Sderot, and mothers' higher PTSS, contributed directly to children's total difficulties (i.e., externalizing and internalizing problems), and that maternal control moderated the association between personal exposure and children's total difficulties. Furthermore, being a girl and mother's higher PTSS and higher maternal control contributed directly to children's PTSS. Mother's PTSS moderated the association between personal exposure and children's PTSS. Maternal care was not associated with children's adjustment. Both the child's gender and the type of community in which he or she lives are associated with maternal distress and children's adjustment to political violence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

[Influence of home nurture environment on language development and social emotion in children with developmental language disorder].

PubMed

Li, Guo-Kai; Liu, Gui-Hua; Qian, Qin-Fang; Ge, Pin; Xie, Yan-Qin; Yang, Min-Yan; Wang, Zhang-Qiong; Ou, Ping

2017-05-01

To investigate the influence of home nurture environment on language development and social emotion in children with developmental language disorder (DLD). The 1-3 Years Child Home Nurture Environment Scale, Gesell Developmental Scale, and Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment Scale were used for the evaluation of 125 children with DLD. A total of 130 children with normal language development matched for age and sex were enrolled as control group. Compared with the control group, the DLD group had a significantly higher proportion of children in a bad home nurture environment and significantly lower scores of all domains of home nurture environment (P<0.05). In children with DLD, the home nurture environment score was positively correlated with the level of language development (r=0.536, P<0.01) and the score of ability domain in social emotion (r=0.397, P<0.01) and was negatively correlated with the scores of the domains of explicit behavior, covert behavior, and imbalance in social emotion (r=-0.455, -0.438, and -0.390 respectively, P<0.01). Home nurture environment had direct influence on language development in children with DLD and affected their language development via the mediating effect of social emotion. Home nurture environment influences language development and social emotion in children with DLD, and social emotion has a partial mediating effect between home nurture environment and language development.

Otoacoustic emission testing in Ghanaian children with sickle-cell disease.

PubMed

Kegele, Josua; Hurth, Helene; Lackner, Peter; Enimil, Anthony; Sylverkin, Justice; Ansong, Daniel; Nkyi, Clara; Bonsu, Benedicta; Agbenyega, Tsiri; Schartinger, Volker H; Schmutzhard, Erich; Zorowka, Patrick; Kremsner, Peter; Schmutzhard, Joachim

2015-09-01

To evaluate hearing loss in children as a complication of sickle-cell disease. In Kumasi, Ghana, 35 children with SCD aged 6 months to 10 years underwent transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions testing (TEOAE) to investigate the function of the inner ear. Healthy Ghanaian children recruited in school and kindergarten served as controls. One of 35 children with SCD and 13 of 115 control children failed the otoacoustic emissions testing. This difference between the control group and the children with SCD was not statistically significant. Early hearing impairment does not regularly occur in sickle-cell disease, and in children, it is not a likely cause of delayed or impaired language development. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Kinematic performance of fine motor control in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: the effects of comorbid developmental coordination disorder and core symptoms.

PubMed

Lee, I-Ching; Chen, Yung-Jung; Tsai, Chin-Liang

2013-02-01

The aims of this study were: (i) to determine whether differences exist in the fine motor fluency and flexibility of three groups (children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], children in whom ADHD is comorbid with developmental coordination disorder [DCD] [denoted as ADHD+DCD], and a typically developing control group); and (ii) to clarify whether the degree of severity of core symptoms affects performance. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, the Beery-Buktenica Development Test of Visual-Motor Integration and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children were used as prescreening tests. The Integrated Visual and Auditory+Plus test was utilized to assess subjects' attention. The redesigned fine motor tracking and pursuit tasks were administered to evaluate subjects' fine motor performance. No significant difference was found when comparing the performance of the Children with ADHD and the typically developing group. Significant differences existed between children in whom ADHD is comorbid with DCD and typically developing children. Children with ADHD demonstrated proper fine motor fluency and flexibility, and deficient performance occurred when ADHD was comorbid with developmental coordination disorder. Children with ADHD had more difficulty implementing closed-loop movements that required higher levels of cognitive processing than those of their typically developing peers. Also, deficits in fine motor control were more pronounced when ADHD was combined with movement coordination problems. The severity of core symptoms had a greater effect on children with ADHD's fine motor flexibility than did fluency performance. In children with pure ADHD, unsmooth movement performance was highly related to the severity of core symptoms. © 2012 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2012 Japan Pediatric Society.

Language Development and Impairment in Children with Mild to Moderate Sensorineural Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halliday, Lorna F.; Tuomainen, Outi; Rosen, Stuart

2017-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this study was to examine language development and factors related to language impairments in children with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss (MMHL). Method: Ninety children, aged 8-16 years (46 children with MMHL; 44 aged-matched controls), were administered a battery of standardized language assessments, including…

Reading Development Subtypes and Their Early Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torppa, Minna; Tolvanen, Asko; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Eklund, Kenneth; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Leskinen, Esko; Lyytinen, Heikki

2007-01-01

The present findings are drawn from the Jyvaskyla Longitudinal Study of Dyslexia (JLD), in which approximately 100 children with familial risk of dyslexia and 100 control children have been followed from birth. In this paper we report data on the reading development of the JLD children and their classmates, a total of 1,750 children from four…

Sleeping Position and Health Status of Children at Six-, Eighteen- and Thirty-Six-Month Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lung, For-Wey; Shu, Bih-Ching

2011-01-01

Using structural equation modeling to investigate the multiple pathways of sleeping position and children's early development at six-, eighteen- and thirty-six-month children, with parental demographics and child health status controlled. The participants consisted of 1783 six-month children, who were assessed using the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study…

Stage-related behavioural problems in the 1-4 year old child: parental expectations in a child development unit referral group compared with a control group.

PubMed

Ticehurst, R L; Henry, R L

1989-02-01

Behavioural problems in preschool (1-4 years) children are a common cause of referral to health services. Parents of children presenting to the child development unit with behavioural problems (n = 18) were compared with a control group (n = 45). A questionnaire was utilized to examine the parents' expectations of the children's behaviours. As might be expected, the parents of children presenting to the Unit rated their children as having more difficult behaviours. These parents had unrealistic expectations, particularly for the 'negative' behaviours (disobedience, temper tantrums, defiance and whinging). However, they were able to anticipate normal age-related difficulties in some problem areas (dawdling during mealtimes, masturbating, not sharing toys and being jealous of one's siblings). Counselling should address the issue of matching the expectations of parents with the individual rates of development of their children.

Parenting and Child "DRD4" Genotype Interact to Predict Children's Early Emerging Effortful Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Heather J.; Sheikh, Haroon I.; Dyson, Margaret W.; Olino, Thomas M.; Laptook, Rebecca S.; Durbin, C. Emily; Hayden, Elizabeth P.; Singh, Shiva M.; Klein, Daniel N.

2012-01-01

Effortful control (EC), or the trait-like capacity to regulate dominant responses, has important implications for children's development. Although genetic factors and parenting likely influence EC, few studies have examined whether they interact to predict its development. This study examined whether the "DRD4" exon III variable number tandem…

Development of a theory-based questionnaire to assess structure and control in parent feeding (SCPF).

PubMed

Savage, Jennifer S; Rollins, Brandi Y; Kugler, Kari C; Birch, Leann L; Marini, Michele E

2017-01-26

Parents shape children's eating environments and act as powerful socialization agents, impacting young children's behavioral controls of food intake. Most feeding measures assess parents' use of control to manage children's intake of energy dense foods. The Structure and Control in Parent Feeding (SCPF) questionnaire was developed to assess more positive aspects of feeding practices with their young children -setting limits, providing routines-that promote self-regulation, as well as controlling feeding practices. A mixed method approach was used to develop the SCPF. In 2013, cognitive interviews informed the modification, deletion and/or replacement of items. In 2014, the survey was distributed statewide to mothers of toddlers aged 12 to 36 months participating in the Women, Infants, and Children program. In 2016, exploratory factor analyses was conducted to test our theoretical parenting model and content validity and criterion validity were assessed (n = 334). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and second-order EFA revealed a 2-factor, 22-item Structure model and a 2-factor, 12-item Control model. Internal consistencies for all factors exceeded 0.70. As predicted, the Structure superfactor was positivity associated with responsiveness, whereas the Control superfactor was positively associated with demandingness on the Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire. The Structure subscales were also positively associated with mealtime behaviors and Control subscales were positively associated with control-oriented feeding measures from the Control in Parent Feeding Practices questionnaire. The SCPF questionnaire is a reliable tool that can be used to assess aspects of structure- and control-based feeding practices to better understand how parents feed their toddlers.

Issues Related to Obtaining Intelligence Quotient-Matched Controls in Autism Research

PubMed Central

Rao, Vanitha S.; Raman, Vijaya; Mysore, Ashok V.

2015-01-01

Background: Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is considered to be an index of global cognitive functioning and has traditionally been used as a fulcral measure in case-control studies in neuro-developmental disorders such as autism. Aim: The aim is to highlight the issues of “matching for IQ” with controls in autism research. Materials and Methods: Percentile scores on the Coloured Progressive Matrices of 20 children with autism in the age range of 5 to 12 years have been graphically compared with 21 age matched typically developing children. Results and Conclusions: The percentile scores of the so-called high functioning children with autism from special schools were well below that of typically developing children. There are many challenges when using IQ in case-control studies of autism. Alternative approaches need to be considered. PMID:25969598

Dramatic pretend play games uniquely improve emotional control in young children.

PubMed

Goldstein, Thalia R; Lerner, Matthew D

2017-09-15

Pretense is a naturally occurring, apparently universal activity for typically developing children. Yet its function and effects remain unclear. One theorized possibility is that pretense activities, such as dramatic pretend play games, are a possible causal path to improve children's emotional development. Social and emotional skills, particularly emotional control, are critically important for social development, as well as academic performance and later life success. However, the study of such approaches has been criticized for potential bias and lack of rigor, precluding the ability to make strong causal claims. We conducted a randomized, component control (dismantling) trial of dramatic pretend play games with a low-SES group of 4-year-old children (N = 97) to test whether such practice yields generalized improvements in multiple social and emotional outcomes. We found specific effects of dramatic play games only on emotional self-control. Results suggest that dramatic pretend play games involving physicalizing emotional states and traits, pretending to be animals and human characters, and engaging in pretend scenarios in a small group may improve children's emotional control. These findings have implications for the function of pretense and design of interventions to improve emotional control in typical and atypical populations. Further, they provide support for the unique role of dramatic pretend play games for young children, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/2GVNcWKRHPk. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The capacity to adapt to changing balance threats: a comparison of children with cerebral palsy and typically developing children.

PubMed

Burtner, P A; Woollacott, M H; Craft, G L; Roncesvalles, M N

2007-01-01

This study investigated differences in reactive balance abilities of typically developing children and those with spastic diplegia. Recovery from balance threats was compared by: (i) Platform velocity and amplitude thresholds: Speed and size of platform movement at which children required assistance to remain upright, (ii) percentage of trials with feet-in-place vs. loss of balance, and (iii) center of pressure measures. Participants included 8 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, 15 developmentally matched children (similar walking stages) and 21 age-matched control children. Backward platform movements graded as easy, moderate and difficult were unexpectedly imposed on children standing on a moveable platform. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) had lower platform velocity thresholds, greater percentages of loss of balance trials, increased distances and increased frequency of directional changes in center-of-pressure (COP) trajectories than control children. Older children with CP fell more often than those under 5 years. Greatest differences between children with and without CP were found in comparisons based on age rather than developmental levels. Using balance perturbations that challenged children with CP to the limits of their balance abilities effectively identified age performance differences and differences compared to typically developing children. Implications for rehabilitation programs are presented.

Oral health challenges facing Dubai children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at home and in accessing oral health care.

PubMed

Mansoor, D; Al Halabi, M; Khamis, A H; Kowash, M

2018-06-01

To investigate the challenges faced by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children and their families in Dubai from three different perspectives of dental care: oral care at home, oral care at the dentist and access to oral care, and to compare the results to their normally developing peers. A case-control comparative study of 84 ASD and 53 healthy children attending special needs centres and schools in Dubai including siblings of the autistic children. Data collection was by a survey questionnaire completed by parents or guardians. More parents of ASD children compared to parents of healthy children reported difficulties across almost all oral care variables explored. The majority of ASD children's parents (83.3%) reported that their children need assistance in brushing their teeth compared with 15.4% of the healthy controls (p-value < 0.001). The ASD children's uncooperative behaviour increased during dental visits and significantly more parents (37%) rated their child's experience as negative compared with 9.5% among the parents of control children (p-value=0.006). The autistic children had visited a dentist mostly for extractions. This study indicates that autistic children in Dubai experience more challenges and barriers to oral care than their typically developing healthy peers.

Quantifying excessive mirror overflow in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

MacNeil, L.K.; Xavier, P.; Garvey, M.A.; Gilbert, D.L.; Ranta, M.E.; Denckla, M.B.

2011-01-01

Objectives: Qualitative observations have revealed that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show increased overflow movements, a motor sign thought to reflect impaired inhibitory control. The goal of this study was to develop and implement methods for quantifying excessive mirror overflow movements in children with ADHD. Methods: Fifty right-handed children aged 8.2–13.3 years, 25 with ADHD (12 girls) and 25 typically developing (TD) control children (10 girls), performed a sequential finger-tapping task, completing both left-handed (LHFS) and right-handed finger sequencing (RHFS). Phasic overflow of the index and ring fingers was assessed in 34 children with video recording, and total overflow in 48 children was measured by calculating the total angular displacement of the index and ring fingers with electrogoniometer recordings. Results: Phasic overflow and total overflow across both hands were greater in children with ADHD than in TD children, particularly during LHFS. Separate gender analyses revealed that boys, but not girls, with ADHD showed significantly more total phasic overflow and total overflow than did their gender-matched control children. Conclusions: The quantitative overflow measures used in this study support past qualitative findings that motor overflow persists to a greater degree in children with ADHD than in age-matched TD peers. The quantitative findings further suggest that persistence of mirror overflow is more prominent during task execution of the nondominant hand and reveal gender-based differences in developmental neural systems critical to motor control. These quantitative measures will assist future physiologic investigation of the brain basis of motor control in ADHD. PMID:21321336

Participation Through Gaze Controlled Computer for Children with Severe Multiple Disabilities.

PubMed

Holmqvist, Eva; Derbring, Sandra; Wallin, Sofia

2017-01-01

This paper presents work on developing methodology material for use of gaze controlled computers. The target group is families and professionals around children with severe multiple disabilities. The material includes software grids for children at various levels, aimed for communication, leisure and learning and will be available for download.

Children Can Accurately Monitor and Control Their Number-Line Estimation Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Jenna L.; Thompson, Clarissa A.; Dunlosky, John; Merriman, William E.

2016-01-01

Accurate monitoring and control are essential for effective self-regulated learning. These metacognitive abilities may be particularly important for developing math skills, such as when children are deciding whether a math task is difficult or whether they made a mistake on a particular item. The present experiments investigate children's ability…

Altered Gene Expression and Function of Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells in Children with Autism

PubMed Central

Enstrom, A M; Lit, L; Onore, C E; Gregg, J P; Hansen, R; Pessah, I N; Hertz-Picciotto, I; Van de Water, J A; Sharp, F R; Ashwood, P

2009-01-01

Immune related abnormalities have repeatedly been reported in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), including evidence of immune dysregulation and autoimmune phenomena. NK cells may play an important role in neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD. Here we performed a gene expression screen and cellular functional analysis on peripheral blood obtained from 52 children with ASD and 27 typically developing control children enrolled in the case-control CHARGE study. RNA expression of NK cell receptors and effector molecules were significantly upregulated in ASD. Flow cytometric analysis of NK cells demonstrated increased production of perforin, granzyme B, and interferon gamma (IFNγ) under resting conditions in children with ASD (p<0.01). Following NK cell stimulation in the presence of K562 target cells, the cytotoxicity of NK cells was significantly reduced in ASD compared with controls (p<0.02). Furthermore, under similar stimulation conditions the presence of perforin, granzyme B, and IFNγ in NK cells from ASD children was significantly lower compared with controls (p<0.001). These findings suggest possible dysfunction of NK cells in children with ASD. Abnormalities in NK cells may represent a susceptibility factor in ASD and may predispose to the development of autoimmunity and/or adverse neuroimmune interactions during critical periods of development. PMID:18762240

Cognitive-motivational deficits in ADHD: development of a classification system.

PubMed

Gupta, Rashmi; Kar, Bhoomika R; Srinivasan, Narayanan

2011-01-01

The classification systems developed so far to detect attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not have high sensitivity and specificity. We have developed a classification system based on several neuropsychological tests that measure cognitive-motivational functions that are specifically impaired in ADHD children. A total of 240 (120 ADHD children and 120 healthy controls) children in the age range of 6-9 years and 32 Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) children (aged 9 years) participated in the study. Stop-Signal, Task-Switching, Attentional Network, and Choice Delay tests were administered to all the participants. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that percentage choice of long-delay reward best classified the ADHD children from healthy controls. Single parameters were not helpful in making a differential classification of ADHD with ODD. Multinominal logistic regression (MLR) was performed with multiple parameters (data fusion) that produced improved overall classification accuracy. A combination of stop-signal reaction time, posterror-slowing, mean delay, switch cost, and percentage choice of long-delay reward produced an overall classification accuracy of 97.8%; with internal validation, the overall accuracy was 92.2%. Combining parameters from different tests of control functions not only enabled us to accurately classify ADHD children from healthy controls but also in making a differential classification with ODD. These results have implications for the theories of ADHD.

Motor and gestural performance in children with autism spectrum disorders, developmental coordination disorder, and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Dewey, Deborah; Cantell, Marja; Crawford, Susan G

2007-03-01

Motor and gestural skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were investigated. A total of 49 children with ASD, 46 children with DCD, 38 children with DCD+ADHD, 27 children with ADHD, and 78 typically developing control children participated. Motor skills were assessed with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Short Form, and gestural skills were assessed using a test that required children to produce meaningful gestures to command and imitation. Children with ASD, DCD, and DCD+ADHD were significantly impaired on motor coordination skills; however, only children with ASD showed a generalized impairment in gestural performance. Examination of types of gestural errors revealed that children with ASD made significantly more incorrect action and orientation errors to command, and significantly more orientation and distortion errors to imitation than children with DCD, DCD+ADHD, ADHD, and typically developing control children. These findings suggest that gestural impairments displayed by the children with ASD were not solely attributable to deficits in motor coordination skills.

The Role of Executive Functions in Social Cognition among Children with Down Syndrome: Relationship Patterns

PubMed Central

Amadó, Anna; Serrat, Elisabet; Vallès-Majoral, Eduard

2016-01-01

Many studies show a link between social cognition, a set of cognitive and emotional abilities applied to social situations, and executive functions in typical developing children. Children with Down syndrome (DS) show deficits both in social cognition and in some subcomponents of executive functions. However this link has barely been studied in this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the links between social cognition and executive functions among children with DS. We administered a battery of social cognition and executive function tasks (six theory of mind tasks, a test of emotion comprehension, and three executive function tasks) to a group of 30 participants with DS between 4 and 12 years of age. The same tasks were administered to a chronological-age control group and to a control group with the same linguistic development level. Results showed that apart from deficits in social cognition and executive function abilities, children with DS displayed a slight improvement with increasing chronological age and language development in those abilities. Correlational analysis suggested that working memory was the only component that remained constant in the relation patterns of the three groups of participants, being the relation patterns similar among participants with DS and the language development control group. A multiple linear regression showed that working memory explained above 50% of the variability of social cognition in DS participants and in language development control group, whereas in the chronological-age control group this component only explained 31% of the variability. These findings, and specifically the link between working memory and social cognition, are discussed on the basis of their theoretical and practical implications for children with DS. We discuss the possibility to use a working memory training to improve social cognition in this population. PMID:27679588

Connectivity supporting attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

Barber, Anita D.; Jacobson, Lisa A.; Wexler, Joanna L.; Nebel, Mary Beth; Caffo, Brian S.; Pekar, James J.; Mostofsky, Stewart H.

2014-01-01

Intra-subject variability (ISV) is the most consistent behavioral deficit in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ISV may be associated with networks involved in sustaining task control (cingulo-opercular network: CON) and self-reflective lapses of attention (default mode network: DMN). The current study examined whether connectivity supporting attentional control is atypical in children with ADHD. Group differences in full-brain connection strength and brain–behavior associations with attentional control measures were examined for the late-developing CON and DMN in 50 children with ADHD and 50 typically-developing (TD) controls (ages 8–12 years). Children with ADHD had hyper-connectivity both within the CON and within the DMN. Full-brain behavioral associations were found for a number of between-network connections. Across both groups, more anti-correlation between DMN and occipital cortex supported better attentional control. However, in the TD group, this brain–behavior association was stronger and occurred for a more extensive set of DMN–occipital connections. Differential support for attentional control between the two groups occurred with a number of CON–DMN connections. For all CON–DMN connections identified, increased between-network anti-correlation was associated with better attentional control for the ADHD group, but worse attentional control in the TD group. A number of between-network connections with the medial frontal cortex, in particular, showed this relationship. Follow-up analyses revealed that these associations were specific to attentional control and were not due to individual differences in working memory, IQ, motor control, age, or scan motion. While CON–DMN anti-correlation is associated with improved attention in ADHD, other circuitry supports improved attention in TD children. Greater CON–DMN anti-correlation supported better attentional control in children with ADHD, but worse attentional control in TD children. On the other hand, greater DMN–occipital anti-correlation supported better attentional control in TD children. PMID:25610768

Connectivity supporting attention in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Barber, Anita D; Jacobson, Lisa A; Wexler, Joanna L; Nebel, Mary Beth; Caffo, Brian S; Pekar, James J; Mostofsky, Stewart H

2015-01-01

Intra-subject variability (ISV) is the most consistent behavioral deficit in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ISV may be associated with networks involved in sustaining task control (cingulo-opercular network: CON) and self-reflective lapses of attention (default mode network: DMN). The current study examined whether connectivity supporting attentional control is atypical in children with ADHD. Group differences in full-brain connection strength and brain-behavior associations with attentional control measures were examined for the late-developing CON and DMN in 50 children with ADHD and 50 typically-developing (TD) controls (ages 8-12 years). Children with ADHD had hyper-connectivity both within the CON and within the DMN. Full-brain behavioral associations were found for a number of between-network connections. Across both groups, more anti-correlation between DMN and occipital cortex supported better attentional control. However, in the TD group, this brain-behavior association was stronger and occurred for a more extensive set of DMN-occipital connections. Differential support for attentional control between the two groups occurred with a number of CON-DMN connections. For all CON-DMN connections identified, increased between-network anti-correlation was associated with better attentional control for the ADHD group, but worse attentional control in the TD group. A number of between-network connections with the medial frontal cortex, in particular, showed this relationship. Follow-up analyses revealed that these associations were specific to attentional control and were not due to individual differences in working memory, IQ, motor control, age, or scan motion. While CON-DMN anti-correlation is associated with improved attention in ADHD, other circuitry supports improved attention in TD children. Greater CON-DMN anti-correlation supported better attentional control in children with ADHD, but worse attentional control in TD children. On the other hand, greater DMN-occipital anti-correlation supported better attentional control in TD children.

Maternal supportive and interfering control as predictors of adaptive and social development in children with and without developmental delays

PubMed Central

Green, S.; Caplan, B.; Baker, B.

2016-01-01

Background Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) have been found to use more controlling behaviour with their children than parents of children with typical development (TD). While controlling behaviour is related to poorer developmental outcomes in TD children, there is little research on how it predicts outcomes in DD children. Furthermore, existing research tends to use inconsistent or non-specific definitions of controlling behaviour, often combining parent control which follows the child’s goal (e.g. supportive direction) and that which interferes with the child’s goal (e.g. interference). Methods Participants were 200 mother–child dyads observed at child age 3, with follow-up assessments of adaptive behaviour and social skills administered at child ages 5 and 6, respectively. We coded the frequency of both types of controlling behaviour based on mothers’ interactions with their children with TD (n = 113) or DD (n = 87) at age 3. Results Mothers in the DD group used more interfering but not more supportive directive acts compared to mothers in the TD group. Adaptive behaviour was assessed at child age 5 and social skills were assessed at age 6. Higher frequency of supportive directive acts predicted better adaptive functioning for the TD group and better social skills for the DD group. Higher frequency of interfering acts predicted lower adaptive and social skills for children with DD but not with TD. Conclusions Results are discussed in terms of the differential developmental needs of children with and without DD as well as implications for early intervention. PMID:23865770

Cortical gyrification is abnormal in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed

Hendrickson, Timothy J; Mueller, Bryon A; Sowell, Elizabeth R; Mattson, Sarah N; Coles, Claire D; Kable, Julie A; Jones, Kenneth L; Boys, Christopher J; Lim, Kelvin O; Riley, Edward P; Wozniak, Jeffrey R

2017-01-01

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) adversely affects early brain development. Previous studies have shown a wide range of structural and functional abnormalities in children and adolescents with PAE. The current study adds to the existing literature specifically on cortical development by examining cortical gyrification in a large sample of children with PAE compared to controls. Relationships between cortical development and intellectual functioning are also examined. Included were 92 children with PAE and 83 controls ages 9-16 from four sites in the Collaborative Initiative on FASD (CIFASD). All PAE participants had documented heavy PAE. All underwent a formal evaluation of physical anomalies and dysmorphic facial features. MRI data were collected using modified matched protocols on three platforms (Siemens, GE, and Philips). Cortical gyrification was examined using a semi-automated procedure. Whole brain group comparisons using Monte Carlo z-simulation for multiple comparisons showed significantly lower cortical gyrification across a large proportion of the cerebral cortex amongst PAE compared to controls. Whole brain comparisons and ROI based analyses showed strong positive correlations between cortical gyrification and IQ (i.e. less developed cortex was associated with lower IQ). Abnormalities in cortical development were seen across the brain in children with PAE compared to controls. Cortical gyrification and IQ were strongly correlated, suggesting that examining mechanisms by which alcohol disrupts cortical formation may yield clinically relevant insights and potential directions for early intervention.

Language Development in Internationally Adopted Children: A Special Case of Early Second Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, Karine; Genesee, Fred

2011-01-01

The French language development of children adopted (n = 24) from China was compared with that of control children matched for socioeconomic status, sex, and age. The children were assessed at 50 months of age, on average, and 16 months later. The initial assessment revealed that the 2 groups did not differ with respect to socioemotional…

Postural Sway Patterns in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Compared with Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Memari, Amir Hossein; Ghanouni, Parisa; Gharibzadeh, Shahriar; Eghlidi, Jandark; Ziaee, Vahid; Moshayedi, Pouria

2013-01-01

Postural control is a fundamental building block of each child's daily activities. The aim of this study was to compare patterns of postural sway in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with typically developing children (TD). We recruited 21 schoolchildren diagnosed with ASD aged 9-14 and 30 TD pupils aged 8-15. Postural sway parameters…

A Randomized Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children: Promoting Mindful Attention to Enhance Social-Emotional Resiliency in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Semple, Randye J.; Lee, Jennifer; Rosa, Dinelia; Miller, Lisa F.

2010-01-01

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children (MBCT-C) is a manualized group psychotherapy for children ages 9-13 years old, which was developed specifically to increase social-emotional resiliency through the enhancement of mindful attention. Program development is described along with results of the initial randomized controlled trial. We…

Elicited Production of Relative Clauses in German: Evidence from Typically Developing Children and Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adani, Flavia; Stegenwallner-Schütz, Maja; Haendler, Yair; Zukowski, Andrea

2016-01-01

We elicited the production of various types of relative clauses in a group of German-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) and typically developing controls in order to test the movement optionality account of grammatical difficulty in SLI. The results show that German-speaking children with SLI are impaired in relative clause…

Numerical magnitude processing in children with mild intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Brankaer, Carmen; Ghesquière, Pol; De Smedt, Bert

2011-01-01

The present study investigated numerical magnitude processing in children with mild intellectual disabilities (MID) and examined whether these children have difficulties in the ability to represent numerical magnitudes and/or difficulties in the ability to access numerical magnitudes from formal symbols. We compared the performance of 26 children with MID on a symbolic (digits) and a non-symbolic (dot-arrays) comparison task with the performance of two control groups of typically developing children: one group matched on chronological age and one group matched on mathematical ability level. Findings revealed that children with MID performed more poorly than their typically developing chronological age-matched peers on both the symbolic and non-symbolic comparison tasks, while their performance did not substantially differ from the ability-matched control group. These findings suggest that the development of numerical magnitude representation in children with MID is marked by a delay. This performance pattern was observed for both symbolic and non-symbolic comparison tasks, although difficulties on the former task were more prominent. Interventions in children with MID should therefore foster both the development of magnitude representations and the connections between symbols and the magnitudes they represent. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Association between intelligence development and facial expression recognition ability in children with autism spectrum disorder].

PubMed

Pan, Ning; Wu, Gui-Hua; Zhang, Ling; Zhao, Ya-Fen; Guan, Han; Xu, Cai-Juan; Jing, Jin; Jin, Yu

2017-03-01

To investigate the features of intelligence development, facial expression recognition ability, and the association between them in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 27 ASD children aged 6-16 years (ASD group, full intelligence quotient >70) and age- and gender-matched normally developed children (control group) were enrolled. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Fourth Edition and Chinese Static Facial Expression Photos were used for intelligence evaluation and facial expression recognition test. Compared with the control group, the ASD group had significantly lower scores of full intelligence quotient, verbal comprehension index, perceptual reasoning index (PRI), processing speed index（PSI), and working memory index (WMI) (P<0.05). The ASD group also had a significantly lower overall accuracy rate of facial expression recognition and significantly lower accuracy rates of the recognition of happy, angry, sad, and frightened expressions than the control group (P<0.05). In the ASD group, the overall accuracy rate of facial expression recognition and the accuracy rates of the recognition of happy and frightened expressions were positively correlated with PRI (r=0.415, 0.455, and 0.393 respectively; P<0.05). The accuracy rate of the recognition of angry expression was positively correlated with WMI (r=0.397; P<0.05). ASD children have delayed intelligence development compared with normally developed children and impaired expression recognition ability. Perceptual reasoning and working memory abilities are positively correlated with expression recognition ability, which suggests that insufficient perceptual reasoning and working memory abilities may be important factors affecting facial expression recognition ability in ASD children.

Children of mentally ill parents-a pilot study of a group intervention program.

PubMed

Christiansen, Hanna; Anding, Jana; Schrott, Bastian; Röhrle, Bernd

2015-01-01

The transgenerational transmission of mental disorders is one of the most prominent risk factors for the development of psychological disorders. Children of mentally ill parents are a vulnerable high risk group with overall impaired development and high rates of psychological disorders. To date there are only a few evidence based intervention programs for this group overall and hardly any in Germany. We translated the evidence based Family Talk Intervention by Beardslee (2009) and adapted it for groups. First results of this pilot study are presented. This investigation evaluates a preventive group intervention for children of mentally ill parents. In a quasi-experimental design three groups are compared: an intervention group (Family Talk Intervention group: n = 28), a Wait Control group (n = 9), and a control group of healthy children (n = 40). Mean age of children was 10.41 years and parental disorders were mostly depressive/affective disorders (n = 30), but a small number also presented with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 7). Children of mentally ill parents showed higher rates of internalizing/externalizing disorders before and after the intervention compared to children of parents with no disorders. Post intervention children's knowledge on mental disorders was significantly enhanced in the Family Talk Intervention group compared to the Wait Control group and the healthy control group. Parental ratings of externalizing symptoms in the children were reduced to normal levels after the intervention in the Family Talk Intervention group, but not in the Wait Control group. This pilot study of a group intervention for children of mentally ill parents highlights the importance of psycho-education on parental mental disorders for children. Long-term effects of children's enhanced knowledge about parental psychopathology need to be explored in future studies.

Children of mentally ill parents—a pilot study of a group intervention program

PubMed Central

Christiansen, Hanna; Anding, Jana; Schrott, Bastian; Röhrle, Bernd

2015-01-01

Objective: The transgenerational transmission of mental disorders is one of the most prominent risk factors for the development of psychological disorders. Children of mentally ill parents are a vulnerable high risk group with overall impaired development and high rates of psychological disorders. To date there are only a few evidence based intervention programs for this group overall and hardly any in Germany. We translated the evidence based Family Talk Intervention by Beardslee (2009) and adapted it for groups. First results of this pilot study are presented. Method: This investigation evaluates a preventive group intervention for children of mentally ill parents. In a quasi-experimental design three groups are compared: an intervention group (Family Talk Intervention group: n = 28), a Wait Control group (n = 9), and a control group of healthy children (n = 40). Mean age of children was 10.41 years and parental disorders were mostly depressive/affective disorders (n = 30), but a small number also presented with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 7). Results: Children of mentally ill parents showed higher rates of internalizing/externalizing disorders before and after the intervention compared to children of parents with no disorders. Post intervention children's knowledge on mental disorders was significantly enhanced in the Family Talk Intervention group compared to the Wait Control group and the healthy control group. Parental ratings of externalizing symptoms in the children were reduced to normal levels after the intervention in the Family Talk Intervention group, but not in the Wait Control group. Discussion: This pilot study of a group intervention for children of mentally ill parents highlights the importance of psycho-education on parental mental disorders for children. Long-term effects of children's enhanced knowledge about parental psychopathology need to be explored in future studies. PMID:26539129

The Relationship of Challenging Behaviors to Severity and Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Wilkins, Jonathan; Macken, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Challenging behaviors were assessed in 313 children, and it was demonstrated that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) exhibited greater levels of challenging behavior than both normally developing controls and children with psychopathology or atypical development. Next, we examined the relation between challenging behaviors and symptoms…

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia, effortful control, and parenting as predictors of children's sympathy across early childhood.

PubMed

Taylor, Zoe E; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L

2015-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine physiological and environmental predictors of children's sympathy (an emotional response consisting of feelings of concern or sorrow for others who are distressed or in need) and whether temperamental effortful control mediated these relations. Specifically, in a study of 192 children (23% Hispanic; 54% male), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), a measure thought to reflect physiological regulation, and observed authoritative parenting (both at 42 months) were examined as predictors of children's effortful control (at 54 months) and, in turn, children's sympathy (at 72 and 84 months). Measures of both baseline RSA and RSA suppression were examined. In a structural equation model, observed parenting was positively related to children's subsequent sympathy through its positive relation to effortful control. Furthermore, the indirect path from baseline RSA to higher sympathy through effortful control was marginally significant. Authoritative parenting and baseline RSA uniquely predicted individual differences in children's effortful control. Findings highlight the potential role of both authoritative parenting and physiological regulation in the development of children's sympathy.

Longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's negative emotions, effortful control, and math achievement in early elementary school.

PubMed

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = .39 year) across kindergarten through second grade. Parents reported their reactions and children's EC. Math achievement was assessed with a standardized achievement test. First-grade EC mediated the relation between parents' reactions at kindergarten and second-grade math achievement, beyond stability in constructs across study years. Panel mediation model results suggested that socialization of EC may be one method of promoting math achievement in early school; however, when all omitted time-invariant covariates of EC and math achievement were controlled, first-grade EC no longer predicted second-grade math achievement. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Controlling and Autonomy-Supportive Parenting in the United States and China: Beyond Children's Reports.

PubMed

Cheung, Cecilia S; Pomerantz, Eva M; Wang, Meifang; Qu, Yang

2016-11-01

Research comparing the predictive power of parents' control and autonomy support in the United States and China has relied almost exclusively on children's reports. Such reports may lead to inaccurate conclusions if they do not reflect parents' practices to the same extent in the two countries. A total of 394 American and Chinese children (M age  = 13.19 years) and their mothers reported on mothers' controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting in the academic arena; trained observers coded such parenting in the laboratory. Children's reports were associated modestly with mothers' reports and weakly, if at all, with observers' reports in both the United States and China. Parenting predicted children's academic and emotional functioning similarly in the two countries, irrespective of reporter. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

[Advances in research on harm and control of Enterobius vermicularis infection in children].

PubMed

An, Yao-Wu; Pang, Xin-Li; Liu, Jie-Bing; Huang, Shao-Yu

2012-10-01

In China, the infection rate of Enterobius vermicularis in children is still relatively high. Because the development and spread of worm eggs is fast, it is easy to treat but difficult to control the disease, and the control effect is also difficult to be consolidated. The long-term repeated Enterobius vermicularis infection may cause the damage on children's body and mind in different degrees. This paper offers an overview on the current status, harm and prevention and control of Enterobius vermicularis infection.

The effects of combined application of transcranial magnetic stimulation and language training on children with language retardation.

PubMed

Qiu, Aizhen; Li, Xinjian; Yang, Zhongxiu; Li, Zhilin; Wang, Jiping; Yuan, Huanxia; Jin, Xin

2016-10-28

The objective of the present manuscript was to explore the effects of combined application of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and language training on children with language retardation. Forty-five children with language retardation were selected as subjects and randomly divided into the treatment group with 24 patients and the control group with 21 patients. The control group was treated with traditional language training, while the treatment group was treated with TMS combined with language training. According to Gesell pediatric neuropsychological development schedules, the development quotient of children in the two groups were observed and compared before and after two courses of treatment. The evaluation of mouth movement was conducted with Dr. Speech supervised by East China Normal University. Development quotient scores and mouth movement evaluation scores of all Gesell parameters of children in the two groups after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). The body movement ability, linguistic competence, development quotient scores, and mouth movement evaluation scores in the treatment group after treatment were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The combined application of TMS and language training can effectively improve linguistic competence, action ability, and mouth movement in children with language retardation.

Neurological development of children born to liver transplant recipients.

PubMed

Schreiber-Zamora, J; Kociszewska-Najman, B; Borek-Dzięcioł, B; Drozdowska-Szymczak, A; Czaplińska, N; Pawlik, O; Cyganek, A; Pietrzak, B; Wielgoś, M

2014-10-01

Immunosuppressive treatment used in pregnant liver recipients may have a negative impact on fetal development and successively a child. The aim of the study was to make a neurological assessment of infants and children born to liver transplant recipients (LTRs) born between December 4, 2001, and February 11, 2013, in the 1(st) Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw. The study involved 88 children, of whom 44 children were born to LTR mothers, and 44 children born to women who were not organ recipients and delivered at a similar gestational age. The gestational age of neonates ranged from 33 to 41 weeks, and the birth weight ranged from 1420 g to 4100 g. The neurological examination was performed in children from 7 weeks to 10 years of age. The neurological development was assessed by a specialist in pediatric neurology. The results of the examination were divided according to the following criteria: 1) normal development, 2) slight disorders, 3) moderate disorders, and 4) severe disorders. The Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis. Normal development was found in 35 of 44 (79.54%) children in the LTR group and 39 of 44 (88.63%) children in the control group (P = .3827). Slight disorders were observed in 6 of 44 (13.63%) children in LTR group and 5 of 44 (11.36%) children in the control group. Moderate disorders were found only in 3 of 44 (6.81%) children in the LTR group. No severe disorders were observed in both groups. Neurological development of children born to the liver recipients who were exposed to chronic immunosuppressive treatment in their fetal lives is the same as that of children whose mothers have not undergone organ transplantation.

Breastfeeding may protect from developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Mimouni-Bloch, Aviva; Kachevanskaya, Anna; Mimouni, Francis Benjamin; Shuper, Avinoam; Raveh, Eyal; Linder, Nehama

2013-08-01

Breastfeeding has a positive influence on physical and mental development. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurobehavioral disorder with major social, familial, and academic influences. The present study aimed to evaluate whether ADHD is associated with a shorter duration of breastfeeding. In this retrospective matched study, children 6-12 years old diagnosed at Schneider's Children Medical Center (Petach Tikva, Israel) with ADHD between 2008 and 2009 were compared with two control groups. The first one consisted of healthy (no ADHD) siblings of ADHD children; the second control group consisted of children without ADHD who consulted at the otolaryngology clinic. A constructed questionnaire about demographic, medical, and perinatal findings, feeding history during the first year of life, and a validated adult ADHD screening questionnaire were given to both parents of every child in each group. In children later diagnosed as having ADHD, 43% were breastfed at 3 months of age compared with 69% in the siblings group and 73% in the control non-related group (p=0.002). By 6 months of age 29% of ADHD children were breastfed compared with 50% in the siblings group and 57% in the control non-related group (p=0.011). A stepwise logistic regression that included the variables found to be significant in univariate analysis demonstrated a significant association between ADHD and lack of breastfeeding at 3 months of age, maternal age at birth, male gender, and parental divorce. Children with ADHD were less likely to breastfeed at 3 months and 6 months of age than children in the two control groups. We speculate that breastfeeding may have a protective effect from developing ADHD later in childhood.

Maternal control and early child dysregulation: Moderating roles of ethnicity and child delay status.

PubMed

Caplan, B; Baker, B L

2017-02-01

Maternal controlling behaviour has been found to influence child development, particularly in behavioural and emotional regulation. Given the higher rates of interfering parent control found in mothers of children with developmental delays (DD) and Latina mothers, their children could be at increased risk for behavioural and emotional dysregulation. While studies generally support this increased risk for children with DD, findings for Latino children are mixed and often attributed to cultural models of child rearing. The present study sought to determine the moderating roles of child DD and mother ethnicity in determining the relationships between two types of parent control (supportive directiveness and interference) and child dysregulation over time. The present study, involving 178 3-year old children with DD (n = 80) or typical development (n = 98), examined observed parent control (directive versus interfering) of Latina and Anglo mothers as it relates to change in preschool child dysregulation over 2 years. Interfering parent control was greater for children with DD and also for Latino mothers. Supportive directive parenting generally related to relatively greater decline in child behaviour and emotion dysregulation over time, while interfering parenting generally related to less decline in child behaviour dysregulation over time. In Anglo but not Latino families, these relationships tended to vary as a function of child disability. Parent directives that support, rather than deter, ongoing child activity may promote positive regulatory development. These results particularly hold for children with DD and Latino families, and have implications for parenting practices and intervention. © 2016 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[A survey of pubertal development in children born with assisted reproductive technology].

PubMed

Liu, Zi-Yuan; Wang, Xin-Li; Han, Tong-Yan; Cui, Yun-Pu; Wang, Xue-Mei; Tong, Xiao-Mei; Song, Yi; Wang, Hai-Jun; Li, Song

2017-06-01

To investigate the status of pubertal development in children born with assisted reproductive technology (ART). A retrospective analysis was performed on the pubertal development data of children born with ART in Peking University Third Hospital from 1994 to 2003 (ART group). The data in the cross-sectional study "Reports on the Physical Fitness and Health Research of Chinese School Students in 2010" were used as a control. The age at menarche and the age at spermarche were compared between the two groups. The status of pubertal development in the overweight and obese children in the ART group was evaluated to investigate the correlation between pubertal development and body mass index (BMI). A total of 200 children born with ART were enrolled in this study, and 72 of them (41 males and 31 females) completed the survey (response rate=36.0%). In the ART group, the mean age at spermarche and the mean age at menarche were 13.9 years (95%CI: 13.7-14.3 years) and 12.2 years (95%CI: 11.8-12.6 years), respectively. There were no significant differences in the age at spermarche and the age at menarche between the ART and control groups (P>0.05). In the ART group, there were no significant differences in the age at spermarche and the age at menarche between the overweight and obese children and the normal weight children (P>0.05). There were also no significant differences in overweight rate and obesity rate between the children in the ART group and the adolescents in Beijing (P>0.05). In the ART group, there was no significant correlation between the age at spermarche or menarche and BMI (P>0.05). No delayed or precocious puberty is observed in children born with ART. This is consistent with the normal control data. And there is no significant correlation between pubertal development and BMI in children born with ART.

An exploratory trial of a health education programme to promote healthy lifestyles through social and emotional competence in young children: Study protocol.

PubMed

Bermejo-Martins, Elena; López-Dicastillo, Olga; Mujika, Agurtzane

2018-01-01

To implement and evaluate a health education programme based on the development of social and emotional competence in young children. Children's social and emotional skills play a key role in the adoption and maintenance of their lifestyles. Currently, a more comprehensive perspective dealing with these aspects is needed to promote healthy habits in children and develop effective health education programmes. An exploratory randomized controlled trial. A convenience sample of 30 children (5 and 6 years old) will be recruited from a public school in Spain, with 15 participants in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Participants in the experimental group will receive the first unit of the programme, consisting of developing emotional knowledge skills around daily health habits (eating, hygiene, sleep and physical exercise) using different game-based dynamics and an emotional diary, while those in the control group will continue with their usual school routine. Outcome measures include emotional knowledge ability, basic social skills and children's health profile. The perceived impact of the intervention by parents, acceptability (by parents and children) and feasibility of the programme will be also assessed. Data will be collected at baseline, postintervention and at 7-month follow-up. This study offers an innovative intervention aimed at improving children's healthy lifestyles from a holistic perspective by addressing social and emotional competence as one of the most influential aspects of children's development. This exploratory trial is an essential step to explore crucial aspects of the full-scale clinical trial. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Children's Development of Intonation during the First Year of Cochlear Implant Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snow, David P.; Ertmer, David J.

2012-01-01

This article describes the longitudinal development of intonation in 18 deaf children who received cochlear implants (CIs) before the age of 3 years and 12 infants with typical development (TD) who served as controls. At the time their implants were activated, the children with CIs ranged in age from 9 to 36 months. Cross-group comparisons were…

Long-Term Relations between Children's Language, the Home Literacy Environment, and Socioemotional Development from Ages 3 to 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Elisabeth; Lehrl, Simone; Ebert, Susanne; Weinert, Sabine

2018-01-01

Research Findings: This study investigated the long-term interrelations among children's language competencies, their home literacy environment (HLE), and 3 aspects of socioemotional development from ages 3 to 8, controlling for characteristics of the child and family. For this sample of 547 typically developing German children, parents and…

Who Is at Risk for Dyslexia? Phonological Processing in Five-to Seven-Year-Old Dutch-Speaking Children with SLI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandewalle, Ellen; Boets, Bart; Ghesquiere, Pol; Zink, Inge

2010-01-01

A disproportionally high number of children with specific language impairment (SLI) develop dyslexia. Yet it is hard to predict which individual child is at risk. This article presents a longitudinal study of phonological and early literacy development of 18 Dutch-speaking children with SLI, compared to 18 typically developing controls over a…

Evaluation of a simplified modified Atkins diet for use by parents with low levels of literacy in children with refractory epilepsy: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sharma, Suvasini; Goel, Shaiphali; Jain, Puneet; Agarwala, Anuja; Aneja, Satinder

2016-11-01

This study was planned to develop and evaluate a simple, easy-to-understand variation of the modified Atkins diet, for use by parents with low levels of literacy in children with refractory epilepsy. This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a simplified version of the modified Atkins diet was developed. In the second phase this was evaluated in children aged 2-14 years who had daily seizures despite the appropriate use of at least two anticonvulsant drugs, in an open-label randomized-controlled-trial. Children were randomized to receive either the simplified modified Atkins diet or no dietary intervention for a period of 3 months with the ongoing anticonvulsant medications being continued unchanged in both the groups. Reduction in seizure frequency was the primary outcome-measure. Data was analyzed using intention to treat approach. Adverse effects were also studied. (Clinical trial identifier NCT0189989). Forty-one children were randomly assigned to the diet-group, and 40 were assigned to the control-group. Two patients discontinued the diet during the study period. The proportion of children with>50% seizure reduction was significantly higher in the diet group as compared to the control group (56.1% vs 7.5%, p<0.0001). The proportion of children with 90% seizure reduction was also higher in the diet group (19.5% vs 2%, p=0.09). Six children in the diet group were seizure free at 3 months compared with two in the control group (p=0.26). At 3 months, 6 children had constipation and 5 had weight loss. A simplified version of the modified Atkins diet was developed for use by parents with low levels literacy. This diet was found to be feasible, efficacious and well tolerated in children with refractory epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a 16 week gymnastics curriculum at developing movement competence in children.

PubMed

Rudd, James R; Barnett, Lisa M; Farrow, Damian; Berry, Jason; Borkoles, Erika; Polman, Remco

2017-02-01

Internationally, children's movement competence levels are low. This study's aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 16 week gymnastics curriculum on stability, locomotive and object control skills and general body coordination. It was hypothesised that the gymnastics intervention group would demonstrate significant improvements beyond a PE comparison group. This study used a non-randomised control design. The intervention and comparison groups were drawn from three primary schools. The study followed the transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs (TREND) statement for reporting. A total of 333 children (51% girls, 41% intervention) with a mean age of 8.1 years (SD=1.1) participated. Intervention children (16 weeks×2h of gymnastics) were compared to children who received (16×2h) standard PE curriculum. Children's movement competence was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2, Stability Skills Assessment and the Körper-Koordinationstest für Kinder. Multilevel linear mixed models, accounting for variation at the class level and adjusted for age and sex, were used to assess intervention relative to comparison differences in all aspects of movement competence. Stability and object control skills showed a significant (p<0.05) intervention×time interaction effect. No difference was found in locomotor skills or general coordination. Gymnastics is effective at developing stability skills and object control skills without hindering the development of locomotor skills or general coordination. Accelerated learning of stability skills may support the development of more complex movement skills. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and video games: a comparative study of hyperactive and control children.

PubMed

Bioulac, Stéphanie; Arfi, Lisa; Bouvard, Manuel P

2008-03-01

This study describes and compares the behavior of hyperactive and control children playing video games. The sample consisted of 29 ADHD children and 21 controls aged between 6 and 16 years playing video games. We used the Child Behavior Checklist and the Problem Videogame Playing scale (PVP scale). This instrument gives objective measures of problem use, which can be considered as an indication of addictive videogame playing. We designed a questionnaire for the parents, eliciting qualitative information about their child's videogame playing. There were no significant differences concerning frequency or duration of play between ADHD children and controls but differences were observed on the PVP scale. None of the controls scored above four whereas 10 hyperactive children answered affirmatively to five or more questions. These children presented a greater intensity of the disorder than the other ADHD children. While no differences concerning video game use were found, ADHD children exhibited more problems associated with videogame playing. It seems that a subgroup of ADHD children could be vulnerable to developing dependence upon video games.

Inhibition: Mental Control Process or Mental Resource?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Im-Bolter, Nancie; Johnson, Janice; Ling, Daphne; Pascual-Leone, Juan

2015-01-01

The current study tested 2 models of inhibition in 45 children with language impairment and 45 children with normally developing language; children were aged 7 to 12 years. Of interest was whether a model of inhibition as a mental-control process (i.e., executive function) or as a mental resource would more accurately reflect the relations among…

Motor Planning and Control in Autism. A Kinematic Analysis of Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forti, Sara; Valli, Angela; Perego, Paolo; Nobile, Maria; Crippa, Alessandro; Molteni, Massimo

2011-01-01

Kinematic recordings in a reach and drop task were compared between 12 preschool children with autism without mental retardation and 12 gender and age-matched normally developing children. Our aim was to investigate whether motor anomalies in autism may depend more on a planning ability dysfunction or on a motor control deficit. Planning and…

Nutritional Status of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs): A Case-Control Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marí-Bauset, Salvador; Llopis-González, Agustín; Zazpe-García, Itziar; Marí-Sanchis, Amelia; Morales-Suárez-Varela, María

2015-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have problems of food selectivity, implying risks of nutritional deficiencies. The aim was to compare intakes of macro and micronutrients and body mass index in ASD and typically developing (TD) children. In a case--control study, 3-day food diaries and anthropometric measurements were completed for ASD…

A Randomized Control Study of Responsive Teaching with Young Turkish Children and Their Mothers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaaslan, Ozcan; Diken, Ibrahim H.; Mahoney, Gerald

2013-01-01

A randomized control study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of responsive teaching (RT) with a sample of 19 Turkish preschool-age children with disabilities and their mothers over a 6-months period. RT is an early intervention curriculum that attempts to promote children's development by encouraging parents to engage in highly…

Autonomy and Children's Reactions to Being Controlled: Evidence that Both Compliance and Defiance May Be Positive Markers in Early Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dix, Theodore; Stewart, Amanda D.; Gershoff, Elizabeth T.; Day, William H.

2007-01-01

This study examined reactions of 1-year-olds and young 2-year-olds to being controlled by mothers. Mothers' supportive behavior predicted children's willing compliance. However, contrary to research with older children, defiance was also associated with variables linked to maternal competence, specifically, mothers' supportive behavior,…

Does playing a sports active video game improve young children's ball skill competence?

PubMed

Johnson, Tara M; Ridgers, Nicola D; Hulteen, Ryan M; Mellecker, Robin R; Barnett, Lisa M

2016-05-01

Actual and perceived object control (commonly ball) skill proficiency is associated with higher physical activity in children and adolescents. Active video games (AVGs) encourage whole body movement to control/play the electronic gaming system and therefore provide an opportunity for screen time to become more active. The purpose of this study was to determine whether playing sports AVGs has a positive influence on young children's actual and perceived object control skills. Two group pre/post experimental design study. Thirty-six children aged 6-10 years old from one school were randomly allocated to a control or intervention condition. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 assessed object control skill. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence for Young Children assessed perceived object control skill. The intervention consisted of 6×50min lunchtime AVG sessions on the Xbox Kinect. Two to three sport games were chosen for participants to play each session. General linear models with either perceived object control or actual object control skill as the outcome variables were conducted. Each base model adjusted for intervention status and pre-score of the respective outcome variable. Additional models adjusted for potential confounding variables (sex of child and game at home). No significant differences between the control and intervention groups were observed for both outcomes. This study found that playing the Xbox Kinect does not significantly influence children's perceived or actual object control skills, suggesting that the utility of the Xbox Kinect for developing perceived and actual object control skill competence is questionable. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postural Control and Emotion in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Gouleme, Nathalie; Scheid, Isabelle; Peyre, Hugo; Seassau, Magali; Maruani, Anna; Clarke, Julia; Delorme, Richard; Bucci, Maria Pia

2017-01-01

Abstract Autism Spectrum Disorders subjects (ASD) are well known to have deficits in social interaction. We recorded simultaneously eye movements and postural sway during exploration of emotional faces in children with ASD and typically developing children (TD). We analyzed several postural and ocular parameters. The results showed that all postural parameters were significantly greater in children with ASD; ASD made significantly fewer saccades and had shorter fixation time than TD, particularly in the eyes, and especially for unpleasant emotions. These results suggest that poor postural control of ASD and their impaired visual strategies could be due to a lack of interest in social cognition, causing a delay in the development of the cortical areas, and thus could have an effect on their postural control. PMID:29177103

Inhibitory control differentiates rare target search performance in children.

PubMed

Li, Hongting; Chan, John S Y; Cheung, Sui-Yin; Yan, Jin H

2012-02-01

Age-related differences in rare-target search are primarily explained by the speed-accuracy trade-off, primed responses, or decision making. The goal was to examine how motor inhibition influences visual search. Children pressed a key when a rare target was detected. On no-target trials, children withheld reactions. Response time (RT), hits, misses, correct rejection, and false alarms were measured. Tapping tests assessed motor control. Older children tapped faster, were more sensitive to rare targets (higher d'), and reacted more slowly than younger ones. Girls outperformed boys in search sensitivity but not in RT. Motor speed was closely associated with hit rate and RT. Results suggest that development of inhibitory control plays a key role in visual detection. The potential implications for cognitive-motor development and individual differences are discussed.

Oral Articulatory Control in Childhood Apraxia of Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigos, Maria I.; Moss, Aviva; Lu, Ying

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine spatial and temporal aspects of articulatory control in children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), children with speech delay characterized by an articulation/phonological impairment (SD), and controls with typical development (TD) during speech tasks that increased in word length. Method:…

Behavioural development in children of divorce and remarriage.

PubMed

Pagani, L; Boulerice, B; Tremblay, R E; Vitaro, F

1997-10-01

We employed an autoregressive modelling technique with data from the Québec Longitudinal Study to prospectively examine the developmental impact of family transition on behaviour while controlling for predivorce and preremarriage effects. Teachers rated children's anxious, hyperactive, physically aggressive, oppositional, and prosocial behaviour every 2 years from kindergarten through to the end of elementary school. Once individual and parental characteristics and antecedent family events were controlled, children who experienced parental divorce before age 6 exhibited comparatively more behavioural disturbance than their peers whose parents divorced later. With the exception of a protective effect on hyperactive behaviour, remarriage did not have a significant impact on children's behaviour when the legacy of divorce was controlled. Although the results suggest that children of divorced parents show difficulty in many areas of functioning, the effects of family transition on behavioural development were dependent on the child's age and the specific behavioural dimension assessed. Compared to other points in development, early childhood divorce was associated with long-term increases in anxious, hyperactive, and oppositional behaviour during later childhood. The effects of divorce on children's fighting were short-lived. Unlike previous prospective studies that suggest predivorce effects, we did not observe behavioural disturbance prior to divorce or remarriage.

Gross motor skill development of kindergarten children in Japan

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Sato, Tamae; Sadakiyo, Kaori; Watanabe, Miyoko; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to assess and explore the gender-based differences in gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children. [Subjects and Methods] This cross-sectional study recruited 60 healthy 5-year-old (third-year kindergarten, i.e., nencho) children (34 boys, 26 girls) from one local private kindergarten school in Otawara city, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. Gross motor skills, including six locomotor and six object control skills, were assessed using the test of gross motor development, second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials of each gross motor skill, and the performances were video-recorded and scored. Assessment procedures were performed according to the standardized guidelines of the TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had an average level of overall gross motor skills. Girls had significantly better locomotor skills. Boys had significantly better object control skills. [Conclusion] The gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Japanese children involves gender-based differences in locomotor and object control skills. This study provided valuable information that can be used to establish normative references for the gross motor skills of 5-year-old Japanese children. PMID:29765187

Interference control in working memory: comparing groups of children with atypical development.

PubMed

Palladino, Paola; Ferrari, Marcella

2013-01-01

The study aimed to test whether working memory deficits in children at risk of Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be attributed to deficits in interference control, thereby implicating prefrontal systems. Two groups of children known for showing poor working memory (i.e., children with poor comprehension and children with ADHD) were compared to a group of children with specific reading decoding problems (i.e., having severe problems in phonological rather than working memory) and to a control group. All children were tested with a verbal working memory task. Interference control of irrelevant items was examined by a lexical decision task presented immediately after the final recall in about half the trials, selected at random. The interference control measure was therefore directly related to working memory performance. Results confirmed deficient working memory performance in poor comprehenders and children at risk of ADHD + LD. More interestingly, this working memory deficit was associated with greater activation of irrelevant information than in the control group. Poor decoders showed more efficient interference control, in contrast to poor comprehenders and ADHD + LD children. These results indicated that interfering items were still highly accessible to working memory in children who fail the working memory task. In turn, these findings strengthen and clarify the role of interference control, one of the most critical prefrontal functions, in working memory.

The Development and Empowerment of Mathematical Abilities: The Impact of Pencil and Paper and Computerised Interventions for Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mascia, Maria Lidia; Agus, Mirian; Fastame, Maria Chiara; Penna, Maria Pietronilla; Sale, Eliana; Pessa, Eliano

2015-01-01

The development of numerical abilities was examined in three groups of 5 year-olds: one including 13 children accomplishing a numerical training in pencil-and-paper format (EG1); another group including 21 children accomplished a homologous training in computerized format; the remaining 24 children were assigned to the control group (CG). The…

Oral Health Characteristics of Preschool Children with Autistic Syndrome Disorder.

PubMed

Sarnat, Haim; Samuel, Eli; Ashkenazi-Alfasi, Naomi; Peretz, Benjamin

2016-01-01

to assess the dental status of young children with Autistic Syndrome Disorder (ASD) in order to allow better understanding of the dentist's role in treating these children. The ASD group consisted of 47 children diagnosed as ASD from three special kindergartens from three towns in Israel. The control group was 44 normally developed children from 4 kindergartens from 2 neighboring towns. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire requesting the following: socio-demographic information, general medical condition, dental information (previous visit to a dentist, feeding habits, oral hygiene behavior, oral habits and the Vinland Adaptive Behavioral Scales (VABS). While in the control group there was no report of no brushing at all, among the ASD children 25% did not brush at all. Use of pacifier, fussy eating and eating problems were significantly more prevalent among the ASD group. In addition, the ASD children significantly preferred more salty, spicy and sweet foods than the control. There were more cariesfree children among the ASD group. In the ASD group, the ability to perform everyday life functions was slightly more than half of what is expected for age. autistic children have a relative age of one half, meaning they function at half the level of normally developed children at their chronological age, more eating problems and more persistent oral habits yet no correlation to dental health could be shown. Caries experience of autistic children was lower than in the control group, maintaining good oral hygiene is difficult for autistic children yet their gingival health was found to be good.

[The influence of the nutrient supplement for children on the nutrition and health status and intelligence of children of schooling age in the countryside of children of schooling age during 2 years].

PubMed

Zhao, Liyun; Yu, Wentao; Jia, Fengmei; Liu, Aidong; Vi, Guoqin; Song, Yi; Gong, Chenrui; Hua, Liming; Zhang, Jiguo; Zhai, Fengying

2009-11-01

To analyze the effect of complex nutrients on growth and development, intelligence and nutrition state of 6-12 years old children in two continuous years. According to the rural school's similar condition, such as social economical statement, education condition and proportion of students entering schools, 6 rural schools were respectively selected in Xishui County of Hubei Province as the experimental group and control group. In the former, middle and later periods (2004, 2005, 2006 ), growth and development, nutrition state and intelligence were analyzed and compared. The increase of height and weight in experimental group were higher than those of the control group. In 2 years, height in experimental group increased 12.9 cm, while the control group increased 11.5 cm. Weights increased in experimental group were 6.6 kg, while the control group increased 5.2 kg. Girl's bone density in experimental group increased from 0.236 g/cm in 2004 to 0.280 g/cm in 2006. The hemoglobin contents of 4 age group's children in experimental group increased significantly (P < 0.05) . While the anemia prevalence decreased 25 .8% in 2 years, the control group decreased 7.2%. Moreover, other results showed that the complex nutrients also have some effect on the intelligence in experiment group. The complex nutrients supplement could improve the rural school children's growth and development, bone and intelligence.

Maternal Stress and Coping Strategies in Developmental Dyslexia: An Italian Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Carotenuto, Marco; Messina, Antonietta; Monda, Vincenzo; Precenzano, Francesco; Iacono, Diego; Verrotti, Alberto; Piccorossi, Alessandra; Gallai, Beatrice; Roccella, Michele; Parisi, Lucia; Maltese, Agata; Lavano, Francesco; Marotta, Rosa; Lavano, Serena Marianna; Lanzara, Valentina; Ferrentino, Roberta Ida; Pisano, Simone; Salerno, Margherita; Valenzano, Anna; Triggiani, Antonio Ivano; Polito, Anna N; Cibelli, Giuseppe; Monda, Marcellino; Messina, Giovanni; Ruberto, Maria; Esposito, Maria

2017-01-01

Studies about the impact of developmental dyslexia (DD) on parenting are scarce. Our investigation aimed to assess maternal stress levels and mothers' copying styles in a population of dyslexic children. A total of 874 children (500 boys, 374 girls; mean age 8.32 ± 2.33 years) affected by DD was included in the study. A total of 1,421 typically developing children (789 boys, 632 girls; mean age 8.25 ± 3.19 years) were recruited from local schools of participating Italian Regions (Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Umbria, Sicily) and used as control-children group. All mothers (of both DD and typically developing children) filled out an evaluation for parental stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form) and coping strategies [Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS)]. No statistical differences for mean age ( p  = 0.456) and gender ( p  = 0.577) were found between DD and control children. Mothers of children affected by DD showed an higher rate of all parental stress indexes (Parental Distress domain p  < 0.001, Difficult Child p  < 0.001, Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction p  < 0.001, and Total Stress subscale score p  < 0.001) than controls mothers. According to the CISS evaluation, mothers of DD children reported a significantly higher rate of emotion-oriented ( p  < 0.001) and avoidance-oriented ( p  < 0.001) coping styles than mothers of typical developing children. On the other hand, a lower representation of task-oriented coping style was found in mothers of DD children ( p  < 0.001) in comparison to mothers of control-children. Our study shows the clinical relevance of the burden carried by the mothers of children affected by DD and suggests the importance to assess parents, particularly mothers, to improve family compliance and clinical management of this disorder.

Role of fruits, grains, and seafood consumption in blood cadmium concentrations of Jamaican children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Rahbar, Mohammad H.; Samms-Vaughan, Maureen; Dickerson, Aisha S.; Loveland, Katherine A.; Ardjomand-Hessabi, Manouchehr; Bressler, Jan; Lee, MinJae; Shakespeare-Pellington, Sydonnie; Grove, Megan L.; Pearson, Deborah A.; Boerwinkle, Eric

2014-01-01

Human exposure to cadmium has adverse effects on the nervous system. Utilizing data from 110 age- and sex-matched case-control pairs (220 children) ages 2–8 years in Kingston, Jamaica, we compared the 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In both univariable and multivariable Quantile Regression Models that controlled for potential confounding factors, we did not find any significant differences between ASD cases and typically developing (TD) controls with respect to the 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations, (P > 0.22). However, we found a significantly higher 75th percentile of blood cadmium concentrations in TD Jamaican children who consumed shellfish (lobsters, crabs) (P <0.05), fried plantain (P <0.01), and boiled dumpling (P <0.01). We also observed that children living in Jamaica have an arithmetic mean blood cadmium concentration of 0.16μg/L which is similar to that of the children in developed countries and much lower than that of children in developing countries. Although our results do not support an association between blood cadmium concentrations and ASD, to our knowledge, this study is the first to report levels of blood cadmium in TD children as well as those with ASD in Jamaica. PMID:25089152

Teaching our children when to eat: how parental feeding practices inform the development of emotional eating--a longitudinal experimental design.

PubMed

Farrow, Claire V; Haycraft, Emma; Blissett, Jackie M

2015-05-01

Emotional eating in children has been related to the consumption of energy-dense foods and obesity, but the development of emotional eating in young children is poorly understood. We evaluated whether emotional eating can be induced in 5-7-y-old children in the laboratory and assessed whether parental use of overly controlling feeding practices at 3-5 y of age predicts a greater subsequent tendency for children to eat under conditions of mild stress at ages 5-7 y. Forty-one parent-child dyads were recruited to participate in this longitudinal study, which involved parents and children being observed consuming a standard lunch, completing questionnaire measures of parental feeding practices, participating in a research procedure to induce child emotion (or a control procedure), and observing children's consumption of snack foods. Children at ages 5-7 y who were exposed to a mild emotional stressor consumed significantly more calories from snack foods in the absence of hunger than did children in a control group. Parents who reported the use of more food as a reward and restriction of food for health reasons with their children at ages 3-5 y were more likely to have children who ate more under conditions of negative emotion at ages 5-7 y. Parents who overly control children's food intake may unintentionally teach children to rely on palatable foods to cope with negative emotions. Additional research is needed to evaluate the implications of these findings for children's food intake and weight outside of the laboratory setting. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01122290. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Increased frequency of severe major anomalies in children conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PubMed

Sanchez-Albisua, I; Borell-Kost, S; Mau-Holzmann, U A; Licht, P; Krägeloh-Mann, I

2007-02-01

The neurodevelopmental outcome of children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is controversial. We compared the medical and developmental outcome of 34 singletons born after ICSI (20 males, 14 females; mean ages of 18 mo and 40 mo [SD 9 mo]; range 2 y 10 mo-4 y 8 mo) with 39 case control studies (21 males, 18 females; mean ages of 18 mo and 40 mo [SD 4 mo]; range 3 y-4 y 1 mo). Each child was assessed physically and tested in three development domains (fine motor, gross motor, and language). Five children born after ICSI versus two control children (p=0.2) had major congenital anomalies (MaCAs). Four children born after ICSI versus no control children had severe MaCAs (p=0.04). These were defined as having a significant impact on development or causing chronic disease: Angelman syndrome (n=1), lissencephaly (n=1), Hanhart syndrome (n=1), and persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia of infancy (n=1). Karyotyping in 23 children born after ICSI revealed no abnormalities. An imprinting defect was found in the child with Angelman syndrome. Results of developmental assessment were in all cases normal at the age of 18 months except for the three children with Angelman and Hanhart syndromes, and lissencephaly. At the second assessment, five more children born after ICSI and four control children showed abnormalities in one or more developmental domains. We conclude that there seems to be a higher frequency of severe major anomalies in children born after ICSI. An increased risk for imprinting defects cannot be excluded. If we exclude children with severe MaCAs, the incidence of an abnormal somatic or neurodevelopmental outcome in the fourth year of life in children born after ICSI is similar to that of spontaneously conceived children.

Mathematics skills in good readers with hydrocephalus.

PubMed

Barnes, Marcia A; Pengelly, Sarah; Dennis, Maureen; Wilkinson, Margaret; Rogers, Tracey; Faulkner, Heather

2002-01-01

Children with hydrocephalus have poor math skills. We investigated the nature of their arithmetic computation errors by comparing written subtraction errors in good readers with hydrocephalus, typically developing good readers of the same age, and younger children matched for math level to the children with hydrocephalus. Children with hydrocephalus made more procedural errors (although not more fact retrieval or visual-spatial errors) than age-matched controls; they made the same number of procedural errors as younger, math-level matched children. We also investigated a broad range of math abilities, and found that children with hydrocephalus performed more poorly than age-matched controls on tests of geometry and applied math skills such as estimation and problem solving. Computation deficits in children with hydrocephalus reflect delayed development of procedural knowledge. Problems in specific math domains such as geometry and applied math, were associated with deficits in constituent cognitive skills such as visual spatial competence, memory, and general knowledge.

Marital relationship, parenting practices, and social skills development in preschool children.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Rikuya; Katsura, Toshiki

2017-01-01

This study examined the pathways by which destructive and constructive marital conflict leading to social skills development in preschool children, are mediated through negative and positive parenting practices. Mothers of 2931 Japanese children, aged 5-6 years, completed self-report questionnaires regarding their marital relationship (the Quality of co-parental communication scale) and parental practices (the Alabama parenting questionnaire). The children's teachers evaluated their social skills using the Social skills scale. Path analyses revealed significant direct paths from destructive marital conflict to negative parenting practices and lower scores on the self-control component of social skills. In addition, negative parenting practices mediated the relationship between destructive marital conflict and lower scores on cooperation, self-control, and assertion. Our analyses also revealed significant direct paths from constructive marital conflict to positive parenting practices, and higher scores on cooperation and assertion. Positive parenting practices mediated the relationship between constructive marital conflict and higher scores on self-control and assertion. These findings suggest that destructive and constructive marital conflict may directly and indirectly influence children's social skills development through the mediation of parenting practices.

Effects of a Gestational Weight Gain Restriction Program for Obese Pregnant Women: Children's Weight Development during the First Five Years of Life.

PubMed

Claesson, Ing-Marie; Sydsjö, Gunilla; Olhager, Elisabeth; Oldin, Carin; Josefsson, Ann

2016-06-01

Maternal prepregnancy obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) have shown a strong positive association with a higher BMI and risk of obesity in the offspring. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of a GWG restriction program for obese pregnant women on the children's BMI at 5 years of age and weight-for-length/height (WL/H) development from 2 months of age until 5 years of age. This was a follow-up study of 302 children (137 children in an intervention group and 165 children in a control group) whose mothers participated in a weight gain restriction program during pregnancy. BMI at five years of age did not differ between girls and boys in the intervention and control group. The degree of maternal GWG, <7 kg or ≥7 kg, did not affect the offspring's WL/H. Compared with Swedish reference data, just over half of the children in both the intervention and control group had a BMI within the average range, whereas slightly more than one-third of the children had a higher BMI. Despite a comprehensive gestational intervention program for obese women containing individual weekly visits and opportunity to participate in aqua aerobic classes, there were no differences between BMI or weight development among the offspring at 5 years of age in the intervention and control group.

A Study on the Validity of a Computer-Based Game to Assess Cognitive Processes, Reward Mechanisms, and Time Perception in Children Aged 4-8 Years

PubMed Central

Hurks, Petra PM; Aldenkamp, Albert P; van der Spek, Erik D; Rauterberg, GWM; Vles, Johan SH; Hendriksen, Jos GM

2016-01-01

Background A computer-based game, named Timo’s Adventure, was developed to assess specific cognitive functions (eg, attention, planning, and working memory), time perception, and reward mechanisms in young school-aged children. The game consists of 6 mini-games embedded in a story line and includes fantasy elements to enhance motivation. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of Timo’s Adventure in normally developing children and in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods A total of 96 normally developing children aged 4-8 years and 40 children with ADHD were assessed using the game. Clinical validity was investigated by examining the effects of age on performances within the normally developing children, as well as performance differences between the healthy controls and the ADHD group. Results Our analyses in the normally developing children showed developmental effects; that is, older children made fewer inhibition mistakes (r=−.33, P=.001), had faster (and therefore better) reaction times (r=−.49, P<.001), and were able to produce time intervals more accurately than younger children (ρ=.35, P<.001). Discriminant analysis showed that Timo’s Adventure was accurate in most classifications whether a child belonged to the ADHD group or the normally developing group: 78% (76/97) of the children were correctly classified as having ADHD or as being in the normally developing group. The classification results showed that 72% (41/57) children in the control group were correctly classified, and 88% (35/40) of the children in the ADHD group were correctly classified as having ADHD. Sensitivity (0.89) and specificity (0.69) of Timo’s Adventure were satisfying. Conclusions Computer-based games seem to be a valid tool to assess specific strengths and weaknesses in young children with ADHD. PMID:27658428

Design and Kinematic Evaluation of a Novel Joint-Specific Play Controller: Application for Wrist and Forearm Therapy

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Joel B.; Wilcox, Bethany; Costa, Laura; Kerman, Karen

2015-01-01

Background The wrist extensors and flexors are profoundly affected in most children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) and are the major target of physical therapists' and occupational therapists' efforts to restore useful hand functions. A limitation of any therapeutic or exercise program can be the level of the child's engagement or adherence. The proposed approach capitalizes on the primary learning avenue for children: toy play. Objective This study aimed to develop and evaluate the measurement accuracy of innovative, motion-specific play controllers that are engaging rehabilitative devices for enhancing therapy and promoting neural plasticity and functional recovery in children with CP. Design Design objectives of the play controller included a cost-effective, home-based supplement to physical therapy, the ability to calibrate the controller so that play can be accomplished with any active range of motion, and the capability of logging play activity and wrist motion over week-long periods. Methods Accuracy of the play controller in measuring wrist flexion-extension was evaluated in 6 children who were developing in a typical manner, using optical motion capture of the wrist and forearm as the gold standard. Results The error of the play controller was estimated at approximately 5 degrees in both maximum wrist flexion and extension. Limitations Measurements were taken during a laboratory session, with children without CP, and no toy or computer game was interfaced with the play controller. Therefore, the potential engagement of the proposed approach for therapy remains to be evaluated. Conclusions This study presented the concept, development, and wrist tracking accuracy of an inexpensive approach to extremity therapy that may have a health benefit for children with hemiparesis, and potentially for patients of any age with a wide range of extremity neuromotor impairments. PMID:25573759

Language and False-Belief Task Performance in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Jeffrey Farrar, M; Seung, Hye Kyeung; Lee, Hyeonjin

2017-07-12

Language is related to false-belief (FB) understanding in both typically developing children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study examined the role of complementation and general language in FB understanding. Of interest was whether language plays similar or different roles in the groups' FB performance. Participants were 16 typically developing children (mean age = 5.0 years; mental age = 6.7) and 18 with ASD (mean age = 7.3 years; mental age = 8.3). Children were administered FB and language tasks (say- and think-complements), receptive and expressive vocabulary tests, and relative clauses. When mental age and receptive and expressive vocabulary were used as separate covariates, the typical control group outperformed the children with ASD in FB task performance. Chi-square analyses indicated that passing both complementation tasks was linked to the FB understanding of children with ASD. Children with ASD who passed FB tasks all passed say- and think-complement tasks. However, some children in the control group were able to pass the FB tasks, even if they failed the say- and think-complement tasks. The results indicate that children with ASD relied more on complement understanding to pass FB than typically developing children. Results are discussed regarding the developmental pathways for FB understanding.

Sociomoral Reasoning in Congenitally Deaf Children as a Function of Cognitive Maturity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markoulis, Diomedes; Christoforou, Maria

1991-01-01

Compares the operational and sociomoral reasoning maturity of 70 deaf children with that of a sensory unimpaired control sample. Tests subjects individually on three Piagetian tasks, story pairs, and the concept of justice. Finds slower development of operational reasoning in the deaf children but comparable development in sociomoral reasoning.…

Sibling Influences on Gender Development in Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McHale, Susan M.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Helms- Erikson, Heather; Crouter, Ann C.

2001-01-01

Examined development of gender role qualities from middle childhood to early adolescence to determine whether children's gender role qualities predicted siblings'. Found that firstborn children's qualities in Year 1 predicted second-born children's qualities in Year 3 when Year 1 parent and child qualities were controlled. Parental influence was…

Role of Mothers' Language Styles in Mediating Their Preschool Children's Cognitive Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olim, Ellis G.; And Others

1967-01-01

A study relating mothers' language styles and techniques of family control to children's cognitive development was conducted with 163 urban Negro mothers from the lower and middle classes and their 4-year-old children. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) There was a significant negative correlation between responses of status-oriented…

A Cost of Illness Study of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders and Comorbid Anxiety Disorders as Compared to Clinically Anxious and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steensel, Francisca J.; Dirksen, Carmen D.; Bögels, Susan M.

2013-01-01

The study's aim was to estimate the societal costs of children with high-functioning ASD and comorbid anxiety disorder(s) (ASD + AD-group; n = 73), and to compare these costs to children with anxiety disorders (AD-group; n = 34), and typically developing children (controls; n = 87). Mean total costs for the ASD + AD-group amounted €17,380 per…

Linear and Nonlinear Analyses of the Cardiac Autonomic Control in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Cavalcante Neto, Jorge L; Zamunér, Antonio R; Moreno, Bianca C; Silva, Ester; Tudella, Eloisa

2018-01-01

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and children at risk for DCD (r-DCD) present motor impairments interfering in their school, leisure and daily activities. In addition, these children may have abnormalities in their cardiac autonomic control, which together with their motor impairments, restrict their health and functionality. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the cardiac autonomic control, by linear and nonlinear analysis, at supine and during an orthostatic stimulus in DCD, r-DCD and typically developed children. Thirteen DCD children (11 boys and 2 girls, aged 8.08 ± 0.79 years), 19 children at risk for DCD (13 boys and 6 girls, aged 8.10 ± 0.96 years) and 18 typically developed children, who constituted the control group (CG) (10 boys and 8 girls, aged 8.50 ± 0.96 years) underwent a heart rate variability (HRV) examination. R-R intervals were recorded in order to assess the cardiac autonomic control using a validated HR monitor. HRV was analyzed by linear and nonlinear methods and compared between r-DCD, DCD, and CG. The DCD group presented blunted cardiac autonomic adjustment to the orthostatic stimulus, which was not observed in r-DCD and CG. Regarding nonlinear analysis of HRV, the DCD group presented lower parasympathetic modulation in the supine position compared to the r-DCD and CG groups. In the within group analysis, only the DCD group did not increase HR from supine to standing posture. Symbolic analysis revealed a significant decrease in 2LV ( p < 0.0001) and 2UV ( p < 0.0001) indices from supine to orthostatic posture only in the CG. In conclusion, r-DCD and DCD children present cardiac autonomic dysfunction characterized by higher sympathetic, lower parasympathetic and lower complexity of cardiac autonomic control in the supine position, as well as a blunted autonomic adjustment to the orthostatic stimulus. Therefore, cardiovascular health improvement should be part of DCD children's management, even in cases of less severe motor impairment.

Brief Report: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Reciprocal Imitation Training for Teaching Elicited and Spontaneous Imitation to Children with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ingersoll, Brooke

2010-01-01

Children with autism exhibit significant deficits in imitation skills. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT), a naturalistic imitation intervention, was developed to teach young children with autism to imitate during play. This study used a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of RIT on elicited and spontaneous imitation skills in 21…

Facial emotion recognition, face scan paths, and face perception in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.

PubMed

Lewis, Amelia K; Porter, Melanie A; Williams, Tracey A; Bzishvili, Samantha; North, Kathryn N; Payne, Jonathan M

2017-05-01

This study aimed to investigate face scan paths and face perception abilities in children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) and how these might relate to emotion recognition abilities in this population. The authors investigated facial emotion recognition, face scan paths, and face perception in 29 children with NF1 compared to 29 chronological age-matched typically developing controls. Correlations between facial emotion recognition, face scan paths, and face perception in children with NF1 were examined. Children with NF1 displayed significantly poorer recognition of fearful expressions compared to controls, as well as a nonsignificant trend toward poorer recognition of anger. Although there was no significant difference between groups in time spent viewing individual core facial features (eyes, nose, mouth, and nonfeature regions), children with NF1 spent significantly less time than controls viewing the face as a whole. Children with NF1 also displayed significantly poorer face perception abilities than typically developing controls. Facial emotion recognition deficits were not significantly associated with aberrant face scan paths or face perception abilities in the NF1 group. These results suggest that impairments in the perception, identification, and interpretation of information from faces are important aspects of the social-cognitive phenotype of NF1. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Preschool Classroom as a Context for Cognitive Development: Type of Teacher Feedback and Children's Metacognitive Control (El aula Preescolar como espacio de desarrollo cognitivo: tipo de feedback docente y control metacognitivo en los niños)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muñoz, Liz; Cruz, Josefina Santa

2016-01-01

Introduction: The aim of this work was to determine whether the type of feedback given by the preschool teacher during class impacts the children's metacognitive control. For this purpose, the children's behavior was analyzed while teachers provided feedback during collaborative learning sessions. Method: A quasi-experimental, cross-sectional…

Word Decoding Development during Phonics Instruction in Children at Risk for Dyslexia.

PubMed

Schaars, Moniek M H; Segers, Eliane; Verhoeven, Ludo

2017-05-01

In the present study, we examined the early word decoding development of 73 children at genetic risk of dyslexia and 73 matched controls. We conducted monthly curriculum-embedded word decoding measures during the first 5 months of phonics-based reading instruction followed by standardized word decoding measures halfway and by the end of first grade. In kindergarten, vocabulary, phonological awareness, lexical retrieval, and verbal and visual short-term memory were assessed. The results showed that the children at risk were less skilled in phonemic awareness in kindergarten. During the first 5 months of reading instruction, children at risk were less efficient in word decoding and the discrepancy increased over the months. In subsequent months, the discrepancy prevailed for simple words but increased for more complex words. Phonemic awareness and lexical retrieval predicted the reading development in children at risk and controls to the same extent. It is concluded that children at risk are behind their typical peers in word decoding development starting from the very beginning. Furthermore, it is concluded that the disadvantage increased during phonics instruction and that the same predictors underlie the development of word decoding in the two groups of children. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cerebellar malformations alter regional cerebral development.

PubMed

Bolduc, Marie-Eve; Du Plessis, Adre J; Evans, Alan; Guizard, Nicolas; Zhang, Xun; Robertson, Richard L; Limperopoulos, Catherine

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to compare total and regional cerebral volumes in children with isolated cerebellar malformations (CBMs) with those in typically developing children, and to examine the extent to which cerebellar volumetric reductions are associated with total and regional cerebral volumes. This is a case-control study of children diagnosed with isolated CBMs. Each child was matched on age and sex to two typically developing children. Using advanced three-dimensional volumetric magnetic resonance imaging, the cerebrum was segmented into tissue classes and partitioned into eight regions. Analysis of variance was used to compare cerebral volumes between children with CBMs and control children, and linear regressions to examine the impact of cerebellar volume reduction on cerebral volumes. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed at a mean age of 27 months in 20 children (10 males, 10 females) with CBMs and 40 typically developing children. Children with CBMs showed significantly smaller deep grey matter nuclei (p < 0.001), subgenual white matter (p = 0.03), midtemporal white matter (p = 0.02), and inferior occipital grey matter (p = 0.03) volumes than typically developing children. Greater cerebellar volumetric reduction in children with CBMs was associated with decreased total cerebral volume and deep grey matter nuclei (p = 0.02), subgenual white/grey matter (p = 0.001), midtemporal white (p = 0.02) and grey matter (p = 0.01), and parieto-occipital grey matter (p = 0.004). CBMs are associated with impaired regional cerebral growth, suggesting deactivation of principal cerebello-cerebral pathways. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2011 Mac Keith Press.

Respect-Based Control and Anger as Determinants of Children's Socio-Emotional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Awong, Tsasha; Grusec, Joan E.; Sorenson, Ann

2008-01-01

Shortly after the birth of their infants, teenage working-class mothers were assessed on attitudes toward the need for deference to family authority (respect-based control) and anger. Their children's internalizing and externalizing problems and self-esteem were assessed approximately 12 years later. High respect-based control was linked to higher…

Subcultural Determinants of Locus of Control (IE) Development. A Locus of Control (IE) Measure for Preschool-Age Children: Model, Method, and Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Mark; Delys, Pamela

Both papers are concerned with locus of control (of reinforcement) expectancies among young children, especially preschoolers. The first reviews a number of studies which examined the relationship between locus of control, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. The results indicate that (1) economic status is consistently related to locus of…

Virtual Sensorimotor Balance Training for Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Feasibility Study.

PubMed

McCoy, Sarah Westcott; Jirikowic, Tracy; Price, Robert; Ciol, Marcia A; Hsu, Lin-Ya; Dellon, Brian; Kartin, Deborah

2015-11-01

Diminished sensory adaptation has been associated with poor balance control for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). A virtual reality system, Sensorimotor Training to Affect Balance, Engagement and Learning (STABEL), was developed to train sensory control for balance. The purpose of this study was to examine the STABEL system in children with FASD and children with typical development (TD) to (1) determine the feasibility of the STABEL system and (2) explore the immediate effects of the STABEL system on sensory attention and postural control. This is a technical report with observational study data. Eleven children with FASD and 11 children with TD, aged 8 to 16 years, completed 30 minutes of STABEL training. The children answered questions about their experience using STABEL. Sensory attention and postural control were measured pre- and post-STABEL training with the Multimodal Balance Entrainment Response system and compared using repeated-measures analysis of variance. All children engaged in game play and tolerated controlled sensory input during the STABEL protocol. Immediate effects post-STABEL training in both groups were increased postural sway velocity and some changes in entrainment gain. Children with FASD showed higher entrainment gain to vestibular stimuli. There were no significant changes in sensory attention fractions. The small sample size, dose of STABEL training, and exploratory statistical analyses are study limitations, but findings warrant larger systematic study to examine therapeutic effects. Children completed the training protocol, demonstrating the feasibility of the STABEL system. Differences in postural sway velocity post-STABEL training may have been affected by fatigue, warranting further investigation. Limited immediate effects suggest more practice is needed to affect sensory attention; however, entrainment gain changes suggest the STABEL system provoked vestibular responses during balance practice. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Experience Reduced Control of Isotonic Force

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Tanya T.; Levy, Susan S.; Riley, Edward P.; Thomas, Jennifer D.; Simmons, Roger W.

2013-01-01

Background Heavy prenatal alcohol exposure can result in diverse and extensive damage to the central nervous system, including the cerebellum, basal ganglia, and cerebral cortex. Given that these brain regions are involved in the generation and maintenance of motor force, we predicted that prenatal alcohol exposure would adversely affect this parameter of motor control. We previously reported that children with gestational alcohol exposure experience significant deficits in regulating isometric (i.e., constant) force. The purpose of the present study was to determine if these children exhibit similar deficits when producing isotonic (i.e., graded) force. Methods Children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and typically developing children completed a series of isotonic force contractions by exerting force on a load cell to match a criterion target force displayed on a computer monitor. Two levels of target force (5% or 20% of maximum voluntary force) were investigated in combination with varying levels of visual feedback. Results Compared to controls, children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure generated isotonic force signals that were less accurate, more variable, and less complex in the time domain compared to control children. Specifically, interactions were found between group and visual feedback for response accuracy and signal complexity, suggesting that these children have greater difficulty altering their motor output when visual feedback is low. Conclusions These data suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure produces deficits in regulating isotonic force, which presumably result from alcohol-related damage to developing brain regions involved in motor control. These children will most likely experience difficulty performing basic motor skills and daily functional skills that require coordination of finely graded force. Therapeutic strategies designed to increase feedback and, consequently, facilitate visual-motor integration could improve isotonic force production in these children. PMID:22834891

Monitoring asthma control in children with allergies by soft computing of lung function and exhaled nitric oxide.

PubMed

Pifferi, Massimo; Bush, Andrew; Pioggia, Giovanni; Di Cicco, Maria; Chinellato, Iolanda; Bodini, Alessandro; Macchia, Pierantonio; Boner, Attilio L

2011-02-01

Asthma control is emphasized by new guidelines but remains poor in many children. Evaluation of control relies on subjective patient recall and may be overestimated by health-care professionals. This study assessed the value of spirometry and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurements, used alone or in combination, in models developed by a machine learning approach in the objective classification of asthma control according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines and tested the model in a second group of children with asthma. Fifty-three children with persistent atopic asthma underwent two to six evaluations of asthma control, including spirometry and FeNO. Soft computing evaluation was performed by means of artificial neural networks and principal component analysis. The model was then tested in a cross-sectional study in an additional 77 children with allergic asthma. The machine learning method was not able to distinguish different levels of control using either spirometry or FeNO values alone. However, their use in combination modeled by soft computing was able to discriminate levels of asthma control. In particular, the model is able to recognize all children with uncontrolled asthma and correctly identify 99.0% of children with totally controlled asthma. In the cross-sectional study, the model prospectively identified correctly all the uncontrolled children and 79.6% of the controlled children. Soft computing analysis of spirometry and FeNO allows objective categorization of asthma control status.

Cognitive and linguistic predictors of reading comprehension in children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

van Wingerden, Evelien; Segers, Eliane; van Balkom, Hans; Verhoeven, Ludo

2014-11-01

A considerable number of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) are able to acquire basic word reading skills. However, not much is known about their achievements in more advanced reading comprehension skills. In the present study, a group of 49 children with ID and a control group of 21 typically developing children with word decoding skills in the normal ranges of first grade were compared in lower level (explicit meaning) and higher level (implicit meaning) reading comprehension abilities. Moreover, in the group of children with ID it was examined to what extent their levels of lower level and higher level reading comprehension could be predicted from their linguistic skills (word decoding, vocabulary, language comprehension) and cognitive skill (nonverbal reasoning). It was found that children with ID were weaker than typically developing children in higher level reading comprehension but not in lower level reading comprehension. Children with ID also performed below the control group on nonverbal reasoning and language comprehension. After controlling for nonverbal reasoning, linguistic skills predicted lower level reading comprehension but not higher level reading comprehension. It can be concluded that children with ID who have basic decoding skill do reasonably well on lower level reading comprehension but continue to have problems with higher level reading comprehension. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Classification of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Typically Developing Children Based on Electroencephalogram Principal Component Analysis and k-Nearest Neighbor].

PubMed

Yang, Jiaojiao; Guo, Qian; Li, Wenjie; Wang, Suhong; Zou, Ling

2016-04-01

This paper aims to assist the individual clinical diagnosis of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder using electroencephalogram signal detection method.Firstly,in our experiments,we obtained and studied the electroencephalogram signals from fourteen attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder children and sixteen typically developing children during the classic interference control task of Simon-spatial Stroop,and we completed electroencephalogram data preprocessing including filtering,segmentation,removal of artifacts and so on.Secondly,we selected the subset electroencephalogram electrodes using principal component analysis(PCA)method,and we collected the common channels of the optimal electrodes which occurrence rates were more than 90%in each kind of stimulation.We then extracted the latency(200~450ms)mean amplitude features of the common electrodes.Finally,we used the k-nearest neighbor(KNN)classifier based on Euclidean distance and the support vector machine(SVM)classifier based on radial basis kernel function to classify.From the experiment,at the same kind of interference control task,the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder children showed lower correct response rates and longer reaction time.The N2 emerged in prefrontal cortex while P2 presented in the inferior parietal area when all kinds of stimuli demonstrated.Meanwhile,the children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder exhibited markedly reduced N2 and P2amplitude compared to typically developing children.KNN resulted in better classification accuracy than SVM classifier,and the best classification rate was 89.29%in StI task.The results showed that the electroencephalogram signals were different in the brain regions of prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal cortex between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and typically developing children during the interference control task,which provided a scientific basis for the clinical diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder individuals.

Evidence for increased behavioral control by punishment in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Furukawa, Emi; Alsop, Brent; Sowerby, Paula; Jensen, Stephanie; Tripp, Gail

2017-03-01

The behavioral sensitivity of children with ADHD to punishment has received limited theoretical and experimental attention. This study evaluated the effects of punishment on the response allocation of children with ADHD and typically developing children. Two hundred and ten children, 145 diagnosed with ADHD, completed an operant task in which they chose between playing two simultaneously available games. Reward was arranged symmetrically across the games under concurrent variable interval schedules. Asymmetric punishment schedules were superimposed; responses on one game were punished four times as often as responses on the other. Both groups allocated more of their responses to the less frequently punished alternative. Response bias increased significantly in the ADHD group during later trials, resulting in missed reward trials and reduced earnings. Punishment exerted greater control over the response allocation of children with ADHD with increased time on task. Children with ADHD appear more sensitive to the cumulative effects of punishment than typically developing children. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Theory of mind, inhibitory control, and preschool-age children's suggestibility in different interviewing contexts.

PubMed

Scullin, Matthew H; Bonner, Karri

2006-02-01

The current study examined the relations among 3- to 5-year-olds' theory of mind, inhibitory control, and three measures of suggestibility: yielding to suggestive questions (yield), shifting answers in response to negative feedback (shift), and accuracy in response to misleading questions during a pressured interview about a live event. Theory of mind aided in the prediction of suggestibility about the live event, and inhibitory control was a moderator variable affecting the consistency of children's sensitivity to social pressure across situations. The findings indicate that theory of mind and inhibitory control predict children's suggestibility about a live event above and beyond yield, shift, and age and that the construct validity of shift may improve as children's inhibitory control develops.

Language and motor abilities of preschool children who stutter: Evidence from behavioral and kinematic indices of nonword repetition performance

PubMed Central

Smith, Anne; Goffman, Lisa; Sasisekaran, Jayanthi; Weber-Fox, Christine

2012-01-01

Stuttering is a disorder of speech production that typically arises in the preschool years, and many accounts of its onset and development implicate language and motor processes as critical underlying factors. There have, however, been very few studies of speech motor control processes in preschool children who stutter. Hearing novel nonwords and reproducing them engages multiple neural networks, including those involved in phonological analysis and storage and speech motor programming and execution. We used this task to explore speech motor and language abilities of 31 children aged 4–5 years who were diagnosed as stuttering. We also used sensitive and specific standardized tests of speech and language abilities to determine which of the children who stutter had concomitant language and/or phonological disorders. Approximately half of our sample of stuttering children had language and/or phonological disorders. As previous investigations would suggest, the stuttering children with concomitant language or speech sound disorders produced significantly more errors on the nonword repetition task compared to typically developing children. In contrast, the children who were diagnosed as stuttering, but who had normal speech sound and language abilities, performed the nonword repetition task with equal accuracy compared to their normally fluent peers. Analyses of interarticulator motions during accurate and fluent productions of the nonwords revealed that the children who stutter (without concomitant disorders) showed higher variability in oral motor coordination indices. These results provide new evidence that preschool children diagnosed as stuttering lag their typically developing peers in maturation of speech motor control processes. Educational objectives The reader will be able to: (a) discuss why performance on nonword repetition tasks has been investigated in children who stutter; (b) discuss why children who stutter in the current study had a higher incidence of concomitant language deficits compared to several other studies; (c) describe how performance differed on a nonword repetition test between children who stutter who do and do not have concomitant speech or language deficits; (d) make a general statement about speech motor control for nonword production in children who stutter compared to controls. PMID:23218217

Language Facility and Theory of Mind Development in Deaf Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, A. Lyn

2001-01-01

Deaf children with signing parents, nonnative signing deaf children, children from a hearing impaired unit, oral deaf children, and hearing controls were tested on theory of Mind (ToM) tasks and a British sign language receptive language test. Language ability correlated positively and significantly with ToM ability. Age underpinned the…

Children with ADHD Symptoms Are Less Susceptible to Gap-Filling Errors than Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mirandola, C.; Paparella, G.; Re, A. M.; Ghetti, S.; Cornoldi, C.

2012-01-01

Enhanced semantic processing is associated with increased false recognition of items consistent with studied material, suggesting that children with poor semantic skills could produce fewer false memories. We examined whether memory errors differed in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and controls. Children viewed 18…

Factor Structure of the Children's Behavior Questionnaire in Children with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leyfer, Ovsanna; John, Angela E.; Woodruff-Borden, Janet; Mervis, Carolyn B.

2012-01-01

To examine the factor structure of temperament in 5-10-year-olds with Williams syndrome, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the responses of parents of 192 children on the children's behavior questionnaire. Four factors were identified. Two corresponded to factors reported for typically developing children: effortful control and…

Sequence-specific procedural learning deficits in children with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Hsu, Hsinjen Julie; Bishop, Dorothy V M

2014-05-01

This study tested the procedural deficit hypothesis of specific language impairment (SLI) by comparing children's performance in two motor procedural learning tasks and an implicit verbal sequence learning task. Participants were 7- to 11-year-old children with SLI (n = 48), typically developing age-matched children (n = 20) and younger typically developing children matched for receptive grammar (n = 28). In a serial reaction time task, the children with SLI performed at the same level as the grammar-matched children, but poorer than age-matched controls in learning motor sequences. When tested with a motor procedural learning task that did not involve learning sequential relationships between discrete elements (i.e. pursuit rotor), the children with SLI performed comparably with age-matched children and better than younger grammar-matched controls. In addition, poor implicit learning of word sequences in a verbal memory task (the Hebb effect) was found in the children with SLI. Together, these findings suggest that SLI might be characterized by deficits in learning sequence-specific information, rather than generally weak procedural learning. © 2014 The Authors. Developmental Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of breathing rate on the cardiac autonomic dynamics among children with cerebral palsy compared to typically developed controls.

PubMed

Amichai, Taly; Eylon, Sharon; Berger, Itai; Katz-Leurer, Michal

2018-02-06

To describe the immediate effect of breathing rate on heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and a control group of typically developed (TD) age and gender-matched children. Twenty children with CP at gross motor function classification system levels I-III and 20 TD children aged 6-11 participated in the study. HR was monitored at rest and during paced breathing with biofeedback. Respiratory measures were assessed by KoKo spirometry. Children with CP have lower spirometry and HRV values at rest compared to TD children. The mean reduction of breathing rate during paced breathing among children with CP was significantly smaller. Nonetheless, while practicing paced breathing, both groups reduced their breathing rate and increased their HRV. The results of the current work present the immediate effect of paced breathing on HRV parameters in CP and TD children. Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of long-term treatment focusing on paced breathing for children with CP.

[Association between neontal morbidity, gestational age and developmental delays in moderate to late preterm children].

PubMed

Schonhaut, Luisa; Pérez, Marcela; Muñoz, Sergio

2015-01-01

There is evidence that children born moderate-to-late preterm (MLP) have a higher risk of hospitalisation, neonatal morbidity, and developmental delay (DD). To determine the association between DD, gestational age, and neonatal morbidity in MLP children. A case control study design nested in a cohort of MLP children born between 2006 and 2009 at a private hospital located in the Metropolitan area of Santiago. The children were assessed with the Bayley-III Scales of Infant Development at 8 or 18 months corrected age, or at 30 months of chronological age. Neonatal records were retrospectively reviewed. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine the effect of neonatal morbidity on development. A total of 130 MLP children, 25 cases and 105 controls, were studied. Most of them (83.8%) were hospitalised during the neonatal period. Significant differences between cases and controls regarding maternal age and symptomatic hypoglycaemia were observed (crude OR 3.5, adjusted OR 8.18). It was concluded that the variables that negatively affect the rate of development are male gender, being a twin, and gestational age. Symptomatic hypoglycaemia is the main risk factor for DD, while being a twin, male gender, and gestational age influenced the total development rate obtained. It is essential to develop strategies for prevention, screening, and early management of this metabolic disorder to prevent future DD. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Chilena de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effortful Control in Typically Developing Boys and in Boys with ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samyn, Vicky; Roeyers, Herbert; Bijttebier, Patricia

2011-01-01

Despite increased interest in the role of effortful control (EC) in developmental disorders, few studies have focused on EC in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and no study so far has directly compared children with ASD and children with ADHD. A first aim of this study was to investigate whether typically developing (TD) boys, boys with ADHD and…

Susceptible to distraction: children lack top-down control over spatial attention capture.

PubMed

Gaspelin, Nicholas; Margett-Jordan, Tessa; Ruthruff, Eric

2015-04-01

Considerable evidence has indicated that adults can exert top-down control to avoid distraction by salient-but-irrelevant stimuli. However, relatively little research has explored how this ability develops across the lifespan. In the present study, we therefore assessed how well children can control the capture of spatial attention. Children (M age = 4.2 years) and adults (M age = 21.5 years) searched for target "spaceships" of a specific color while trying to ignore salient precues that either matched or mismatched the target spaceship color. The results demonstrated that children are, in fact, more vulnerable to capture by irrelevant stimuli than are adults, even after accounting for children's overall cognitive slowing.

Parent Perception of Two Eye-Gaze Control Technology Systems in Young Children with Cerebral Palsy: Pilot Study.

PubMed

Karlsson, Petra; Wallen, Margaret

2017-01-01

Eye-gaze control technology enables people with significant physical disability to access computers for communication, play, learning and environmental control. This pilot study used a multiple case study design with repeated baseline assessment and parents' evaluations to compare two eye-gaze control technology systems to identify any differences in factors such as ease of use and impact of the systems for their young children. Five children, aged 3 to 5 years, with dyskinetic cerebral palsy, and their families participated. Overall, families were satisfied with both the Tobii PCEye Go and myGaze® eye tracker, found them easy to position and use, and children learned to operate them quickly. This technology provides young children with important opportunities for learning, play, leisure, and developing communication.

Coupling of online control and inhibitory systems in children with atypical motor development: A growth curve modelling study.

PubMed

Ruddock, Scott; Caeyenberghs, Karen; Piek, Jan; Sugden, David; Hyde, Christian; Morris, Sue; Rigoli, Daniela; Steenbergen, Bert; Wilson, Peter

2016-11-01

Previous research indicates that children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) show deficits performing online corrections, an issue exacerbated by adding inhibitory constraints; however, cross-sectional data suggests that these deficits may reduce with age. Using a longitudinal design, the aim of the study presented here was to model the coupling that occurs between inhibitory systems and (predictive) online control in typically developing children (TDC) and in those with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) over an extended period of time, using a framework of interactive specialization. We predicted that TDC would show a non-linear growth pattern, consistent with re-organisation in the coupling during the middle childhood period, while DCD would display a developmental lag. A group of 196 children (111 girls and 85 boys) aged between 6 and 12years participated in the study. Children were classified as DCD according to research criteria. Using a cohort sequential design, both TDC and DCD groups were divided into age cohorts. Predictive (online) control was defined operationally by performance on a Double-Jump Reaching Task (DJRT), which was assessed at 6-month intervals over two years (5 time points in total). Inhibitory control was examined using an anti-jump condition of the DJRT paradigm whereby children were instructed to touch a target location in the hemispace opposite a cued location. For the TDC group, model comparison using growth curve analysis revealed that a quadratic trend was the most appropriate fit with evidence of rapid improvement in anti-reach performance up until middle childhood (around 8-9years of age), followed by a more gradual rate of improvement into late childhood and early adolescence. This pattern was evident on both chronometric and kinematic measures. In contrast, for children with DCD, a linear function provided the best to fit on the key metrics, with a slower rate of improvement than controls. We conclude that children with DCD require a more extended period of development to effectively couple online motor control and executive systems when completing anti-reach movements, whereas TDC show rapid improvement in early and middle childhood. These group differences in growth curves are likely to reflect a maturational lag in the development of motor-cognitive networks in children with DCD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Development of Emotion Recognition in Individuals with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rump, Keiran M.; Giovannelli, Joyce L.; Minshew, Nancy J.; Strauss, Mark S.

2009-01-01

Emotion recognition was investigated in typically developing individuals and individuals with autism. Experiment 1 tested children (5-7 years, n = 37) with brief video displays of facial expressions that varied in subtlety. Children with autism performed worse than the control children. In Experiment 2, 3 age groups (8-12 years, n = 49; 13-17…

Deaf and Hearing Children: A Comparison of Peripheral Vision Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Codina, Charlotte; Buckley, David; Port, Michael; Pascalis, Olivier

2011-01-01

This study investigated peripheral vision (at least 30[degrees] eccentric to fixation) development in profoundly deaf children without cochlear implantation, and compared this to age-matched hearing controls as well as to deaf and hearing adult data. Deaf and hearing children between the ages of 5 and 15 years were assessed using a new,…

Brief Report: Additive and Subtractive Counterfactual Reasoning of Children with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begeer, Sander; Terwogt, Mark Meerum; Lunenburg, Patty; Stegge, Hedy

2009-01-01

The development of additive ("If only I had done...") and subtractive ("If only I had not done....") counterfactual reasoning was examined in children with High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (HFASD) (n = 72) and typically developing controls (n = 71), aged 6-12 years. Children were presented four stories where they could generate…

Facilitating Other-Awareness in Low-Functioning Children with Autism and Typically-Developing Preschoolers Using Dual-Control Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holt, Samantha; Yuill, Nicola

2014-01-01

Children with autism are said to lack other-awareness, which restricts their opportunities for peer collaboration. We assessed other-awareness in non-verbal children with autism and typically-developing preschoolers collaborating on a shared computerised picture-sorting task. The studies compared a novel interface, designed to support…

Reciprocal Associations between Young Children's Developing Moral Judgments and Theory of Mind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smetana, Judith G.; Jambon, Marc; Conry-Murray, Clare; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.

2012-01-01

Associations between young children's developing theory of mind (ToM) and judgments of prototypical moral transgressions were examined 3 times across 1 year in 70 American middle class 2.5- to 4-year-olds. Separate path models controlling for cross-time stability in judgments, within-time associations, and children's age at Wave 1 indicated that…

Modeling Prosocial Behavior Increases Helping in 16-Month-Olds.

PubMed

Schuhmacher, Nils; Köster, Moritz; Kärtner, Joscha

2018-04-17

In two experiments, the imitation of helping behavior in 16-month-olds was investigated. In Study 1 (N = 31), infants either observed an adult model helping or not helping another individual before they had the opportunity to assist an unfamiliar experimenter. In one of two tasks, more children helped in the prosocial model condition than in the no model control condition. In Study 2 (N = 60), a second control condition was included to test whether infants imitated the prosocial intention (no neediness control). Children in the prosocial model condition helped more readily than children in the no model condition, with the second control condition falling in between. These findings propose that modeling provides a critical learning mechanism in early prosocial development. © 2018 Society for Research in Child Development.

Neuroplastic effects of music lessons on hippocampal volume in children with congenital hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Zendel, Benjamin Rich; Willoughby, Karen A; Rovet, Joanne F

2013-12-04

Children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) who experience a neonatal thyroid hormone deficiency have reduced hippocampal volumes compared with healthy controls. Interestingly, evidence suggests that musical training can contribute to structural plasticity in a number of brain areas, including the hippocampus. Therefore, we investigated whether taking music lessons could ameliorate the volumetric reductions of the hippocampus in children with CH. Left and right hippocampal volumes were measured in four groups of children: children with CH with and without music lessons, and healthy controls with and without music lessons. We found that the volume of the right hippocampus was comparable between children with CH who had taken music lessons and the healthy controls. Children with CH who had not taken music lessons had reduced hippocampal volumes compared with the other three groups. These results suggest that music lessons may induce structural neuroplasticity in children with atypical hippocampal development because of early thyroid hormone deficiencies.

Cognitive development in Yucheng children.

PubMed

Lai, T J; Guo, Y L; Yu, M L; Ko, H C; Hsu, C C

1994-01-01

We have been following up the biological and mental development of children exposed prenatally to polychlorinated biphenyls and their contaminants (Yucheng children). When we started this 12-year follow-up study in August 1985, 118 Yucheng children we assigned a non-exposed child matched by sex, age, locality of residence, mother's age, socio-economic status of the family. This article reports the cognitive aspect of the development of Yucheng children as compared to their matched controls. A consistent tendency which indicates that Yucheng children score lower in each kind of measurement tool at each age level has been observed. This seems to imply that congenitally exposure to PCBs and their contaminants has long-term adverse effects on the cognitive development of human being.

Ability of independently ambulant children with cerebral palsy to ride a two-wheel bicycle: a case-control study.

PubMed

Toovey, Rachel; Reid, Susan M; Rawicki, Barry; Harvey, Adrienne R; Watt, Kerrianne

2017-04-01

Limited information exists on the ability of children with cerebral palsy (CP) to ride a two-wheel bicycle, an activity that may improve health and participation. We aimed to describe bicycle-riding ability and variables associated with ability to ride in children with CP (Gross Motor Functional Classification System [GMFCS] levels I-II) compared with children with typical development. This case-control study surveyed parents of 114 children with CP and 87 children with typical development aged 6 to 15 years (115 males, mean age 9y 11mo, standard deviation [SD] 2y 10mo). Kaplan-Meier methods were used to compare proportions able to ride at any given age between the two groups. Logistic regression was used to assess variables associated with ability to ride for children with CP and typical development separately. The proportion of children with CP able to ride at each level of bicycle-riding ability was substantially lower at each age than peers with typical development (p<0.001). While most children with typical development were able to ride independently by 10 years of age, 51% of children with CP classified as GMFCS level I and 3% of those classified as GMFCS level II had obtained independent riding in the community by 15 years of age. Variables associated with ability to ride for children classified as GMFCS level I were age and parent-rated importance of their child being able to ride. Some independently ambulant children with CP can learn to ride a bicycle, in particular if they are classified as GMFCS level I. Variables associated with ability to ride deserve consideration in shaping future efforts for the majority of this population who are not yet able to ride. © 2016 Mac Keith Press.

Social withdrawal in children moderates the association between parenting styles and the children's own socioemotional development.

PubMed

Zarra-Nezhad, Maryam; Kiuru, Noona; Aunola, Kaisa; Zarra-Nezhad, Mansour; Ahonen, Timo; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2014-11-01

Social withdrawal in early childhood is a risk factor for later socioemotional difficulties. This study examined the joint effects of children's social withdrawal and mothers' and fathers' parenting styles on children's socioemotional development. Based on diatheses-stress, vantage sensitivity, and differential susceptibility models, socially withdrawn children were assumed to be more prone to parental influences than others. Teachers rated 314 children on prosocial skills, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors at three points in time between grades 1-3. Mothers (n = 279) and fathers (n = 182) filled in questionnaires measuring their affection, and their behavioral and psychological control at the same points in time. Teacher reports on children's level of social withdrawal were obtained at the end of kindergarten. Panel analysis showed that particularly those children who showed signs of social withdrawal were vulnerable to the negative effects of low maternal affection in terms of externalizing behavior. Moreover, among these children, mothers' and fathers' psychological control predicted high levels of internalizing problem but, at the same time, mothers' psychological control predicted also a high level of prosocial behavior and low levels of externalizing problem. The results supported the diathesis-stress model more than the differential susceptibility model. For example, socially withdrawn children were found to be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of low maternal affection. Although maternal psychological control had positive effects on the prosocial skills of socially withdrawn children, and reduced the amount of externalizing problems, it was at the same time associated with an increase in their internalizing problems. In this way, socially withdrawn children seem to be at risk of pleasing their mothers at the cost of their own well-being. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Pathways from maternal effortful control to child self-regulation: The role of maternal emotional support.

PubMed

Zeytinoglu, Selin; Calkins, Susan D; Swingler, Margaret M; Leerkes, Esther M

2017-03-01

This study examined the direct and indirect pathways from maternal effortful control to 2 aspects of children's self-regulation-executive functioning and behavioral regulation-via maternal emotional support. Two hundred seventy-eight children and their primary caregivers (96% mothers) participated in laboratory visits when children were 4 and 5 years, and teachers reported on children's behavior at kindergarten. At the 4-year assessment, maternal effortful control was measured using the Adult Temperament Questionnaire (Evans & Rothbart, 2007) and maternal emotional support was observed during a semistructured mother-child problem-solving task. At the 5-year assessment, children's executive functioning was measured using laboratory tasks designed to assess updating/working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, whereas behavioral regulation was assessed via teacher-report questionnaires on children's attention control, discipline and persistence, and work habits. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that, after controlling for child gender and minority status, and maternal education, maternal effortful control was indirectly associated with both child executive functioning and behavioral regulation through maternal emotional support. Maternal effortful control had a direct association with children's teacher-reported behavioral regulation but not observed executive functioning. These findings suggest that maternal effortful control may be a key contributing factor to the development of children's self-regulatory competencies through its impact on maternal emotional support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

[Extremely Low Birthweight Infants in Iceland. Health and development.].

PubMed

Georgsdóttir, Ingibjœrg; Sæmundsen, Evald; Símonardóttir, Ingibjœrg; Halldórsson, Jónas G; Egilson, Snæfríður Thorn; Leósdóttir, Thornóra; Ingvarsdóttir, Brynhildur; Sindrason, Einar; Dagbjartsson, Atli

2003-01-01

Survival of extremely low birthweight infants (BW<1000g) in Iceland has increased in recent years, especially since the availability of surfactant therapy for Respiratory Distress Syndrome of Prematurity. This study was part of a geographically defined national study on survival, health, development and longterm outcome of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants in Iceland focusing on health, development and disabilities with reference to a control group. Information from the National Birth Registry on births in Iceland of ELBW infants weighing 500-999g was collected in two periods 1982-90 and 1991-95, before and after surfactant therapy became available. Information on pregnancy, birth, diseases in the newborn period and later health problems was collected from hospital records. The ELBW infants born in 1991-95 and matched control children were enrolled to a prospective study on longterm health and development. The children undervent medical examinations and developmental testing at 5 years of age in 1996-2001. Comparison was made between the two groups of ELBW infants and between ELBW infants and control children born in 1991-95. In 1982-90 the longterm survival of ELBW infants at 5 years of age was 22% and 52% in 1991-95. In both periods 1982-90 and 1991-95 similar data was found on ELBW infants regarding mothers health, pregnancy, birth and neonatal period. Difference was found in maternal age being significantly higher (p=0.02) and significally more deliveries by cesarian section (p=0.02) in the latter period. The two groups of ELBW infants were similar regarding sex, birthweight and diseases in the newborn period. Comparison between 35 ELBW infants and 55 control children born 1991-95 showed that significantly more mothers of ELBW children smoked during pregnancy (p=0.003) and suffered from various diseases (p=0.001). More ELBW children were born by cesarian section (p=0.001) than control children and their parents reported more longterm health problems regarding astma (p=0.001), convulsions (p=0.001), difficulties in swallowing (p=0.001) and weight gaining (p=0.005). At five years of age significantly more ELBW children born in 1991-95 compared to control children had abnormal general physical examination (p

Parental Effects on Children's Emotional Development over Time and across Generations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stack, Dale M.; Serbin, Lisa A.; Enns, Leah N.; Ruttle, Paula L.; Barrieau, Lindsey

2010-01-01

Principal tasks of the early childhood years, including attaining self-efficacy, self-control, social integration, and preparedness for education, require the development of adaptive and competent emotional development. Results from longitudinal and intergenerational studies examining the effect of parenting behaviors on children's emotional…

Resting-State Neurophysiological Activity Patterns in Young People with ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD.

PubMed

Shephard, Elizabeth; Tye, Charlotte; Ashwood, Karen L; Azadi, Bahar; Asherson, Philip; Bolton, Patrick F; McLoughlin, Grainne

2018-01-01

Altered power of resting-state neurophysiological activity has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which commonly co-occur. We compared resting-state neurophysiological power in children with ASD, ADHD, co-occurring ASD + ADHD, and typically developing controls. Children with ASD (ASD/ASD + ADHD) showed reduced theta and alpha power compared to children without ASD (controls/ADHD). Children with ADHD (ADHD/ASD + ADHD) displayed decreased delta power compared to children without ADHD (ASD/controls). Children with ASD + ADHD largely presented as an additive co-occurrence with deficits of both disorders, although reduced theta compared to ADHD-only and reduced delta compared to controls suggested some unique markers. Identifying specific neurophysiological profiles in ASD and ADHD may assist in characterising more homogeneous subgroups to inform treatment approaches and aetiological investigations.

Mothers' and fathers' support for child autonomy and early school achievement.

PubMed

2008-07-01

Data were analyzed from 641 children and their families in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to test the hypotheses that in the early school years, mothers' and fathers' sensitive support for autonomy in observed parent-child interactions would each make unique predictions to children's reading and math achievement at Grade 3 (controlling for demographic variables), children's reading and math abilities at 54 months, and children's level of effortful control at 54 months and that these associations would be mediated by the level of and changes over time in children's observed self-reliance in the classroom from Grades 1 through 3. The authors found that mothers' and fathers' support for autonomy were significantly and uniquely associated with children's Grade 3 reading and math achievement with the above controls, but only for boys. For boys, the effect of mothers' support for child autonomy was mediated by higher self-reliance at Grade 1 and of fathers' support for child autonomy by greater increases in self-reliance from Grades 1 through 3.

Adaptive behavior in Chinese children with Williams syndrome

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by compelling psychological phenotypes. The symptoms span multiple cognitive domains and include a distinctive pattern of social behavior. The goal of this study was to explore adaptive behavior in WS patients in China. Methods We conducted a structured interview including the Infants-Junior Middle School Students Social-life Abilities Scale in three participant groups: children with WS (n = 26), normally-developing children matched for mental age (MA, n = 30), and normally-developing children matched for chronological age (CA, n = 40). We compared the mean scores for each domain between the three groups. Results Children with WS had more siblings than children in the two control groups. The educational level of the caregivers of WS children was lower than that of the control children. We found no differences in locomotion, work skill, socialization, or self-management between the WS and MA groups. WS children obtained higher scores of self-dependence (df = 54, Z = −2.379, p = 0.017) and had better communication skills (df = 54, Z = −2.222, p = 0.026) compared with MA children. The CA children achieved higher scores than the WS children for all dimensions of adaptive behavior. Conclusions WS children have better adaptive behavior skills regarding communication and self-dependence than normal children matched for mental age. Targeted intervention techniques should be designed to promote social development in this population. PMID:24708693

Vestibulo-Ocular Response and Balance Control in Children and Young Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zur, Oz; Ronen, Ayelet; Melzer, Itshak; Carmeli, Eli

2013-01-01

The vestibulo-ocular response (VOR) may not be fully developed in children with an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). This study aimed to identify the presence of VOR deficit in children and young adults with unspecified mild-to-moderate intellectual and developmental disability and its effect on balance control. Twenty-one children…

Child Effortful Control as a Mediator of Parenting Practices on Externalizing Behavior: Evidence for a Sex-Differentiated Pathway across the Transition from Preschool to School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Hyein; Olson, Sheryl L.; Sameroff, Arnold J.; Sexton, Holly R.

2011-01-01

An explanatory model for children's development of disruptive behavior across the transition from preschool to school was tested. It was hypothesized that child effortful control would mediate the effects of parenting on children's externalizing behavior and that child sex would moderate these relations. Participants were 241 children (123 boys)…

A Control-Value Theory Approach: Relationships between Academic Self-Concept, Interest, and Test Anxiety in Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohbeck, Annette; Nitkowski, Dennis; Petermann, Franz

2016-01-01

Background: Research on test anxiety of elementary school children has mainly focused on prevalence rates and gender differences. Less work has addressed predictors of test anxiety in elementary school children. According to the control-value theory developed by Pekrun ("Educ Psychol Rev" 18:315-341. doi: 10.1007/s10648-006-9029-9,…

Influences of Teachers' Attitudes and Oral Guidance on the Persistence of Young Children Aged 3-6 Years Old

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dan, Fei; Feng, Lu; Wang, Qiong

2009-01-01

Persistence is important in developing pre-school children's ego control. Based on the fact that during the teaching process a teacher's communication and actions will have a significant influence on young children, which is due to the teachers' high degree of control over them, four experiments were designed to probe the influences of teachers'…

Does HPA-Axis Dysregulation Account for the Effects of Income on Effortful Control and Adjustment in Preschool Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lengua, Liliana J.; Zalewski, Maureen; Fisher, Phil; Moran, Lyndsey

2013-01-01

The effects of low income on children's adjustment might be accounted for by disruptions to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis activity and to the development of effortful control. Using longitudinal data and a community sample of preschool-age children (N?=?306, 36-39?months) and their mothers, recruited to over-represent low-income…

The Course of Neuropsychological Functions in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder from Late Childhood to Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drechsler, Renate; Brandeis, Daniel; Foldenyi, Monika; Imhof, Katrin; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph

2005-01-01

Objective: The aim of this follow-up study was to investigate the course of performance in attentional tasks in children with ADHD and normal controls in late childhood and preadolescence over short periods of time. The development of two dimensions of attention was compared: alertness/arousal and inhibitory control. Method: Children with ADHD (N…

Relations between Inhibitory Control and the Development of Academic Skills in Preschool and Kindergarten: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, Nicholas P.; Hume, Laura E.; Allan, Darcey M.; Farrington, Amber L.; Lonigan, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Although there is evidence that young children's inhibitory control (IC) is related to their academic skills, the nature of this relation and the role of potential moderators of it are not well understood. In this meta-analytic study, we summarized results from 75 peer-reviewed studies of preschool and kindergarten children (14,424 children; 32-80…

Links between motor control and classroom behaviors: Moderation by low birth weight

PubMed Central

Razza, Rachel A.; Martin, Anne; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

2016-01-01

It is unclear from past research on effortful control whether one of its components, motor control, independently contributes to adaptive classroom behaviors. The goal of this study was to identify associations between early motor control, measured by the walk-a-line task at age 3, and teacher-reported learning-related behaviors (approaches to learning and attention problems) and behavior problems in kindergarten classrooms. Models tested whether children who were vulnerable to poorer learning behaviors and more behavior problems due to having been born low birth weight benefited more, less, or the same as other children from better motor control. Data were drawn from the national Fragile Families and Child-Wellbeing Study (n = 751). Regression models indicated that motor control was significantly associated with better approaches to learning and fewer behavior problems. Children who were low birth weight benefitted more than normal birth weight children from better motor control with respect to their approaches to learning, but equally with respect to behavior problems. Additionally, for low but not normal birth weight children, better motor control predicted fewer attention problems. These findings suggest that motor control follows a compensatory model of development for low birth weight children and classroom behaviors. PMID:27594776

Demographic profile of families and children in the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED): Case-control study of autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

DiGuiseppi, Carolyn G.; Daniels, Julie L.; Fallin, Daniele M.; Rosenberg, Steven A.; Schieve, Laura A.; Thomas, Kathleen C.; Windham, Gayle C.; Goss, Cynthia W.; Soke, Gnakub N.; Currie, Dustin W.; Singer, Alison B.; Lee, Li-Ching; Bernal, Pilar; Croen, Lisa A.; Miller, Lisa A.; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer A.; Young, Lisa M.; Schendel, Diana E.

2016-01-01

Background The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is designed to enhance knowledge of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and etiologies. Objective This paper describes the demographic profile of enrolled families and examines sociodemographic differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and children with other developmental problems or who are typically developing. Methods This multi-site case-control study used health, education, and birth certificate records to identify and enroll children aged 2–5 years into one of three groups: 1) cases (children with autism spectrum disorder), 2) developmental delay or disorder controls, or 3) general population controls. Study group classification was based on sampling source, prior diagnoses, and study screening tests and developmental evaluations. The child's primary caregiver provided demographic characteristics through a telephone (or occasionally face-to-face) interview. Groups were compared using ANOVA, chi-squared test, or multinomial logistic regression as appropriate. Results Of 2768 study children, sizeable proportions were born to mothers of non-White race (31.7%), Hispanic ethnicity (11.4%), and foreign birth (17.6%); 33.0% of households had incomes below the US median. The autism spectrum disorder and population control groups differed significantly on nearly all sociodemographic parameters. In contrast, the autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay or disorder groups had generally similar sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions SEED enrolled a sociodemographically diverse sample, which will allow further, in-depth exploration of sociodemographic differences between study groups and provide novel opportunities to explore sociodemographic influences on etiologic risk factor associations with autism spectrum disorder and phenotypic subtypes. PMID:26917104

Demographic profile of families and children in the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED): Case-control study of autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

DiGuiseppi, Carolyn G; Daniels, Julie L; Fallin, Daniele M; Rosenberg, Steven A; Schieve, Laura A; Thomas, Kathleen C; Windham, Gayle C; Goss, Cynthia W; Soke, Gnakub N; Currie, Dustin W; Singer, Alison B; Lee, Li-Ching; Bernal, Pilar; Croen, Lisa A; Miller, Lisa A; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer A; Young, Lisa M; Schendel, Diana E

2016-07-01

The Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) is designed to enhance knowledge of autism spectrum disorder characteristics and etiologies. This paper describes the demographic profile of enrolled families and examines sociodemographic differences between children with autism spectrum disorder and children with other developmental problems or who are typically developing. This multi-site case-control study used health, education, and birth certificate records to identify and enroll children aged 2-5 years into one of three groups: 1) cases (children with autism spectrum disorder), 2) developmental delay or disorder controls, or 3) general population controls. Study group classification was based on sampling source, prior diagnoses, and study screening tests and developmental evaluations. The child's primary caregiver provided demographic characteristics through a telephone (or occasionally face-to-face) interview. Groups were compared using ANOVA, chi-squared test, or multinomial logistic regression as appropriate. Of 2768 study children, sizeable proportions were born to mothers of non-White race (31.7%), Hispanic ethnicity (11.4%), and foreign birth (17.6%); 33.0% of households had incomes below the US median. The autism spectrum disorder and population control groups differed significantly on nearly all sociodemographic parameters. In contrast, the autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay or disorder groups had generally similar sociodemographic characteristics. SEED enrolled a sociodemographically diverse sample, which will allow further, in-depth exploration of sociodemographic differences between study groups and provide novel opportunities to explore sociodemographic influences on etiologic risk factor associations with autism spectrum disorder and phenotypic subtypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of Children at Risk for Adverse Outcomes Participating in Early Intervention in Developing Countries: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallander, Jan L.; Bann, Carla M.; Biasini, Fred J.; Goudar, Shivaprasad S.; Pasha, Omrana; Chomba, Elwyn; McClure, Elizabeth; Carlo, Waldemar A.

2014-01-01

Background: Previous research has indicated positive effects of early developmental intervention (EDI) on the development of children in developing countries. Few studies, however, have examined longitudinally when differential treatment effects may be observed and whether differential outcomes are associated with exposure to different risk…

Participation Patterns of Preschool Children With Intellectual Developmental Disabilities.

PubMed

Gilboa, Yafit; Fuchs, Reut

2018-04-01

We aim to examine the pattern of participation of children with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) or global developmental delay (GDD) in comparison with typically developing preschoolers. In addition, to identify environmental and personal factors associated with their participation, 20 children with mild to moderate GDD or IDD, and 24 age- and gender-matched controls, aged 3 to 6 years, were assessed using the Assessment of Preschool Children's Participation and the Environmental Restriction Questionnaire. Significant differences were found between the groups, both for general scales of participation and for each activity area. For the IDD/GDD group, participation was significantly negatively correlated with environmental restrictions at home. For the control group, participation was correlated with demographic variables. Typically developing children participate at a higher frequency and in a more diverse range of activities compared with children with IDD/GDD. Associations between participation and contextual factors varied depending on the child's health condition.

Training children aged 5-10 years in manual compliance control to improve drawing and handwriting.

PubMed

Bingham, Geoffrey P; Snapp-Childs, Winona

2018-04-12

A large proportion of school-aged children exhibit poor drawing and handwriting. This prevalence limits the availability of therapy. We developed an automated method for training improved manual compliance control and relatedly, prospective control of a stylus. The approach included a difficult training task, while providing parametrically modifiable support that enables the children to perform successfully while developing good compliance control. The task was to use a stylus to push a bead along a 3D wire path. Support was provided by making the wire magnetically attractive to the stylus. Support was progressively reduced as 3D tracing performance improved. We report studies that (1) compared performance of Typically Developing (TD) children and children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), (2) tested training with active versus passive movement, (3) tested progressively reduced versus constant or no support during training, (4) tested children of different ages, (5) tested the transfer of training to a drawing task, (6) tested the specificity of training in respect to the size, shape and dimensionality of figures, and (7) investigated the relevance of the training task to the Beery VMI, an inventory used to diagnose DCD. The findings were as follows. (1) Pre-training performance of TD and DCD children was the same and good with high support but distinct and poor with low support. Support yielded good self-efficacy that motivated training. Post training performance with no support was improved and the same for TD and DCD children. (2) Actively controlled movements were required for improved performance. (3) Progressively reduced support was required for good performance during and after training. (4) Age differences in performance during pre-training were eliminated post-training. (5) Improvements transferred to drawing. (6) There was no evidence of specificity of training in transfer. (7) Disparate Beery scores were reflected in pre-training but not post-training performance. We conclude that the method improves manual compliance control, and more generally, prospective control of movements used in drawing performance. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Playing Active Video Games may not develop movement skills: An intervention trial.

PubMed

Barnett, Lisa M; Ridgers, Nicola D; Reynolds, John; Hanna, Lisa; Salmon, Jo

2015-01-01

To investigate the impact of playing sports Active Video Games on children's actual and perceived object control skills. Intervention children played Active Video Games for 6 weeks (1 h/week) in 2012. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 assessed object control skill. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence assessed perceived object control skill. Repeated measurements of object control and perceived object control were analysed for the whole sample, using linear mixed models, which included fixed effects for group (intervention or control) and time (pre and post) and their interaction. The first model adjusted for sex only and the second model also adjusted for age, and prior ball sports experience (yes/no). Seven mixed-gender focus discussions were conducted with intervention children after programme completion. Ninety-five Australian children (55% girls; 43% intervention group) aged 4 to 8 years (M 6.2, SD 0.95) participated. Object control skill improved over time (p = 0.006) but there was no significant difference (p = 0.913) between groups in improvement (predicted means: control 31.80 to 33.53, SED = 0.748; intervention 30.33 to 31.83, SED = 0.835). A similar result held for the second model. Similarly the intervention did not change perceived object control in Model 1 (predicted means: control: 19.08 to 18.68, SED = 0.362; intervention 18.67 to 18.88, SED = 0.406) or Model 2. Children found the intervention enjoyable, but most did not perceive direct equivalence between Active Video Games and 'real life' activities. Whilst Active Video Game play may help introduce children to sport, this amount of time playing is unlikely to build skill.

Playing Active Video Games may not develop movement skills: An intervention trial

PubMed Central

Barnett, Lisa M.; Ridgers, Nicola D.; Reynolds, John; Hanna, Lisa; Salmon, Jo

2015-01-01

Background: To investigate the impact of playing sports Active Video Games on children's actual and perceived object control skills. Methods: Intervention children played Active Video Games for 6 weeks (1 h/week) in 2012. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2 assessed object control skill. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence assessed perceived object control skill. Repeated measurements of object control and perceived object control were analysed for the whole sample, using linear mixed models, which included fixed effects for group (intervention or control) and time (pre and post) and their interaction. The first model adjusted for sex only and the second model also adjusted for age, and prior ball sports experience (yes/no). Seven mixed-gender focus discussions were conducted with intervention children after programme completion. Results: Ninety-five Australian children (55% girls; 43% intervention group) aged 4 to 8 years (M 6.2, SD 0.95) participated. Object control skill improved over time (p = 0.006) but there was no significant difference (p = 0.913) between groups in improvement (predicted means: control 31.80 to 33.53, SED = 0.748; intervention 30.33 to 31.83, SED = 0.835). A similar result held for the second model. Similarly the intervention did not change perceived object control in Model 1 (predicted means: control: 19.08 to 18.68, SED = 0.362; intervention 18.67 to 18.88, SED = 0.406) or Model 2. Children found the intervention enjoyable, but most did not perceive direct equivalence between Active Video Games and ‘real life’ activities. Conclusions: Whilst Active Video Game play may help introduce children to sport, this amount of time playing is unlikely to build skill. PMID:26844136

Fathers Matter: The Role of Father Autonomy Support and Control in Preschoolers' Executive Function Development

PubMed Central

Meuwissen, Alyssa S.; Carlson, Stephanie M.

2015-01-01

Although previous work has shown that mothers' parenting influences the development of child executive function (important self-control skills developed in the preschool years) the role of fathers' parenting has not been thoroughly investigated. We observed fathers' autonomy support and control in dyadic play with their 3-year-old children (N pairs = 110), and measured father and child EF independently with laboratory tasks. We found that fathers' controlling parenting was significantly inversely related to the child EF composite, above and beyond family income and child verbal ability. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that fathers are important for the development of EF in their children, and suggest fathers should be included in both research and parenting interventions. PMID:26209884

Morphological abnormalities in prefrontal surface area and thalamic volume in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Batty, Martin J; Palaniyappan, Lena; Scerif, Gaia; Groom, Madeleine J; Liddle, Elizabeth B; Liddle, Peter F; Hollis, Chris

2015-08-30

Although previous morphological studies have demonstrated abnormalities in prefrontal cortical thickness in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), studies investigating cortical surface area are lacking. As the development of cortical surface is closely linked to the establishment of thalam-ocortical connections, any abnormalities in the structure of the thalamus are likely to relate to altered cortical surface area. Using a clinically well-defined sample of children with ADHD (n = 25, 1 female) and typically developing controls (n = 24, 1 female), we studied surface area across the cortex to determine whether children with ADHD had reduced thalamic volume that related to prefrontal cortical surface area. Relative to controls, children with ADHD had a significant reduction in thalamic volume and dorsolateral prefrontal cortical area in both hemispheres. Furthermore, children with ADHD with smaller thalamic volumes were found to have greater reductions in surface area, a pattern not evident in the control children. Our results are further evidence of reduced lateral prefrontal cortical area in ADHD. Moreover, for the first time, we have also shown a direct association between thalamic anatomy and frontal anatomy in ADHD, suggesting the pathophysiological process that alters surface area maturation is likely to be linked to the development of the thalamus. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Development of the Coordination between Posture and Manual Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddad, Jeffrey M.; Claxton, Laura J.; Keen, Rachel; Berthier, Neil E.; Riccio, Gary E.; Hamill, Joseph; Van Emmerik, Richard E. A.

2012-01-01

Studies have suggested that proper postural control is essential for the development of reaching. However, little research has examined the development of the coordination between posture and manual control throughout childhood. We investigated the coordination between posture and manual control in children (7- and 10-year-olds) and adults during…

Vineland-II adaptive behavior profile of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or specific learning disorders.

PubMed

Balboni, Giulia; Incognito, Oriana; Belacchi, Carmen; Bonichini, Sabrina; Cubelli, Roberto

2017-02-01

The evaluation of adaptive behavior is informative in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or specific learning disorders (SLD). However, the few investigations available have focused only on the gross level of domains of adaptive behavior. To investigate which item subsets of the Vineland-II can discriminate children with ADHD or SLD from peers with typical development. Student's t-tests, ROC analysis, logistic regression, and linear discriminant function analysis were used to compare 24 children with ADHD, 61 elementary students with SLD, and controls matched on age, sex, school level attended, and both parents' education level. Several item subsets that address not only ADHD core symptoms, but also understanding in social context and development of interpersonal relationships, allowed discrimination of children with ADHD from controls. The combination of four item subsets (Listening and attending, Expressing complex ideas, Social communication, and Following instructions) classified children with ADHD with both sensitivity and specificity of 87.5%. Only Reading skills, Writing skills, and Time and dates discriminated children with SLD from controls. Evaluation of Vineland-II scores at the level of item content categories is a useful procedure for an efficient clinical description. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increasing Water Intake of Children and Parents in the Family Setting: A Randomized, Controlled Intervention Using Installation Theory.

PubMed

Lahlou, Saadi; Boesen-Mariani, Sabine; Franks, Bradley; Guelinckx, Isabelle

2015-01-01

On average, children and adults in developed countries consume too little water, which can lead to negative health consequences. In a one-year longitudinal field experiment in Poland, we compared the impact of three home-based interventions on helping children and their parents/caregivers to develop sustainable increased plain water consumption habits. Fluid consumption of 334 children and their caregivers were recorded over one year using an online specific fluid dietary record. They were initially randomly allocated to one of the three following conditions: Control, Information (child and carer received information on the health benefits of water), or Placement (in addition to information, free small bottles of still water for a limited time period were delivered at home). After three months, half of the non-controls were randomly assigned to Community (child and caregiver engaged in an online community forum providing support on water consumption). All conditions significantly increased the water consumption of children (by 21.9-56.7%) and of adults (by 22-89%). Placement + Community generated the largest effects. Community enhanced the impact of Placement for children and parents, as well as the impact of Information for parents but not children. The results suggest that the family setting offers considerable scope for successful installation of interventions encouraging children and caregivers to develop healthier consumption habits, in mutually reinforcing ways. Combining information, affordances, and social influence gives the best, and most sustainable, results. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Gross Motor Development in Children Aged 3-5 Years, United States 2012.

PubMed

Kit, Brian K; Akinbami, Lara J; Isfahani, Neda Sarafrazi; Ulrich, Dale A

2017-07-01

Objective Gross motor development in early childhood is important in fostering greater interaction with the environment. The purpose of this study is to describe gross motor skills among US children aged 3-5 years using the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Methods We used 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) data, which included TGMD-2 scores obtained according to an established protocol. Outcome measures included locomotor and object control raw and age-standardized scores. Means and standard errors were calculated for demographic and weight status with SUDAAN using sample weights to calculate nationally representative estimates, and survey design variables to account for the complex sampling methods. Results The sample included 339 children aged 3-5 years. As expected, locomotor and object control raw scores increased with age. Overall mean standardized scores for locomotor and object control were similar to the mean value previously determined using a normative sample. Girls had a higher mean locomotor, but not mean object control, standardized score than boys (p < 0.05). However, the mean locomotor standardized scores for both boys and girls fell into the range categorized as "average." There were no other differences by age, race/Hispanic origin, weight status, or income in either of the subtest standardized scores (p > 0.05). Conclusions In a nationally representative sample of US children aged 3-5 years, TGMD-2 mean locomotor and object control standardized scores were similar to the established mean. These results suggest that standardized gross motor development among young children generally did not differ by demographic or weight status.

Childrearing and Child Development Correlates of Maternal Locus of Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaefer, Earl S.; And Others

A longitudinal study tested the hypotheses that in relation to parents with an external locus of control, parents with an internal locus of control: would have a higher level of mother-infant interaction, would have more self-directing and less conforming values for children, and would have children who showed more academic competence. The initial…

Parental Efficacy and the Development of Social Competence in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swick, Kevin J.; Hassell, Tammy

This study examined the relation of two aspects of parental efficacy (locus of control and interpersonal support) to the social competence of 62 children aged 2 to 5 years in a preschool setting. The following assessment instruments were used: Schaefer's (1979) Locus of Control Inventory to measure parental locus of control; Paul's Home Support…

SKIPing With Head Start Teachers: Influence of T-SKIP on Object-Control Skills.

PubMed

Brian, Ali; Goodway, Jacqueline D; Logan, Jessica A; Sutherland, Sue

2017-12-01

Children from disadvantaged settings are at risk for delays in their object-control (OC) skills. Fundamental motor skill interventions, such as the Successful Kinesthetic Instruction for Preschoolers (SKIP) Program, are highly successful when led by motor development experts. However, few preschools employ such experts. This study examined the extent to which Head Start teachers delivering an 8-week teacher-led SKIP (T-SKIP) intervention elicited learning of OC skills for Head Start children. Head Start teachers (n = 5) delivered T-SKIP for 8 weeks (450 min). Control teachers (n = 5) implemented the typical standard of practice, or well-equipped free play. All children (N = 122) were pretested and posttested on the OC Skill subscale of the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Descriptive analyses at pretest identified 81% of the children were developmentally delayed in OC skills (below the 30th percentile). A 2-level hierarchical linear model demonstrated the effectiveness of T-SKIP with significant differences (β = 4.70), t(8) = 7.02, p < .001, η2 = .56, between T-SKIP children (n = 63) and control children (n = 59) at posttest. Head Start teachers who delivered T-SKIP could bring about positive changes in children's OC skills, thereby remediating the initial developmental delays presented. Control children remained delayed in their OC skills in spite of daily well-equipped free play, giving rise to concerns about their future motor competence and physical activity levels.

Identifying play characteristics of pre-school children with developmental coordination disorder via parental questionnaires.

PubMed

Rosenblum, Sara; Waissman, Pola; Diamond, Gary W

2017-06-01

Motor coordination deficits that characterize children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) affect their quality of participation. The aim of the current study was to identify play characteristics of young children with DCD, compared to those of children with typical development in three dimensions: activity and participation, environmental factors and children's impairments. Sixty-four children, aged four to six years, participated. Thirty were diagnosed as having DCD; the remaining 34 children were age, gender and socioeconomic level matched controls with typical development. The children were evaluated by the M-ABC. In addition, their parents completed a demographic questionnaire, the Children's Activity Scale for Parents (CHAS-P), the Children's Leisure Assessment Scale for preschoolers (CLASS-Pre), and My Child's Play Questionnaire (MCP). Children with DCD performed significantly poorer in each of the four play activity and participation domains: variety, frequency, sociability, and preference (CLASS-Pre). Furthermore, their environmental characteristics were significantly different (MCP). They displayed significantly inferior performance (impairments) in interpersonal interaction and executive functioning during play, in comparison to controls (MCP). Moreover, the children's motor and executive control as reflected in their daily function as well as their activities of daily living (ADL) performance level, contributed to the prediction of their global play participation. The results indicate that the use of both the CLASS-Pre and the MCP questionnaires enables the identification of unique play characteristics of pre-school children with DCD via parents' reports. A better insight into these characteristics may contribute to theoretical knowledge and clinical practice to improve the children's daily participation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The representation of roots in the spelling of children with specific language impairment.

PubMed

Deacon, S Hélène; Cleave, Patricia L; Baylis, Julia; Fraser, Jillian; Ingram, Elizabeth; Perlmutter, Signy

2014-01-01

Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) have demonstrated general spelling and writing difficulties. We investigated the sensitivity of children with SLI to the consistent spelling of root morphemes, a feature to which young typically developing children demonstrate sensitivity. We asked children with SLI and two groups of typically developing children (n = 17 in each group) to spell the same letter-sound sequence (e.g., win) as a root, and as a component of inflected, derived, and control words (e.g., win, wins, winner, wink). Children with SLI and spelling-age-matched children (mean age of 9 and 7 years, respectively) were more accurate and more consistent in spelling the initial sections of the inflected and derived words than of the control words, a pattern that suggests sensitivity to the representation of roots in spelling. The absence of a group-level interaction suggests comparable sensitivity in the two groups. Our results suggest that elementary-school-aged children with SLI are sensitive to the consistent spelling of roots, at least to the extent predicted by their general spelling abilities.

Intellectual Development of Battered Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oates, Kim; Peacock, Anthony

1984-01-01

Thirty-eight children hospitalized because of physical abuse were compared with a control group. Abuse Ss had significantly lower mean scores than the comparison children on the verbal, performance and full scale scores of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Revised and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. (Author/CL)

Drawing links between the autism cognitive profile and imagination: Executive function and processing bias in imaginative drawings by children with and without autism.

PubMed

Ten Eycke, Kayla D; Müller, Ulrich

2018-02-01

Little is known about the relation between cognitive processes and imagination and whether this relation differs between neurotypically developing children and children with autism. To address this issue, we administered a cognitive task battery and Karmiloff-Smith's drawing task, which requires children to draw imaginative people and houses. For children with autism, executive function significantly predicted imaginative drawing. In neurotypically developing controls, executive function and cognitive-perceptual processing style predicted imaginative drawing, but these associations were moderated by mental age. In younger (neurotypically developing) children, better executive function and a local processing bias were associated with imagination; in older children, only a global bias was associated with imagination. These findings suggest that (a) with development there are changes in the type of cognitive processes involved in imagination and (b) children with autism employ a unique cognitive strategy in imaginative drawing.

Parental Education and Aggressive Behavior in Children: A Moderated-Mediation Model for Inhibitory Control and Gender

PubMed Central

Cabello, Rosario; Gutiérrez-Cobo, María J.; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

2017-01-01

Aggressive behaviors are highly prevalent in children. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to look for protective factors that prevent or reduce their progress in early development before they become highly unshakable. With a sample of 147 children, the present study aimed to assess the relation between parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children aged from 7 to 10 years. The participants completed a go/no-go task to assess inhibitory control, whilst their parents reported their education level, and their teachers rated the aggressive behavior of the children through the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2 (BASC-2). The results showed that both parental education and inhibitory control determined aggressive behavior in children. In addition, inhibitory control partially mediated the associations between parental education and aggressive behavior after accounting for age. However, a moderated mediation model revealed that lower parental education was associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior, which, in girls occurred independently of inhibitory control. In contrast, inhibitory control mediated this relation in boys. These results suggest the importance of parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children, supporting the idea that both constructs are relevant for understanding these conduct problems in schools, particularly in boys. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible future lines of investigation. PMID:28740476

Parental Education and Aggressive Behavior in Children: A Moderated-Mediation Model for Inhibitory Control and Gender.

PubMed

Cabello, Rosario; Gutiérrez-Cobo, María J; Fernández-Berrocal, Pablo

2017-01-01

Aggressive behaviors are highly prevalent in children. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to look for protective factors that prevent or reduce their progress in early development before they become highly unshakable. With a sample of 147 children, the present study aimed to assess the relation between parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children aged from 7 to 10 years. The participants completed a go/no-go task to assess inhibitory control, whilst their parents reported their education level, and their teachers rated the aggressive behavior of the children through the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2 (BASC-2). The results showed that both parental education and inhibitory control determined aggressive behavior in children. In addition, inhibitory control partially mediated the associations between parental education and aggressive behavior after accounting for age. However, a moderated mediation model revealed that lower parental education was associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior, which, in girls occurred independently of inhibitory control. In contrast, inhibitory control mediated this relation in boys. These results suggest the importance of parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children, supporting the idea that both constructs are relevant for understanding these conduct problems in schools, particularly in boys. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible future lines of investigation.

Hip-Hop to Health Jr., an obesity prevention program for minority preschool children: baseline characteristics of participants.

PubMed

Stolley, Melinda R; Fitzgibbon, Marian L; Dyer, Alan; Van Horn, Linda; KauferChristoffel, Katherine; Schiffer, Linda

2003-03-01

The prevalence of obesity in the United States is a significant public health problem. Many obesity-related risk factors are more prevalent in minority populations. Given the recalcitrant nature of weight loss interventions for adults, prevention of overweight and obesity has become a high priority. The present study reports baseline data from an obesity prevention intervention developed for minority preschool children. Hip-Hop to Health Jr. is a 5-year randomized controlled intervention that targets 3- to 5-year-old minority children enrolled in 24 Head Start programs. Our primary aim is to test the effect of the intervention on change in body mass index. Data were collected on sociodemographic, anthropometric, behavioral, and cognitive variables for the children and parents at baseline. Participants included 416 black children, 337 black parents, 362 Latino children, and 309 Latino parents. Using body mass index for age and sex > or = the 95th percentile as the definition of overweight, 15% of the black children and 28% of the Latino children were overweight. More than 75% of the parents were either overweight or obese. The development of interventions to effectively prevent or control obesity early in life is crucial. These data highlight the escalating problem of weight control in minority populations.

Neural correlates of active controlled retrieval development: An exploratory ERP study.

PubMed

Simard, France; Cadoret, Geneviève

2018-07-01

Working memory is composed of different processes and encompasses not only the temporary storage of information but also its manipulation in order to perform complex cognitive activities. During childhood, one of these manipulation processes, namely active controlled retrieval, improves significantly between the age of 6 to 10, suggesting that the neuronal network supporting this function undergoes substantial maturational changes. The present study examined the neural activity of 14 healthy children and 14 adults while performing an active controlled retrieval task. Results showed differences in brain activity according to active controlled retrieval in a 300-500 ms window corresponding to the retrieval period. Active controlled retrieval was associated with a P3b-like potential in parietal sites for both children and adults. In fronto-central sites, children demonstrated a "N400 like" potential associated with active retrieval processing. These results are discussed in terms of maturational development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral trends in young children with conductive hearing loss: a case-control study.

PubMed

Gouma, Panagiota; Mallis, Antonios; Daniilidis, Vasilis; Gouveris, Haralambos; Armenakis, Nikolaos; Naxakis, Stephanos

2011-01-01

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common condition affecting children and a well-known cause of conductive hearing loss that can potentially lead to speech development disorders. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated the influence of OME on development of attention disorders or social adaptation and acceptance. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the behavioral trends of children with OME based on the Achenbach test. A group of 117 patients with episodes of OME at the age of 4-5 was compared with a control group according to the Achenbach system of evaluation, by application of the Child Behavior Checklist questionnaire (CBCL). Patients suffering from OME had more anxiety/depression related disorders and attention disorders as compared with the control group. The psychological effect of OME in children of ages 6-8 is evident with anxiety and depression disorders being especially prominent among these patients.

Parenting practices, interpretive biases, and anxiety in Latino children.

PubMed

Varela, R Enrique; Niditch, Laura A; Hensley-Maloney, Lauren; Moore, Kathryn W; Creveling, C Christiane

2013-03-01

A number of factors are believed to confer risk for anxiety development in children; however, cultural variation of purported risk factors remains unclear. We examined relations between controlling and rejecting parenting styles, parental modeling of anxious behaviors, child interpretive biases, and child anxiety in a mixed clinically anxious (n=27) and non-clinical (n=20) sample of Latino children and at least one of their parents. Families completed discussion-based tasks and questionnaires in a lab setting. Results indicated that child anxiety was: linked with parental control and child interpretative biases, associated with parental modeling of anxious behaviors at a trend level, and not associated with low parental acceptance. Findings that controlling parenting and child interpretive biases were associated with anxiety extend current theories of anxiety development to the Latino population. We speculate that strong family ties may buffer Latino children from detrimental effects of perceived low parental acceptance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of viral and bacterial pathogens in causing pneumonia among Western Australian children: a case–control study protocol

PubMed Central

Bhuiyan, Mejbah Uddin; Snelling, Thomas L; West, Rachel; Lang, Jurissa; Rahman, Tasmina; Borland, Meredith L; Thornton, Ruth; Kirkham, Lea-Ann; Sikazwe, Chisha; Martin, Andrew C; Richmond, Peter C; Smith, David W; Jaffe, Adam; Blyth, Christopher C

2018-01-01

Introduction Pneumonia is the leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally. Introduction of the conjugate Haemophilus influenzae B and multivalent pneumococcal vaccines in developed countries including Australia has significantly reduced the overall burden of bacterial pneumonia. With the availability of molecular diagnostics, viruses are frequently detected in children with pneumonia either as primary pathogens or predispose to secondary bacterial infection. Many respiratory pathogens that are known to cause pneumonia are also identified in asymptomatic children, so the true contribution of these pathogens to childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains unclear. Since the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines, very few comprehensive studies from developed countries have attempted to determine the bacterial and viral aetiology of pneumonia. We aim to determine the contribution of bacteria and viruses to childhood CAP to inform further development of effective diagnosis, treatment and preventive strategies. Methods and analysis We are conducting a prospective case–control study (PneumoWA) where cases are children with radiologically confirmed pneumonia admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for Children (PMH) and controls are healthy children identified from PMH outpatient clinics and from local community immunisation clinics. The case–control ratio is 1:1 with 250 children to be recruited in each arm. Nasopharyngeal swabs are collected from both cases and controls to detect the presence of viruses and bacteria by PCR; pathogen load will be assessed by quantitative PCR. The prevalence of pathogens detected in cases and controls will be compared, the OR of detection and population attributable fraction to CAP for each pathogen will be determined; relationships between pathogen load and disease status and severity will be explored. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the human research ethics committees of PMH, Perth, Australia (PMH HREC REF 2014117EP). Findings will be disseminated at research conferences and in peer-reviewed journals. PMID:29549211

Empirical Implications of Matching Children with Specific Language Impairment to Children with Typical Development on Nonverbal IQ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earle, F. Sayako; Gallinat, Erica L.; Grela, Bernard G.; Lehto, Alexa; Spaulding, Tammie J.

2017-01-01

This study determined the effect of matching children with specific language impairment (SLI) and their peers with typical development (TD) for nonverbal IQ on the IQ test scores of the resultant groups. Studies published between January 2000 and May 2012 reporting standard nonverbal IQ scores for SLI and age-matched TD controls were categorized…

The Family Development Research Program: A Program for Prenatal, Infant and Early Childhood Enrichment. Progress Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lally, J. Ronald

This progress report on the Family Development Research Program for 108 low-income families, conducted at Syracuse University Children's Center, provides information on a longitudinal comparison instituted when the program children reached 36 months of age. The families of the children were matched to control families on a number of variables.…

The link between logic, mathematics and imagination: evidence from children with developmental dyscalculia and mathematically gifted children.

PubMed

Morsanyi, Kinga; Devine, Amy; Nobes, Alison; Szűcs, Dénes

2013-07-01

This study examined performance on transitive inference problems in children with developmental dyscalculia (DD), typically developing controls matched on IQ, working memory and reading skills, and in children with outstanding mathematical abilities. Whereas mainstream approaches currently consider DD as a domain-specific deficit, we hypothesized that the development of mathematical skills is closely related to the development of logical abilities, a domain-general skill. In particular, we expected a close link between mathematical skills and the ability to reason independently of one's beliefs. Our results showed that this was indeed the case, with children with DD performing more poorly than controls, and high maths ability children showing outstanding skills in logical reasoning about belief-laden problems. Nevertheless, all groups performed poorly on structurally equivalent problems with belief-neutral content. This is in line with suggestions that abstract reasoning skills (i.e. the ability to reason about content without real-life referents) develops later than the ability to reason about belief-inconsistent fantasy content.A video abstract of this article can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90DWY3O4xx8. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cognitive Improvement of Attention and Inhibition in the Late Afternoon in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treated With Osmotic-Release Oral System Methylphenidate.

PubMed

Slama, Hichem; Fery, Patrick; Verheulpen, Denis; Vanzeveren, Nathalie; Van Bogaert, Patrick

2015-07-01

Long-acting medications have been developed and approved for use in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These compounds are intended to optimize and maintain symptoms control throughout the day. We tested prolonged effects of osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate on both attention and inhibition, in the late afternoon. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 36 boys (7-12 years) with ADHD and 40 typically developing children. The ADHD children received an individualized dose of placebo or osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate. They were tested about 8 hours after taking with 2 continuous performance tests (continuous performance test-X [CPT-X] and continuous performance test-AX [CPT-AX]) and a counting Stroop. A positive effect of osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate was present in CPT-AX with faster and less variable reaction times under osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate than under placebo, and no difference with typically developing children. In the counting Stroop, we found a decreased interference with osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate but no difference between children with ADHD under placebo and typically developing children. © The Author(s) 2014.

Accuracy of episodic autobiographical memory in children with early thyroid hormone deficiency using a staged event.

PubMed

Willoughby, Karen A; McAndrews, Mary Pat; Rovet, Joanne F

2014-07-01

Autobiographical memory (AM) is a highly constructive cognitive process that often contains memory errors. No study has specifically examined AM accuracy in children with abnormal development of the hippocampus, a crucial brain region for AM retrieval. Thus, the present study investigated AM accuracy in 68 typically and atypically developing children using a staged autobiographical event, the Children's Autobiographical Interview, and structural magnetic resonance imaging. The atypically developing group consisted of 17 children (HYPO) exposed during gestation to insufficient maternal thyroid hormone (TH), a critical substrate for hippocampal development, and 25 children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH), who were compared to 26 controls. Groups differed significantly in the number of accurate episodic details recalled and proportion accuracy scores, with controls having more accurate recollections of the staged event than both TH-deficient groups. Total hippocampal volumes and anterior hippocampal volumes were positively correlated with proportion accuracy scores, but not total accurate episodic details, in HYPO and CH. In addition, greater severity of TH deficiency predicted lower proportion accuracy scores in both HYPO and CH. Overall, these results indicate that children with early TH deficiency have deficits in AM accuracy and that the anterior hippocampus may play a particularly important role in accurate AM retrieval. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of an intervention aimed at reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in primary school children: a controlled trial.

PubMed

van de Gaar, Vivian M; Jansen, Wilma; van Grieken, Amy; Borsboom, Gerard J J M; Kremers, Stef; Raat, Hein

2014-07-25

Since sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) may contribute to the development of overweight in children, effective interventions to reduce their consumption are needed. Here we evaluated the effect of a combined school- and community-based intervention aimed at reducing children's SSB consumption by promoting the intake of water. Favourable intervention effects on children's SSB consumption were hypothesized. In 2011-2012, a controlled trial was conducted among four primary schools, comprising 1288 children aged 6-12 years who lived in multi-ethnic, socially deprived neighbourhoods in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Intervention schools adopted the 'water campaign', an intervention developed using social marketing. Control schools continued with their regular health promotion programme. Primary outcome was children's SSB consumption, measured using parent and child questionnaires and through observations at school, both at baseline and after one year of intervention. Significant positive intervention effects were found for average SSB consumption (B -0.19 litres, 95% CI -0.28;-0.10; parent report), average SSB servings (B -0.54 servings, 95% CI -0.82;-0.26; parent report) and bringing SSB to school (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.36;0.72; observation report). This study supports the effectiveness of the water campaign intervention in reducing children's SSB consumption. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings. Current Controlled Trials: NTR3400.

Do young children have adult-like syntactic categories? Zipf's law and the case of the determiner.

PubMed

Pine, Julian M; Freudenthal, Daniel; Krajewski, Grzegorz; Gobet, Fernand

2013-06-01

Generativist models of grammatical development assume that children have adult-like grammatical categories from the earliest observable stages, whereas constructivist models assume that children's early categories are more limited in scope. In the present paper, we test these assumptions with respect to one particular syntactic category, the determiner. This is done by comparing controlled measures of overlap in the set of nouns with which children and their caregivers use different instances of the determiner category in their spontaneous speech. In a series of studies, we show, first, that it is important to control for both sample size and vocabulary range when comparing child and adult overlap measures; second, that, once the appropriate controls have been applied, there is significantly less overlap in the nouns with which young children use the determiners a/an and the in their speech than in the nouns with which their caregivers use these same determiners; and, third, that the level of (controlled) overlap in the nouns that the children use with the determiners a/an and the increases significantly over the course of development. The implication is that children do not have an adult-like determiner category during the earliest observable stages, and that their knowledge of the determiner category only gradually approximates that of adults as a function of their linguistic experience. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Self-Control Protects Against Overweight Status in the Transition from Childhood to Adolescence

PubMed Central

Tsukayama, Eli; Toomey, Sara L.; Faith, Myles; Duckworth, Angela Lee

2010-01-01

Objective To determine whether more self-controlled children are protected from weight gain as they enter adolescence. Design Prospective, longitudinal study. Setting Ten sites across the United States from 1991-2007. Participants The 844 children in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development birth cohort who had height and weight information at age 15 (in 2006). Main Exposure A composite measure of self-control was created from mother, father, and teacher-report ratings using items from the Social Skills Rating System. Main Outcome Measure Overweight status at age 15 years. Results Approximately one-third of the sample (n = 262) was overweight at age 15. Compared to their non-overweight peers, overweight adolescents at age 15 were about a half-standard deviation lower in self-control at age 9 (unstandardized difference = 0.15, pooled SD = 0.29, P < .001). Children rated higher by their parents and teachers in self-control at age 9 were less likely to be overweight at age 15 (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.98), controlling for overweight status at age 10, pubertal development, age, IQ, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and maternal overweight status. Conclusion More self-controlled boys and girls are less likely to become overweight as they enter adolescence. The ability to control impulses and delay gratification enables children to maintain a healthy weight even in today's obesogenic environment. PMID:20603463

Motor cortex inhibition

PubMed Central

Isaacs, K.M.; Augusta, M.; MacNeil, L.K.; Mostofsky, S.H.

2011-01-01

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood-onset behavioral diagnosis in which children often fail to meet age norms in development of motor control, particularly timed repetitive and sequential movements, motor overflow, and balance. The neural substrate of this motor delay may include mechanisms of synaptic inhibition in or adjacent to the motor cortex. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)–evoked measures, particularly short interval cortical inhibition (SICI), in motor cortex correlate with the presence and severity of ADHD in childhood as well as with commonly observed delays in motor control. Methods: In this case-control study, behavioral ratings, motor skills, and motor cortex physiology were evaluated in 49 children with ADHD (mean age 10.6 years, 30 boys) and 49 typically developing children (mean age 10.5 years, 30 boys), all right-handed, aged 8–12 years. Motor skills were evaluated with the Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs (PANESS) and the Motor Assessment Battery for Children version 2. SICI and other physiologic measures were obtained using TMS in the left motor cortex. Results: In children with ADHD, mean SICI was reduced by 40% (p < 0.0001) and less SICI correlated with higher ADHD severity (r = −0.52; p = 0.002). Mean PANESS motor development scores were 59% worse in children with ADHD (p < 0.0001). Worse PANESS scores correlated modestly with less SICI (r = −.30; p = 0.01). Conclusion: Reduced TMS-evoked SICI correlates with ADHD diagnosis and symptom severity and also reflects motor skill development in children. PMID:21321335

Effects of Home and School Computer Use on School Readiness and Cognitive Development among Head Start Children: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xiaoming; Atkins, Melissa S.; Stanton, Bonita

2006-01-01

Data from 122 Head Start children were analyzed to examine the impact of computer use on school readiness and psychomotor skills. Children in the experimental group were given the opportunity to work on a computer for 15-20 minutes per day with their choice of developmentally appropriate educational software, while the control group received a…

A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Investigating the Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation in Children Aged 8-10 Years from a Mainstream School Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, A.; Woodward, A.; Jackson, S.; Wang, Y.; Crawford, M. A.

2010-01-01

Despite the increased interest in the effects of omega-3 supplementation on childrens' learning and behaviour, there are a lack of controlled studies of this kind that have utilised a typically developing population. This study investigated the effects of omega-3 supplementation in 450 children aged 8-10 years old from a mainstream school…

Feedforward motor control in developmental dyslexia and developmental coordination disorder: Does comorbidity matter?

PubMed

Cignetti, Fabien; Vaugoyeau, Marianne; Fontan, Aurelie; Jover, Marianne; Livet, Marie-Odile; Hugonenq, Catherine; Audic, Frédérique; Chabrol, Brigitte; Assaiante, Christine

2018-05-01

Feedforward and online controls are two facets of predictive motor control from internal models, which is suspected to be impaired in learning disorders. We examined whether the feedforward component is affected in children (8-12 years) with developmental dyslexia (DD) and/or with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) compared to typically developing (TD) children. Children underwent a bimanual unloading paradigm during which a load supported to one arm, the postural arm, was either unexpectedly unloaded by a computer or voluntary unloaded by the subject with the other arm. All children showed a better stabilization (lower flexion) of the postural arm and an earlier inhibition of the arm flexors during voluntary unloading, indicating anticipation of unloading. Between-group comparisons of kinematics and electromyographic activity of the postural arm revealed that the difference during voluntary unloading was between DD-DCD children and the other groups, with the former showing a delayed inhibition of the flexor muscles. Deficit of the feedforward component of motor control may particularly apply to comorbid subtypes, here the DD-DCD subtype. The development of a comprehensive framework for motor performance deficits in children with learning disorders will be achieved only by dissociating key components of motor prediction and focusing on subtypes and comorbidities. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Tutoring on Early Reading Achievement for Children With and Without Attention Problems

PubMed Central

Rabiner, David L.; Malone, Patrick S.

2009-01-01

This study examined whether the benefits of reading tutoring in first grade were moderated by children’s level of attention problems. Participants were 581 children from the intervention and control samples of Fast Track, a longitudinal multisite investigation of the development and prevention of conduct problems. Standardized reading achievement measures were administered after kindergarten and 1st grade, and teacher ratings of attention problems were obtained during 1st grade. During 1st grade, intervention participants received three 30-min tutoring sessions per week to promote the development of initial reading skills. Results replicated prior findings that attention problems predict reduced 1st grade reading achievement, even after controlling for IQ and earlier reading ability. Intervention was associated with modest reading achievement benefits for inattentive children without early reading difficulties, and substantial benefits for children with early reading difficulties who were not inattentive. It had no discernible impact, however, for children who were both inattentive and poor early readers. Results underscore the need to develop effective academic interventions for inattentive children, particularly for those with co-occurring reading difficulties. PMID:15228176

Development and learning of saccadic eye movements in 7- to 42-month-old children.

PubMed

Alahyane, Nadia; Lemoine-Lardennois, Christelle; Tailhefer, Coline; Collins, Thérèse; Fagard, Jacqueline; Doré-Mazars, Karine

2016-01-01

From birth, infants move their eyes to explore their environment, interact with it, and progressively develop a multitude of motor and cognitive abilities. The characteristics and development of oculomotor control in early childhood remain poorly understood today. Here, we examined reaction time and amplitude of saccadic eye movements in 93 7- to 42-month-old children while they oriented toward visual animated cartoon characters appearing at unpredictable locations on a computer screen over 140 trials. Results revealed that saccade performance is immature in children compared to a group of adults: Saccade reaction times were longer, and saccade amplitude relative to target location (10° eccentricity) was shorter. Results also indicated that performance is flexible in children. Although saccade reaction time decreased as age increased, suggesting developmental improvements in saccade control, saccade amplitude gradually improved over trials. Moreover, similar to adults, children were able to modify saccade amplitude based on the visual error made in the previous trial. This second set of results suggests that short visual experience and/or rapid sensorimotor learning are functional in children and can also affect saccade performance.

The development of children's inhibition: does parenting matter?

PubMed

Roskam, Isabelle; Stievenart, Marie; Meunier, Jean-Christophe; Noël, Marie-Pascale

2014-06-01

Whereas a large body of research has investigated the maturation of inhibition in relation to the prefrontal cortex, far less research has been devoted to environmental factors that could contribute to inhibition improvement. The aim of the current study was to test whether and to what extent parenting matters for inhibition development from 2 to 8years of age. Data were collected from 421 families, with 348 mother-child dyads and 342 father-child dyads participating. Children's inhibition capacities and parenting behaviors were assessed in a three-wave longitudinal data collection. The main analyses examined the impact of parenting on the development of children's inhibition capacities. They were conducted using a multilevel modeling (MLM) framework. The results lead to the conclusion that both mothers and fathers contribute through their child-rearing behavior to their children's executive functioning, even when controlling for age-related improvement (maturation) and important covariates such as gender, verbal IQ, and place of enrollment. More significant relations between children's inhibition development and parenting were displayed for mothers than for fathers. More precisely, parenting behaviors that involve higher monitoring, lower discipline, inconsistency and negative controlling, and a positive parenting style are associated with good development of inhibition capacities in children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Allergy and acute leukaemia in children with Down syndrome: a population study. Report from the Mexican inter-institutional group for the identification of the causes of childhood leukaemia

PubMed Central

Núñez-Enríquez, J C; Fajardo-Gutiérrez, A; Buchán-Durán, E P; Bernáldez-Ríos, R; Medina-Sansón, A; Jiménez-Hernández, E; Amador-Sanchez, R; Peñaloza-Gonzalez, J G; Paredes-Aguilera, R; Alvarez-Rodriguez, F J; Bolea-Murga, V; de Diego Flores-Chapa, J; Flores-Lujano, J; Bekker-Mendez, V C; Rivera-Luna, R; del Carmen Rodriguez-Zepeda, M; Rangel-López, A; Dorantes-Acosta, E M; Núñez-Villegas, N; Velazquez-Aviña, M M; Torres-Nava, J R; Reyes-Zepeda, N C; Cárdenas-Cardos, R; Flores-Villegas, L V; Martinez-Avalos, A; Salamanca-Gómez, F; Gorodezky, C; Arellano-Galindo, J; Mejía-Aranguré, J M

2013-01-01

Background: Allergies have been described as protective factors against the development of childhood acute leukaemia (AL). Our objective was to investigate the associations between allergy history and the development of AL and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in children with Down syndrome (DS). Methods: A case–control study was performed in Mexico City. The cases (n=97) were diagnosed at nine public hospitals, and the controls (n=222) were recruited at institutions for children with DS. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Results: Asthma was positively associated with AL development (OR=4.18; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.47–11.87), whereas skin allergies were negatively associated (OR=0.42; 95% CI: 0.20–0.91). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that allergies and AL in children with DS share biological and immune mechanisms. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting associations between allergies and AL in children with DS. PMID:23695017

Allergy and acute leukaemia in children with Down syndrome: a population study. Report from the Mexican inter-institutional group for the identification of the causes of childhood leukaemia.

PubMed

Núñez-Enríquez, J C; Fajardo-Gutiérrez, A; Buchán-Durán, E P; Bernáldez-Ríos, R; Medina-Sansón, A; Jiménez-Hernández, E; Amador-Sanchez, R; Peñaloza-Gonzalez, J G; Paredes-Aguilera, R; Alvarez-Rodriguez, F J; Bolea-Murga, V; de Diego Flores-Chapa, J; Flores-Lujano, J; Bekker-Mendez, V C; Rivera-Luna, R; Del Carmen Rodriguez-Zepeda, M; Rangel-López, A; Dorantes-Acosta, E M; Núñez-Villegas, N; Velazquez-Aviña, M M; Torres-Nava, J R; Reyes-Zepeda, N C; Cárdenas-Cardos, R; Flores-Villegas, L V; Martinez-Avalos, A; Salamanca-Gómez, F; Gorodezky, C; Arellano-Galindo, J; Mejía-Aranguré, J M

2013-06-11

Allergies have been described as protective factors against the development of childhood acute leukaemia (AL). Our objective was to investigate the associations between allergy history and the development of AL and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in children with Down syndrome (DS). A case-control study was performed in Mexico City. The cases (n=97) were diagnosed at nine public hospitals, and the controls (n=222) were recruited at institutions for children with DS. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Asthma was positively associated with AL development (OR=4.18; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.47-11.87), whereas skin allergies were negatively associated (OR=0.42; 95% CI: 0.20-0.91). Our findings suggest that allergies and AL in children with DS share biological and immune mechanisms. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting associations between allergies and AL in children with DS.

Brief Report: Development of a Robotic Intervention Platform for Young Children with ASD.

PubMed

Warren, Zachary; Zheng, Zhi; Das, Shuvajit; Young, Eric M; Swanson, Amy; Weitlauf, Amy; Sarkar, Nilanjan

2015-12-01

Increasingly researchers are attempting to develop robotic technologies for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study investigated the development and application of a novel robotic system capable of dynamic, adaptive, and autonomous interaction during imitation tasks with embedded real-time performance evaluation and feedback. The system was designed to incorporate both a humanoid robot and a human examiner. We compared child performance within system across these conditions in a sample of preschool children with ASD (n = 8) and a control sample of typically developing children (n = 8). The system was well-tolerated in the sample, children with ASD exhibited greater attention to the robotic system than the human administrator, and for children with ASD imitation performance appeared superior during the robotic interaction.

Early parenting, represented family relationships, and externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm.

PubMed

Poehlmann, Julie; Burnson, Cynthia; Weymouth, Lindsay A

2014-01-01

Through assessment of 173 preterm infants and their mothers at hospital discharge and at 9, 16, 24, 36, and 72 months, the study examined early parenting, attachment security, effortful control, and children's representations of family relationships in relation to subsequent externalizing behavior problems. Less intrusive early parenting predicted more secure attachment, better effortful control skills, and fewer early behavior problems, although it did not directly relate to the structural or content characteristics of children's represented family relationships. Children with higher effortful control scores at 24 months had more coherent family representations at 36 months. Moreover, children who exhibited less avoidance in their family representations at 36 months had fewer mother-reported externalizing behavior problems at 72 months. The study suggests that early parenting quality and avoidance in children's represented relationships are important for the development of externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm.

Kinematic analysis of jaw function in children following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Loh, E W L; Goozée, J V; Murdoch, B E

2005-07-01

To investigate jaw movements in children following traumatic brain injury (TBI) during speech using electromagnetic articulography (EMA). Jaw movements of two non-dysarthric children (aged 12.75 and 13.08 years) who had sustained a TBI were recorded using the AG-100 EMA system (Carstens Medizineletronik) during word-initial consonant productions. Mean quantitative kinematic parameters and coefficient of variation (variability) values were calculated and individually compared to the mean values obtained by a group of six control children (mean age 12.57 years, SD 1.52). The two children with TBI exhibited word-initial consonant jaw movement durations that were comparable to the control children, with sub-clinical reductions in speed being offset by reduced distances. Differences were observed between the two children in jaw kinematic variability, with one child exhibiting increased variability, while the other child demonstrated reduced or comparable variability compared to the control group. Possible sub-clinical impairments of jaw movement for speech were exhibited by two children who had sustained a TBI, providing insight into the consequences of TBI on speech motor control development.

The role of executive functions and theory of mind in children's prosocial lie-telling.

PubMed

Williams, Shanna; Moore, Kelsey; Crossman, Angela M; Talwar, Victoria

2016-01-01

Children's prosocial lying was examined in relation to executive functioning skills and theory of mind development. Prosocial lying was observed using a disappointing gift paradigm. Of the 79 children (ages 6-12 years) who completed the disappointing gift paradigm, 47 (59.5%) told a prosocial lie to a research assistant about liking their prize. In addition, of those children who told prosocial lies, 25 (53.2%) maintained semantic leakage control during follow-up questioning, thereby demonstrating advanced lie-telling skills. When executive functioning was examined, children who told prosocial lies were found to have significantly higher performance on measures of working memory and inhibitory control. In addition, children who lied and maintained semantic leakage control also displayed more advanced theory of mind understanding. Although children's age was not a predictor of lie-telling behavior (i.e., truthful vs. lie-teller), age was a significant predictor of semantic leakage control, with older children being more likely to maintain their lies during follow-up questioning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Eye movements reveal sexually dimorphic deficits in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Paolozza, Angelina; Munn, Rebecca; Munoz, Douglas P.; Reynolds, James N.

2015-01-01

Background: We examined the accuracy and characteristics of saccadic eye movements in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) compared with typically developing control children. Previous studies have found that children with FASD produce saccades that are quantifiably different from controls. Additionally, animal studies have found sex-based differences for behavioral effects after prenatal alcohol exposure. Therefore, we hypothesized that eye movement measures will show sexually dimorphic results. Methods: Children (aged 5–18 years) with FASD (n = 71) and typically developing controls (n = 113) performed a visually-guided saccade task. Saccade metrics and behavior were analyzed for sex and group differences. Results: Female control participants had greater amplitude saccades than control males or females with FASD. Accuracy was significantly poorer in the FASD group, especially in males, which introduced significantly greater variability in the data. Therefore, we conducted additional analyses including only those trials in which the first saccade successfully reached the target within a ± 1° window. In this restricted amplitude dataset, the females with FASD made saccades with significantly lower velocity and longer duration, whereas the males with FASD did not differ from the control group. Additionally, the mean and peak deceleration were selectively decreased in the females with FASD. Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis that children with FASD exhibit specific deficits in eye movement control and sensory-motor integration associated with cerebellar and/or brain stem circuits. Moreover, prenatal alcohol exposure may have a sexually dimorphic impact on eye movement metrics, with males and females exhibiting differential patterns of deficit. PMID:25814922

Fundamental movement skills in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Pan, Chien-Yu; Tsai, Chia-Liang; Chu, Chia-Hua

2009-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the movement skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and those without disabilities. Ninety-one children (ASD, n = 28; ADHD, n = 29; control, n = 34), ages 6-10 years, were of average IQ participated. After controlling for age, both ASD and ADHD groups scored significantly lower than controls (p's < .05) on overall gross motor development as well as locomotor and object control subtests, and the ASD group performed more poorly than the ADHD group (p's < .01) on both subtests. Of the children with ASD and ADHD, only 16% had clinical levels of impairment. Potential underlying factors are discussed, with suggestions for future research.

Training to improve manual control in 7-8 and 10-12 year old children: Training eliminates performance differences between ages.

PubMed

Snapp-Childs, Winona; Fath, Aaron J; Watson, Carol A; Flatters, Ian; Mon-Williams, Mark; Bingham, Geoffrey P

2015-10-01

Many children have difficulty producing movements well enough to improve in perceptuo-motor learning. We have developed a training method that supports active movement generation to allow improvement in a 3D tracing task requiring good compliance control. We previously tested 7-8 year old children who exhibited poor performance and performance differences before training. After training, performance was significantly improved and performance differences were eliminated. According to the Dynamic Systems Theory of development, appropriate support can enable younger children to acquire the ability to perform like older children. In the present study, we compared 7-8 and 10-12 year old school children and predicted that younger children would show reduced performance that was nonetheless amenable to training. Indeed, the pre-training performance of the 7-8 year olds was worse than that of the 10-12 year olds, but post-training performance was equally good for both groups. This was similar to previous results found using this training method for children with DCD and age-matched typically developing children. We also found in a previous study of 7-8 year old school children that training in the 3D tracing task transferred to a 2D drawing task. We now found similar transfer for the 10-12 year olds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship between antigravity control and postural control in young children.

PubMed

Sellers, J S

1988-04-01

The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the relationship between antigravity control (supine flexion and prone extension) and postural control (static and dynamic balance), 2) to determine the quality of antigravity and postural control, and 3) to determine whether sex and ethnic group differences correlate with differences in antigravity control and postural control in young children. I tested 107 black, Hispanic, and Caucasian children in a Head Start program, with a mean age of 61 months. The study results showed significant relationships between antigravity control and postural control. Subjects' supine flexion performance was significantly related to the quantity and quality of their static and dynamic balance performance, whereas prone extension performance was related only to the quality of dynamic balance performance. Quality scale measurements (r = .90) indicated that the children in this study had not yet developed full antigravity or postural control. The study results revealed differences between sexes in the quality of static balance and prone extension performance and ethnic differences in static balance, dynamic balance, and prone extension performance.

Examining the Effectiveness of Naturalistic Social Skills Training in Developing Social Skills and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers with ASD.

PubMed

Szumski, Grzegorz; Smogorzewska, Joanna; Grygiel, Paweł; Orlando, Ann-Marie

2017-11-20

We compared the effectiveness of two programs for developing social skills, 'Play Time/Social Time' (PT/ST) and 'I Can Problem Solve' (ICPS), in improving the social skills and theory of mind (ToM) of preschoolers with ASD. The experiment took place in a classroom setting. Fifty-two children attended and data were analyzed with latent growth curve models. Comparison with a control group indicated that both programs were effective in developing social skills. The PT/ST program was more effective than ICPS in developing interaction skills; both programs improved children's ability to cope with difficult social situations. The ICPS program was marginally effective in developing ToM when compared with PT/ST and control condition. These results are relevant to children with ASD and their teachers.

Early cognitive development in children born to women with epilepsy: a prospective report.

PubMed

Bromley, Rebecca L; Mawer, George; Love, Jenna; Kelly, James; Purdy, Laura; McEwan, Lauren; Briggs, Maria; Clayton-Smith, Jill; Shi, Xin; Sin, Xin; Baker, Gus A

2010-10-01

In this prospective study the early cognitive development of children born to women with epilepsy (n = 198) was assessed and compared to a group of children representative of the general population (n = 230). The children were assessed when younger than the age of 2 years using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales, either in their local participating hospital or in their home. The assessments were completed by an assessor who was blinded to whether the child's mother had epilepsy and to antiepileptic drug type. Children exposed to sodium valproate had a statistically significant increased risk of delayed early development in comparison to the control children. Linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant effect of sodium valproate exposure on the child's overall developmental level that was not accounted for by confounding variables. Delayed early development is also noted for children within an ad hoc group of less commonly utilized antiepileptic drugs, although conclusions cannot be drawn due to the size of this group (n = 13). Children exposed to either carbamazepine or lamotrigine in utero did not differ significantly in their overall developmental ability. Differences noted in specific developmental areas for these two groups were not statistically significant after the control for confounders such as socioeconomic status and maternal IQ. Women with epilepsy should be informed of the risks posed to their potential offspring prior to pregnancy to allow for informed decisions regarding treatment. Children exposed in utero to antiepileptic drugs should be monitored throughout childhood to allow for early intervention when necessary. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2010 International League Against Epilepsy.

The impact of maternal control on children's anxious cognitions, behaviours and affect: an experimental study.

PubMed

Thirlwall, Kerstin; Creswell, Cathy

2010-10-01

Controlling parenting is associated with child anxiety however the direction of effects remains unclear. The present study implemented a Latin-square experimental design to assess the impact of parental control on children's anxious affect, cognitions and behaviour. A non-clinical sample of 24 mothers of children aged 4-5 years were trained to engage in (a) controlling and (b) autonomy-granting behaviours in interaction with their child during the preparation of a speech. When mothers engaged in controlling parenting behaviours, children made more negative predictions about their performance prior to delivering their speech and reported feeling less happy about the task, and this was moderated by child trait anxiety. In addition, children with higher trait anxiety displayed a significant increase in observed child anxiety in the controlling condition. The pattern of results was maintained when differences in mothers' levels of negativity and habitual levels of control were accounted for. These findings are consistent with theories that suggest that controlling parenting is a risk factor in the development of childhood anxiety. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of the Lexicon Pirate Strategy Therapy for Improving Lexical Learning in School-Age Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motsch, Hans-Joachim; Marks, Dana-Kristin

2015-01-01

Lexicon Pirate was originally developed as a strategy intervention programme to treat lexical disorders of pre-school children. To evaluate the therapy's effectiveness for school-age students, a randomized controlled trial (RCT, N = 157) was conducted. Based on a pre--post-test design, the programme's impacts were compared with a control group…

Aerobic Fitness and Cognitive Development: Event-Related Brain Potential and Task Performance Indices of Executive Control in Preadolescent Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillman, Charles H.; Buck, Sarah M.; Themanson, Jason R.; Pontifex, Matthew B.; Castelli, Darla M.

2009-01-01

The relationship between aerobic fitness and executive control was assessed in 38 higher- and lower-fit children (M[subscript age] = 9.4 years), grouped according to their performance on a field test of aerobic capacity. Participants performed a flanker task requiring variable amounts of executive control while event-related brain potential…

Unexplained head tilt following surgical treatment of congenital esotropia: a postural manifestation of dissociated vertical divergence

PubMed Central

Brodsky, M C; Jenkins, R; Nucci, P

2004-01-01

Background: Strabismus surgery for congenital esotropia can be complicated by the development of a postoperative head tilt. Purpose: To determine the pathophysiology of acquired head tilting following horizontal realignment of the eyes in children with congenital esotropia. Materials and methods: Retrospective analysis of nine children with congenital esotropia who developed unexplained head tilts following horizontal realignment of the eyes. Results: Shortly after strabismus surgery, each child developed a head tilt in association with asymmetrical dissociated vertical divergence (DVD). Five children maintained a head tilt toward the side of the fixing eye (group 1), which did not serve to control the DVD. Four children maintained a head tilt toward the side of the hyperdeviating eye, which served to control the DVD (group 2). Children in group 2 had earlier horizontal muscle surgery and developed better stereopsis than those in group 1, suggesting that the higher degree of single binocular vision and stereopsis in these children may have led to a compensatory torticollis to control an asymmetrical DVD. Conclusions: The onset of an unexpected head tilt after congenital esotropia surgery is usually a postural manifestation of asymmetrical DVD. In this setting, a head tilt toward the side of the fixing eye corresponds with a postural manifestation of the underlying central vestibular imbalance that produces DVD, while a head tilt toward the side of the hyperdeviating eye serves to counteract the hyperdeviation and stabilise binocular vision. PMID:14736789

Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure and Inhibitory Control among Young School-Age Children

PubMed Central

Derauf, Chris; LaGasse, Linda L.; Smith, Lynne M.; Newman, Elana; Shah, Rizwan; Neal, Charles; Arria, Amelia; Huestis, Marilyn A.; Grotta, Sheri Della; Dansereau, Lynne M.; Lin, Hai; Lester, Barry M.

2012-01-01

Objective To examine the association between prenatal methamphetamine exposure and inhibitory control in 66 month old children followed since birth in the multicenter, longitudinal Infant Development, Environment and Lifestyle Study. Study design The sample included 137 children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure and 130 comparison children, matched for race, birth weight, maternal education and type of insurance. Inhibitory control, an executive function related to emotional and cognitive control, was assessed using a computerized Stroop-like task developed for young children. Hierarchical linear modeling tested the relationship between the extent (heavy, some and no use) of prenatal methamphetamine exposure and accuracy and reaction time outcomes, adjusting for prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, age, sex, socioeconomic status, caregiver IQ and psychological symptoms, child protective services report of physical or sexual abuse, and site. Results In adjusted analyses, heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure was related to reduced accuracy in both the incongruent and mixed conditions on the Stroop task. Caregiver psychological symptoms and Child Protective Services (CPS) report of physical or sexual abuse were associated with reduced accuracy in the incongruent and mixed, and incongruent conditions, respectively. Conclusions Heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure, along with caregiver psychological distress and child maltreatment, is related to subtle deficits in inhibitory control during the early school-aged years. PMID:22424953

Migraine and risk of narcolepsy in children: A nationwide longitudinal study.

PubMed

Yang, Chun-Pai; Hsieh, Meng-Lun; Chiang, Jen-Huai; Chang, Hsing-Yi; Hsieh, Vivian Chia-Rong

2017-01-01

The association between migraine and narcolepsy remains controversial. We aim to investigate whether migraine is associated with an increased risk of developing narcolepsy in children. In this longitudinal study, nationwide medical-claims data of pediatric patients (0-17y) with migraine are identified using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) between 1997 and 2010 in Taiwan. Two cohorts are selected: migraine cases (n = 8,923) and propensity score-matched non-migraine controls (n = 35,692). Children with previous history of narcolepsy or headache before the index date are excluded. Cohorts are followed until the end of 2012, their withdrawal from the NHI program, or incidence of narcolepsy (ICD-9-CM: 347). Cox proportional hazards regression models are used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals of developing narcolepsy in children with migraine compared to their non-migraine controls. A total of 13 incident cases with narcolepsy are observed during follow-up, with incidence rates of 0.1915 and 0.0278 per 1,000 person-years in migraine and non-migraine children, respectively. After a mean follow-up period of 4.68 and 5.04 years in the case and control cohort, respectively, the former exhibited a greater risk of developing narcolepsy compared to the latter (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 5.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.61, 17.4; p = 0.006). This finding persisted after controlling for potential confounders like baseline comorbidities and concurrent medication uptake, and in our analyses with migraine subtypes. Migraine is an independent risk factor for narcolepsy development in children. Further studies are needed to validate our findings and to explore the exact pathophysiological mechanisms linking migraine and narcolepsy.

Maternal and paternal pragmatic speech directed to young children with Down syndrome and typical development

PubMed Central

de Falco, Simona; Venuti, Paola; Esposito, Gianluca; Bornstein, Marc H.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare functional features of maternal and paternal speech directed to children with Down syndrome and developmental age-matched typically developing children. Altogether 88 parents (44 mothers and 44 fathers) and their 44 young children (22 children with Down syndrome and 22 typically developing children) participated. Parents’ speech directed to children was obtained through observation of naturalistic parent–child dyadic interactions. Verbatim transcripts of maternal and paternal language were categorized in terms of the primary function of each speech unit. Parents (both mothers and fathers) of children with Down syndrome used more affect-salient speech compared to parents of typically developing children. Although parents used the same amounts of information-salient speech, parents of children with Down syndrome used more direct statements and asked fewer questions than did parents of typically developing children. Concerning parent gender, in both groups mothers used more language than fathers and specifically more descriptions. These findings held controlling for child age and MLU and family SES. This study highlights strengths and weaknesses of parental communication to children with Down syndrome and helps to identify areas of potential improvement through intervention. PMID:21215458

Maternal and paternal pragmatic speech directed to young children with Down syndrome and typical development.

PubMed

de Falco, Simona; Venuti, Paola; Esposito, Gianluca; Bornstein, Marc H

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to compare functional features of maternal and paternal speech directed to children with Down syndrome and developmental age-matched typically developing children. Altogether 88 parents (44 mothers and 44 fathers) and their 44 young children (22 children with Down syndrome and 22 typically developing children) participated. Parents' speech directed to children was obtained through observation of naturalistic parent-child dyadic interactions. Verbatim transcripts of maternal and paternal language were categorized in terms of the primary function of each speech unit. Parents (both mothers and fathers) of children with Down syndrome used more affect-salient speech compared to parents of typically developing children. Although parents used the same amounts of information-salient speech, parents of children with Down syndrome used more direct statements and asked fewer questions than did parents of typically developing children. Concerning parent gender, in both groups mothers used more language than fathers and specifically more descriptions. These findings held controlling for child age and MLU and family SES. This study highlights strengths and weaknesses of parental communication to children with Down syndrome and helps to identify areas of potential improvement through intervention. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perspective-taking deficits in people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a prospective investigation.

PubMed

Schiffman, Jason; Lam, Cecilia W; Jiwatram, Tina; Ekstrom, Morten; Sorensen, Holger; Mednick, Sarnoff

2004-11-01

This study examined data from a Danish prospective longitudinal project in attempt to address the state/trait controversy regarding theory of mind deficits in schizophrenia. Deficits in perspective-taking--a component of theory of mind--were investigated prospectively among children who developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders as adults in comparison to children who did not develop schizophrenia spectrum disorders. A total of 265 high risk and control subjects were studied in 1972. At the time of initial assessment, the Role-Taking Task (RTT) was administered. Two hundred and forty-two of these children were evaluated in 1992 during follow-up examinations. Sixteen developed schizophrenia, 10 developed a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, 70 had outcomes of other psychopathology, and 146 did not develop a mental illness. Children who later developed schizophrenia or a schizophrenia spectrum disorder had lower RTT scores, controlling for verbal IQ and age, compared to those who did not develop any mental illness. Although in the expected direction, RTT scores for those with schizophrenia spectrum disorders were not significantly different from those who developed a non-psychotic disorder. Deficits in perspective-taking among children who later developed schizophrenia spectrum disorders suggest that a facet of theory of mind is impaired prior to development of schizophrenia. Our findings lend support to the hypothesis that theory of mind deficits in schizophrenia are trait markers of the disorder.

Using a social robot to teach gestural recognition and production in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

So, Wing-Chee; Wong, Miranda Kit-Yi; Lam, Carrie Ka-Yee; Lam, Wan-Yi; Chui, Anthony Tsz-Fung; Lee, Tsz-Lok; Ng, Hoi-Man; Chan, Chun-Hung; Fok, Daniel Chun-Wing

2017-07-04

While it has been argued that children with autism spectrum disorders are responsive to robot-like toys, very little research has examined the impact of robot-based intervention on gesture use. These children have delayed gestural development. We used a social robot in two phases to teach them to recognize and produce eight pantomime gestures that expressed feelings and needs. Compared to the children in the wait-list control group (N = 6), those in the intervention group (N = 7) were more likely to recognize gestures and to gesture accurately in trained and untrained scenarios. They also generalized the acquired recognition (but not production) skills to human-to-human interaction. The benefits and limitations of robot-based intervention for gestural learning were highlighted. Implications for Rehabilitation Compared to typically-developing children, children with autism spectrum disorders have delayed development of gesture comprehension and production. Robot-based intervention program was developed to teach children with autism spectrum disorders recognition (Phase I) and production (Phase II) of eight pantomime gestures that expressed feelings and needs. Children in the intervention group (but not in the wait-list control group) were able to recognize more gestures in both trained and untrained scenarios and generalize the acquired gestural recognition skills to human-to-human interaction. Similar findings were reported for gestural production except that there was no strong evidence showing children in the intervention group could produce gestures accurately in human-to-human interaction.

Metacognition and Control of Study Choice in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metcalfe, Janet; Finn, Bridgid

2013-01-01

Middle childhood may be crucial for the development of metacognitive monitoring and study control processes. The first three experiments, using different materials, showed that Grade 3 and Grade 5 children exhibited excellent metacognitive resolution when asked to make delayed judgments of learning (JOLs, using an analogue scale) or binary…

The Development of Effortful Control in Children Born Preterm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poehlmann, Julie; Schwichtenberg, A. J. Miller; Shah, Prachi E.; Shlafer, Rebecca J.; Hahn, Emily; Maleck, Sarah

2010-01-01

This prospective longitudinal study examined emerging effortful control skills at 24- and 36-months postterm in 172 children born preterm (less than 36 weeks gestation). Infant (neonatal health risks), family (sociodemographic risks), and maternal risk factors (depressive symptoms, anger expressions during play interactions) were assessed at six…

The Effect of the Visual Awareness Education Programme on the Visual Literacy of Children Aged 5-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özkubat, S.; Ulutas, I.

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the "Visual Awareness Education Programme" developed to support the visual literacy skills of preschool children. The study group comprised 40 children (20 children in the experimental group and 20 children in the control group) attending preschool in the 2014-2015 school…

Effects of a community-based approach of food and psychosocial stimulation on growth and development of severely malnourished children in Bangladesh: a randomised trial.

PubMed

Nahar, B; Hossain, M I; Hamadani, J D; Ahmed, T; Huda, S N; Grantham-McGregor, S M; Persson, L A

2012-06-01

Psychosocial stimulation (PS) and food supplementation (FS) improve development of malnourished children. This study evaluates the effects of a community-based approach of PS and FS on growth and development of severely malnourished children. Severely underweight hospitalised children aged 6-24 months (n = 507) were randomly allocated on discharge to five groups: (i) PS, (ii) FS, (iii) PS+FS, (iv) clinic-control and (v) hospital-control. PS included play sessions and parental counselling on child development. This was done at each fortnightly follow-up visit, that is, every second week, for 6 months at community clinics. FS included distribution of cereal-based food packets (150-300 kcal/day) for 3 months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplementation, health-education and growth monitoring. Children's development was assessed using revised version of Bayley Scales of Infant Development at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of intervention. Anthropometry was measured using standard procedure. Comparing groups with any stimulation with those with no stimulation there was a significant effect of stimulation on children's mental development index (group*session interaction P = 0.037, effect size = 0.37 s.d.) and weight-for-age Z-score (group*session interaction P = 0.02, effect size=0.26 s.d.). Poor levels of development and nutritional status were sustained, however, due to their initial very severe malnutrition. There was no effect on motor development and linear growth. Children receiving any stimulation showed a significant benefit to mental development and growth in weight. More intensive intervention with longer duration is needed to correct their poor developmental levels and nutritional status.

The Link between Logic, Mathematics and Imagination: Evidence from Children with Developmental Dyscalculia and Mathematically Gifted Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morsanyi, Kinga; Devine, Amy; Nobes, Alison; Szucs, Denes

2013-01-01

This study examined performance on transitive inference problems in children with developmental dyscalculia (DD), typically developing controls matched on IQ, working memory and reading skills, and in children with outstanding mathematical abilities. Whereas mainstream approaches currently consider DD as a domain-specific deficit, we hypothesized…

Exploring Young Children's Understanding of Risks Associated with Internet Usage and Their Concepts of Management Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ey, Lesley-Anne; Cupit, C. Glenn

2011-01-01

The Internet provides remarkable opportunities for children's learning and development. Nevertheless, it is unregulated and hard to control, which potentially places children at risk of exploitation. This study examined five-eight-year-old children's understanding of dangers associated with the Internet, management strategies and sources of their…

Auditory Processing Skills and Phonological Representation in Dyslexic Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Ulla; Thomson, Jennifer M.; Scott, Sophie K.; Goswami, Usha

2004-01-01

It is now well-established that there is a causal connection between children's phonological skills and their acquisition of reading and spelling. Here we study low-level auditory processes that may underpin the development of phonological representations in children. Dyslexic and control children were given a battery of phonological tasks,…

Maternal Stress in Nonverbal Learning Disorder: A Comparison with Reading Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antshel, Kevin M.; Joseph, Guy-Ronald

2006-01-01

Maternal stress was assessed in mothers of children ages 8 to 11 years with learning disorders (LD). Age-, gender-, and IQ-matched children with reading disorders (RD; n = 31), children with nonverbal learning disorders (NVLD; n = 21), and typically developing control participants (n = 23) participated. Mothers of children with LD reported higher…

The Role of Children's Appraisals on Adjustment Following Psychological Maltreatment: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leeson, Fiona J.; Nixon, Reginald D. V.

2011-01-01

Little is known about the cognitive mechanisms involved in the development of psychopathology following psychological maltreatment in children. This study therefore examined the role of thinking styles on children's outcomes following this subtype of maltreatment. Children who had experienced past maltreatment (n = 24) and a control group (n = 26)…

A Narrative Evaluation of Mandarin-Speaking Children with Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hao, Ying; Sheng, Li; Zhang, Yiwen; Jiang, Fan; de Villiers, Jill; Lee, Wendy; Liu, Xueman Lucy

2018-01-01

Purpose: We aimed to study narrative skills in Mandarin-speaking children with language impairment (LI) to compare with children with LI speaking Indo-European languages. Method: Eighteen Mandarin-speaking children with LI (mean age 6;2 [years;months]) and 18 typically developing (TD) age controls told 3 stories elicited using the Mandarin…

Social Support Is Associated with Blood Pressure Responses in Parents Caring for Children with Developmental Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Stephen; Whiteley, Jenny

2012-01-01

The present study tested whether parents caring for children with developmental disabilities would have higher blood pressure compared to parents of typically developing children (controls). It also examined the psychosocial factors underlying this observation. Thirty-five parents of children with developmental disability and thirty controls…

Disembedding performance in children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Kaland, Nils; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Smith, Lars

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the findings, reported in earlier studies, that individuals with autism spectrum disorders process visuo-spatial tasks faster than typically developing control persons. The participants in the present study were children and adolescents with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA) (N = 13), and a matched group of typically developing children and adolescents (N = 13). The results showed that the participants in the clinical group performed marginally less well than those in the control group on both the Block Design Test and the Embedded Figures Test, but the differences were not statistically significant. Thus, earlier findings suggesting that individuals with autism spectrum disorders solve non-social cognitive tasks faster than typically developing control persons were not replicated. The results are discussed with special reference to the hypothesis of weak central coherence.

Dysregulation of the cortisol diurnal rhythm following prenatal alcohol exposure and early life adversity.

PubMed

McLachlan, Kaitlyn; Rasmussen, Carmen; Oberlander, Tim F; Loock, Christine; Pei, Jacqueline; Andrew, Gail; Reynolds, James; Weinberg, Joanne

2016-06-01

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is impacted by a multitude of pre- and postnatal factors. Developmental programming of HPA axis function by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been demonstrated in animal models and in human infants, but remains understudied in older children and adolescents. Moreover, early life adversity (ELA), which occurs at higher rates in children with PAE than in non-exposed children, may also play a role in programming the stress response system. In a cohort of children and adolescents with PAE and ELA (PAE + ELA), we evaluated HPA function through assessment of diurnal cortisol activity compared to that in typically developing controls, as well as the associations among specific ELAs, adverse outcomes, protective factors, and diurnal cortisol. Morning and evening saliva samples were taken under basal conditions from 42 children and adolescents (5-18 years) with PAE + ELA and 43 typically developing controls. High rates of ELA were shown among children with PAE, and significantly higher evening cortisol levels and a flatter diurnal slope were observed in children with PAE + ELA, compared to controls. Medication use in the PAE + ELA group was associated with lower morning cortisol levels, which were comparable to controls. Complex associations were found among diurnal cortisol patterns in the PAE + ELA group and a number of ELAs and later adverse outcomes, whereas protective factors were associated with more typical diurnal rhythms. These results complement findings from research on human infants and animal models showing dysregulated HPA function following PAE, lending weight to the suggestion that PAE and ELA may interact to sensitize the developing HPA axis. The presence of protective factors may buffer altered cortisol regulation, underscoring the importance of early assessment and interventions for children with FASD, and in particular, for the many children with FASD who also have ELA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dysregulation of the cortisol diurnal rhythm following prenatal alcohol exposure and early life adversity

PubMed Central

McLachlan, Kaitlyn; Rasmussen, Carmen; Oberlander, Tim F.; Loock, Christine; Pei, Jacqueline; Andrew, Gail; Reynolds, James; Weinberg, Joanne

2016-01-01

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is impacted by a multitude of pre- and postnatal factors. Developmental programming of HPA axis function by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been demonstrated in animal models and in human infants, but remains understudied in older children and adolescents. Moreover, early life adversity (ELA), which occurs at higher rates in children with PAE than in non-exposed children, may also play a role in programming the HPA or stress response system. In a cohort of children and adolescents with PAE and ELA (PAE + ELA), we evaluated HPA function through assessment of diurnal cortisol activity compared to that in typically developing controls, as well as the associations among specific ELAs, adverse outcomes, protective factors, and diurnal cortisol. Morning and evening saliva samples were taken under basal conditions from 42 children and adolescents (5–18 years) with PAE + ELA and 43 typically developing controls. High rates of ELA were shown among children with PAE, and significantly higher evening cortisol levels and a flatter diurnal slope were observed in children with PAE + ELA, compared to controls. Medication use in the PAE + ELA group was associated with lower morning cortisol levels, which were comparable to controls. Complex associations were found among diurnal cortisol patterns in the PAE + ELA group and a number of ELAs and later adverse outcomes, whereas protective factors were associated with more typical diurnal rhythms. These results complement findings from research on human infants and animal models showing dysregulated HPA function following PAE, lending weight to the suggestion that PAE and ELA may interact to sensitize the developing HPA axis. The presence of protective factors may buffer altered cortisol regulation, underscoring the importance of early assessment and interventions for children with FASD, and in particular, for the many children with FASD who also have ELA. PMID:27286932

A 2-year step-down withdrawal from inhaled corticosteroids in asthmatic children receiving immunotherapy.

PubMed

He, Chun-Hui; Li, Xing; Lin, Jun-Hong; Xiao, Qiang; Yu, Jia-Lu; Liu, Ying-Fen; Jiang, Wen-Hui; Chen, Chen; Deng, Li; Zhou, Jie

2017-12-01

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for treating asthma are controversial because of their negative effects on the growth of asthmatic children and without clearly defined withdrawal strategy. A 2-year ICS step-down and withdrawal strategy has been developed for asthmatic children receiving 3-year subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Eleven children were included into the SCIT group and 13 children into the ICS group. ICSs were discontinued when children met the following criteria: requiring only 1 puffper day, with good control, for at least 6 months; having a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 )/forced vital capacity ≥80%; and SCIT discontinued for ≥24 months. The main endpoints were the results of both the childhood asthma control test (C-CAT) and the methacholine bronchial provocation test. In the SCIT group, all the 11 children had ICS discontinued, with one child developed asthma attack after pneumonia and received ICS again after completion of SCIT. In the ICS group, five children discontinued ICS and developed asthma attacks later and received ICS again; the other eight children developed severe symptoms during ICS step-down. Thus, the discontinuation of ICS was only achieved in the SCIT group. The dose of methacholine that caused a decrease of 20% in FEV 1 continued to improve after discontinuation of ICS for the SCIT group and presented better results than the ICS group (P=0.050). After completion of SCIT, the C-CAT had improved significantly after 30 months of treatment compared with the ICS group (P<0.05). In the present study, we developed a 2-year step-down and withdrawal strategy from ICSs strategy for allergic asthma children receiving SCIT; the strategy was efficacious and safe.

The effect of face exploration on postural control in healthy children.

PubMed

Goulème, Nathalie; Seassau, Magali; Bucci, Maria Pia

2015-07-01

The objective was to explore how face exploration affects postural control in healthy children. The novelty here is that eye movements and posture were simultaneously recorded. Three groups of children participated in the study: 12 children of 7.8±0.5 years old, 13 children of 10.4±0.5 years old and 12 children of 15.7±0.9 years old. Eye movements were recorded by video-oculography and postural stability was recorded by a platform. Children were invited to explore five emotional faces (neutral, happy, sad fear and angry). Analysis of eye movements was done on saccadic latency, percentage of exploration time spent and number of saccades for each specific region of interest (ROI): eyes, nose and mouth. Analysis of posture was made on surface area, sway length and mean velocity of the center of pressures (CoP). Results showed that visual strategies, exploration and postural control develop during childhood and adolescence. Indeed, after nine years-old, children started to look the eyes ROI firstly, then the nose ROI and finally the mouth ROI. The number of saccades decreased with the age of children. The percentage of exploration time spent in eyes ROI was longer than the others ROIs and greater for unpleasant faces (sad, fear and angry) with respect to pleasant emotional face (happy). We found that in front of sad and happy faces the surface area of the CoP was significantly larger compared to other faces (neutral and angry). These results suggest that visual strategies and postural control change during children's development and can be influenced by the emotional face. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Efficacy Trial of Carescapes: Home-Based Child-Care Practices and Children's Social Outcomes.

PubMed

Rusby, Julie C; Jones, Laura B; Crowley, Ryann; Smolkowski, Keith

2016-07-01

This study reported findings from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of Carescapes, a professional development program for home-based child-care providers in promoting children's social competence. Participants included 134 child-care providers and 310 children, ages 3-5 years, in Oregon. The Carescapes intervention group made significant improvements in observed caregiver responsiveness and monitoring, and showed decreased caregiver-reported child problem behavior and improved parent-reported peer relationships compared to the control group. Increased caregiver-reported cooperation skills were found for the intervention group at follow-up. No differences in condition were found for kindergarten teacher-reported social-behavioral, classroom, and academic skills. Moderation effects on children's behavior and peer relations were found for child age and exposure to the intervention child care. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The comparison of perceived health-related quality of life between Australian children with severe specific language impairment to age and gender-matched peers.

PubMed

Nicola, Kristy; Watter, Pauline

2018-02-14

Children with specific language impairment often present with multiple comorbidities, which may adversely affect both participation in play and academic performance, potentially impacting a child's health-related quality of life. This study 1) explored the suitability of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ Version 4.0 Generic Core Scales (PedsQL™) for use with a typically developing Australian control group, and 2) compared the health-related quality of life between a control group and Australian children with severe specific language impairment. Health-related quality of life data collected as part of a broader study of 43 children with severe specific language impairment (males = 35, age range 5-16, mean age = 8.79+/- 2.92) enrolled at a special school were used to explore previously unreported findings. Typically developing gender and age matched (+/- 3 months) peers were recruited from local schools. The PedsQL™ child self-report and proxy-report were individually or interviewer-administered to the control group as required, and then compared to the group with specific language impairment. The PedsQL™ was reliable and feasible for use with the control group (N = 43, males = 35, age range = 5-16 years, mean age = 8.74+/- 2.94 years). Control group performance was as expected as per the manual. Parents of the control group scored their children significantly higher than did the children themselves on all scales except the emotional functioning scale. Both the control group children and their parents scored themselves significantly higher on all scales, compared to children with severe specific language impairment and their parents. The PedsQL™ was suitable for use with the control group. Further, the recruitment of a control group provided additional clarity on the extent a severe specific language impairment impacts on an Australian child's perceived health-related quality of life, compared to the manual cut-off scores. Severe specific language impairment significantly impacts negatively on the health-related quality of life of Australian children across all domains, particularly when compared to an age and gender-matched group of peers. These results warrant the inclusion of health-related quality of life evaluations in the assessment of these children along with a multidisciplinary approach.

Prevention of maternal bacterial transmission on children's dental-caries-development: 4-year results of a pilot study in a rural-child population.

PubMed

Ercan, Ertuğrul; Dülgergil, C Türksel; Yildirim, Işil; Dalli, Mehmet

2007-08-01

Dental caries with its bacterial agent is an infectious disease, and shows a vertical transmission. The control of bacterial transmission of Mutans streptococci (MS) from mother to child has been studied, and its results on their children's caries development, and on their siblings' bacterial levels, have been analysed in a field-trial (for 4 years) in rural area. In the same tribe, 8 mothers and their 11 children (test children [TC]), and then (following years) their 9 siblings (test sibling [TSb]), were followed for 4 years. The study started when the TC group had just started to erupt. Test mothers were subjected to a preventive regime. Examination of caries development as well as determination of plaque levels of MS in TC and TSb were carried out annually and at 6-month intervals. At the end of 4 years, two control groups (control children [CC] and control siblings [CSb]) resembling TC and TSb were selected from the other tribe living in the same village, and bacterial data and caries status were compared to both test groups. Microbial data demonstrated that the test children (p<0.01) and test siblings (p<0.05) had significantly low bacterial level in plaque samples. Accordingly, TC had significantly low dmf-t and -s number compared to corresponding control group (p<0.001 for dmf-t, p<0.0001 for dmf-s). The preventive regimen was applicable in rural southeastern Anatolia, where an introverted life style with a great tribal system is prevailing, any other preventive measures may have been practical or available, and babies are basically cared by mothers.

Joint Attention in Parent-Child Dyads Involving Children with Selective Mutism: A Comparison between Anxious and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowakowski, Matilda E.; Tasker, Susan L.; Cunningham, Charles E.; McHolm, Angela E.; Edison, Shannon; St. Pierre, Jeff; Boyle, Michael H.; Schmidt, Louis A.

2011-01-01

Although joint attention processes are known to play an important role in adaptive social behavior in typical development, we know little about these processes in clinical child populations. We compared early school age children with selective mutism (SM; n = 19) versus mixed anxiety (MA; n = 18) and community controls (CC; n = 26) on joint…

Reliability of center of pressure measures for assessing the development of sitting postural control through the stages of sitting.

PubMed

Wickstrom, Jordan; Stergiou, Nick; Kyvelidou, Anastasia

2017-07-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) impairs an individual's ability to move and control one's posture. Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of CP may not be apparent before age two. Evaluating sitting posture is a potential way to assess the developing mechanisms that contribute to CP. The purpose of this project was to determine the reliability of linear and nonlinear measures, including inter- and intrastage reliability, when used to analyze the center of pressure (COP) time series during the stages of sitting development in children with typical development (TD) and with/at-risk for cerebral palsy (CP). We hypothesized that nonlinear tools would be more reliable than linear tools in assessing childrens' sitting development, and reliability would increase with development. COP data was recorded for three trials at eight sessions. Linear parameters used were root mean square, range of sway for the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions, and sway path. Nonlinear parameters used were Approximate Entropy, the largest Lyapunov Exponent, and Correlation Dimension for the AP and ML direction. Participants consisted of 33 children with TD and 26 children with/at-risk for CP. Our results determined that COP is a moderately reliable method for assessing the development of sitting postural control in stages in both groups. Thus, clinicians may be able to use measures from COP data across stages to assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions that are intended to improve sitting postural abilities in children with/at-risk for CP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in Motor Development During a 4-Year Follow-up on Children With Univentricular Heart Defects.

PubMed

Mäenpää, Heidi; Häkkinen, Arja; Sarajuuri, Anne

2016-01-01

To compare changes in motor development from 1 to 5 years of age among 18 children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and 12 with univentricular heart to 42 children without heart defect. Motor development was assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale and Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC). Children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or univentricular heart had significantly lower scores on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale test at the age of 1 and on the Movement ABC test at the age of 5 years compared with controls. Children with clear abnormalities on brain magnetic resonance imaging had lower scores compared with those with normal images or mild changes, and their relative motor scores decreased during follow-up. Some children with univentricular heart defects may benefit from physiotherapeutic interventions to support their motor development.

Non-organ-specific autoantibodies in children with chronic hepatitis C: clinical significance and impact on interferon treatment.

PubMed

Muratori, Paolo; Muratori, Luigi; Verucchi, Gabriella; Attard, Luciano; Bianchi, Francesco B; Lenzi, Marco

2003-11-15

We evaluated the prevalence and clinical significance of non-organ-specific autoantibodies (NOSAs) in 47 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive children with abnormal alanine transaminase levels and analyzed the association between NOSAs and virus level, genotype, human leukocyte antigen status, and interferon (IFN) response. Forty-two hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive children and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy children served as control subjects. NOSAs were found in 34% of the HCV-positive children, 12% of the HBV-positive controls, and none of the healthy control subjects. Liver-kidney microsomal antibody type 1 (LKM1) was detected in 11% of the HCV-positive children but in none of the controls. The HCV load was significantly higher in NOSA-negative than in NOSA-positive children. HCV genotype distribution and human leukocyte antigen alleles were similar, irrespective of NOSA status. Long-term response to IFN therapy was achieved by 18% of the NOSA-positive and 55% of the NOSA-negative subjects. Two LKM1-positive children developed acute, self-limited hepatocellular necrosis while receiving IFN therapy. NOSAs are frequently present in children with hepatitis C, who are less likely to benefit from IFN therapy.

Primary Dietary Intervention Study to Reduce the Risk of Islet Autoimmunity in Children at Increased Risk for Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Hummel, Sandra; Pflüger, Maren; Hummel, Michael; Bonifacio, Ezio; Ziegler, Anette-G.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether delaying the introduction of gluten in infants with a genetic risk of islet autoimmunity is feasible, safe, and may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes–associated islet autoimmunity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 150 infants with a first-degree family history of type 1 diabetes and a risk HLA genotype were randomly assigned to a first gluten exposure at age 6 months (control group) or 12 months (late-exposure group) and were followed 3 monthly until the age of 3 years and yearly thereafter for safety (for growth and autoantibodies to transglutaminase C [TGCAs]), islet autoantibodies to insulin, GAD, insulinoma-associated protein 2, and type 1 diabetes. RESULTS Adherence to the dietary-intervention protocol was reported from 70% of families. During the first 3 years, weight and height were similar in children in the control and late-exposure groups, as was the probability of developing TGCAs (14 vs. 4%; P = 0.1). Eleven children in the control group and 13 children in the late-exposure group developed islet autoantibodies (3-year risk: 12 vs. 13%; P = 0.6). Seven children developed diabetes, including four in the late-exposure group. No significant differences were observed when children were analyzed as per protocol on the basis of the reported first gluten exposure of the children. CONCLUSIONS Delaying gluten exposure until the age of 12 months is safe but does not substantially reduce the risk for islet autoimmunity in genetically at-risk children. PMID:21515839

Control of Walking Speed in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Davids, Jon R; Cung, Nina Q; Chen, Suzy; Sison-Williamson, Mitell; Bagley, Anita M

2017-03-21

Children's ability to control the speed of gait is important for a wide range of activities. It is thought that the ability to increase the speed of gait for children with cerebral palsy (CP) is common. This study considered 3 hypotheses: (1) most ambulatory children with CP can increase gait speed, (2) the characteristics of free (self-selected) and fast walking are related to motor impairment level, and (3) the strategies used to increase gait speed are distinct among these levels. A retrospective review of time-distance parameters (TDPs) for 212 subjects with CP and 34 typically developing subjects walking at free and fast speeds was performed. Only children who could increase their gait speed above the minimal clinically important difference were defined as having a fast walk. Analysis of variance was used to compare TDPs of children with CP, among Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels, and children in typically developing group. Eight-five percent of the CP group (GMFCS I, II, III; 96%, 99%, and 34%, respectively) could increase gait speed on demand. At free speed, children at GMFCS I and II were significantly faster than children at GMFCS level III. At free speed, children at GMFCS I and II had significantly greater stride length than those at GMFCS levels III. At free speed, children at GMFCS level III had significantly lower cadence than those at GMFCS I and II. There were no significant differences in cadence among GMFCS levels at fast speeds. There were no significant differences among GMFCS levels for percent change in any TDP between free and fast walking. Almost all children with CP at GMFCS levels I and II can control the speed of gait, however, only one-third at GMFCS III level have this ability. This study suggests that children at GMFCS III level can be divided into 2 groups based on their ability to control gait speed; however, the prognostic significance of such categorization remains to be determined. Diagnostic level II.

Development in reading and math in children from different SES backgrounds: the moderating role of child temperament.

PubMed

Wang, Zhe; Soden, Brooke; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Lukowski, Sarah L; Schenker, Victoria J; Willcutt, Erik G; Thompson, Lee A; Petrill, Stephen A

2017-05-01

Socioeconomic risks (SES risks) are robust risk factors influencing children's academic development. However, it is unclear whether the effects of SES on academic development operate universally in all children equally or whether they vary differentially in children with particular characteristics. The current study aimed to explore children's temperament as protective or risk factors that potentially moderate the associations between SES risks and academic development. Specifically, latent growth modeling (LGM) was used in two longitudinal datasets with a total of 2236 children to examine how family SES risks and children's temperament interactively predicted the development of reading and math from middle childhood to early adolescence. Results showed that low negative affect, high effortful control, and low surgency mitigated the negative associations between SES risks and both reading and math development in this developmental period. These findings underline the heterogeneous nature of the negative associations between SES risks and academic development and highlight the importance of the interplay between biological and social factors on individual differences in development. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Non-symbolic numerical distance effect in children with and without developmental dyscalculia: a parametric fMRI study.

PubMed

Kucian, Karin; Loenneker, Thomas; Martin, Ernst; von Aster, Michael

2011-01-01

This study investigated areas of brain activation related to non-symbolic distance effects in children with and without developmental dyscalculia (DD). We examined 15 children with DD (11.3 years) and 15 controls (10.6 years) by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both groups displayed similar behavioral performance, but differences in brain activation were observed, particularly in the supplementary motor area and the right fusiform gyrus, where children with DD demonstrated stronger activation. These results suggest that dyscalculic children engage areas attributed to higher difficulty in response selection more than control children, possibly due to a deficient development of a spatial number representation in DD.

Pyrethroid Pesticide Metabolite in Urine and Microelements in Hair of Children Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Investigation

PubMed Central

Domingues, Valentina F.; Nasuti, Cinzia; Piangerelli, Marco; Correia-Sá, Luísa; Ghezzo, Alessandro; Marini, Marina; Abruzzo, Provvidenza M.; Visconti, Paola; Giustozzi, Marcello; Rossi, Gerardo; Gabbianelli, Rosita

2016-01-01

The number of children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is dramatically increasing as well as the studies aimed at understanding the risk factors associated with the development of ASD. Since the etiology of ASD is partly genetic and partly environmental, factors (i.e., heavy metals, pesticides) as well as lifestyle seem to have a key role in the development of the disease. ASD and Control (CTR) children, aged 5–12 years, were compared. Gas chromatography coupled with trap mass detector was used to measure the level of 3-PBA, the main pyrethroid metabolite in urine in a group of ASD patients, while optical emission spectrometry analysis was employed to estimate the level of metals and microelements in hair in a different group of ASD children. The presence of 3-PBA in urine seems to be independent of age in ASD children, while a positive correlation between 3-PBA and age was observed in the control group of the same age range. Urine concentration of 3-BPA in ASD children had higher values than in the control group, which were marginally significant (p = 0.054). Mg results were significantly decreased in ASD with respect to controls, while V, S, Zn, and Ca/Mg were marginally increased, without reaching statistical significance. Results of Principal Component (PC) analysis of metals and microelements in hair were not associated with either age or health status. In conclusion, 3-PBA in urine and Mg in hair were changed in ASD children relative to control ones. PMID:27482573

The effects and costs of the universal parent group program - all children in focus: a study protocol for a randomized wait-list controlled trial.

PubMed

Lindberg, Lene; Ulfsdotter, Malin; Jalling, Camilla; Skärstrand, Eva; Lalouni, Maria; Lönn Rhodin, Kajsa; Månsdotter, Anna; Enebrink, Pia

2013-07-29

In recent decades, parents have been involved in programs that aim to improve parenting style and reduce child behavior problems. Research of preventive parenting programs has shown that these interventions generally have a positive influence on both parents and children. However, to our knowledge there is a gap in the scientific literature when it comes to randomized controlled trials of brief, manual-based structured programs which address general parenting among the population, and focus on promoting health. A four-session universal health promotion parent group program named All Children in Focus was developed. It aims at promoting parental competence and children's positive development with the parent-child relationship as the target. There is currently no randomized controlled trial existing of the program. A prospective multicenter randomized wait-list controlled trial is being conducted. Approximately 600 parents with children ranging in age from 3-12 years have been recruited in eleven municipalities and city districts in the County of Stockholm, Sweden. Parents are randomized at baseline to an intervention group, which receives the program directly, or to a waiting-list control group, which participates in the program six months later. Changes in parenting and child health and development are assessed with measures immediately post-intervention and six months after the baseline. Observations of a minor group of parents and children are conducted to explore possible relations between parental reports and observed behaviors, as well as changes in the interaction between parent and child. Further, data collected within the evaluation will also be applied to evaluate the possible cost-effectiveness of the program. This paper describes a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Except for the quantitative outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of All Children in Focus, this protocol also describes health economic and qualitative analyses to deepen the knowledge of the program. We further discuss some issues regarding the implementation of the program in municipalities and city districts. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70202532.

Chronic suppurative otitis media in children of Luanda, Angola.

PubMed

Taipale, Anni; Pelkonen, Tuula; Taipale, Marko; Bernardino, Luis; Peltola, Heikki; Pitkäranta, Anne

2011-08-01

Evaluation of clinical characteristics, bacteriology and hearing in paediatric patients with and without chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) in Luanda, Angola. Interview, clinical examination, ear-discharge culture, open air pure-tone audiometry and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials of 23 outpatients with CSOM and 23 controls in a paediatric hospital. Of the CSOM vs. control children, 35% vs. 26% had running water, 70% vs. 70% electricity, 64% vs. 0% HIV (p<0.0001) and 36% vs. 0% tuberculosis in history (p=0.002). Ten (43%) children had bilateral CSOM. The major ear-discharge pathogens were Proteus spp. (44%) and Pseudomonas (22%). Hearing impairment of >25 dB was present in 52% of CSOM-affected ears and bilateral hearing loss in 7 (30%) CSOM children vs. zero control child (p=0.009). Only one hearing-impaired child's family had previously detected the handicap. CSOM occurred in children with high co-morbidity. Persistent otorrhoea was usually caused by Proteus spp. or Pseudomonas, and often suggestive of either HIV or hearing impairment. In the developing countries, prompt diagnosis and treatment of CSOM would enhance the children's linguistic and academic development. © 2011 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2011 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Balance improvement after physical therapy training using specially developed serious games for cerebral palsy children: preliminary results.

PubMed

Bonnechère, Bruno; Omelina, Lubos; Jansen, Bart; Van Sint Jan, Serge

2017-02-01

Cerebral palsy (CP) leads to various clinical signs mainly induced by muscle spasticity and muscle weakness. Among these ones impaired balance and posture are very common. Traditional physical therapy exercise programs are focusing on this aspect, but it is difficult to motivate patients to regularly perform these exercises, especially at home without therapist supervision. Specially developed serious games (SG) could therefore be an interesting option to motivate children to perform specific exercise for balance improvement. Ten CP children participated in this study. Patients received four sessions of SG included into conventional therapy (1 session of 30 min a week during 4 weeks). Trunk control and balance were assessed using Trunk Control Motor Scale (TCMS) before and after interventions. Children presented a significant improvement in TCMS global score after interventions [37.6 (8.7) and 39.6 (9.5) before and after interventions, respectively, p = 0.04]. SG could therefore be an interesting option to integrate in the conventional treatment of CP children. Implication for Rehabilitation Cerebral palsy (CP) leads to balance issues. Rehabilitation exercises are not performed (enough) at home. Serious games (SG) could increase patients' motivation. SG increase balance control of CP children.

Temporal discounting of monetary rewards in children and adolescents with ADHD and autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Demurie, Ellen; Roeyers, Herbert; Baeyens, Dieter; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund

2012-11-01

It has been difficult to differentiate attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in terms of some aspects of their cognitive profile. While both show deficits in executive functions, it has been suggested that they may differ in their response to monetary reward. For instance, children with ADHD prefer small immediate over large delayed rewards more than typically developing controls. One explanation for this is that they discount the value of rewards to a higher degree as they are moved into the future. The current study investigated whether children with ADHD can be differentiated from those with ASD in terms of reward discounting. Thirty-nine children (8-16 y) with ADHD, 34 children with ASD and 46 typically developing controls performed a hypothetical monetary temporal discounting task. Participants were instructed to make repeated choices between small variable rewards (0, 5, 10, 20, 30€) delivered immediately and large rewards delivered after a variable delay. Children with ADHD but not ASD discounted future rewards at a higher rate than typically developing controls. These data confirm steeper discounting of future rewards in ADHD and add to a small but growing literature showing that the psychological profile of ADHD can be distinguished from that of ASD in terms of disrupted motivational processes. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Working memory in children and adolescents with Down syndrome: evidence from a colour memory experiment.

PubMed

Laws, Glynis

2002-03-01

This paper reports information on the visual and verbal short-term memory of individuals with Down syndrome. Colour memory in 16 children and adolescents with Down syndrome was compared with that of 16 typically developing children matched for receptive vocabulary. It was suggested that focal colours should be remembered more successfully than non-focal colours on the basis that the former could be remembered using a verbal recoding strategy. However, children with Down syndrome, for whom a deficit in verbal short-term memory makes the use of such a strategy unlikely, should remember focal and non-focal colours equally well. More importantly, if individuals with Down syndrome have more developed visual memory abilities than control children, they should outperform them in recognising non-focal colours. Although the group with Down syndrome demonstrated significantly better Corsi blocks performance than controls, and displayed similar levels of colour knowledge, no advantage for colour memory was found. Non-focal colours were remembered by individuals with Down syndrome as successfully as focal colours but there was no indication of a visual memory advantage over controls. Focal colours were remembered significantly more successfully than non-focal colours by the typically developing children. Their focal colour memory was significantly related to digit span, but only Corsi span was related to focal colour memory in the group with Down syndrome.

Improving the social-conversational skills of developmentally delayed children: an intervention study.

PubMed

Girolametto, L E

1988-05-01

Twenty mothers and their preschool-aged, developmentally delayed children participated in this parent-focused intervention study. Nine mother-child dyads received an 11-week training program that espoused a social-conversational approach, while 11 dyads served as controls. Pre- and posttest videotapes were transcribed and coded to yield measures of turn taking, as well as indexes of responsiveness, topic control, and uninvolvement. Following treatment, the mothers in the experimental group were more responsive to and less controlling of their children's behavior than the mothers in the comparison group. The children initiated more topics, were more responsive to their mother's preceding turns, and used more verbal turns and a more diverse vocabulary than the control group children. No differences in language development, as measured by a standardized test, were found. Individual maternal responses to intervention as well as implications for modifying parent training programs are discussed.

Improving the outcomes of children affected by parental substance abuse: a review of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Stacy; Conner, Emma; Miller, Melodi; Messina, Nena

2015-01-01

Substance abuse is a major public health concern that impacts not just the user but also the user’s family. The effect that parental substance abuse has on children has been given substantial attention over the years. Findings from the literature suggest that children of substance-abusing parents have a high risk of developing physical and mental health and behavioral problems. A number of intervention programs have been developed for parents who have a substance abuse problem. There have also been a number of interventions that have been developed for children who have at least one parent with a substance abuse problem. However, it remains unclear how we can best mitigate the negative effects that parental substance abuse has on children due to the scarcity of evaluations that utilize rigorous methodologies such as experimental designs. The purpose of this study is to review randomized controlled trials of intervention programs targeting parents with substance abuse problems and/or children with at least one parent with a substance abuse problem in order to identify programs that show some promise in improving the behavioral and mental health outcomes of children affected by parental substance abuse. Four randomized controlled trials that met our eligibility criteria were identified using major literature search engines. The findings from this review suggest that interventions that focus on improving parenting practices and family functioning may be effective in reducing problems in children affected by parental substance abuse. However, further research utilizing rigorous methodologies are needed in order to identify other successful interventions that can improve the outcomes of these children long after the intervention has ended. PMID:25670915

Obstacle Crossing During Gait in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Cross-Sectional Study With Kinematic Analysis of Dynamic Balance and Trunk Control.

PubMed

Malone, Ailish; Kiernan, Damien; French, Helen; Saunders, Valerie; O'Brien, Timothy

2016-08-01

Balance problems are common in children who have cerebral palsy (CP) but are active and ambulant. Control of the whole-body center of mass is critical in maintaining dynamic stability during challenging mobility tasks, such as clearing an obstacle while walking. The objective of this study was to compare trunk and lower limb kinematics and center-of-mass control in children with CP and those in children with typical development during obstacle crossing. This was a cross-sectional study. Thirty-four children who were 5 to 17 years of age (17 with CP and 17 with typical development) and matched in age and height completed 2 gait trials involving crossing a 10-cm obstacle. Three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were captured with a general-purpose 3-dimensional motion tracking system and forceplates. Trunk data were captured with a validated model. All children cleared the obstacle with similar hip and knee kinematics, step length, and single-support duration. In children with CP, step width was increased by 4.81 cm, and center-of-mass velocity was significantly slower at lead limb toe-off (0.31 m/s) and during lead limb clearance (0.2 m/s). Children with CP showed altered trunk and pelvis movement, characterized by significantly greater pelvic obliquity, pelvic tilt, and trunk rotation throughout the task, increased lateral trunk lean during lead limb crossing (3.7°), and greater sagittal trunk movement as the trail limb crossed (5.1°). The study was not powered to analyze differences between children with diplegia and those with hemiplegia. Children with CP required greater adjustments at the trunk and pelvis to achieve successful obstacle crossing. The increase in trunk movement could have been compensatory for reduced stability distally or for a primary problem reflecting poor proximal control. The findings suggest that rehabilitation should focus on both proximal trunk control and distal stability to improve balance. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Modulating mimicry: Exploring the roles of inhibitory control and social understanding in 5-year-olds' behavioral mimicry.

PubMed

van Schaik, Johanna E; Hunnius, Sabine

2018-01-01

During adult interactions, behavioral mimicry, the implicit copying of an interaction partner's postures and mannerisms, communicates liking and affiliation. While this social behavior likely develops during early childhood, it is unclear which factors contribute to its emergence. Here, the roles of inhibitory control and social understanding on 5-year-olds' behavioral mimicry were investigated. Following a social manipulation in which one experimenter shared a sticker with the child and the other experimenter kept two stickers for herself, children watched a video in which these experimenters each told a story. During this story session, children in the experimental group (n = 28) observed the experimenters perform face and hand rubbing behaviors whereas the control group (n = 23) did not see these behaviors. Children's inhibitory control was assessed using the day-night task and their social understanding was measured through a parental questionnaire. Surprisingly, group-level analyses revealed that the experimental group performed the behaviors significantly less than the control group (i.e. a negative mimicry effect) for both the sticker-sharer and sticker-keeper. Yet, the hypothesized effects of inhibitory control and social understanding were found. Inhibitory control predicted children's selective mimicry of the sticker-keeper versus sticker-sharer and children's overall mimicry was correlated with social understanding. These results provide the first indications to suggest that factors of social and cognitive development dynamically influence the emergence and specificity of behavioral mimicry during early childhood.

[Auditory event-related potentials in children with functional articulation disorders].

PubMed

Gao, Yan; Zheng, Xi-Fu; Hong, Qi; Luo, Xiao-Xing; Jiang, Tao-Tao

2013-08-01

To investigate the central auditory processing function in children with functional articulation disorders (FAD), and possible causes of FAD. Twenty-seven children with FAD were selected as the case group and 50 age-matched normal children were selected as the control group. The two groups were compared with respect to the following factors: percentage of individuals with a positive history of language development disorder, and the form, peak latency and peak amplitude of mismatch negativity (MMN) on auditory event-related potentials. Compared with the control group, the case group had a significantly higher percentage of individuals with a positive history of language development disorder (70% vs 8%; P<0.01), a significantly prolonged peak latency of MMN (209 ± 31 ms vs 175 ± 32 ms; P<0.01), and an insignificantly lower peak amplitude of MMN (P>0.05). Prolonged central auditory processing may be one of the causes of FAD in children.

Knowing When to Be "Rational": Flexible Economic Decision Making and Executive Function in Preschool Children.

PubMed

Lee, Wendy S C; Carlson, Stephanie M

2015-01-01

Failure to delay gratification may not indicate poor control or irrationality, but might be an adaptive response. Two studies investigated 3.5- and 4.5-year-old children's ability to adapt their delay and saving behavior when their preference (e.g., to delay or not delay) became nonadaptive. In Study 1 (N = 140), children's delay preference was associated with a risk of losing rewards. In Study 2 (N = 142), children's saving preference was associated with an inability to play an attractive game. Whereas baseline delaying and saving preferences were unrelated to a standardized executive function measure, children who switched to their nonpreferred choice scored higher, suggesting flexibility of decision-making may be a more meaningful dependent variable than baseline performance in developmental research on self-control. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Young Athletes program: impact on motor development.

PubMed

Favazza, Paddy C; Siperstein, Gary N; Zeisel, Susan A; Odom, Samuel L; Sideris, John H; Moskowitz, Andrew L

2013-07-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the Young Athletes program to promote motor development in preschool-aged children with disabilities. In the study, 233 children were randomly assigned to a control group or the Young Athletes (YA) intervention group which consisted of 24 motor skill lessons delivered 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) showed that children who participated in the YA intervention exhibited mean gains of 7-9 months on the Peabody Developmental Motor Subscales (PDMS) compared with mean gains of 3-5 months for the control group. Children in the YA intervention also exhibited significant gains on the gross motor subscale of the Vineland Teacher Rating Form (VTRF). Teachers and parents reported benefits for children not only in specific motor skills, but also kindergarten readiness skills and social/play skills. The necessity for direct and intentional instruction of motor skills, as well as the challenges of involving families in the YA program, are discussed.

Enhancing emotion recognition in children with autism spectrum conditions: an intervention using animated vehicles with real emotional faces.

PubMed

Golan, Ofer; Ashwin, Emma; Granader, Yael; McClintock, Suzy; Day, Kate; Leggett, Victoria; Baron-Cohen, Simon

2010-03-01

This study evaluated The Transporters, an animated series designed to enhance emotion comprehension in children with autism spectrum conditions (ASC). n = 20 children with ASC (aged 4-7) watched The Transporters everyday for 4 weeks. Participants were tested before and after intervention on emotional vocabulary and emotion recognition at three levels of generalization. Two matched control groups of children (ASC group, n = 18 and typically developing group, n = 18) were also assessed twice without any intervention. The intervention group improved significantly more than the clinical control group on all task levels, performing comparably to typical controls at Time 2. We conclude that using The Transporters significantly improves emotion recognition in children with ASC. Future research should evaluate the series' effectiveness with lower-functioning individuals.

Characteristics and professional use of voice in street children in Aracaju, Brazil.

PubMed

Sales, Neuza Josina; Gurgel, Ricardo Queiroz; Gonçalves, Maria Inês Rebelo; Cunha, Edílson; Barreto, Valeria Maria Prado; Todt Neto, João Carlos; D'Avila, Jeferson Sampaio

2010-07-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate voice characteristics of children engaged in street selling, which involves an essentially professional use of voice in this population. A controlled cross-sectional study was carried out. A randomly chosen sample of 200 school children with a history of street selling assisted by public social services and 400 school children without this experience was selected. Seven- to 10-year-old children of both sexes were studied. Both groups were interviewed and given vocal assessment (auditory-perceptual assessment and spectrographic acoustic measures) and otorhinolaryngological evaluation (physical and videonasolaryngoscopic examination). Children with abnormal results in both groups were compared using chi(2) (Chi-squared test). The significance level was established at 5% (P<0.05). Voice problems were detected more frequently in working children (106-53%) than in regular school children (90-22.5%). The control group achieved better school performance as more children in this group attend school regularly than street children, although age-for-grade deficit was similar. The control group had more access to medical visits (80-40%) and treatment with a doctor (34-17%). Language assessment has shown that the control group had more dysphonia (73-37%) and myofunctional orofacial disorders (20-10%). Street children had more normal voice but had more nasal disorders and greater glottal closure than the school control group. Voice disorders were present in both groups, but less frequently in street children. Although subject to inadequate living conditions, street children had better voice quality than the control group. An explanation could be that by adapting their voice professionally for selling goods in the streets, they developed adequate resilience to their difficult living conditions. Copyright (c) 2010 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Parenting and the development of effortful control from early childhood to early adolescence: A transactional developmental model.

PubMed

Tiberio, Stacey S; Capaldi, Deborah M; Kerr, David C R; Bertrand, Maria; Pears, Katherine C; Owen, Lee

2016-08-01

Poor effortful control is a key temperamental factor underlying behavioral problems. The bidirectional association of child effortful control with both positive parenting and negative discipline was examined from ages approximately 3 to 13-14 years, involving five time points, and using data from parents and children in the Oregon Youth Study-Three Generational Study (N = 318 children from 150 families). Based on a dynamic developmental systems approach, it was hypothesized that there would be concurrent associations between parenting and child effortful control and bidirectional effects across time from each aspect of parenting to effortful control and from effortful control to each aspect of parenting. It was also hypothesized that associations would be more robust in early childhood, from ages 3 to 7 years, and would diminish as indicated by significantly weaker effects at the older ages, 11-12 to 13-14 years. Longitudinal feedback or mediated effects were also tested. The findings supported (a) stability in each construct over multiple developmental periods; (b) concurrent associations, which were significantly weaker at the older ages; (c) bidirectional effects, consistent with the interpretation that at younger ages children's effortful control influenced parenting, whereas at older child ages, parenting influenced effortful control; and (d) a transactional effect, such that maternal parenting in late childhood was a mechanism explaining children's development of effortful control from middle childhood to early adolescence.

Hearing and neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bartlett, Adam W; McMullan, Brendan; Rawlinson, William D; Palasanthiran, Pamela

2017-09-06

Congenital CMV is one of the commonest congenital infections and a recognised cause of sensorineural hearing loss and neurodevelopmental impairment. Ninety percent are clinically inapparent at birth but are reported to be at risk of developing such abnormalities throughout childhood, the extent of which requires further elucidation. A systematic literature review was conducted using Medline and Embase databases, manual citation review, and personal libraries for articles reporting primary data on hearing and neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with asymptomatic congenital CMV. PROSPERO registration number CRD42015025407. Thirty-seven of 480 articles identified between 1969 and 2016 met the eligibility criteria. Twenty-nine of these contributed primary data on hearing outcomes and 20 on neurodevelopmental outcomes (12 of the 37 studies contributed data on both). Cumulative incidence of sensorineural hearing loss with follow-up to at least 5 years was 7% to 11%, which is more than healthy controls but less than children with symptomatic congenital CMV (34%-41%). The onset, course, and severity of hearing loss was variable with no reliable virological prognostic marker. In comparison to controls, children with asymptomatic congenital CMV did not perform worse than controls in neurodevelopmental assessments and performed better than children with symptomatic congenital CMV. Studies show children with asymptomatic congenital CMV are at increased risk of developing hearing loss but perform equally well on neurodevelopmental assessments when compared with healthy controls. There is no reliable virological marker to determine which infants will develop sequelae. Regular follow-up until school entry is supported by the literature. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Oral Articulatory Control in Childhood Apraxia of Speech

PubMed Central

Moss, Aviva; Lu, Ying

2015-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this research was to examine spatial and temporal aspects of articulatory control in children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), children with speech delay characterized by an articulation/phonological impairment (SD), and controls with typical development (TD) during speech tasks that increased in word length. Method The participants included 33 children (11 CAS, 11 SD, and 11 TD) between 3 and 7 years of age. A motion capture system was used to track jaw, lower lip, and upper lip movement during a naming task. Movement duration, velocity, displacement, and variability were measured from accurate word productions. Results Movement variability was significantly higher in the children with CAS compared with participants in the SD and TD groups. Differences in temporal control were seen between both groups of children with speech impairment and the controls with TD during accurate word productions. As word length increased, movement duration and variability differed between the children with CAS and those with SD. Conclusions These findings provide evidence that movement variability distinguishes children with CAS from speakers with SD. Kinematic differences between the participants with CAS and those with SD suggest that these groups respond differently to linguistic challenges. PMID:25951237

Reaction Time Variability in Children With ADHD Symptoms and/or Dyslexia

PubMed Central

Gooch, Debbie; Snowling, Margaret J.; Hulme, Charles

2012-01-01

Reaction time (RT) variability on a Stop Signal task was examined among children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and/or dyslexia in comparison to typically developing (TD) controls. Children's go-trial RTs were analyzed using a novel ex-Gaussian method. Children with ADHD symptoms had increased variability in the fast but not the slow portions of their RT distributions compared to those without ADHD symptoms. The RT distributions of children with dyslexia were similar to those of TD-controls. It is argued that variability in responding may be underpinned by impairments in response preparation or timing during Stop Signal tasks. PMID:22799763

Associations between skill perceptions and young children's actual fundamental movement skills.

PubMed

Liong, Grace H E; Ridgers, Nicola D; Barnett, Lisa M

2015-04-01

Given that children with low movement skill competence engage in less physical activity, it is important to understand how children's perceptions relate to actual movement competence. This study examined relationships between (i) children's self-perception and objective assessments of their movement skills (object control and locomotor) and (ii) parents' perceptions of the children's movement skills and objective assessment. Children's skill perceptions were assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children. Parent perceptions of their child's skills were assessed using a modified version of this instrument. The Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd edition assessed children's skills objectively. Participants were 136 Australian children (51% boys; M=6.5 yr., SD=1.1) and 133 parents. Regression analyses (by sex) examined the relationship between perceptions and children's scores for actual skilled performance. Boys' perceptions were associated with their actual object control ability. Parents accurately perceived boys' object control ability and girls' locomotor ability, but not the reverse. This suggests interventions aiming to improve children's movement skills could target parents and be designed to teach parents how to recognize good and poor skill performance in their children.

Trajectories of Early Brain Volume Development in Fragile X and Autism RH: Trajectory of Brain Volume in Fragile X

PubMed Central

Hazlett, Heather Cody; Poe, Michele D.; Lightbody, Amy A.; Styner, Martin; MacFall, James R.; Reiss, Allan L.; Piven, Joseph

2012-01-01

Objective To examine patterns of early brain growth in young children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) compared to a comparison group (controls) and a group with idiopathic autism. Method The study included 53 boys between 18–42 months of age with FXS, 68 boys with idiopathic autism (ASD), and a comparison group of 50 typically-developing and developmentally-delayed controls. We examined structural brain volumes using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) across two timepoints between ages 2–3 and 4–5 years and examined total brain volumes and regional (lobar) tissue volumes. Additionally, we studied a selected group of subcortical structures implicated in the behavioral features of FXS (e.g., basal ganglia, hippocampus, amygdala). Results Children with FXS had greater global brain volumes compared to controls, but were not different than children with idiopathic autism, and the rate of brain growth between ages 2 and 5 paralleled that seen in controls. In contrast to the children with idiopathic autism who had generalized cortical lobe enlargement, the children with FXS showed a specific enlargement in temporal lobe white matter, cerebellar gray matter, and caudate nucleus, but significantly smaller amygdala. Conclusions This structural longitudinal MRI study of preschoolers with FXS observed generalized brain overgrowth in FXS compared to controls, evident at age 2 and maintained across ages 4–5. We also find different patterns of brain growth that distinguishes boys with FXS from children with idiopathic autism. PMID:22917205

Phonological skills and their role in learning to read: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Melby-Lervåg, Monica; Lyster, Solveig-Alma Halaas; Hulme, Charles

2012-03-01

The authors report a systematic meta-analytic review of the relationships among 3 of the most widely studied measures of children's phonological skills (phonemic awareness, rime awareness, and verbal short-term memory) and children's word reading skills. The review included both extreme group studies and correlational studies with unselected samples (235 studies were included, and 995 effect sizes were calculated). Results from extreme group comparisons indicated that children with dyslexia show a large deficit on phonemic awareness in relation to typically developing children of the same age (pooled effect size estimate: -1.37) and children matched on reading level (pooled effect size estimate: -0.57). There were significantly smaller group deficits on both rime awareness and verbal short-term memory (pooled effect size estimates: rime skills in relation to age-matched controls, -0.93, and reading-level controls, -0.37; verbal short-term memory skills in relation to age-matched controls, -0.71, and reading-level controls, -0.09). Analyses of studies of unselected samples showed that phonemic awareness was the strongest correlate of individual differences in word reading ability and that this effect remained reliable after controlling for variations in both verbal short-term memory and rime awareness. These findings support the pivotal role of phonemic awareness as a predictor of individual differences in reading development. We discuss whether such a relationship is a causal one and the implications of research in this area for current approaches to the teaching of reading and interventions for children with reading difficulties.

Delayed development of neural language organization in very preterm born children.

PubMed

Mürner-Lavanchy, Ines; Steinlin, Maja; Kiefer, Claus; Weisstanner, Christian; Ritter, Barbara Catherine; Perrig, Walter; Everts, Regula

2014-01-01

This study investigates neural language organization in very preterm born children compared to control children and examines the relationship between language organization, age, and language performance. Fifty-six preterms and 38 controls (7-12 y) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging language task. Lateralization and signal change were computed for language-relevant brain regions. Younger preterms showed a bilateral language network whereas older preterms revealed left-sided language organization. No age-related differences in language organization were observed in controls. Results indicate that preterms maintain atypical bilateral language organization longer than term born controls. This might reflect a delay of neural language organization due to very premature birth.

Childhood executive function inventory (CHEXI): a promising measure for identifying young children with ADHD?

PubMed

Thorell, Lisa B; Eninger, Lilianne; Brocki, Karin C; Bohlin, Gunilla

2010-01-01

The present study investigated whether the Childhood Executive Function Inventory (CHEXI) can discriminate between young children fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and normally developing children. Unlike other executive function rating instruments, the CHEXI focuses specifically on inhibitory control and working memory, without including items that overlap with the diagnostic criteria of ADHD. The CHEXI was found to discriminate very well between children fulfilling the criteria for ADHD and normally developing children, also when controlling for the effect of IQ and socioeconomic status (SES). Both sensitivity and specificity of the two CHEXI subscales were shown to be high using either parent or teacher ratings. The highest overall classification rate was found for parent ratings on the inhibition subscale, with sensitivity and specificity reaching 93.3. To summarize, the CHEXI should be considered a promising measure for identifying young children with ADHD, although it is for future research to determine whether the CHEXI can be successfully used to also discriminate between different psychopathological groups.

Children at risk of diabetes type 1. Treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine plus nicotinamide - case reports.

PubMed

Fernandez, Ivana Cristina; Del Carmen Camberos, María; Passicot, Gisel Anabel; Martucci, Lucía Camila; Cresto, Juan Carlos

2013-01-01

Abstract Objectives: The aim was to evaluate the treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine (50 mg/kg/day) and nicotinamide (25 mg/kg/day) in children at risk of type 1 diabetes. This treatment was effective and harmless in experimental type 1 diabetes in mice. Nine out of seventy healthy participants of the type 1 diabetes risk study were treated. They were typified for diabetes with HLA-DQB1 and positive autoantibodies. Children with a first peak of insulin response ≤48 µU were randomly distributed in control and treated patients. Children evolution was followed with an intravenous glucose tolerance test. Control children were treated when was another risk parameter was added. During their evolution all children were treated. Treatment periods differ (range: 120-16 months) because children began treatment at different times. During the treatment 4 patients recovered their parameters and the medication was suspended; 2 patients continued the treatment with favorable evolution. Two children evolved slowly with normal growth and development. One girl became diabetic because she was treated late. In children at risk, this treatment delays the development or remits the evolution of type 1 diabetes.

Building Knowledge Structures by Testing Helps Children With Mathematical Learning Difficulty.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiyun; Zhou, Xinlin

2016-01-01

Mathematical learning difficulty (MLD) is prevalent in the development of mathematical abilities. Previous interventions for children with MLD have focused on number sense or basic mathematical skills. This study investigated whether mathematical performance of fifth grade children with MLD could be improved by developing knowledge structures by testing using a web-based curriculum learning system. A total of 142 children with MLD were recruited; half of the children were in the experimental group (using the system), and the other half were in the control group (not using the system). The children were encouraged to use the web-based learning system at home for at least a 15-min session, at least once a week, for one and a half months. The mean accumulated time of testing on the system for children in the experimental group was 56.2 min. Children in the experimental group had significantly higher scores on their final mathematical examination compared to the control group. The results suggest that web-based curriculum learning through testing that promotes the building of knowledge structures for a mathematical course was helpful for children with MLD. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

A longitudinal study of self-control at the transition to secondary school: Considering the role of pubertal status and parenting.

PubMed

Ng-Knight, Terry; Shelton, Katherine H; Riglin, Lucy; McManus, I C; Frederickson, Norah; Rice, Frances

2016-07-01

Higher self-control in children and adolescents is associated with a range of positive outcomes in adulthood. However, little is known about the naturalistic development of self-control during early adolescence and the factors that affect this. We examined the role of puberty and parenting style as theoretically important influences on stability and change in self-control. A longitudinal (3 waves), multiple-informant dataset of children entering early adolescence (M = 11 years) was used to explore longitudinal change in self-control using latent growth curve modelling. Children's self-control declined during the one-year study period and declines were associated with children's behavioural and social functioning. Associations with self-control were found for pubertal status and parental warmth and hostility, but not for parental discipline. The findings suggest that during early adolescence, when children make the transition to secondary school, self-control declines. This is particularly the case for those experiencing puberty earlier than their peers. Parent warmth influences the trajectory of self-control during this period. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Beyond Auditory Sensory Processing Deficits: Lexical Tone Perception Deficits in Chinese Children With Developmental Dyslexia.

PubMed

Tong, Xiuhong; Tong, Xiuli; King Yiu, Fung

Increasing evidence suggests that children with developmental dyslexia exhibit a deficit not only at the segmental level of phonological processing but also, by extension, at the suprasegmental level. However, it remains unclear whether such a suprasegmental phonological processing deficit is due to a difficulty in processing acoustic cues of speech rhythm, such as rise time and intensity. This study set out to investigate to what extent suprasegmental phonological processing (i.e., Cantonese lexical tone perception) and rise time sensitivity could distinguish Chinese children with dyslexia from typically developing children. Sixteen children with dyslexia and 44 age-matched controls were administered a Cantonese lexical tone perception task, psychoacoustic tasks, a nonverbal reasoning ability task, and word reading and dictation tasks. Children with dyslexia performed worse than controls on Cantonese lexical tone perception, rise time, and intensity. Furthermore, Cantonese lexical tone perception appeared to be a stable indicator that distinguishes children with dyslexia from controls, even after controlling for basic auditory processing skills. These findings suggest that suprasegmental phonological processing (i.e., lexical tone perception) is a potential factor that accounts for reading difficulty in Chinese.

Psychological disturbance in atopic eczema: the extent of the problem in school-aged children.

PubMed

Absolon, C M; Cottrell, D; Eldridge, S M; Glover, M T

1997-08-01

Although psychological factors are widely considered to be important in atopic eczema, there have been few controlled studies to assess the extent of disturbance in affected children and the problems experienced by their parents. This study was designed to find out the degree of psychological difficulty experienced by children with atopic eczema, whether their mothers show higher levels of mental distress than a comparison group, and whether the families of children with atopic eczema have less social support than the comparison group. We investigated 30 school-aged children with atopic eczema for psychological problems using the Rutter parent scale and compared them with 30 children with relatively minor skin lesions such as viral warts. Mental distress in mothers was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire. The Family Support Scale was used to get a measure of the social support experienced by the families. We found twice the rate of psychological disturbance in children in the eczema group compared with the control group. This difference was statistically significant for children with moderately severe eczema and severe eczema, but not for children with very mild eczema. Levels of mental distress were no greater in mothers of children with eczema than in parents of the control group and there was no difference in the degree of social support experienced by their families. These findings indicate that school-aged children with moderate and severe atopic eczema are at high risk of developing psychological difficulties, which may have implications for their academic and social development.

Identification of Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Second Year of Life at Day-Care Centres by Day-Care Staff: Step One in the Development of a Short Observation List

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, Kenneth; Aasland, Astrid; Diseth, Trond H.

2018-01-01

Early symptoms of ASD develop through the second year of life, making a stable ASD diagnosis possible at 24 months of age. However, in general, children with ASD have their diagnosis at an older age. This retrospective study, including 30 children with ASD and 30 control children aged 3-6 years, explored the possibility of developing a short…

Anxiogenic Patterns in Mother-Child Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harvison, Kyle W.; Chapman, L. Kevin; Ballash, Natalie G.; Woodruff-Borden, Janet

2008-01-01

The current study examined psychosocial variables associated with the development of anxiety in children. While previous literature has established parental affectionless control as an important contributor to the development of anxiety in children, few have examined this construct within the dynamic context of parent-child interaction. In the…

Recognizing emotion in faces: developmental effects of child abuse and neglect.

PubMed

Pollak, Seth D; Cicchetti, Dante; Hornung, Katherine; Reed, Alex

2000-09-01

The contributions to the recognition of emotional signals of (a) experience and learning versus (b) internal predispositions are difficult to investigate because children are virtually always exposed to complex emotional experiences from birth. The recognition of emotion among physically abused and physically neglected preschoolers was assessed in order to examine the effects of atypical experience on emotional development. In Experiment 1, children matched a facial expression to an emotional situation. Neglected children had more difficulty discriminating emotional expressions than did control or physically abused children. Physically abused children displayed a response bias for angry facial expressions. In Experiment 2, children rated the similarity of facial expressions. Control children viewed discrete emotions as dissimilar, neglected children saw fewer distinctions between emotions, and physically abused children showed the most variance across emotions. These results suggest that to the extent that children's experience with the world varies, so too will their interpretation and understanding of emotional signals.

An activity stimulation programme during a child's first year reduces some indicators of adiposity at the age of two-and-a-half.

PubMed

de Vries, A G M; Huiting, H G; van den Heuvel, E R; L'Abée, C; Corpeleijn, E; Stolk, R P

2015-04-01

Obesity tracks from childhood into adulthood. We evaluated the effect of early stimulation of physical activity on growth, body composition, motor activity and motor development in toddlers. We performed a cluster randomised controlled single-blinded trial in Dutch Well Baby Clinics, with seven nurses and 96 children (40% girls) randomised to the intervention group and six nurses and 65 children (57% girls) to the control group. Intervention nurses advised parents on stimulating motor development and physical activity during regular visits at 2 weeks and two, four, eight and 11 months. Baseline characteristics such as birthweight and mode of feeding were comparable. Outcomes at two-and-a-half years included anthropometry, skinfold thicknesses, bioelectrical impedance analyses, motor development and daily physical activity. We used linear mixed models with nurses as cluster. We evaluated 143 children (89 intervention, 54 control) as 18 dropped out. Skinfolds were significantly lower in intervention children (29.6 ± 4.7 mm) than controls (32.4 ± 6.0 mm), without differences in motor development or daily physical activity. Female interventions showed lower weight, skinfolds, waist and hip circumference. An activity stimulating programme during the child's first year improved indicators of adiposity when they were toddlers, especially in girls. Further research should determine whether these effects persist. ©2014 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Brief Report: Generalisation of Word-Picture Relations in Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Calum; Allen, Melissa L.

2014-01-01

We investigated whether low-functioning children with autism generalise labels from colour photographs based on sameness of shape, colour, or both. Children with autism and language-matched controls were taught novel words paired with photographs of unfamiliar objects, and then sorted pictures and objects into two buckets according to whether or…

Brief Report: Joint Attention and Information Processing in Children with Higher Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundy, Peter; Kim, Kwnanguk; McIntyre, Nancy; Lerro, Lindsay; Jarrold, William

2016-01-01

Theory suggests that information processing during joint attention may be atypical in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This hypothesis was tested in a study of school-aged children with higher functioning ASD and groups of children with symptoms of ADHD or typical development. The results indicated that the control groups displayed…

Brief Report: Joint Attention and Information Processing in Children with Higher Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mundy, Peter; Kim, Kwanguk; McIntyre, Nancy; Lerro, Lindsay; Jarrold, William

2016-01-01

Theory suggests that information processing during joint attention may be atypical in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This hypothesis was tested in a study of school-aged children with higher functioning ASD and groups of children with symptoms of ADHD or typical development. The results indicated that the control groups displayed…

Profiles of Everyday Executive Functioning in Young Children with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daunhauer, Lisa A.; Fidler, Deborah J.; Hahn, Laura; Will, Elizabeth; Lee, Nancy Raitano; Hepburn, Susan

2014-01-01

We investigated executive functioning (EF) in children with Down syndrome (DS; n = 25) and typically developing (TD) children matched for mental age (MA; n = 23) using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool. We sought to (1) compare children with DS to a developmentally matched control group, and (2) to characterize the EF…

Timing Abilities among Children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) in Comparison to Children with Typical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenblum, Sara; Regev, Noga

2013-01-01

Timing ability is essential for common everyday performance. The aim of the study was to compare timing abilities and temporal aspects of handwriting performance and relationships between these two components among children with Developmental Coordination Disorders (DCD) and a control group. Forty two children, 21 diagnosed as DCD and 21 with…

Cognitive Correlates of Mathematical Achievement in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Typically Developing Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenks, Kathleen M.; van Lieshout, Ernest C. D. M.; de Moor, Jan M. H.

2012-01-01

Background: Remarkably few studies have investigated the nature and origin of learning difficulties in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Aims: To investigate math achievement in terms of word-problem solving ability in children with CP and controls. Because of the potential importance of reading for word-problem solving, we investigated reading…

Effect of Task Constraint on Reaching Performance in Children with Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ju, Yun-Huei; You, Jia-Yuan; Cherng, Rong-Ju

2010-01-01

The purposes of the study were to examine the effect of task constraint on the reaching performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) and to examine the correlations between the reaching performance and postural control. Eight children with CP and 16 typically developing (TD) children participated in the study. They performed a…

Enhancing early child care quality and learning for toddlers at risk: the responsive early childhood program.

PubMed

Landry, Susan H; Zucker, Tricia A; Taylor, Heather B; Swank, Paul R; Williams, Jeffrey M; Assel, Michael; Crawford, April; Huang, Weihua; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine; Lonigan, Christopher J; Phillips, Beth M; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L; de Villiers, Jill; de Villiers, Peter; Barnes, Marcia; Starkey, Prentice; Klein, Alice

2014-02-01

Despite reports of positive effects of high-quality child care, few experimental studies have examined the process of improving low-quality center-based care for toddler-age children. In this article, we report intervention effects on child care teachers' behaviors and children's social, emotional, behavioral, early literacy, language, and math outcomes as well as the teacher-child relationship. The intervention targeted the use of a set of responsive teacher practices, derived from attachment and sociocultural theories, and a comprehensive curriculum. Sixty-five childcare classrooms serving low-income 2- and 3-year-old children were randomized into 3 conditions: business-as-usual control, Responsive Early Childhood Curriculum (RECC), and RECC plus explicit social-emotional classroom activities (RECC+). Classroom observations showed greater gains for RECC and RECC+ teachers' responsive practices including helping children manage their behavior, establishing a predictable schedule, and use of cognitively stimulating activities (e.g., shared book reading) compared with controls; however, teacher behaviors did not differ for focal areas such as sensitivity and positive discipline supports. Child assessments demonstrated that children in the interventions outperformed controls in areas of social and emotional development, although children's performance in control and intervention groups was similar for cognitive skills (language, literacy, and math). Results support the positive impact of responsive teachers and environments providing appropriate support for toddlers' social and emotional development. Possible explanations for the absence of systematic differences in children's cognitive skills are considered, including implications for practice and future research targeting low-income toddlers.

Attachment and Effortful Control: Relationships With Maladjustment in Early Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heylen, Joke; Vasey, Michael W.; Dujardin, Adinda; Vandevivere, Eva; Braet, Caroline; De Raedt, Rudi; Bosmans, Guy

2017-01-01

Based on former research, it can be assumed that attachment relationships provide a context in which children develop both the effortful control (EC) capacity and the repertoire of responses to regulate distress. Both are important to understand children's (mal)adjustment. While the latter assumption has been supported in several studies, less is…

Development of Active Control within Working Memory: Active Retrieval versus Monitoring in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blain-Brière, Bénédicte; Bouchard, Caroline; Bigras, Nathalie; Cadoret, Geneviève

2014-01-01

This study aimed to compare children's performance on two mnemonic functions that engage the lateral prefrontal cortex. Brain imaging studies in adults have shown that the mid-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex is specifically involved in active controlled retrieval, and the mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is specifically involved in monitoring…

A Parent-Directed Language Intervention for Children of Low Socioeconomic Status: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suskind, Dana L.; Leffel, Kristin R.; Graf, Eileen; Hernandez, Marc W.; Gunderson, Elizabeth A.; Sapolich, Shannon G.; Suskind, Elizabeth; Leininger, Lindsey; Goldin-Meadow, Susan; Levine, Susan C.

2016-01-01

We designed a parent-directed home-visiting intervention targeting socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in children's early language environments. A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate whether the intervention improved parents' knowledge of child language development and increased the amount and diversity of parent talk.…

Control of Lead Poisoning in Children. (Pre-Publication Draft).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Health Service (DHEW), Washington, DC. Bureau of Community Environmental Management.

This document presents information about aspects of the lead pollution problem that relate to children, suggests a community action program for controlling lead hazards, estimates the staff and other costs involved in developing such a program, and tells how to synthesize the program components for maximum effectiveness. The seven parts of the…

Collaborative Philosophical Enquiry for School Children: Socio-Emotional Effects at 11 to 12 Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trickey, S.; Topping, K. J.

2006-01-01

Two measures were used to investigate the socioemotional effects of collaborative philosophical enquiry on children aged 11 at pre-test in five experimental and three control primary (elementary) school mainstream classes. Experimental teachers received initial and follow-up professional development. In a pre-post controlled design, experimental…

The development of inhibitory control in preschool children: effects of "executive skills" training.

PubMed

Dowsett, S M; Livesey, D J

2000-03-01

As one of several processes involved in the executive functioning of the cognitive system, inhibitory control plays a significant role in determining how various mental processes work together in the successful performance of a task. Studies of response inhibition have shown that although 3-year-old children have the cognitive capacity to learn the rules required for response control, indicated by the correct verbal response, developmental constraints prevent them from withholding the correct response (Bell & Livesey, 1985; Livesey & Morgan, 1991). Some argue that these abulic dissociations are relative to children's ability to reflect on the rules required for response control (Zelazo, Reznick, & Pinon, 1995). The current study showed that repeated exposure to tasks facilitating the acquisition of increasingly complex rule structures could improve inhibitory control (as measured by a go/no-go discrimination learning task), even in children aged 3 years. These tasks included a variant of Diamond and Boyer's (1989) modified version of the Wisconsin Card Sort Task and a simplification of the change paradigm (Logan & Burkell, 1986). It is argued that experience with these tasks increased the acquisition of complex rules by placing demands on executive processes. This includes response control and other executive functions, such as representational flexibility, the ability to maintain information in working memory, the selective control of attention, and proficiency at error correction. The role of experiential variables in the development of inhibitory control is discussed in terms of the interaction between neural development and appropriate executive task experience in the early years. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Prosody Perception and Production in Children with Hearing Loss and Age- and Gender-Matched Controls.

PubMed

Kalathottukaren, Rose Thomas; Purdy, Suzanne C; Ballard, Elaine

2017-04-01

Auditory development in children with hearing loss, including the perception of prosody, depends on having adequate input from cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. Lack of adequate auditory stimulation can lead to delayed speech and language development. Nevertheless, prosody perception and production in people with hearing loss have received less attention than other aspects of language. The perception of auditory information conveyed through prosody using variations in the pitch, amplitude, and duration of speech is not usually evaluated clinically. This study (1) compared prosody perception and production abilities in children with hearing loss and children with normal hearing; and (2) investigated the effect of age, hearing level, and musicality on prosody perception. Participants were 16 children with hearing loss and 16 typically developing controls matched for age and gender. Fifteen of the children with hearing loss were tested while using amplification (n = 9 hearing aids, n = 6 cochlear implants). Six receptive subtests of the Profiling Elements of Prosody in Speech-Communication (PEPS-C), the Child Paralanguage subtest of Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 (DANVA 2), and Contour and Interval subtests of the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) were used. Audio recordings of the children's reading samples were rated using a perceptual prosody rating scale by nine experienced listeners who were blinded to the children's hearing status. Thirty two children, 16 with hearing loss (mean age = 8.71 yr) and 16 age- and gender-matched typically developing children with normal hearing (mean age = 8.87 yr). Assessments were completed in one session lasting 1-2 hours in a quiet room. Test items were presented using a laptop computer through loudspeaker at a comfortable listening level. For children with hearing loss using hearing instruments, all tests were completed with hearing devices set at their everyday listening setting. All PEPS-C subtests and total scores were significantly lower for children with hearing loss compared to controls (p < 0.05). The hearing loss group performed more poorly than the control group in recognizing happy, sad, and fearful emotions in the DANVA 2 subtest. Musicality (composite MBEA scores and musical experience) was significantly correlated with prosody perception scores, but this link was not evident in the regression analyses. Regression modeling showed that age and hearing level (better ear pure-tone average) accounted for 55.4% and 56.7% of the variance in PEPS-C and DANVA 2 total scores, respectively. There was greater variability for the ratings of pitch, pitch variation, and overall impression of prosody in the hearing loss group compared to control group. Prosody perception (PEPS-C and DANVA 2 total scores) and ratings of prosody production were not correlated. Children with hearing loss aged 7-12 yr had significant difficulties in understanding different aspects of prosody and were rated as having more atypical prosody overall than controls. These findings suggest that clinical assessment and speech-language therapy services for children with hearing loss should be expanded to target prosodic difficulties. Future studies should investigate whether musical training is beneficial for improving receptive prosody skills. American Academy of Audiology

Lead exposures in U.S. Children, 2008: implications for prevention.

PubMed

Levin, Ronnie; Brown, Mary Jean; Kashtock, Michael E; Jacobs, David E; Whelan, Elizabeth A; Rodman, Joanne; Schock, Michael R; Padilla, Alma; Sinks, Thomas

2008-10-01

We reviewed the sources of lead in the environments of U.S. children, contributions to children's blood lead levels, source elimination and control efforts, and existing federal authorities. Our context is the U.S. public health goal to eliminate pediatric elevated blood lead levels (EBLs) by 2010. National, state, and local exposure assessments over the past half century have identified risk factors for EBLs among U.S. children, including age, race, income, age and location of housing, parental occupation, and season. Recent national policies have greatly reduced lead exposure among U.S. children, but even very low exposure levels compromise children's later intellectual development and lifetime achievement. No threshold for these effects has been demonstrated. Although lead paint and dust may still account for up to 70% of EBLs in U.S. children, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that >or=30% of current EBLs do not have an immediate lead paint source, and numerous studies indicate that lead exposures result from multiple sources. EBLs and even deaths have been associated with inadequately controlled sources including ethnic remedies and goods, consumer products, and food-related items such as ceramics. Lead in public drinking water and in older urban centers remain exposure sources in many areas. Achieving the 2010 goal requires maintaining current efforts, especially programs addressing lead paint, while developing interventions that prevent exposure before children are poisoned. It also requires active collaboration across all levels of government to identify and control all potential sources of lead exposure, as well as primary prevention.

Physical and mental development of children after levonorgestrel emergency contraception exposure: a follow-up prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Ye, Weiping; Yu, Wen; Cheng, Linan; Shen, Lixiao; Yang, Zujing

2014-07-01

Levonorgestrel (LNG), a dedicated emergency contraception (EC) product, has been available over-the-counter in China for more than 14 yr. Although LNG-EC is considered to have no effects on the developing fetus if the contraceptive fails and pregnancy occurs, there have been a few studies specifically examining this issue. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical and mental development of children born after LNG-EC failure with that of a cohort of children born to mothers with no history of exposure to LNG or any teratogenic substances. A group of 195 children who were exposed to LNG-EC during their mothers' conception cycle (study group) were matched to a group of 214 children without exposure to LNG (control group). The physical and mental development of the children were evaluated and compared over a 2-yr period. There were four congenital malformations in the study group and three in the control group (2.1% vs. 1.4%, respectively, P > 0.05). Over the 2-yr follow-up period, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to children's weight, height, head circumference, and intelligence scores, and the values of all parameters of both groups were similar to those of the national standards. In summary, LNG-EC has no effect on the physical growth, mental development, or occurrence of birth defects in children born from pregnancies in which EC failed. © 2014 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Activating children's thinking skills (ACTS): the effects of an infusion approach to teaching thinking in primary schools.

PubMed

Dewey, Jessica; Bento, Janet

2009-06-01

Recent interest in the teaching of thinking skills within education has led to an increase in thinking skills packages available to schools. However many of these are not based on scientific evaluation (DfEE, 1999). This paper endeavours to examine the effectiveness of one approach, that of infusion, to teaching thinking. To investigate the impact of an infusion methodology, activating children's thinking skills (ACTS), on the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children in Year 4-6 in primary schools. This is a sister project to research being conducted in Northern Ireland (McGuinness, 2006). The study involved 404 children from 8 primary schools in one local authority. These were divided into 160 in the experimental group and 244 in the waiting list control group. A quasi-experimental design was used with pre-, post-, and delayed post-tests to ascertain changes in children's cognitive abilities, self-perceptions, and social/behavioural skills using quantitative measures. In addition qualitative techniques were used with pupils and teachers to evaluate effectiveness. The experimental group made significantly greater gains in cognitive ability skills over a 2 year period compared to the waiting list control. Qualitative data demonstrated a positive impact on children's social and emotional development. In addition teacher professional development was reported to be enhanced. This research indicated that children's cognitive abilities can be developed following a 2 year period of the ACTS infusion intervention. While some positive effects were evidenced on the social and emotional development of children, further study will be necessary to examine these in more detail.

Flexing dual-systems models: How variable cognitive control in children informs our understanding of risk-taking across development.

PubMed

Li, Rosa

2017-10-01

Prevailing models of the development of decision-making propose that peak risk-taking occurs in adolescence due to a neural imbalance between two processes: gradual, linearly developing cognitive control and rapid, non-linearly developing reward-processing. Though many studies have found neural evidence supporting this dual-systems imbalance model, its behavioral predictions have been surprisingly difficult to document. Most laboratory studies have not found adolescents to exhibit greater risk-taking than children, and public health data show everyday risk-taking to peak in late adolescence/early adulthood. Moreover, when adolescents are provided detailed information about decision options and consequences, they evince similar behavior to adults. Such findings point to a critical feature of the development of decision-making that is missed by imbalance models. Specifically, the engagement of cognitive control is context dependent, such that cognitive control and therefore advantageous decision-making increases when available information is high and decreases when available information is low. Furthermore, the context dependence of cognitive control varies across development, such that increased information availability benefits children more than adolescents, who benefit more than adults. This review advances a flexible dual-systems model that is only imbalanced under certain conditions; explains disparities between neural, behavioral, and public health findings; and provides testable hypotheses for future research. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Abstracting Sequences: Reasoning That Is a Key to Academic Achievement.

PubMed

Pasnak, Robert; Kidd, Julie K; Gadzichowski, K Marinka; Gallington, Debbie A; Schmerold, Katrina Lea; West, Heather

2015-01-01

The ability to understand sequences of items may be an important cognitive ability. To test this proposition, 8 first-grade children from each of 36 classes were randomly assigned to four conditions. Some were taught sequences that represented increasing or decreasing values, or were symmetrical, or were rotations of an object through 6 or 8 positions. Control children received equal numbers of sessions on mathematics, reading, or social studies. Instruction was conducted three times weekly in 15-min sessions for seven months. In May, the children taught sequences applied their understanding to novel sequences, and scored as well or better on three standardized reading tests as the control children. They outscored all children on tests of mathematics concepts, and scored better than control children on some mathematics scales. These findings indicate that developing an understanding of sequences is a form of abstraction, probably involving fluid reasoning, that provides a foundation for academic achievement in early education.

Impact of Pubertal Development and Physical Activity on Heart Rate Variability in Overweight and Obese Children in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Su-Ru; Chiu, Hung-Wen; Lee, Yann-Jinn; Sheen, Tzong-Chi; Jeng, Chii

2012-01-01

Child obesity is frequently associated with dysfunction of autonomic nervous system. Children in pubertal development were suggested to be vulnerable to autonomic nervous system problems such as decrease of heart rate variability from dysregulation of metabolic control. This study explored the influence of pubertal development on autonomic nervous…

The Youngest Minds: Parenting and Genes in the Development of Intellect and Emotion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnet, Ann B.; Barnet, Richard J.

Noting that recent advances in neuroscience and psychology make it possible to understand more clearly how parents help to shape their children's brain development, this book discusses what is becoming known about how young children acquire language, develop emotional ties, gain control of their own emotions, become able to experience the joy and…

Articulatory Control in Childhood Apraxia of Speech in a Novel Word-Learning Task.

PubMed

Case, Julie; Grigos, Maria I

2016-12-01

Articulatory control and speech production accuracy were examined in children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and typically developing (TD) controls within a novel word-learning task to better understand the influence of planning and programming deficits in the production of unfamiliar words. Participants included 16 children between the ages of 5 and 6 years (8 CAS, 8 TD). Short- and long-term changes in lip and jaw movement, consonant and vowel accuracy, and token-to-token consistency were measured for 2 novel words that differed in articulatory complexity. Children with CAS displayed short- and long-term changes in consonant accuracy and consistency. Lip and jaw movements did not change over time. Jaw movement duration was longer in children with CAS than in TD controls. Movement stability differed between low- and high-complexity words in both groups. Children with CAS displayed a learning effect for consonant accuracy and consistency. Lack of change in movement stability may indicate that children with CAS require additional practice to demonstrate changes in speech motor control, even within production of novel word targets with greater consonant and vowel accuracy and consistency. The longer movement duration observed in children with CAS is believed to give children additional time to plan and program movements within a novel skill.

Use of electronic games by young children and fundamental movement skills?

PubMed

Barnett, Lisa M; Hinkley, Trina; Okely, Anthony D; Hesketh, Kylie; Salmon, Jo

2012-06-01

This study investigated associations between pre-school children's time spent playing electronic games and their fundamental movement skills. In 2009, 53 children had physical activity (Actigraph accelerometer counts per minute), parent proxy-report of child's time in interactive and non-interactive electronic games (min./week), and movement skill (Test of Gross Motor Development-2) assessed. Hierarchical linear regression, adjusting for age (range = 3-6 years), sex (Step 1), and physical activity (cpm; M=687, SD=175.42; Step 2), examined the relationship between time in (a) non-interactive and (b) interactive electronic games and locomotor and object control skill. More than half (59%, n=31) of the children were female. Adjusted time in interactive game use was associated with object control but not locomotor skill. Adjusted time in non-interactive game use had no association with object control or locomotor skill. Greater time spent playing interactive electronic games is associated with higher object control skill proficiency in these young children. Longitudinal and experimental research is required to determine if playing these games improves object control skills or if children with greater object control skill proficiency prefer and play these games.

Maternal depression and malnutrition in children in southwest Uganda: a case control study.

PubMed

Ashaba, Scholastic; Rukundo, Godfrey Zari; Beinempaka, Florence; Ntaro, Moses; LeBlanc, John C

2015-12-28

Malnutrition remains one of the most significant child health problems in developing countries with an estimated 53% of child deaths per year attributed to being underweight. The 2011 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) showed that 38 % of the children were stunted and 16% were underweight. While dietary and environmental factors are known major contributors to children's nutritional status, maternal depression may also contribute since it disrupts the mothers' ability to cope with demands of childcare. This study aimed to determine the association between maternal depression and malnutrition in children aged one to 5 years in southwest Uganda. The study was undertaken between October and December 2014 on children aged one to 5 admitted to the Mbarara regional referral hospital. Cases were malnourished children and controls were children with other chronic conditions but normal nutritional status admitted to the same hospital. Children's ages were recorded, weight and height taken and converted into height for age, weight for height and weight for age and malnutrition was determined based on WHO child growth standards. Mothers of both groups of children were assessed for depression using the depression module of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Participants provided informed consent prior to enrollment. The study was approved by Mbarara University of Science and Technology Research Ethics Committee and funded by MicroResearch. All 166 mothers who were approached agreed to participate in the study. The prevalence of depression among mothers of malnourished children (86 cases) was 42% compared to 12% among mothers of controls (86 controls). The mean age was 25 years (SD 4.43, range 18-40 years). The majority (75%) were married and most were peasant farmers (62%). Maternal depression was significantly associated with malnutrition in children with a crude odds ratio of 2.23 (1.08-1.89) and an adjusted odds ratio of 2.4 (1.11-5.18). Maternal depression impacts negatively on child nutrition and development as shown by a higher prevalence of depression among mothers of malnourished children compared to the control group. Routine screening and treatment for depression should be included in all maternal and child health clinics.

Developmental improvements in dynamic control of fingertip forces last throughout childhood and into adolescence

PubMed Central

Dayanidhi, Sudarshan; Hedberg, Åsa; Forssberg, Hans

2013-01-01

While it is clear that the development of dexterous manipulation in children exhibits dramatic improvements over an extended period, it is difficult to separate musculoskeletal from neural contributors to these important functional gains. This is in part due to the inability of current methods to disambiguate improvements in hand strength from gains in finger dexterity (i.e., the dynamic control of fingertip force vectors at low magnitudes). We adapted our novel instrumentation to evaluate finger dexterity in 130 typically developing children between the ages of 4 and 16 yr. We find that finger dexterity continues to develop well into late adolescence and musculoskeletal growth and strength are poorly correlated with the improvements in dexterity. Importantly, because these behavioral results seem to mirror the known timelines of neuroanatomical development up to adolescence, we speculate that they reflect the functional benefits of such continual neural maturation. This novel perspective now enables the systematic study of the functional roles of specific neuroanatomical structures and their connectivity, maturity, and plasticity. Moreover, the temporal dynamics of the fingertip force vectors shows improvements in stability that provide a novel way to look at the maturation of finger control. From a clinical perspective, our results provide a practical means to chart functional development of dexterous manipulation in typically developing children and could be adapted for clinical use and for use in children with developmental disorders. PMID:23864371

Parental practices and political violence: the protective role of parental warmth and authority-control in Jewish and Arab Israeli children.

PubMed

Lavi, Iris; Slone, Michelle

2012-10-01

Parental warmth and parental authority-control patterns have been documented as practices with highest significance for children's well-being and development in a variety of life areas. Various forms of these practices have been shown to have a direct positive effect on children and also to protect children from adverse effects of numerous stressors. However, surprisingly, few studies have examined the role of these practices as possible protective factors for children exposed to intractable conflict and political violence. Participants in this study were Jewish (n = 88) and Arab (n = 105) Israeli families, with children aged 7-12.5 (M = 10.73, SD = 0.99). Children completed questionnaires assessing political violence exposure, behavioral, psychological, and social difficulties, and perceived paternal and maternal warmth. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires assessing parental warmth, parental authority-control, and the child's difficulties. Results showed parental warmth to be a significant moderator of political violence, related to low levels of behavioral and social difficulties of children. Parental authority-control patterns were not protectors from adverse effects of political violence exposure. Maternal authoritarian authority-control showed an effect resembling a risk factor. Differential roles of parental warmth and authority-control, fathers' versus mothers' roles, and ethnic differences are discussed, and practical clinical implications are proposed. © 2012 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

Comparing the drawings of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with normal children.

PubMed

Haghighi, Mahnaz; Khaterizadeh, Maedeh; Chalbianloo, Gholamreza; Toobaei, Sholeh; Ghanizadeh, Ahmad

2014-10-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common behavioral problem during childhood and in school-aged children. Various projection drawings have been designed for assessing children's personality and psychological disorders including the tests of draw a person (DAP) and draw a family (DAF). We aimed to compare the differences between typically developing children and children with ADHD using these tests. In this case-control study, all the 9-10 year-old boy students studying at the third and fourth grades were enrolled from schools in the 2nd educational district of Shiraz, south of Iran. Eighty students were then selected and enrolled into the ADHD group and the control group. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition- text Revised (DSM-IV-TR), and the Child Symptoms Inventory were used to diagnose the children with ADHD. We evaluated and analyzed impulsiveness, non-impulsiveness, emotional problems and incompatibility indices in the DAP and DAF tests in each group. A significant difference was found in the indices of incompatibility and emotional problems, impulsiveness, non-impulsiveness and DAF between typically developing children and those with ADHD. The mean (±SD) total scores of the above mentioned indices in the ADHD group were 19.79(±2.94), 12.31(±1.84), 5.26(±2.29) and 5.89(±2.13), respectively (P<0.001). The corresponding figures for these indices in the normal group were 12.11(±4.74), 5.63(±2), 10.36± (2.33) and 2.88(±2.13), respectively (P<0.001). Significant differences were obtained between the control group and children with ADHD using these two drawing tests. The rate of impulsivity and emotional problems indices in drawings of children with ADHD was markedly more common than those of the typically developing children. This suggests the need for further assessment to screen ADHD.

Fundamental movement skills and balance of children with Down syndrome.

PubMed

Capio, C M; Mak, T C T; Tse, M A; Masters, R S W

2018-03-01

Conclusive evidence supports the importance of fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency in promoting physical activity and countering obesity. In children with Down Syndrome (DS), FMS development is delayed, which has been suggested to be associated with balance deficits. This study therefore examined the relationship between FMS proficiency and balance ability in children with DS, with the aim of contributing evidence to programmes that address FMS delay. Participants consisted of 20 children with DS (7.1 ± 2.9 years old) and an age-matched control group of children with typical development (7.25 ± 2.5 years). In the first part of the study, FMS (i.e. locomotor and object control) proficiency of the children was tested using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. Balance ability was assessed using a force platform to measure centre of pressure average velocity (AV; mm/sec), path length (mm), medio-lateral standard deviation (mm) and antero-posterior standard deviation (mm). In the second part of the study, children with DS participated in 5 weeks of FMS training. FMS proficiency and balance ability were tested post-training and compared to pre-training scores. Verbal and visuo-spatial short-term memory capacities were measured at pre-training to verify the role of working memory in skill learning. FMS proficiency was associated with centre of pressure parameters in children with DS but not in children with typical development. After controlling for age, AV was found to predict significant variance in locomotor (R 2  = 0.61, P < 0.001) and object control (R 2  = 0.69, P < 0.001) scores. FMS proficiency and mastery improved after FMS training, as did AV, path length and antero-posterior standard deviation (all P < 0.05). Verbal and visuo-spatial short-term memory did not interact with the effects of training. Children with DS who have better balance ability tend to have more proficient FMS. Skill-specific training improved not only FMS sub-skills but static balance stability as well. Working memory did not play a role in the changes caused by skills training. Future research should examine the causal relationship between balance and FMS. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Respiratory damage in children exposed to urban pollution.

PubMed

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Mora-Tiscareño, Antonieta; Fordham, Lynn A; Valencia-Salazar, Gildardo; Chung, Charles J; Rodriguez-Alcaraz, Antonio; Paredes, Rogelio; Variakojis, Daina; Villarreal-Calderón, Anna; Flores-Camacho, Lourdes; Antunez-Solis, Angelina; Henríquez-Roldán, Carlos; Hazucha, Milan J

2003-08-01

Southwest Metropolitan Mexico City (SWMMC) children are chronically exposed to complex mixtures of air pollutants. In a cross-sectional arm of our study, we investigated the association between exposure to SWMMC atmosphere and nasal abnormalities, hyperinflation, and interstitial markings assessed by chest X-rays, lung function changes, several serum cytokines, and endothelin-1 in 174 children aged 5-17 years vs. 27 control children residents in low-polluted areas. Control children had no nasal lesions, and only one child showed an abnormal chest X-ray. SWMMC children exhibited nasal abnormalities (22%), hyperinflation (67%), interstitial markings (49%), and a mild restrictive pattern by spirometry (10%). Interstitial markings were associated with a decrease in predicted values of FEF(25-75), FEF(75), and the FEV(1)/FVC ratio. Boys had a higher probability of developing interstitial markings with age (P = 0.004). Blood smear findings included toxic granulations in neutrophils and schistocytes. SWMMC children had more serum IL10 and IL6 and less IL8 than controls. In a longitudinal arm of our study, we found a significant seasonal drop in FVC and FEV(1) associated with a 6-month period of high ozone and PM(10) levels. Our data strongly suggest that a lifelong exposure to urban air pollution causes respiratory damage in children. Moreover, a cytokine network becomes imbalanced, with a shift towards upregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Consequently, these children are potentially at risk for developing chronic lung disease and other systemic effects later in life. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Retarded head growth and neurocognitive development in infants of mothers with a history of eating disorders: longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Koubaa, S; Hällström, T; Hagenäs, L; Hirschberg, A L

2013-10-01

To characterise early growth and neurocognitive development in children of mothers with a history of eating disorders (ED). A longitudinal cohort study. Child-care centres in Stockholm, Sweden. Children born to mothers with previous ED (n = 47) (24 anorexia nervosa, 20 bulimia nervosa, 3 unspecified ED), and controls (n = 65). Mean values and standard deviation scores of weight and height from birth to 5 years of age and head circumference up to 18 months of age were compared between groups. Neurocognitive development was studied at the age of 5 years by the validated parent questionnaire Five to Fifteen. Head growth and neurocognitive development. We previously reported that mothers with a history of ED conceived infants with lower birthweight and head circumference than controls. At 3 months of age, body mass index (BMI) was no longer reduced but mean head circumferences of the children born to mothers with ED were smaller throughout the observation period. Similarly, the longitudinal results of the standard deviation scores of head circumference showed a significant overall group effect with lower levels in both subgroups of ED (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa). The children of the ED mothers also had significantly higher Five to Fifteen scores than controls, reflecting difficulties in language skills. Head circumference at birth correlated with language skills in the children of mothers with ED. Children of mothers with previous ED demonstrated an early catch-up in BMI, but the average head circumference continued to be delayed until at least 18 months of age. The reduced head growth was related to delayed neurocognitive development. © 2013 RCOG.

The influence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder on Executive Functions in children with ADHD.

PubMed

Menghini, D; Armando, M; Calcagni, M; Napolitano, C; Pasqualetti, P; Sergeant, J A; Pani, P; Vicari, S

2018-06-01

The present study was aimed at verifying whether the presence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects executive functions in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Two groups of children with ADHD were selected for the study according to the presence or absence of GAD. The first group of 28 children with ADHD with GAD (mean age: 9 ± 1.2; males/females: 24/4) was matched for gender, age, IQ, psychiatric comorbidity with a second group of 29 children with ADHD without GAD (mean age: 8.8 ± 0.7; males/females: 26/3). The two groups with ADHD were compared to 28 typically developing children (mean age: 8.3 ± 1.3; males/females: 23/5) on different measures involving processes especially important in inhibitory control such as rule maintenance, stimulus detection, action selection and action execution. Our results indicated that, differently from children with ADHD with GAD, only the group with ADHD without GAD showed a deficit in inhibitory control. Comorbid subgroups should be differentiated, especially, to develop specific and efficient therapeutic interventions in ADHD.

Reinforcement Enhances Vigilance Among Children With ADHD: Comparisons to Typically Developing Children and to the Effects of Methylphenidate

PubMed Central

Bubnik, Michelle G.; Hawk, Larry W.; Pelham, William E.; Waxmonsky, James G.; Rosch, Keri S.

2014-01-01

Sustained attention and reinforcement are posited as causal mechanisms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but their interaction has received little empirical study. In two studies, we examined the impact of performance-based reinforcement on sustained attention over time, or vigilance, among 9- to 12-year-old children. Study 1 demonstrated the expected vigilance deficit among children with ADHD (n=25; 12% female) compared to typically developing (TD) controls (n=33; 22% female) on a standard continuous performance task (CPT). During a subsequent visit, reinforcement improved attention more among children with ADHD than controls. Study 2 examined the separate and combined effects of reinforcement and acute methylphenidate (MPH) on CPT performance in children with ADHD (n=19; 21% female). Both reinforcement and MPH enhanced overall target detection and attenuated the vigilance decrement that occurred in no-reinforcement, placebo condition. Cross-study comparisons suggested that the combination of MPH and reinforcement eliminated the vigilance deficit in children with ADHD, normalizing sustained attention. This work highlights the clinically and theoretically interesting intersection of reinforcement and sustained attention. PMID:24931776

Narrative discourse in children with early focal brain injury.

PubMed

Reilly, J S; Bates, E A; Marchman, V A

1998-02-15

Children with early brain damage, unlike adult stroke victims, often go on to develop nearly normal language. However, the route and extent of their linguistic development are still unclear, as is the relationship between lesion site and patterns of delay and recovery. Here we address these questions by examining narratives from children with early brain damage. Thirty children (ages 3:7-10:10) with pre- or perinatal unilateral focal brain damage and their matched controls participated in a storytelling task. Analyses focused on linguistic proficiency and narrative competence. Overall, children with brain damage scored significantly lower than their age-matched controls on both linguistic (morphological and syntactic) indices and those targeting broader narrative qualities. Rather than indicating that children with brain damage fully catch up, these data suggest that deficits in linguistic abilities reassert themselves as children face new linguistic challenges. Interestingly, after age 5, site of lesion does not appear to be a significant factor and the delays we have witnessed do not map onto the lesion profiles observed in adults with analogous brain injuries.

Curriculum enrichment with self-testing activities in development of fundamental movement skills of first-grade children in Greece.

PubMed

Karabourniotis, Dimitrios; Evaggelinou, Christina; Tzetzis, George; Kourtessis, Thomas

2002-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-testing activities on the development of fundamental movement skills in first-grade children in Greece. Two groups of children were tested. The Control group (n = 23 children) received the regular 12-wk. physical education school program and the Experimental group (n = 22 children) received a 12-wk. skill-oriented program with an increasing allotment of self-testing activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development was used to assess fundamental movement skills, while the content areas of physical education courses were estimated with an assessment protocol, based on the interval recording system called the Academic Learning Time-Physical Education. A 2 x 2 repeated measures analysis of variance with group as the between factor and testing time (pretest vs posttest) as the repeated-measures factor was performed to assess differences between the two groups. A significant interaction of group with testing time was found for the Test of Gross Motor Development total score, with the Experimental group scoring higher then the Control group. A significant main effect was also found for test but not for group. This study provides evidence supporting the notion that a balanced allotment of the self-testing and game activities beyond the usual curriculum increases the fundamental motor-skill development of children. Also, it stresses the necessity for content and performance standards for the fundamental motor skills in educational programs. Finally, it seems that the Test of Gross Motor Development is a useful tool for the assessment of children's fundamental movement skills.

Cognition, Emotion and Behavior in Children with Tourette’s Syndrome and Children with ADHD-Combined Subtype—A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

PubMed Central

Hovik, Kjell Tore; Plessen, Kerstin J.; Cavanna, Andrea E.; Skogli, Erik Winther; Andersen, Per Normann; Øie, Merete

2015-01-01

Objective This two-year follow-up study investigates the course of and association among measures of cognitive control, focused attention, decision-making and symptom severity (anxiety, depression and behavior) in children and adolescents with Tourette’s Syndrome (TS) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Combined subtype (ADHD-C). Method 19 children with TS, 33 with ADHD-C, and 50 typically developing children (TDC) were examined with a battery of psychometric measures and rating forms at baseline and two-years later. Results All three groups improved likewise in measures of cognitive control over time, whereas only the TDC improved in focused attention. The group of children with TS with comorbidities performed more similar to the children with ADHD-C in cognitive control at T1 and T2, whereas the children with TS without comorbidities performed more similar to the TDC in cognitive control at T1 and T2. In the decision-making task, the children with TS (with or without comorbidities) preferred a safer strategy in selecting advantageous choices than the children with ADHD-C and the TDC at T2. Children with TS and children with ADHD-C showed higher symptoms of anxiety and depression and more problems with emotional control compared with TDC at both time points. Finally, children with ADHD-C self-reported more depression symptoms than those with TS at both assessments. For the TS group, safer decision-making was related to better emotional control, and this relationship was stronger for the TS subgroup without comorbidities. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of addressing symptoms of anxiety and depression in children with TS or ADHD-C, identifying the effect of comorbidities in children with TS, and that children with TS or ADHD-C likely differ in their sensitivity to reinforcement contingencies. PMID:26673612

Bilingualism Alters Children's Frontal Lobe Functioning for Attentional Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arredondo, Maria M.; Hu, Xiao-Su; Satterfield, Teresa; Kovelman, Ioulia

2017-01-01

Bilingualism is a typical linguistic experience, yet relatively little is known about its impact on children's cognitive and brain development. Theories of bilingualism suggest that early dual-language acquisition can improve children's cognitive abilities, specifically those relying on frontal lobe functioning. While behavioral findings present…

THE NATIONAL CHILDREN'S STUDY: PROGRESS DEVELOPING METHODS APPROPRIATE FOR ASSESSING CHILDREN'S EXPOSURE, BIOMARKERS AND GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Invited presentation: no abstract submission fee required
Introduction abstract for Workshop.

CONTROL ID: 56947
CONTACT (NAME ONLY): Barbara Abbott
Abstract Details
PRESENTATION TYPE: Invited Presentation : Workshop
KEYWORDS: National Childrens Study, Ri...

Visual and auditory socio-cognitive perception in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy in children and adolescents: a prospective controlled study.

PubMed

Laurent, Agathe; Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Panagiotakaki, Eleni; Sfaello, Ignacio; Kahane, Philippe; Ryvlin, Philippe; Hirsch, Edouard; de Schonen, Scania

2014-12-01

A high rate of abnormal social behavioural traits or perceptual deficits is observed in children with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. In the present study, perception of auditory and visual social signals, carried by faces and voices, was evaluated in children or adolescents with temporal lobe epilepsy. We prospectively investigated a sample of 62 children with focal non-idiopathic epilepsy early in the course of the disorder. The present analysis included 39 children with a confirmed diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. Control participants (72), distributed across 10 age groups, served as a control group. Our socio-perceptual evaluation protocol comprised three socio-visual tasks (face identity, facial emotion and gaze direction recognition), two socio-auditory tasks (voice identity and emotional prosody recognition), and three control tasks (lip reading, geometrical pattern and linguistic intonation recognition). All 39 patients also benefited from a neuropsychological examination. As a group, children with temporal lobe epilepsy performed at a significantly lower level compared to the control group with regards to recognition of facial identity, direction of eye gaze, and emotional facial expressions. We found no relationship between the type of visual deficit and age at first seizure, duration of epilepsy, or the epilepsy-affected cerebral hemisphere. Deficits in socio-perceptual tasks could be found independently of the presence of deficits in visual or auditory episodic memory, visual non-facial pattern processing (control tasks), or speech perception. A normal FSIQ did not exempt some of the patients from an underlying deficit in some of the socio-perceptual tasks. Temporal lobe epilepsy not only impairs development of emotion recognition, but can also impair development of perception of other socio-perceptual signals in children with or without intellectual deficiency. Prospective studies need to be designed to evaluate the results of appropriate re-education programs in children presenting with deficits in social cue processing.

Children with Down Syndrome: oral development and morphology after use of palatal plates between 6 and 18 months of age.

PubMed

Bäckman, B; Grevér-Sjölander, A-C; Holm, A-K; Johansson, I

2003-09-01

The aim of this study was to describe oral development and morphology in 18-month-old children with Down syndrome (DS) treated with palatal plates in combination with structured communication and speech training. The aim is further to describe the design of the palatal plates, compliance in their use and to give a brief report of their effect on oral motor function and speech. Forty-two children with DS were followed from < or = 6 months of age until 18+/-3 months old. In addition to language intervention, and oral motor and sensory stimulation provided by speech therapists for all children with DS in Sweden, palatal plates provided by dentists are included in the training programme. In the evaluation, the children in the project were compared with two control groups of children matched for age; one group of children with DS who had not been treated with palatal plates, and one group of children with normal development. Compared to the children with normal development, both groups of children with DS had fewer teeth erupted and a lower prevalence of sucking habits. Deviant morphology of the tongue in the form of diastase, lingua plicata or a sulcus in the anterior third of the tongue was only seen in children with DS. All children with normal development had positive values for overjet compared to 53% of the children with DS. The palatal plates were used 2-3 times daily for a total mean time of 15 min. Compliance in use of the plates decreased with age, mainly due to eruption of teeth and subsequent loss of retention. Evaluation of oral motor function and speech show that the children with DS in the project had better motor prerequisites for articulation than the control children with DS. Palatal plate therapy did not affect oral parameters, i.e., eruption of teeth, types and prevalence of sucking habits, tongue morphology and symptoms of hypotonia. In combination with oral motor and sensory stimulation, palatal plate therapy had a positive effect on oral motor performance and prerequisites for articulation.

Children's Self-Regulation and School Achievement in Cultural Contexts: The Role of Maternal Restrictive Control

PubMed Central

Weis, Mirjam; Trommsdorff, Gisela; Muñoz, Lorena

2016-01-01

Self-regulation can be developed through parent-child interactions and has been related to developmental outcomes, e.g., such as educational achievement. This study examined cross-cultural differences and similarities in maternal restrictive control, self-regulation (i.e., behavior and emotion regulation) and school achievement and relations among these variables in Germany and Chile. Seventy-six German and 167 Chilean fourth graders, their mothers, and their teachers participated. Mothers and teachers rated children's behavior regulation with a subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children reported their use of emotion regulation strategies on the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Stress and Coping. Mothers rated maternal restrictive control by answering the Parenting Practice Questionnaire. School achievement was assessed by grades for language and mathematics. Results showed higher behavior regulation of German children in comparison to Chilean children and a higher preference of restrictive parental control in Chilean mothers than in German mothers. Regression analyses revealed positive relations between children's behavior regulation and school achievement in Germany and in Chile. Further, in both cultural contexts, maternal restrictive control was related negatively to behavior regulation and positively to anger-oriented emotion regulation. In sum, the study showed the central function of behavior regulation for school achievement underlining negative relations of maternal restrictive control with children's self-regulation and school achievement in diverse cultural contexts. Culturally adapted interventions related to parenting practices to promote children's behavior regulation may assist in also promoting children's school achievement. PMID:27303318

Improving early childhood care and development, HIV-testing, treatment and support, and nutrition in Mokhotlong, Lesotho: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Tomlinson, Mark; Skeen, Sarah; Marlow, Marguerite; Cluver, Lucie; Cooper, Peter; Murray, Lynne; Mofokeng, Shoeshoe; Morley, Nathene; Makhetha, Moroesi; Gordon, Sarah; Esterhuizen, Tonya; Sherr, Lorraine

2016-11-09

Since 1990, the lives of 48 million children under the age of 5 years have been saved because of increased investments in reducing child mortality. However, despite these unprecedented gains, 250 million children younger than 5 years in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) cannot meet their developmental potential due to poverty, poor health and nutrition, and lack of necessary stimulation and care. Lesotho has high levels of poverty, HIV, and malnutrition, all of which affect child development outcomes. There is a unique opportunity to address these complex issues through the widespread network of informal preschools in rural villages in the country, which provide a setting for inclusive, integrated Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and HIV and nutrition interventions. We are conducting a cluster randomised controlled trial in Mokhotlong district, Lesotho, to evaluate a newly developed community-based intervention program to integrate HIV-testing and treatment services, ECCD, and nutrition education for caregivers with children aged 1-5 years living in rural villages. Caregivers and their children are randomly assigned by village to intervention or control condition. We select, train, and supervise community health workers recruited to implement the intervention, which consists of nine group-based sessions with caregivers and children over 12 weeks (eight weekly sessions, and a ninth top-up session 1 month later), followed by a locally hosted community health outreach day event. Group-based sessions focus on using early dialogic book-sharing to promote cognitive development and caregiver-child interaction, health-related messages, including motivation for HIV-testing and treatment uptake for young children, and locally appropriate nutrition education. All children aged 1-5 years and their primary caregivers living in study villages are eligible for participation. Caregivers and their children will be interviewed and assessed at baseline, after completion of the intervention, and 12 months post intervention. This study provides a unique opportunity to assess the potential of an integrated early childhood development intervention to prevent or mitigate developmental delays in children living in a context of extreme poverty and high HIV rates in rural Lesotho. This paper presents the intervention content and research protocol for the study. The Mphatlalatsane: Early Morning Star trial is registered on the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number database, registration number ISRCTN16654287 ; the trial was registered on 3 July 2015.

Plasma serotonin in autism.

PubMed

Connors, Susan L; Matteson, Karla J; Sega, Gary A; Lozzio, Carmen B; Carroll, Roger C; Zimmerman, Andrew W

2006-09-01

Serotonin is necessary for normal fetal brain development. Administration of serotonin inhibitors to pregnant rats results in offspring with abnormal behaviors, brain morphology, and serotonin receptor numbers. Low maternal plasma serotonin may contribute to abnormal brain development in autism. In this study, plasma serotonin levels in autism mothers and control mothers of typically developing children were compared, and plasma serotonin levels in children with autism (n = 17) and their family members were measured. Plasma serotonin levels in autism mothers were significantly lower than in mothers of normal children (P = 0.002). Plasma serotonin levels correlated between autism mothers and their children, but differed between autistic children and their fathers (P = 0.028) and siblings (P = 0.063). Low maternal plasma serotonin may be a risk factor for autism through effects on fetal brain development.

Conflict resolution abilities in children with Specific Language Impairment.

PubMed

Paula, Erica Macêdo de; Befi-Lopes, Debora Maria

2013-01-01

To investigate the conflict resolution abilities of children with Specific Language Impairment, and to verify whether the time of speech-language therapy correlates to the performance on the conflict resolution task. Participants included 20 children with Specific Language Impairment (Research Group) and 40 children with normal language development (Control Group), with ages ranging from 7 years to 8 years and 11 months. To assess the conflict resolution abilities, five hypothetical contexts of conflict were presented. The strategies used by the children were classified and scored by the following levels: level 0 (solutions that do not match the other levels), level 1 (physical solutions), level 2 (unilateral solutions), level 3 (cooperative solutions), and level 4 (mutual solutions). Statistical analysis showed group effect for the variable total score. There was a difference between the groups for modal development level, with higher level of modal development observed in the Control Group. There was no correlation between the period of speech-language therapy attendance and the total score. Children with Specific Language Impairment present difficulties in solving problems, in view of the fact that they mainly use physical and unilateral strategies. There was no correlation between the time of speech-language therapy and performance in the task.

The impact of speech and language problems in kindergarten on academic learning and special education status in grade three.

PubMed

Janus, Magdalena; Labonté, Chantal; Kirkpatrick, Ryan; Davies, Scott; Duku, Eric

2017-11-24

This study addressed the implications of experiencing early speech-language pathologies (SLPs) in kindergarten on special education needs (SEN) and academic outcomes in grade three. Early Development Instrument (EDI) kindergarten data on development and the presence or absence of SLPs were matched with grade three school-system standardised tests of reading, writing and maths, and SEN classification in Ontario, Canada for 59 015 students. Children were classified as having a Persistent speech language pathology (SLP), Remittent SLP, Latent SEN or as a typically developing Control. Even though 72.3% of children's SLPs remitted by grade three, kindergarten SLPs conveyed higher likelihood of having an SEN, and of lower achievement levels in grade three. The degree of impact varied between Persistent and Remittent groups. Children in the Latent group had lower scores in kindergarten on all five EDI domains than Control children. These population level results provide strong evidence to indicate that all children who present with an SLP in kindergarten face further academic challenges, even if their SLP resolves over time. Findings have implications for early intervention and treatment for children with early SLPs.

Development of interactions between sensorimotor representations in school-aged children

PubMed Central

KAGERER, Florian A.; CLARK, Jane E.

2014-01-01

Reliable sensory-motor integration is a pre-requisite for optimal movement control; the functionality of this integration changes during development. Previous research has shown that motor performance of school-age children is characterized by higher variability, particularly under conditions where vision is not available, and movement planning and control is largely based on kinesthetic input. The purpose of the current study was to determine the characteristics of how kinesthetic-motor internal representations interact with visuo-motor representations during development. To this end, we induced a visuo-motor adaptation in 59 children, ranging from 5 to 12 years of age, as well as in a group of adults, and measured initial directional error (IDE) and endpoint error (EPE) during a subsequent condition where visual feedback was not available, and participants had to rely on kinesthetic input. Our results show that older children (age range 9–12 years) de-adapted significantly more than younger children (age range 5–8 years) over the course of 36 trials in the absence of vision, suggesting that the kinesthetic-motor internal representation in the older children was utilized more efficiently to guide hand movements, and was comparable to the performance of the adults. PMID:24636697

Theory of mind understanding and empathic behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Peterson, Candida

2014-12-01

This paper begins with a review of past research on theory of mind and empathy in children with ASD. Using varied operational definitions of empathy ranging from physiological heart rate through story vignettes to reports by privileged observers (e.g., teachers) of children's empathic behavior, results of previous studies are limited and contradictory. Thus new evidence is needed to answer two key questions: Are children with ASD less empathic than typically developing children? Do individual differences in theory of mind (ToM) understanding among children with ASD predict differences in their behavioral empathy? An original empirical study of 76 children aged 3-12 years (37 with ASD; 39 with typical development) addressed these. Results showed that children with ASD were significantly less empathic, according to their teachers, than typically developing children. However, this was not because of their slower ToM development. Findings showed equally clearly that ToM understanding was unrelated to empathy in children with ASD. The same was true for typically developing children once age and verbal maturity were controlled. Indeed, even the subgroup of older children with ASD in the sample who passed false belief tests were significantly less empathic than younger preschoolers who failed them. Copyright © 2014 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial dysfunction in autism.

PubMed

Giulivi, Cecilia; Zhang, Yi-Fan; Omanska-Klusek, Alicja; Ross-Inta, Catherine; Wong, Sarah; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Tassone, Flora; Pessah, Isaac N

2010-12-01

Impaired mitochondrial function may influence processes highly dependent on energy, such as neurodevelopment, and contribute to autism. No studies have evaluated mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) abnormalities in a well-defined population of children with autism. To evaluate mitochondrial defects in children with autism. Observational study using data collected from patients aged 2 to 5 years who were a subset of children participating in the Childhood Autism Risk From Genes and Environment study in California, which is a population-based, case-control investigation with confirmed autism cases and age-matched, genetically unrelated, typically developing controls, that was launched in 2003 and is still ongoing. Mitochondrial dysfunction and mtDNA abnormalities were evaluated in lymphocytes from 10 children with autism and 10 controls. Oxidative phosphorylation capacity, mtDNA copy number and deletions, mitochondrial rate of hydrogen peroxide production, and plasma lactate and pyruvate. The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase activity (normalized to citrate synthase activity) in lymphocytic mitochondria from children with autism was significantly lower compared with controls (mean, 4.4 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.8-6.0] vs 12 [95% CI, 8-16], respectively; P = .001). The majority of children with autism (6 of 10) had complex I activity below control range values. Higher plasma pyruvate levels were found in children with autism compared with controls (0.23 mM [95% CI, 0.15-0.31 mM] vs 0.08 mM [95% CI, 0.04-0.12 mM], respectively; P = .02). Eight of 10 cases had higher pyruvate levels but only 2 cases had higher lactate levels compared with controls. These results were consistent with the lower pyruvate dehydrogenase activity observed in children with autism compared with controls (1.0 [95% CI, 0.6-1.4] nmol × [min × mg protein](-1) vs 2.3 [95% CI, 1.7-2.9] nmol × [min × mg protein](-1), respectively; P = .01). Children with autism had higher mitochondrial rates of hydrogen peroxide production compared with controls (0.34 [95% CI, 0.26-0.42] nmol × [min × mg of protein](-1) vs 0.16 [95% CI, 0.12-0.20] nmol × [min × mg protein](-1) by complex III; P = .02). Mitochondrial DNA overreplication was found in 5 cases (mean ratio of mtDNA to nuclear DNA: 239 [95% CI, 217-239] vs 179 [95% CI, 165-193] in controls; P = 10(-4)). Deletions at the segment of cytochrome b were observed in 2 cases (ratio of cytochrome b to ND1: 0.80 [95% CI, 0.68-0.92] vs 0.99 [95% CI, 0.93-1.05] for controls; P = .01). In this exploratory study, children with autism were more likely to have mitochondrial dysfunction, mtDNA overreplication, and mtDNA deletions than typically developing children.

An examination of handedness and footedness in children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Markoulakis, R; Scharoun, S M; Bryden, P J; Fletcher, P C

2012-10-01

Motor control deficits have been documented in children with high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome (HFA/AS), but the extent to which these disorders affect the children's footedness must be delineated. Twelve typically developing (TD) children and 12 children with HFA/AS, ages 6-9 years, were recruited. Motor control skills were assessed through a variety of footedness tasks to determine location and nature of impairment, regarding motor dominance. Overall, greater inconsistencies in dominance arose in children with HFA/AS, through disparities in measures of preference. Results will have broader implications for understanding motor impairments in children with HFA/AS as determined by comparing performance on footedness tasks, as well as for the design of interventions to account for these deficits.

Improving lifetime trajectories for vulnerable young children and families living with significant stress and social disadvantage: the early years education program randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Jordan, Brigid; Tseng, Yi-Ping; Coombs, Nichola; Kennedy, Anne; Borland, Jeff

2014-09-17

Children who experience neglect and abuse are likely to have impaired brain development and entrenched learning deficiencies. Early years interventions such as intensive education and care for these children are known to have the potential to increase their human capital. The Early Years Education Program (EYEP) is a new program offered by the Children's Protection Society (CPS) in Melbourne, Australia. EYEP is targeted at the needs of children who have been or are at risk of being abused or neglected. It has the dual focus of seeking to address the consequences of abuse and neglect on children's brain development and redressing their learning deficiencies. Our objective is to determine whether EYEP can improve school readiness by conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of its impacts. The RCT is being conducted with 90 participants (45 intervention and 45 control). Eligible children must be aged under three years and assessed as having two or more risk factors as defined in the Department of Human Services Best Interest Case Practice Model. The intervention group participate for three years (or until school entry) in EYEP. The trial does not provide any early years education or care to the control group. Data are being collected on outcome measures for participants in EYEP and the control group at the baseline, at yearly intervals for three years, and six months after commencing the first year of school. Outcome measures encompass children's health and development, academic ability and emotional and behavioural regulation; and quality of parenting practices. The study will evaluate the impact of EYEP on these outcomes, and undertake a benefit-cost analysis of the program. Findings from the study have the potential to influence the quality of care and education for the large population of children in Australia who are at risk of abuse and neglect, as well as for children in mainstream childcare. The study will provide up-to-date evidence on the impact of an early years intervention relevant to an urban population in Australia; as well as (to our knowledge) being the first RCT of an early years education and care intervention in Australia. ACTRN 12611000768998. Date 22nd July 2011.

Targeting children of substance-using parents with the community-based group intervention TRAMPOLINE: A randomised controlled trial - design, evaluation, recruitment issues

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Children of substance-abusing parents are at risk for developing psychosocial development problems. In Germany it is estimated that approx. 2.65 million children are affected by parental substance abuse or dependence. Only ten percent of them receive treatment when parents are treated. To date, no evaluated programme for children from substance-affected families exists in Germany. The study described in this protocol is designed to test the effectiveness of the group programme TRAMPOLINE for children aged 8-12 years with at least one substance-abusing or -dependent caregiver. The intervention is specifically geared to issues and needs of children from substance-affected families. Methods/Design The effectiveness of the manualised nine-session group programme TRAMPOLINE is tested among N = 218 children from substance-affected families in a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Outpatient counselling facilities across the nation from different settings (rural/urban, Northern/Southern/Eastern/Western regions of the country) will deliver the interventions, as they hold the primary access to the target group in Germany. The control condition is a group programme with the same duration that is not addiction-specific. We expect that participants in the intervention condition will show a significant improvement in the use of adaptive coping strategies (in general and within the family) compared to the control condition as a direct result of the intervention. Data is collected shortly before and after as well as six months after the intervention. Discussion In Germany, the study presented here is the first to develop and evaluate a programme for children of substance-abusing parents. Limitations and strengths are discussed with a special focus on recruitment challenges as they appear to be the most potent threat to feasibility in the difficult-to-access target group at hand (Trial registration: ISRCTN81470784). PMID:22439919

Association between IgE-mediated allergies and diabetes mellitus type 1 in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Klamt, Sabine; Vogel, Mandy; Kapellen, Thomas M; Hiemisch, Andreas; Prenzel, Freerk; Zachariae, Silke; Ceglarek, Uta; Thiery, Joachim; Kiess, Wieland

2015-11-01

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is characterized by an immunological reaction that is dominated by type-1 T helper (Th1) cells, whereas immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergies are associated with Th2 cell. According to the Th1/Th2-hypothesis, the immune system is said to either develop into the direction of Th1 or Th2 cells. This would mean that a child developing T1DM is unlikely to develop an IgE-mediated allergy and vice versa. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between the prevalence of T1DM and IgE-mediated allergies. We designed a prospective case control study with 94 children and adolescents with T1DM and 188 age- and sex-matched control children. The basis of our investigations was a questionnaire concerning the family and children's history as to the presence of IgE-mediated allergies. Moreover, the following blood investigations were done: total serum IgE, specific IgE antibodies to major inhalant allergens, and a multiplex cytokine analysis measuring levels of specific cytokines representing either Th1- or Th2- cytokines. Children with T1DM reported the presence of IgE-mediated allergies significantly more often than children of the control group. Children with T1DM had significantly higher tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) levels than healthy controls. Levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-6 were higher in the groups of children with the presence of a personal history of allergies, regardless of the presence of T1DM. Our results suggest that T1DM is associated with a higher risk of a self-reported presence of IgE-mediated allergies and that the Th1/Th2-hypothesis may be an oversimplification. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Targeting children of substance-using parents with the community-based group intervention TRAMPOLINE: a randomised controlled trial--design, evaluation, recruitment issues.

PubMed

Bröning, Sonja; Wiedow, Annika; Wartberg, Lutz; Ruths, Sylvia; Haevelmann, Andrea; Kindermann, Sally-Sophie; Moesgen, Diana; Schaunig-Busch, Ines; Klein, Michael; Thomasius, Rainer

2012-03-22

Children of substance-abusing parents are at risk for developing psychosocial development problems. In Germany it is estimated that approx. 2.65 million children are affected by parental substance abuse or dependence. Only ten percent of them receive treatment when parents are treated. To date, no evaluated programme for children from substance-affected families exists in Germany. The study described in this protocol is designed to test the effectiveness of the group programme TRAMPOLINE for children aged 8-12 years with at least one substance-abusing or -dependent caregiver. The intervention is specifically geared to issues and needs of children from substance-affected families. The effectiveness of the manualised nine-session group programme TRAMPOLINE is tested among N = 218 children from substance-affected families in a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Outpatient counselling facilities across the nation from different settings (rural/urban, Northern/Southern/Eastern/Western regions of the country) will deliver the interventions, as they hold the primary access to the target group in Germany. The control condition is a group programme with the same duration that is not addiction-specific. We expect that participants in the intervention condition will show a significant improvement in the use of adaptive coping strategies (in general and within the family) compared to the control condition as a direct result of the intervention. Data is collected shortly before and after as well as six months after the intervention. In Germany, the study presented here is the first to develop and evaluate a programme for children of substance-abusing parents. Limitations and strengths are discussed with a special focus on recruitment challenges as they appear to be the most potent threat to feasibility in the difficult-to-access target group at hand (Trial registration: ISRCTN81470784).

Put on a happy face! Inhibitory control and socioemotional knowledge predict emotion regulation in 5- to 7-year-olds.

PubMed

Hudson, Amanda; Jacques, Sophie

2014-07-01

Children's developing capacity to regulate emotions may depend on individual characteristics and other abilities, including age, sex, inhibitory control, theory of mind, and emotion and display rule knowledge. In the current study, we examined the relations between these variables and children's (N=107) regulation of emotion in a disappointing gift paradigm as well as their relations with the amount of effort to control emotion children exhibited after receiving the disappointing gift. Regression analyses were also conducted to identify unique predictors. Children's understanding of others' emotions and emotion display rules, as well as their inhibitory control skills, emerged as significant correlates of emotion regulation and predicted children's responses to the disappointing gift even after controlling for other relevant variables. Age and inhibitory control significantly predicted the amount of overt effort that went into regulating emotions, as did emotion knowledge (albeit only marginally). Together, findings suggest that effectively regulating emotions requires (a) knowledge of context-appropriate emotions along with (b) inhibitory skills to implement that knowledge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of the Children's Health Activity Motor Program on Motor Skills and Self-Regulation in Head Start Preschoolers: An Efficacy Trial.

PubMed

Robinson, Leah E; Palmer, Kara K; Bub, Kristen L

2016-01-01

Self-regulatory skills are broadly defined as the ability to manage emotions, focus attention, and inhibit some behaviors while activating others in accordance with social expectations and are an established indicator of academic success. Growing evidence links motor skills and physical activity to self-regulation. This study examined the efficacy of a motor skills intervention (i.e., the Children's Health Activity Motor Program, CHAMP) that is theoretically grounded in Achievement Goal Theory on motor skill performance and self-regulation in Head Start preschoolers. A sample of 113 Head Start preschoolers (Mage = 51.91 ± 6.5 months; 49.5% males) were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 68) or control (n = 45) program. CHAMP participants engaged in 15, 40-min sessions of a mastery climate intervention that focused on the development of motor skills over 5 weeks while control participants engaged in their normal outdoor recess period. The Delay of Gratification Snack Task was used to measure self-regulation and the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition was used to assess motor skills. All measures were assessed prior to and following the intervention. Linear mixed models were fit for both self-regulation and motor skills. Results revealed a significant time × treatment interaction (p < 0.001). In regard to motor skills, post hoc comparisons found that all children improved their motor skills (p < 0.05), but the CHAMP group improved significantly more than the control group (p < 0.001). Children in CHAMP maintained their self-regulation scores across time, while children in the control group scored significantly lower than the CHAMP group at the posttest (p < 0.05). CHAMP is a mastery climate movement program that enhance skills associated with healthy development in children (i.e., motor skills and self-regulation). This efficacy trial provided evidence that CHAMP helped maintain delay of gratification in preschool age children and significantly improved motor skills while participating in outdoor recess was not effective. CHAMP could help contribute to children's learning-related skills and physical development and subsequently to their academic success.

Negative Affectivity and Effortful Control in Mothers With Borderline Personality Disorder and in Their Young Children.

PubMed

Mena, Christina G; Macfie, Jenny; Strimpfel, Jennifer M

2017-06-01

Research has examined temperament in individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) but not in their offspring, despite offspring's risk of developing BPD and the importance of temperament in the etiology of BPD. We recruited a low-socioeconomic sample of 36 mothers with BPD and their children ages 4 through 7, and 34 normative comparisons. Replicating prior studies, mothers with BPD reported themselves as having more negative affectivity (frustration, fear) and less effortful control (inhibitory control, attentional control, activation control) than did comparisons. Mothers with BPD also reported that their offspring had more negative affectivity (anger/frustration, fear) and less effortful control (inhibitory control, attentional focusing) than did comparisons. We were concerned about potential bias and shared method variance. We therefore provided validity support for mothers' ratings of their children with teacher ratings of child behavior and child self-report via their story-stem completion narratives. We discuss children's temperamental vulnerability versus differential susceptibility to the environment.

Speech and language development in cognitively delayed children with cochlear implants.

PubMed

Holt, Rachael Frush; Kirk, Karen Iler

2005-04-01

The primary goals of this investigation were to examine the speech and language development of deaf children with cochlear implants and mild cognitive delay and to compare their gains with those of children with cochlear implants who do not have this additional impairment. We retrospectively examined the speech and language development of 69 children with pre-lingual deafness. The experimental group consisted of 19 children with cognitive delays and no other disabilities (mean age at implantation = 38 months). The control group consisted of 50 children who did not have cognitive delays or any other identified disability. The control group was stratified by primary communication mode: half used total communication (mean age at implantation = 32 months) and the other half used oral communication (mean age at implantation = 26 months). Children were tested on a variety of standard speech and language measures and one test of auditory skill development at 6-month intervals. The results from each test were collapsed from blocks of two consecutive 6-month intervals to calculate group mean scores before implantation and at 1-year intervals after implantation. The children with cognitive delays and those without such delays demonstrated significant improvement in their speech and language skills over time on every test administered. Children with cognitive delays had significantly lower scores than typically developing children on two of the three measures of receptive and expressive language and had significantly slower rates of auditory-only sentence recognition development. Finally, there were no significant group differences in auditory skill development based on parental reports or in auditory-only or multimodal word recognition. The results suggest that deaf children with mild cognitive impairments benefit from cochlear implantation. Specifically, improvements are evident in their ability to perceive speech and in their reception and use of language. However, it may be reduced relative to their typically developing peers with cochlear implants, particularly in domains that require higher level skills, such as sentence recognition and receptive and expressive language. These findings suggest that children with mild cognitive deficits be considered for cochlear implantation with less trepidation than has been the case in the past. Although their speech and language gains may be tempered by their cognitive abilities, these limitations do not appear to preclude benefit from cochlear implant stimulation, as assessed by traditional measures of speech and language development.

Long-term effects of the Focus on Families project on substance use disorders among children of parents in methadone treatment.

PubMed

Haggerty, Kevin P; Skinner, Martie; Fleming, Charles B; Gainey, Randy R; Catalano, Richard F

2008-12-01

This study examines the efficacy of the Focus on Families project (currently called Families Facing the Future), a preventive intervention to reduce substance use disorders among children in families with a parent in methadone treatment. One hundred and thirty families were assigned randomly to a methadone clinic treatment-as-usual control condition or treatment-as-usual plus the Focus on Families intervention between 1991 and 1993. Setting Participants were recruited from two methadone clinics in the Pacific Northwest. This study examines the development of substance use disorders among the 177 children (56.84% male) involved in the program using data from a long-term follow-up in 2005, when these participants ranged in age from 15 to 29 years. The intervention was delivered through group parent-training workshops at the methadone clinics and through individualized home-based services. The intervention taught parenting skills and skills for avoiding relapse to drug abuse. At long-term follow-up, substance use disorders were measured by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Survival analyses were used to assess intervention versus control differences in the hazard of developing substance use disorders. Overall, intervention and control participants did not differ significantly in risk of developing substance use disorders. However, there was evidence of a significant difference in intervention effect by gender. There was a significant reduction in the risk of developing a substance use disorder for intervention group males compared to control group males (hazard ratio = 0.53, P = 0.03), while intervention versus control differences among females were non-significant and favored the control condition. Results from this study suggest that helping parents in recovery focus on both reducing their drug use and improving their parenting skills may have long-term effects on reducing substance use disorders among their male children. However, the overall long-term benefits of this program are not supported by the results for female children.

Development of self-control in children aged 3 to 9 years: Perspective from a dual-systems model

PubMed Central

Tao, Ting; Wang, Ligang; Fan, Chunlei; Gao, Wenbin

2014-01-01

The current study tested a set of interrelated theoretical propositions based on a dual-systems model of self-control. Data were collected from 2135 children aged 3 to 9 years. The results suggest that (a) there was positive growth in good self-control, whereas poor control remained relatively stable; and (b) girls performed better than boys on tests of good self-control. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for a dual-systems model of self-control theory and future empirical work. PMID:25501669

Behavioral problems and parenting style among Taiwanese children with autism and their siblings.

PubMed

Gau, Susan Shur-Fen; Chou, Miao-Churn; Lee, Ju-Chin; Wong, Ching-Ching; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Chen, Ming-Fang; Soong, Wei-Tsuen; Wu, Yu-Yu

2010-02-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the behavioral problems and parenting style among children with autism and their siblings in an ethnic Chinese population. A total of 151 children with DSM-IV autistic disorder, aged 3-12, 134 siblings without autism, and 113 normally developing controls were recruited. Both parents reported their parenting styles and psychological status and mothers also reported children's behavioral problems. Children with autism had significantly more severe behavioral problems and obtained less affection and more overprotection and authoritarian controlling from their parents than the other two groups. Compared to the controls, unaffected siblings showed some behavioral problems, and obtained less maternal care. Withdrawal and attention, social, and thought problems were the most associated behavioral syndromes to distinguish children with autism from those without. In addition to children with autism, who have a wide range of behavioral problems and impaired parent-child interactions, their siblings may be at risk for such problems.

The childhood executive function inventory: confirmatory factor analyses and cross-cultural clinical validity in a sample of 8- to 11-year-old children.

PubMed

Catale, Corinne; Meulemans, Thierry; Thorell, Lisa B

2015-06-01

The aim was to investigate the psychometric characteristics of the French adaptation of the Childhood Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI) in children and to explore the cross-cultural validity of the CHEXI in discriminating between children with ADHD and controls in two culturally different samples (Belgian and Swedish). Study I included normally developing children (n = 242), whereas Study II included both children diagnosed with ADHD (n = 87) and controls (n = 87). CHEXI ratings were collected from parents. Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the two-factor solution, referred to as inhibition and working memory, which had been identified previously. Both subscales had good psychometric properties. Furthermore, the CHEXI was found to discriminate, with high sensitivity and specificity, between children with ADHD and controls in both cultural samples. The CHEXI can be considered as a valuable screening measure for ADHD in children, but the cross-cultural clinical implications of ratings have to be considered. © 2013 SAGE Publications.

Group Music Training and Children's Prosocial Skills.

PubMed

Schellenberg, E Glenn; Corrigall, Kathleen A; Dys, Sebastian P; Malti, Tina

2015-01-01

We investigated if group music training in childhood is associated with prosocial skills. Children in 3rd or 4th grade who attended 10 months of music lessons taught in groups were compared to a control group of children matched for socio-economic status. All children were administered tests of prosocial skills near the beginning and end of the 10-month period. Compared to the control group, children in the music group had larger increases in sympathy and prosocial behavior, but this effect was limited to children who had poor prosocial skills before the lessons began. The effect was evident even when the lessons were compulsory, which minimized the role of self-selection. The results suggest that group music training facilitates the development of prosocial skills.

Group Music Training and Children's Prosocial Skills

PubMed Central

Schellenberg, E. Glenn; Corrigall, Kathleen A.; Dys, Sebastian P.; Malti, Tina

2015-01-01

We investigated if group music training in childhood is associated with prosocial skills. Children in 3rd or 4th grade who attended 10 months of music lessons taught in groups were compared to a control group of children matched for socio-economic status. All children were administered tests of prosocial skills near the beginning and end of the 10-month period. Compared to the control group, children in the music group had larger increases in sympathy and prosocial behavior, but this effect was limited to children who had poor prosocial skills before the lessons began. The effect was evident even when the lessons were compulsory, which minimized the role of self-selection. The results suggest that group music training facilitates the development of prosocial skills. PMID:26506414

The roles of gender, age and cognitive development in children's pedestrian route selection.

PubMed

Barton, B K; Ulrich, T; Lyday, B

2012-03-01

Thousands of American children under the age of 10 years are injured annually as pedestrians. Despite the scope of this public health problem, knowledge about behavioural control and developmental factors involved in the aetiology of child pedestrian safety is limited. The present study examined the roles of gender, age and two aspects of cognitive development (visual search and efficiency of processing) in children's safe pedestrian route selection. Measures of cognitive functioning (visual search and efficiency) and selections of risky pedestrian routes were collected from 65 children aged 5-9 years. Boys, younger children and those with less developed cognitive functioning selected riskier pedestrian routes. Cognitive functioning also subsumed age as a predictor of risky route selections. Our findings suggest developmental differences, specifically less developed cognitive functioning, play important roles in children's pedestrian decision making. Directions for future examination are discussed. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[New Developments in Video Games for Psychotherapy].

PubMed

Brezinka, Veronika

2016-01-01

A literature survey on new developments in the area of video games and psychotherapy of children and adolescents was conducted. Despite the omnipresence of computers and the internet, development of therapeutic games seems rather slow. The video game Treasure Hunt was introduced in 2008 to support treatment of children with internalizing and externalizing disorders. Camp Cope-A-Lot was developed for treatment of anxious children, whereas the self-help game SPARX is directed at depressed adolescents. Rage-Control is a biofeedback game for children with anger problems. The game Zoo U aims to assess and train social skills of primary school children. Ricky and the Spider for young children with obsessive compulsive disorder is meant to support the cognitive-behavioural treatment of these patients. Clash- Back is a French game for adolescents with externalizing problems. Possible reasons for the relatively slow development of therapeutic games are the high methodological demands concerning an evaluation as well as the high costs of game development. Nonetheless, computers and the internet are bound to influence psychotherapy with children and adolescents in the long run.

The Effectiveness of Self-regulatory Speech Training for Planning and Problem Solving in Children with Specific Language Impairment.

PubMed

Abdul Aziz, Safiyyah; Fletcher, Janet; Bayliss, Donna M

2016-08-01

Self-regulatory speech has been shown to be important for the planning and problem solving of children. Our intervention study, including comparisons to both wait-list and typically developing controls, examined the effectiveness of a training programme designed to improve self-regulatory speech, and consequently, the planning and problem solving performance of 87 (60 males, 27 females) children aged 4-7 years with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) who were delayed in their self-regulatory speech development. The self-regulatory speech and Tower of London (TOL) performance of children with SLI who received the intervention initially or after a waiting period was compared with that of 80 (48 male, 32 female) typically developing children who did not receive any intervention. Children were tested at three time points: Time 1- prior to intervention; Time 2 - after the first SLI group had received training and the second SLI group provided a wait-list control; and Time 3 - when the second SLI group had received training. At Time 1 children with SLI produced less self-regulatory speech and were impaired on the TOL relative to the typically developing children. At Time 2, the TOL performance of children with SLI in the first training group improved significantly, whereas there was no improvement for the second training group (the wait-list group). At Time 3, the second training group improved their TOL performance and the first group maintained their performance. No significant differences in TOL performance were evident between typically developing children and those with SLI at Time 3. Moreover, decreases in social speech and increases in inaudible muttering following self-regulatory speech training were associated with improvements in TOL performance. Together, the results show that self-regulatory speech training was effective in increasing self-regulatory speech and in improving planning and problem solving performance in children with SLI.

Predicting asthma exacerbations in children.

PubMed

Forno, Erick; Celedón, Juan C

2012-01-01

This review critically assesses recently published literature on predicting asthma exacerbations in children, while also providing general recommendations for future research in this field. Current evidence suggests that every effort should be made to provide optimal treatment to achieve adequate asthma control, as this will significantly reduce the risk of severe disease exacerbations. Children who have had at least one asthma exacerbation in the previous year are at highest risk for subsequent exacerbations, regardless of disease severity and/or control. Although several tools and biomarkers to predict asthma exacerbations have been recently developed, these approaches need further validation and/or have only had partial success in identifying children at risk. Although considerable progress has been made, much remains to be done. Future studies should clearly differentiate severe asthma exacerbations due to inadequate asthma control from those occurring in children whose asthma is well controlled, utilize standardized definitions of asthma exacerbations, and use a systematic approach to identify the best predictors after accounting for the multiple dimensions of the problem. Our ability to correctly predict the development of severe asthma exacerbations in an individual child should improve in parallel with increased knowledge and/or understanding of the complex interactions among genetic, environmental (e.g. viral infections) and lifestyle (e.g. adherence to treatment) factors underlying these events.

Peer-relationship difficulties in children with brain injuries: comparisons with children in mental health services and healthy controls.

PubMed

Tonks, James; Yates, Phil; Williams, W Huw; Frampton, Ian; Slater, Alan

2010-12-01

Positive peer relationships are essential in healthy development. The prevalence of peer-relationship problems in children after acquired brain injury (ABI) has yet to be explored, although ABI does inevitably impact upon peer interactions. We aimed to explore how peer-relationships and emotional distress after ABI may differ from the levels reported by healthy children or mental health controls. Parents of 214 children (137 "healthy" children, 27 children using mental health services and 40 children with ABI) aged 9-15 years participated. A questionnaire measure of peer-relationship functioning and emotional distress was completed. Children with ABI experienced a greater degree of peer-relationship difficulties and emotional distress than healthy controls. No difference was found in reported peer relationship difficulties or emotional distress between ABI children and the children accessing mental health services. We conclude that emotional distress and co-occurring peer-relationship difficulties are as prevalent in a population of children after ABI as may be expected in a population of children under the care of mental health services, yet, unlike the latter group, appropriate intervention services are not commonly available. Interventions that aim to enhance peer relationships after childhood ABI may provide an essential resource to the benefit of outcome.

Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar.

PubMed

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-10-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Total 472 healthy Kindergarten children (237 males, 235 females) of 2016-2017 academic year from four schools in urban area and four schools in rural area of Myanmar were recruited. The gross motor skill development of all subjects was assessed with the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded and scored. The assessment procedures were done according to the standardized guidelines of TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had average level of gross motor skill rank. The significant differences were found on the run and gallop of locomotor skills and the most of object control skills except the catch between males and females. The significant differences were also found between subjects from urban and rural areas. [Conclusion] Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar had gender-based and region-based differences on both locomotor and object control skills. This study added a valuable information to the establishment of a normative reference of Kindergarten aged children for future studies.

Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar

PubMed Central

Aye, Thanda; Oo, Khin Saw; Khin, Myo Thuzar; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar. [Subjects and Methods] Total 472 healthy Kindergarten children (237 males, 235 females) of 2016–2017 academic year from four schools in urban area and four schools in rural area of Myanmar were recruited. The gross motor skill development of all subjects was assessed with the test of gross motor development second edition (TGMD-2). All subjects performed two trials for each gross motor skill and the performance was video recorded and scored. The assessment procedures were done according to the standardized guidelines of TGMD-2. [Results] The majority of subjects had average level of gross motor skill rank. The significant differences were found on the run and gallop of locomotor skills and the most of object control skills except the catch between males and females. The significant differences were also found between subjects from urban and rural areas. [Conclusion] Gross motor skill development of 5-year-old Kindergarten children in Myanmar had gender-based and region-based differences on both locomotor and object control skills. This study added a valuable information to the establishment of a normative reference of Kindergarten aged children for future studies. PMID:29184287

Children with Diabetes: Peer Status, Academic Achievement, and Behavior Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, Glenna J.; Carroll, James L.

While the clinical literature frequently asserts that chronic illness negatively affects children's social development, data in support of such assertions are almost without exception obtained in clinical settings from children with chronic illness and their parents, without data from the school or community environment and without control or…

Role of Working Memory in Typically Developing Children's Complex Sentence Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, James W.; Magimairaj, Beula M.; O'Malley, Michelle H.

2008-01-01

The influence of three mechanisms of working memory (phonological short-term memory (PSTM capacity), attentional resource control/allocation, and processing speed) on children's complex (and simple) sentence comprehension was investigated. Fifty two children (6-12 years) completed a nonword repetition task (indexing PSTM), concurrent verbal…

Behavior Individuality and the Development of Social Competence among Preschool Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jo Ann N.; Simmerer, Norma J.

This report summarizes three related studies of 3- to 5-year-old children's temperament and its relationship to their social competence, ability to solve interpersonal problems, locus of control, parent behavior and teacher/child interactions. Fifty-eight children, predominantly middle class participants in a laboratory preschool, and their…

Parents in Reading; Parents' Booklet (Folleto Para Los Padres).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truby, Roy

Developed for Idaho's original Parents in Reading program, this booklet is designed for use by parents of preschool and elementary school students. Topics are discussed in both English and Spanish and include: reading, listening, and talking to children; controlling television viewing; using numbers with children; children's muscles and movements;…

Improving Early Numeracy of Young Children with Special Education Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Luit, Johannes E. H.; Schopman, Esther A.

2000-01-01

Sixty-two students from special needs kindergartens were given early mathematics intervention. The early numeracy program was developed for children with disabilities and early numeracy difficulties by basing instruction on perceptual gestalt theory. Children performed better at posttest than controls but failed to transfer their knowledge to…

Chinese Parenting Styles and Children's Self-Regulated Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Juan; Prochner, Larry

2004-01-01

Self-regulated learning is an important aspect of student learning and academic achievement. Certain parenting styles help children develop self-regulated learning and encourage them to exert control over their own learning. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Chinese parenting style and children's involvement in…

Children's Understanding of Dreams.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Sarah A.; Shore, Cecilia M.

Children's understanding of dreams as mental states was examined as an instance of their development of a "theory of mind." Thirty-five children between three and seven years of age were interviewed to determine how well they understood the reality, location, privacy, origin, and controllability of their own dreams, versus that of a…

76 FR 8996 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-16

... Children Household-Based Demonstration on Food Insecurity. OMB Control Number: 0584-NEW. Summary of... demonstration projects to develop and test methods of providing access to food for low-income children in urban... used by FNS to determine if SEBT for children reduces the acute prevalence of very low food security...

Is It Easier to Hop or Walk? Development Issues in Interface Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strommen, Erik F.

1993-01-01

Describes a study conducted by the Children's Television Workshop that tested two forms of Sesame Street character movement (i.e., discrete movement versus continuous motion) with three-year-old preschool children using a Nintendo controller. Cognitive factors governing children's game performance and implications for designing interactive…

Volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Brain and Cerebellum in Children with Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Maciorkowska, Elżbieta; Gościk, Elżbieta

2016-01-01

Introduction. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies are rarely used in the diagnosis of patients with cerebral palsy. The aim of present study was to assess the relationships between the volumetric MRI and clinical findings in children with cerebral palsy compared to control subjects. Materials and Methods. Eighty-two children with cerebral palsy and 90 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were collected. Results. The dominant changes identified on MRI scans in children with cerebral palsy were periventricular leukomalacia (42%) and posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (21%). The total brain and cerebellum volumes in children with cerebral palsy were significantly reduced in comparison to controls. Significant grey matter volume reduction was found in the total brain in children with cerebral palsy compared with the control subjects. Positive correlations between the age of the children of both groups and the grey matter volumes in the total brain were found. Negative relationship between width of third ventricle and speech development was found in the patients. Positive correlations were noted between the ventricles enlargement and motor dysfunction and mental retardation in children with cerebral palsy. Conclusions. By using the voxel-based morphometry, the total brain, cerebellum, and grey matter volumes were significantly reduced in children with cerebral palsy. PMID:27579318

Volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Brain and Cerebellum in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Kułak, Piotr; Maciorkowska, Elżbieta; Gościk, Elżbieta

2016-01-01

Introduction. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies are rarely used in the diagnosis of patients with cerebral palsy. The aim of present study was to assess the relationships between the volumetric MRI and clinical findings in children with cerebral palsy compared to control subjects. Materials and Methods. Eighty-two children with cerebral palsy and 90 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were collected. Results. The dominant changes identified on MRI scans in children with cerebral palsy were periventricular leukomalacia (42%) and posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (21%). The total brain and cerebellum volumes in children with cerebral palsy were significantly reduced in comparison to controls. Significant grey matter volume reduction was found in the total brain in children with cerebral palsy compared with the control subjects. Positive correlations between the age of the children of both groups and the grey matter volumes in the total brain were found. Negative relationship between width of third ventricle and speech development was found in the patients. Positive correlations were noted between the ventricles enlargement and motor dysfunction and mental retardation in children with cerebral palsy. Conclusions. By using the voxel-based morphometry, the total brain, cerebellum, and grey matter volumes were significantly reduced in children with cerebral palsy.

Conversation, development, and gender: a study of changes in children's concepts of punishment.

PubMed

Leman, Patrick J; Björnberg, Marina

2010-01-01

One hundred thirty-three children, average age 9.58 years, were read vignettes describing a moral transgression and then discussed what would constitute a fair punishment. Children's gender influenced conversation dynamics (use of interruption and other simultaneous speech) but not conversation content (justifications for judgments). All children who engaged in conversation showed development in judgments after 8 weeks compared with a control (no interaction) group. However, there was no relation between conversation dynamics or content and development, or any effects of gender, on the developmental process. The benefits of peer collaboration were general rather than specific to the stimulus story.

Association between intensive handwashing promotion and child development in Karachi, Pakistan: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Bowen, Anna; Agboatwalla, Mubina; Luby, Stephen; Tobery, Timothy; Ayers, Tracy; Hoekstra, R M

2012-11-01

To evaluate associations between handwashing promotion and child growth and development. Cluster randomized controlled trial. Informal settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 461 children who were enrolled in a trial of household-level handwashing promotion in 2003 and were younger than 8 years at reassessment in 2009. In 2003, neighborhoods were randomized to control (n = 9), handwashing promotion (n = 9), or handwashing promotion and drinking water treatment (n = 10); intervention households received free soap and weekly handwashing promotion for 9 months. Anthropometrics and developmental quotients measured with the Battelle Developmental Inventory II at 5 to 7 years of age. Overall, 24.9% (95% CI, 20.0%-30.6%) and 22.1% (95% CI, 18.0%-26.8%) of children had z scores that were more than 2 SDs below the expected z scores for height and body mass index for age, respectively; anthropometrics did not differ significantly across study groups. Global developmental quotients averaged 104.4 (95% CI, 101.9-107.0) among intervention children and 98.3 (95% CI, 93.1-103.4) among control children (P = .04). Differences of similar magnitude were measured across adaptive, personal-social, communication, cognitive, and motor domains. Although growth was similar across groups, children randomized to the handwashing promotion during their first 30 months of age attained global developmental quotients 0.4 SDs greater than those of control children at 5 to 7 years of age. These gains are comparable to those of at-risk children enrolled in publicly funded preschools in the United States and suggest that handwashing promotion could improve child well-being and societal productivity. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01538953.

Effects of nursing intervention models on social adaption capability development in preschool children with malignant tumors: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Yu, Lu; Mo, Lin; Tang, Yan; Huang, Xiaoyan; Tan, Juan

2014-06-01

The objectives of this study are to compare the effects of two nursing intervention models on the ability of preschool children with malignant tumors to socialize and to determine if these interventions improved their social adaption capability (SAC) and quality of life. Inpatient preschool children with malignant tumors admitted to the hospital between December 2009 and March 2012 were recruited and randomized into either the experimental or control groups. The control group received routine nursing care, and the experimental group received family-centered nursing care, including physical, psychological, and social interventions. The Infants-Junior Middle School Student's Social-Life Abilities Scale was used to evaluate SAC development of participants. Participants (n = 240) were recruited and randomized into two groups. After the intervention, the excellent and normal SAC rates were 27.5% and 55% in the experimental group, respectively, compared with 2.5% and 32.5% in the control group (p < 0.001). After the intervention, SAC in experimental group was improved compared with before intervention (54.68 ± 10.85 vs 79.9 ± 22.3, p < 0.001). However, no differences in SAC were observed between baseline and after intervention in the control group (54.70 ± 11.47 vs. 52 ± 15.8, p = 0.38). The family-centered nursing care model that included physical, psychological, and social interventions improved the SAC of children with malignancies compared with children receiving routine nursing care. Establishing a standardized family-school-community-hospital hierarchical multi-management intervention model for children is important to the efficacy of long-term interventions and to the improvement of SAC of children with malignancies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vulnerable Mothers, Vulnerable Children: A Follow-Up Study of Unmarried Mothers Who Kept Their Children. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonnell, Susan

This study compared 346 unmarried primiparous women who kept their children and 326 married primiparous women, with respect to birth control knowledge and use, socioeconomic circumstances over 18 months, health and development of the children, and quality of child care. The preparation and planning that led to the decision to keep the…

Salivary Cortisol, Socioemotional Functioning, and Academic Performance in Anxious and Non-Anxious Children of Elementary and Middle School Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathewson, Karen J.; Miskovic, Vladimir; Cunningham, Charles E.; McHolm, Angela E.; Boyle, Michael H.; Schmidt, Louis A.

2012-01-01

Research Findings: Individual and contextual variables were examined in relation to children's ability to cope with socioemotional and academic challenges in a sample of typically developing (n = 51) and anxious (n = 72) children of elementary and middle school age. Anxious children had greater social difficulties than controls and showed…

Effects of Immediate and Cumulative Syntactic Experience in Language Impairment: Evidence from Priming of Subject Relatives in Children with SLI

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garraffa, Maria; Coco, Moreno I.; Branigan, Holly P.

2015-01-01

We investigated the production of subject relative clauses (SRc) in Italian pre-school children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and age-matched typically-developing children (TD) controls. In a structural priming paradigm, children described pictures after hearing the experimenter produce a bare noun or an SRc description, as part of a…

A Randomized Controlled Study of a Group Intervention Program to Enhance Mental Health of Children of Illegal Migrant Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meir, Yael; Slone, Michelle; Levis, Mira

2014-01-01

Background: The social-ecological environment of undocumented children of migrant workers includes varying levels of risk factors. Growing up in these conditions compromises children's development on all levels. Many of these children are in need of psychotherapy, however, due to limited resources, only a few of them receive mental health aid.…

Prevalence of Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Urrutia-Rojas, Ximena; Menchaca, John

2006-01-01

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 children born in 2000 in the United States will become diabetic. The odds are higher for African American and Hispanic children as nearly 50% of them will develop diabetes. Random screening is not effective in identifying children at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM);…

Intestinal virome changes precede autoimmunity in type I diabetes-susceptible children

PubMed Central

Vatanen, Tommi; Droit, Lindsay; Kostic, Aleksandar D.; Poon, Tiffany W.; Vlamakis, Hera; Siljander, Heli; Härkönen, Taina; Hämäläinen, Anu-Maaria; Peet, Aleksandr; Tillmann, Vallo; Ilonen, Jorma; Wang, David; Knip, Mikael; Xavier, Ramnik J.

2017-01-01

Viruses have long been considered potential triggers of autoimmune diseases. Here we defined the intestinal virome from birth to the development of autoimmunity in children at risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D). A total of 220 virus-enriched preparations from serially collected fecal samples from 11 children (cases) who developed serum autoantibodies associated with T1D (of whom five developed clinical T1D) were compared with samples from controls. Intestinal viromes of case subjects were less diverse than those of controls. Among eukaryotic viruses, we identified significant enrichment of Circoviridae-related sequences in samples from controls in comparison with cases. Enterovirus, kobuvirus, parechovirus, parvovirus, and rotavirus sequences were frequently detected but were not associated with autoimmunity. For bacteriophages, we found higher Shannon diversity and richness in controls compared with cases and observed that changes in the intestinal virome over time differed between cases and controls. Using Random Forests analysis, we identified disease-associated viral bacteriophage contigs after subtraction of age-associated contigs. These disease-associated contigs were statistically linked to specific components of the bacterial microbiome. Thus, changes in the intestinal virome preceded autoimmunity in this cohort. Specific components of the virome were both directly and inversely associated with the development of human autoimmune disease. PMID:28696303

Parental psychological symptoms and familial risk factors of children and adolescents who exhibit school refusal.

PubMed

Bahali, K; Tahiroglu, A Y; Avci, A; Seydaoglu, G

2011-12-01

To assess the levels of psychological symptoms in the parents of children with school refusal and determine the familial risk factors in its development. This study was performed on 55 pairs of parents who had children exhibiting school refusal and were compared with a control group. A socio-demographic data form, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Symptom Checklist-90 revised were applied to these parents. Parents of the school refusal group had higher anxiety and depression scores than the controls. Among the risk factors for school refusal, physical punishment by the parents, a history of organic disease in the parents or children, and a history of psychiatric disorders in the parents or other relatives were found to be significant. Depending on genetic and environmental factors, parents with psychiatric disorders appeared to be associated with development of psychiatric disorders in their children. Moreover, psychiatric disorders in parents negatively affected the treatment of their children and adolescents who exhibited school refusal. It is therefore vital to treat psychiatric disorders of parents with the children having psychiatric disorders, and thus increase parent participation in their children's therapeutic process.

Associations between young children's perceived and actual ball skill competence and physical activity.

PubMed

Barnett, Lisa M; Ridgers, Nicola D; Salmon, Jo

2015-03-01

The relationship between actual and perceived object control competence (ball skills) and the contribution to young children's physical activity is not known. Cross sectional study. The Test Gross Motor Development-2 assessed actual object control competence and a modified version of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children assessed perceived object control competence. Moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity was measured via accelerometry. Three mixed regression models were performed: (i) object control competence as the predictor and the outcome as perceived object control, (ii) perceived object control competence as the predictor and the outcome moderate to vigorous physical activity and (iii) actual object control as the predictor and the outcome moderate to vigorous physical activity. Models adjusted for school clustering, monitor wear time, sex and age. Interactions between respective predictor variables and sex were performed if warranted. A total of 102 children (56% boys, 44% girls) aged 4-8 years (M 6.3, SD 0.92) completed assessments. Girls had lower perceived and actual object control competence and were less active than boys. Actual object control competence was positively associated with perceived object control competence (B=0.11, t(96)=2.25, p<0.001, p=0.027) and this relationship did not differ by sex (p=0.449); however, neither actual (p=0.092) nor perceived object control competence (p=0.827) were associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity. Young children's perceived ball skill abilities appear to relate to actual competence; however, these measures were not associated with physical activity. In older children, object control skill is associated with physical activity so targeting young children's object control skills is an intervention priority. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Duration of protection of pentavalent rotavirus vaccination in Nicaragua.

PubMed

Patel, Manish; Pedreira, Cristina; De Oliveira, Lucia Helena; Umaña, Jazmina; Tate, Jacqueline; Lopman, Ben; Sanchez, Edmundo; Reyes, Martha; Mercado, Juan; Gonzalez, Alcides; Perez, Maria Celina; Balmaceda, Angel; Andrus, Jon; Parashar, Umesh

2012-08-01

To evaluate the duration of protection of pentavaent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) against rotavirus hospitalizations in Nicaragua, a developing country in Central America. We conducted a case-control study at 4 hospitals from 2007 through 2010, including 1016 children hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed rotavirus diarrhea, 4930 controls with nonrotavirus diarrhea (ie, "test-negative"), and 5627 controls without diarrhea. All cases and controls were aged ≥ 6 months and born after August 2006. Outcomes included odds of antecedent vaccination between case-patients and controls, and effectiveness of vaccination (1 - adjusted odds ratio [OR] × 100). Duration of protection was assessed by comparing effectiveness among children aged <1 year compared with ≥ 1 year. Indicators of socioeconomic conditions and nonrotavirus vaccination (oral polio vaccine and diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis/hepatitis A/hepatitis B) for test-negative controls were more comparable to the rotavirus case-patients than nondiarrhea controls. RV5 vaccination was associated with a significantly lower risk of rotavirus hospitalization by using test-negative controls (OR: 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.74) and nondiarrhea controls (OR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.22-0.40). Risk of rotavirus hospitalization was twofold lower among RV5 vaccinated children aged <1 year (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.22-0.57) compared with RV5 vaccinated children aged ≥ 1 year (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.47-1.05). RV5 provided good protection against severe rotavirus disease in Nicaragua during the first year of life, when most severe and fatal rotavirus disease in developing countries occurs. However, the decline in protection with age warrants monitoring of disease among older children and consideration of a booster dose evaluation at the end of infancy.

Development of inhibitory control among prenatally cocaine exposed and non-cocaine exposed youths from late childhood to early adolescence: The effects of gender and risk and subsequent aggressive behavior.

PubMed

Bridgett, David J; Mayes, Linda C

2011-01-01

The goal of the present investigation was to characterize the development of inhibitory control, an aspect of executive functions, in a sample of prenatally cocaine exposed (CE; n=165) children compared to an at risk, but prenatally cocaine unexposed (NCE; n=119) sample across time (i.e. 7.5 to 11.5 years of age). Gender and cumulative risk, a combination of postnatal medical (i.e. low birth weight and APGAR scores) and demographic risk, indexed by maternal educational attainment, were examined as predictors of change in inhibitory control across time and aggression was modeled as an outcome when children reached 14 years of age. Multiple group latent growth models indicated that CE children made more errors at 7.5 years of age during a standard Stroop interference task, however, over time CE children had greater age-related improvements, narrowing the initial gap, with NCE children in the ability to inhibit errors. Gender effects at 7.5 years within the NCE group were identified with NCE boys making initially more errors than NCE girls; both NCE and CE girls improved faster across development compared to NCE and CE boys, respectively. Greater cumulative risk was associated with more errors at 7.5 years in the CE and NCE groups. No differences were observed between CE and NCE children on time to complete the Stroop task at 7.5 years. However, NCE children had greater age-related improvements in their time to complete the Stroop interference task relative to their CE counterparts. NCE girls improved the fastest over time relative to NCE boys; a similar trend emerged (p<0.10) with CE girls improving faster over time than CE boys. Although all participants improved across development, higher cumulative risk in both groups was associated with slower age-related improvements (i.e. higher slopes) in the time to complete the Stroop task across development. After accounting for gender and cumulative risk, findings in both groups indicated that those who made more errors at 7.5 years of age and/or who had slower age-related changes (i.e. higher slopes) of time to complete the Stroop task across development were more aggressive as rated by caregivers at 14 years of age. Although qualified by gender and cumulative risk, these findings are consistent with reduced cognitive processing efficiency and executive function difficulties in CE children relative to NCE children. Findings suggest that executive function difficulties in CE children may be subtle as development continues to unfold over time. Furthermore, these findings indicate that development of inhibitory control may be an important mechanism linking prenatal cocaine exposure, gender, and cumulative risk to later adverse outcomes. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effortful Control in "Hot" and "Cool" Tasks Differentially Predicts Children's Behavior Problems and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sanghag; Nordling, Jamie Koenig; Yoon, Jeung Eun; Boldt, Lea J.; Kochanska, Grazyna

2013-01-01

Effortful control (EC), the capacity to deliberately suppress a dominant response and perform a subdominant response, rapidly developing in toddler and preschool age, has been shown to be a robust predictor of children's adjustment. Not settled, however, is whether a view of EC as a heterogeneous rather than unidimensional construct may offer…

Perceptual Asymmetry for Chimeric Stimuli in Children with Early Unilateral Brain Damage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bava, Sunita; Ballantyne, Angela O.; May, Susanne J.; Trauner, Doris A.

2005-01-01

The present study used a chimeric stimuli task to assess the magnitude of the left-hemispace bias in children with congenital unilateral brain damage (n=46) as compared to typically developing matched controls (n=46). As would be expected, controls exhibited a significant left-hemispace bias. In the presence of left hemisphere (LH) damage, the…

Phonological Working Memory of Children in Two German Special Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasselhorn, Marcus; Mahler, Claudia

2007-01-01

In two studies, 10-year-olds from 2 German special schools as well as typically developing children of the same chronological age (CA controls) or the same mental age (MA controls) were compared on several aspects of working memory functions (i.e., size and input quality of the phonological store, speed and automatic activation of the subvocal…

Brief Report: Plasma Leptin Levels Are Elevated in Autism: Association with Early Onset Phenotype?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashwood, Paul; Kwong, Christina; Hansen, Robin; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Croen, Lisa; Krakowiak, Paula; Walker, Wynn; Pessah, Isaac N.; Van de Water, Judy

2008-01-01

There is evidence of both immune dysregulation and autoimmune phenomena in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We examined the hormone/cytokine leptin in 70 children diagnosed with autism (including 37 with regression) compared with 99 age-matched controls including 50 typically developing (TD) controls, 26 siblings without autism, and…

[Impacts of biological and family factors on lexical and intellectual development in Mandarin-speaking children].

PubMed

Niu, Jie; Chen, Yong-Xiang; Zhu, Li-Qi

2015-07-01

To investigate the impacts of biological factors (age and sex) and family factors (socioeconomic status and parenting style) on the early lexical and intellectual development of children in a longitudinal tracking study. A total of 38 Mandarin-speaking children aged from 18 to 24 months were surveyed using the Putonghua Chinese Communicative Development Inventory (PCDI), the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), and a self-designed Questionnaire for Parents. All of the subjects were retested using PCDI and ASQ after 6 months. Biological factors accounted for 65% of the variance in lexical development, 10% of which was attributed to gender, in the first survey. After six months, the contribution of age decreased to 26% and gender had no significant impact. Lexical development could positively predict the intellectual development of children. When age and gender were controlled, it accounted for 22% of the variance in intellectual development. Family socioeconomic factors had no significant impacts on lexical and intellectual development. Children's recognition of people and objects around them with guidance of parents in parenting styles could positively predict the intellectual development of children six months later, which accounted for 10% of the variance. Biological factors play an important role in the early lexical development of children. However, the influence decreases with the increase of age (months). Biological factors, lexical development, and parenting style have a combined influence on children's intellectual development.

How do you think she feels? Vulnerability in empathy and the role of attention in school-aged children born extremely preterm.

PubMed

Campbell, Catherine; Horlin, Chiara; Reid, Corinne; McMichael, Judy; Forrest, Laura; Brydges, Chris; French, Noel; Anderson, Mike

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine empathic competence in children born extremely preterm (EP, <28 weeks) given vulnerabilities in social relationships. Empathy in typically developing children is mediated by executive functions. Executive functioning is also impaired in preterm children. Of particular interest in this study are the attentional components of executive functioning as mediators of empathic development. Thirty-two 7-year-old EP children and 40 age-matched term children participated in the Project K.I.D.S program and completed the Kids Empathy Development Scale (KEDS), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV), and Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch). Children born extremely preterm exhibited poorer performance on all measures. The mediating role of attention in empathy competence was not supported by mediation modelling when FSIQ was controlled. As predicted, the EP group showed weaker empathic development relative to typically developing children. They also showed poorer attentional abilities. However, the effect of preterm birth on empathy was not mediated by executive-level attention. The cognitive mechanisms underpinning poor empathy competence in EP children remain unclear. Future research needs to examine the role of inhibition, social-emotional recognition, and regulation. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Fertility treatment: long-term growth and mental development of the children.

PubMed

Bay, Bjørn

2014-10-01

Fertility treatment has been associated with obstetrical and perinatal complications. It is, however, uncertain whether fertility treatment or parental subfertility is associated with long-term development of the children. We aimed to assess the growth and mental health of children and adolescents conceived after fertility treatment compared to spontaneously conceived controls. First, we evaluated all previous studies comparing neurodevelopmental outcomes between children conceived after fertility treatment and spontaneous conceived controls. The systematic review clarified methodological limitations in the existing literature on the long-term development of children conceived after medical assisted reproduction. Although several studies had been published, large, well-controlled studies with long-term follow-up and thorough statistical adjustments were still few. Second, we evaluated the children's mental health by assessing the risk of mental disorders. We studied a population of 555,828 children conceived after spontaneous conception and 33,139 children conceived after fertility treatment with follow-up in 2012 when the children were 8-17 years old. The absolute risk and hazard ratio of overall and specific mental disorders were estimated while adjusting for potential confounding variables. Further, we estimated the association between subtypes of procedures, hormonal treatment, gamete types and cause of infertility on the one hand and the risk of mental disorders on the other. Children conceived after ovulation induction had a low, but significantly increased risks of autism spectrum disorders, hyperkinetic disorders, conduct, emotional, or social disorders, and tic disorders. Children conceived after IVF or ICSI showed no increased risk, except for a small risk of tic disorders. There was no risk systematically related to any specific type of hormone drug treatment. Thus, the increased risks may rely on residual confounding such as unknown parental factors associated with infertility in the ovulation induction group. Third, we assessed the intelligence, attention and executive functions in 1782 5-year-old singletons. Compared with children conceived after spontaneous conception, there were no differences in test scores in children conceived by subfertile parents waiting more than 12 months before conceiving naturally or children born by parents conceiving after fertility treatment. Finally, we evaluated the growth of children born after fertility treatment or to subfertile parents. Compared to children conceived spontaneously, children born after fertility treatment or by subfertile parents had a significantly lower birth weight - an important predictor of mental development. In contrast, no differences on height, weight, or head circumference were found at the age of 5 years. In conclusion, we found no differences on long-term growth and neurodevelopment of children conceived after fertility treatment or by subfertile parents compared with spontaneously conceived children. Children born after ovulation induction had a low, but increased risk of mental disorders in childhood or adolescence, although this risk may rely on unknown parental factors associated with infertility.

Children's daily well-being: The role of mothers', teachers', and siblings' autonomy support and psychological control.

PubMed

van der Kaap-Deeder, Jolene; Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Soenens, Bart; Mabbe, Elien

2017-02-01

This study examined the unique relations between multiple sources (i.e., mothers, teachers, and siblings) of perceived daily autonomy support and psychological control and children's basic psychological needs and well-being. During 5 consecutive days, 2 children from 154 families (Mage youngest child = 8.54 years; SD = .89 and Mage oldest child = 10.38 years; SD = .87) provided daily ratings of the study variables. Multilevel analyses showed that each of the sources of perceived autonomy support and psychological control related uniquely to changes in daily well-being and ill-being. These associations were mediated by experienced psychological need satisfaction and frustration, respectively. Overall, the findings testify to the dynamic role of autonomy support and psychological control in children's development. Implications for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Training preschoolers on first-order false belief understanding: transfer on advanced ToM skills and metamemory.

PubMed

Lecce, Serena; Bianco, Federica; Demicheli, Patrizia; Cavallini, Elena

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relation between theory of mind (ToM) and metamemory knowledge using a training methodology. Sixty-two 4- to 5-year-old children were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two training conditions: A first-order false belief (ToM) and a control condition. Intervention and control groups were equivalent at pretest for age, parents' education, verbal ability, inhibition, and ToM. Results showed that after the intervention children in the ToM group improved in their first-order false belief understanding significantly more than children in the control condition. Crucially, the positive effect of the ToM intervention was stable over 2 months and generalized to more complex ToM tasks and metamemory. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Pupillometric and behavioral markers of a developmental shift in the temporal dynamics of cognitive control

PubMed Central

Chatham, Christopher H.; Frank, Michael J.; Munakata, Yuko

2009-01-01

The capacity to anticipate and prepare for future events is thought to be critical for cognitive control. Dominant accounts of cognitive control treat the developing system as merely a weaker version of the adult system, progressively strengthening over time. Using the AX Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) in combination with high-resolution pupillometry, we find that whereas 8-year-old children resemble adults in their proactive use of cognitive control, 3.5-year-old children exhibit a qualitatively different, reactive form of cognitive control, responding to events only as they unfold and retrieving information from memory as needed in the moment. These results demonstrate the need to reconsider the origins of cognitive control and the basis for children's behaviors across domains. PMID:19321427

Brief report: new evidence for a social-specific imagination deficit in children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Ten Eycke, Kayla D; Müller, Ulrich

2015-01-01

Previous research suggests that children with autism have deficits in drawing imaginative content. However, these conclusions are largely based on tasks that require children to draw impossible persons, and performance on this task may be limited by social deficits. To determine the generality of the deficit in imagination in children with autism, we asked 25 children with autism (mean age 9;7) and 29 neurotypically developing children (mean age 8;7) to draw an imaginative person and house. Drawings of imaginary houses by children with autism did not differ from those by neurotypically developing controls, but drawings of persons were significantly less imaginative. These findings suggest that the impairment in imagination among children with autism may be specific to social stimuli.

Pediatric Outcome after Maternal Cancer Diagnosed during Pregnancy.

PubMed

Amant, Frédéric; Vandenbroucke, Tineke; Verheecke, Magali; Fumagalli, Monica; Halaska, Michael J; Boere, Ingrid; Han, Sileny; Gziri, Mina Mhallem; Peccatori, Fedro; Rob, Lukas; Lok, Christianne; Witteveen, Petronella; Voigt, Jens-Uwe; Naulaers, Gunnar; Vallaeys, Lore; Van den Heuvel, Frank; Lagae, Lieven; Mertens, Luc; Claes, Laurence; Van Calsteren, Kristel

2015-11-05

Data on the long-term outcome of children who are exposed to maternal cancer with or without treatment during pregnancy are lacking. In this multicenter case-control study, we compared children whose mothers received a diagnosis of cancer during the pregnancy with matched children of women without a cancer diagnosis. We used a health questionnaire and medical files to collect data regarding neonatal and general health. All children were prospectively assessed (by means of a neurologic examination and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development) at 18 months, 36 months, or both. A cardiac assessment was performed at 36 months. A total of 129 children (median age, 22 months; range, 12 to 42) were included in the group whose mother had cancer (prenatal-exposure group) with a matching number in the control group. During pregnancy, 96 children (74.4%) were exposed to chemotherapy (alone or in combination with other treatments), 11 (8.5%) to radiotherapy (alone or in combination), 13 (10.1%) to surgery alone, 2 (1.6%) to other drug treatments, and 14 (10.9%) to no treatment. Birth weight was below the 10th percentile in 28 of 127 children (22.0%) in the prenatal-exposure group and in 19 of 125 children (15.2%) in the control group (P=0.16). There was no significant between-group difference in cognitive development on the basis of the Bayley score (P=0.08) or in subgroup analyses. The gestational age at birth was correlated with the cognitive outcome in the two study groups. Cardiologic evaluation among 47 children at 36 months of age showed normal cardiac findings. Prenatal exposure to maternal cancer with or without treatment did not impair the cognitive, cardiac, or general development of children in early childhood. Prematurity was correlated with a worse cognitive outcome, but this effect was independent of cancer treatment. (Funded by Research Foundation-Flanders and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00330447.).

On the relationship between motor performance and executive functioning in children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Hartman, E; Houwen, S; Scherder, E; Visscher, C

2010-05-01

It has been suggested that children with intellectual disabilities (ID) have motor problems and higher-order cognitive deficits. The aim of this study was to examine the motor skills and executive functions in school-age children with borderline and mild ID. The second aim was to investigate the relationship between the two performance domains. Sixty-one children aged between 7 and 12 years diagnosed with borderline ID (33 boys and 28 girls; 71 < IQ < 79) and 36 age peers with mild ID (24 boys and 12 girls; 54 < IQ < 70) were assessed. Their abilities were compared with those of 97 age- and gender-matched typically developing children. Qualitative motor skills, i.e. locomotor ability and object control, were evaluated with the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). Executive functioning (EF), in terms of planning ability, strategic decision-making and problem solving, was gauged with the Tower of London (TOL) task. Compared with the reference group, the full ID cohort scored significantly lower on all assessments. For the locomotor skills, the children with mild ID scored significantly lower than the children with borderline ID, but for the object control skills and the TOL score, no significant differences between the two groups were found. Motor performance and EF correlated positively. At the most complex level, the TOL showed decision time to be a mediator between motor performance and EF: the children with the lower motor scores had significantly shorter decision times and lower EF scores. Analogously, the children with the lower object control scores had longer execution times and lower EF scores. The current results support the notion that besides being impaired in qualitative motor skills intellectually challenged children are also impaired in higher-order executive functions. The deficits in the two domains are interrelated, so early interventions boosting their motor and cognitive development are recommended.

Recognition of face identity and emotion in expressive specific language impairment.

PubMed

Merkenschlager, A; Amorosa, H; Kiefl, H; Martinius, J

2012-01-01

To study face and emotion recognition in children with mostly expressive specific language impairment (SLI-E). A test movie to study perception and recognition of faces and mimic-gestural expression was applied to 24 children diagnosed as suffering from SLI-E and an age-matched control group of normally developing children. Compared to a normal control group, the SLI-E children scored significantly worse in both the face and expression recognition tasks with a preponderant effect on emotion recognition. The performance of the SLI-E group could not be explained by reduced attention during the test session. We conclude that SLI-E is associated with a deficiency in decoding non-verbal emotional facial and gestural information, which might lead to profound and persistent problems in social interaction and development. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Contributions of Attentional Control to Socioemotional and Academic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rueda, M. Rosario; Checa, Purificacion; Rothbart, Mary K.

2010-01-01

Research Findings: Part of the attention system of the brain is involved in the control of thoughts, emotions, and behavior. As attentional control develops, children are more able to control cognition and responses flexibly and to adjust their behavior in social interactions better. In this article, we discuss evidence from different levels of…

Neurobehavioural and cognitive development in infants born to mothers with eating disorders.

PubMed

Barona, Manuela; Taborelli, Emma; Corfield, Freya; Pawlby, Susan; Easter, Abigail; Schmidt, Ulrike; Treasure, Janet; Micali, Nadia

2017-08-01

Although recent research has focused on the effects of maternal eating disorders (EDs) on children, little is known about the effect of maternal EDs on neurobiological outcomes in newborns and infants. This study is the first to investigate neurobehavioural regulation and cognitive development in newborns and infants of mothers with EDs. Women with an active and past ED and healthy controls were recruited to a prospective longitudinal study during their first trimester or second trimester of pregnancy. Newborns and infants of mothers with ED were compared with newborns and infants of healthy controls on (a) neurobehavioural dysregulation using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioural Assessment Scale at 8 days postpartum (active ED, n = 15; past ED, n = 20; healthy controls, n = 28); and (b) cognitive development using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development at 1-year postpartum (active ED, n = 18; past ED, n = 19; healthy controls, n = 28). In order to maintain the largest possible sample at each time point, sample size varied across time points. Newborns of mothers with an active ED had worse autonomic stability when compared with newborns of healthy controls [B = -0.34 (-1.81, -0.26)]. Infants of mothers with a past ED had poorer language [B = -0.33 (-13.6, -1.9)] and motor development [B = -0.32 (-18.4, -1.3)] compared with healthy controls. Children of mothers with ED display neurobehavioural dysregulation early after birth and poorer language and motor development at 1 year. These characteristics suggest evidence of early neurobiological markers in children at risk. Differential outcomes in children of women with active versus past ED suggest that active symptomatology during pregnancy might have an effect on physiological reactivity while cognitive characteristics might be more stable markers of risk for ED. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Use of Videotaped Interactions During Pediatric Well-Child Care: Impact at 33 Months on Parenting and on Child Development

PubMed Central

Mendelsohn, Alan L.; Valdez, Purnima T.; Flynn, Virginia; Foley, Gilbert M.; Berkule, Samantha B.; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Fierman, Arthur H.; Tineo, Wendy; Dreyer, Benard P.

2011-01-01

Objective We performed a randomized, controlled trial to assess the impact of the Video Interaction Project (VIP), a program based in pediatric primary care in which videotaped interactions are used by child development specialists to promote early child development. Method Ninety-nine Latino children (52 VIP, 47 controls) at risk of developmental delay based on poverty and low maternal education were assessed at age 33 months. VIP was associated with improved parenting practices including increased teaching behaviors. Results VIP was associated with lower levels of parenting stress. VIP children were more likely to have normal cognitive development and less likely to have developmental delays. Conclusion This study provides evidence that a pediatric primary care–based intervention program can have an impact on the developmental trajectories of at-risk young preschool children. PMID:17565287

Early Childhood Caries: A Review.

PubMed

Alazmah, Abdulfatah

2017-08-01

To review and update the current knowledge about early childhood caries (ECC) and its etiology, prevalence, risk factors, management, and preventive strategies. Early childhood caries is a disease affecting significantly both well-developed and industrial nations. The ECC can significantly affect the child's quality of life, as it may lead to infection, swelling, pain, and other symptoms. The ECC affects children after eruption of primary teeth until age of around 5 years. The ECC affects all parts of the tooth including the smooth surface. Upper anterior teeth and primary molars are usually affected. The lower anterior teeth are less likely affected. The risk factors for ECC are diet, bacteria, and host susceptibility. The additional factors, such as presence of enamel defect and the feeding practices also contribute to the initiation and progress of ECC. Dentists must focus on utilizing existing techniques to distinguish indications of right on time and propelled caries and give guidance on the best way to counteract and control caries in children. Approaches should be directed to preventive caries control strategies among children. Preventing and controlling the development of ECC among children is important to maintain effective eating, speech development, and formation of a positive self-image.

Enhanced insulin sensitivity in prepubertal children with constitutional delay of growth and development.

PubMed

Wilson, Dyanne A; Hofman, Paul L; Miles, Harriet L; Sato, Tim A; Billett, Nathalie E; Robinson, Elizabeth M; Cutfield, Wayne S

2010-02-01

To test the hypothesis that prepubertal children with presumed constitutional delay of growth and development (CDGD) have enhanced insulin sensitivity and, therefore, insulin sensitivity is associated with later onset of puberty. Twenty-one prepubertal children with presumed CDGD and 23 prepubertal control children, underwent a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test to evaluate insulin sensitivity and other markers of insulin, glucose, and growth regulation. Children in the CDGD group were shorter and leaner than control subjects. Children with presumed CDGD were 40% more insulin sensitive (17.0 x 10(-4) min(-1)/[mU/L] versus 12.1 x 10(-4) min(-1)/[mU/L]; P = .0006) and had reduced acute insulin response, thus maintaining euglycemia (216 mU/L versus 330 mU/L; P = .02) compared with control subjects. In addition, the CDGD group had lower serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 levels (3333 ng/mL versus 3775 ng/mL; P = .0004) and a trend toward lower serum insulin-like growth factor-II levels (794 ng/mL versus 911 ng/mL; P = .06). Prepubertal children with presumed CDGD have enhanced insulin sensitivity, supporting the hypothesis that insulin sensitivity is associated with timing of puberty. It may signify long-term biological advantages with lower risk of metabolic syndrome and malignancy. Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

An intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children.

PubMed

Dennison, Barbara A; Russo, Theresa J; Burdick, Patrick A; Jenkins, Paul L

2004-02-01

Television viewing has been associated with increased violence in play and higher rates of obesity. Although there are interventions to reduce television viewing by school-aged children, there are none for younger children. To develop and evaluate an intervention to reduce television viewing by preschool children. Randomized controlled trial conducted in 16 preschool and/or day care centers in rural upstate New York. Children aged 2.6 through 5.5 years. Children attending intervention centers received a 7-session program designed to reduce television viewing as part of a health promotion curriculum, whereas children attending the control centers received a safety and injury prevention program. Change in parent-reported child television/video viewing and measured growth variables. Before the intervention, the intervention and control groups viewed 11.9 and 14.0 h/wk of television/videos, respectively. Afterward, children in the intervention group decreased their television/video viewing 3.1 h/wk, whereas children in the control group increased their viewing by 1.6 h/wk, for an adjusted difference between the groups of -4.7 h/wk (95% confidence interval, -8.4 to -1.0 h/wk; P =.02). The percentage of children watching television/videos more than 2 h/d also decreased significantly from 33% to 18% among the intervention group, compared with an increase of 41% to 47% among the control group, for a difference of -21.5% (95% confidence interval, -42.5% to -0.5%; P =.046). There were no statistically significant differences in children's growth between groups. This study is the first to show that a preschool-based intervention can lead to reductions in young children's television/video viewing. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effects associated with reductions in young children's television viewing.

Behavioral and socio-emotional functioning in children with selective mutism: a comparison with anxious and typically developing children across multiple informants.

PubMed

Carbone, Diana; Schmidt, Louis A; Cunningham, Charles C; McHolm, Angela E; Edison, Shannon; St Pierre, Jeff; Boyle, Michael H

2010-11-01

We examined differences among 158 children, 44 with selective mutism (SM; M = 8.2 years, SD = 3.4 years), 65 with mixed anxiety (MA; M = 8.9 years, SD = 3.2 years), and 49 community controls (M = 7.7 years, SD = 2.6 years) on primary caregiver, teacher, and child reports of behavioral and socio-emotional functioning. Children with SM were rated lower than controls on a range of social skills, but the SM and MA groups did not significantly differ on many of the social skills and anxiety measures. However, children with SM were rated higher than children with MA and controls on social anxiety. Findings suggest that SM may be conceptualized as an anxiety disorder, with primary deficits in social functioning and social anxiety. This interpretation supports a more specific classification of SM as an anxiety disorder for future diagnostic manuals than is currently described in the literature. The present findings also have implications for clinical practice, whereby social skills training merits inclusion in intervention for children with anxiety disorders as well as children with SM.

Developmental changes in spatial margin of stability in typically developing children relate to the mechanics of gait.

PubMed

Hallemans, Ann; Verbecque, Evi; Dumas, Raphael; Cheze, Laurence; Van Hamme, Angèle; Robert, Thomas

2018-06-01

Immature balance control is considered an important rate limiter for maturation of gait. The spatial margin of stability (MoS) is a biomechanical measure of dynamic balance control that might provide insights into balance control strategies used by children during the developmental course of gait. We hypothesize there will be an age-dependent decrease in MoS in children with typical development. To understand the mechanics, relations between MoS and spatio-temporal parameters of gait are investigated. Total body gait analysis of typically developing children (age 1-10, n = 84) were retrospectively selected from available databases. MoS is defined as the minimum distance between the center of pressure and the extrapolated center of mass along the mediolateral axis during the single support phases. MoS shows a moderate negative correlation with stride length (rho = -0.510), leg length (rho = -0.440), age (rho = -0.368) and swing duration (rho = -0.350). A weak correlation was observed between MoS and walking speed (rho = -0.243) and step width (rho = 0.285). A stepwise linear regression model showed only one predictor, swing duration, explaining 18% of the variance in MoS. MoS decreases with increasing duration of swing (β = -0.422). This relation is independent of age. A larger MoS induces a larger lateral divergence of the CoM that could be compensated by a quicker step. Future research should compare the observed strategies in children to those used in adults and in children with altered balance control related to pathology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rationale and design for cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder: a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Kilburn, Tina R; Sørensen, Merete Juul; Thastum, Mikael; Rapee, Ronald M; Rask, Charlotte Ulrikka; Arendt, Kristian Bech; Thomsen, Per Hove

2018-04-02

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is found in approximately 1% of the population and includes core symptoms that affect general and social development. Beside these core symptoms, it is suggested that up to 60% of children with ASD suffer from comorbid anxiety disorders which may further affect educational, social and general development as well as quality of life. The main goal of this study is to examine the effectiveness of a manualized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) anxiety program adapted for children with ASD. This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Fifty children with ASD and anxiety, aged 7 to 13 years, will be randomly assigned to group CBT or a wait-list control (WL) condition. The design will follow a two (CBT and WL) by two (pre-post assessment) mixed between-within design. The control group will receive intervention after the waitlist period of 13 weeks. Primary outcomes are diagnostic status and severity of the anxiety disorders, measured with The Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule for DSM-IV, Parent and Child Versions. Secondary outcomes are parent and child ratings on questionnaires on the child's level of anxiety and impact on everyday life. Additional outcomes entail information gathered from parents, child and teachers on the child's behavior and negative self-statements, together with social and adaptive skills. Follow-up data will be collected 3 months after intervention. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a manualized CBT program in Danish children with ASD and anxiety within a mental health clinic setting. The hypothesis is that training anxiety reduction skills will decrease anxiety in children, as well as ensure better psychosocial development for the child in general. https://ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02908321 ). Registered 19th of September 2016.

Comparison of saliva interleukin-2 concentration to the condition of gums in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia during anti-tumour treatment.

PubMed

Pels, Elżbieta

2015-07-01

Subjects undergoing chemotherapy often develop disorders in salivation and changes in salivary composition. Therefore, a tendency to inflammatory states developing within oral mucosa is often observed. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of disturbed immunity on the gum condition in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) during anti-tumour treatment and to compare saliva interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentration in relation to the condition of gums oral mucositis-must be removed in children with ALL. The study included 78 children with ALL in followed three examinations and a control group included 78 healthy children. Dental examination of the children with ALL and the control group included the evaluation of gingival condition by gingival index (GI). Children's unstimulated saliva samples were taken, and IL-2 concentration was determined by Human IL-2 EIA. Mean GI higher than 1 was observed in 3.17 % children with ALL. The results found higher frequency of gingival inflammations in children with ALL on chemotherapy compared with the healthy controls. A comparison of results for a given patient during anti-tumour therapy with regard to salivary IL-2 showed significant differences between examination 2 and examination 3. The results indicated that IL-2 level in saliva was twice higher in a patient during chemotherapy. An increase in salivary level of the proinflammatory IL-2 cytokine in ALL children during chemotherapy may cause pathological changes in the condition of the gums. An increase in salivary IL-2 level most probably results from a micro-injury of oral mucosa following administration of cytostatics, which in turn may cause oral mucositis in children with ALL.

Growth during infancy and early childhood in relation to blood pressure and body fat measures at age 8-18 years of IVF children and spontaneously conceived controls born to subfertile parents.

PubMed

Ceelen, Manon; van Weissenbruch, Mirjam M; Prein, Janneke; Smit, Judith J; Vermeiden, Jan P W; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke; van Leeuwen, Flora E; Delemarre-van de Waal, Henriette A

2009-11-01

Little is known about post-natal growth in IVF offspring and the effects of rates of early post-natal growth on blood pressure and body fat composition during childhood and adolescence. The follow-up study comprised 233 IVF children aged 8-18 years and 233 spontaneously conceived controls born to subfertile parents. Growth data from birth to 4 years of age, available for 392 children (n = 193 IVF, n = 199 control), were used to study early post-natal growth. Furthermore, early post-natal growth velocity (weight gain) was related to blood pressure and skinfold measurements at follow-up. We found significantly lower weight, height and BMI standard deviation scores (SDSs) at 3 months, and weight SDS at 6 months of age in IVF children compared with controls. Likewise, IVF children demonstrated a greater gain in weight SDS (P < 0.001), height SDS (P = 0.013) and BMI SDS (P = 0.029) during late infancy (3 months to 1 year) versus controls. Weight gain during early childhood (1-3 years) was related to blood pressure in IVF children (P = 0.014 systolic, 0.04 diastolic) but not in controls. Growth during late infancy was not related to skinfold thickness in IVF children, unlike controls (P = 0.002 peripheral sum, 0.003 total sum). Growth during early childhood was related to skinfold thickness in both IVF and controls (P = 0.005 and 0.01 peripheral sum and P = 0.003 and 0.005 total sum, respectively). Late infancy growth velocity of IVF children was significantly higher compared with controls. Nevertheless, early childhood growth instead of infancy growth seemed to predict cardiovascular risk factors in IVF children. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to follow-up growth and development of IVF children into adulthood.

Cognitive recovery in socially deprived young children: the Bucharest Early Intervention Project.

PubMed

Nelson, Charles A; Zeanah, Charles H; Fox, Nathan A; Marshall, Peter J; Smyke, Anna T; Guthrie, Donald

2007-12-21

In a randomized controlled trial, we compared abandoned children reared in institutions to abandoned children placed in institutions but then moved to foster care. Young children living in institutions were randomly assigned to continued institutional care or to placement in foster care, and their cognitive development was tracked through 54 months of age. The cognitive outcome of children who remained in the institution was markedly below that of never-institutionalized children and children taken out of the institution and placed into foster care. The improved cognitive outcomes we observed at 42 and 54 months were most marked for the youngest children placed in foster care. These results point to the negative sequelae of early institutionalization, suggest a possible sensitive period in cognitive development, and underscore the advantages of family placements for young abandoned children.

Fathers matter: The role of father parenting in preschoolers' executive function development.

PubMed

Meuwissen, Alyssa S; Carlson, Stephanie M

2015-12-01

Although previous work has shown that mothers' parenting influences the development of child executive function (EF; important self-control skills developed during the preschool years), the role of fathers' parenting has not been thoroughly investigated. We observed fathers' autonomy support and control in dyadic play with their 3-year-old children (N pairs=110) and measured father and child EF independently with laboratory tasks. We found that fathers' controlling parenting was significantly inversely related to the child EF composite, above and beyond family income and child verbal ability. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that fathers are important for the development of EF in their children and suggest that fathers should be included in both research and parenting interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term effects of antepartum bed rest on offspring.

PubMed

Bellieni, Carlo Valerio; Bagnoli, Franco; Perrone, Serafina; Caparelli, Ninetta; Cordelli, Duccio Maria; Melissa, Bernardino; Buonocore, Giuseppe

2003-01-01

We studied the children of mothers who were confined to bed during pregnancy for more than 15 consecutive days (mean 3.69 months) in the years 1986-1990 (bed rest offspring; BRO). We studied 86 children: 43 BRO and 43 control children. Data were obtained by means of a 20-item questionnaire filled in by the mothers. The BRO group differed from the control group in incidence of allergies (p = 0.005), motion sickness (p = 0.03), and need to be rocked to fall asleep (p = 0.01). More BRO born at term than controls played musical instruments later in life. Two possible explanations for more allergies among the BRO group are the use of beta-stimulating drugs against premature delivery and the effects of prolonged stress on the developing immune system. Understimulation of the developing vestibular system during gestation may affect some aspects of its development and may explain the higher incidence of motion sickness and need for vigorous rocking in BRO. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Fricative Contrast and Coarticulation in Children With and Without Speech Sound Disorders

PubMed Central

Mailend, Marja-Liisa

2017-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was, first, to expand our understanding of typical speech development regarding segmental contrast and anticipatory coarticulation, and second, to explore the potential diagnostic utility of acoustic measures of fricative contrast and anticipatory coarticulation in children with speech sound disorders (SSD). Method In a cross-sectional design, 10 adults, 17 typically developing children, and 11 children with SSD repeated carrier phrases with novel words with fricatives (/s/, /ʃ/). Dependent measures were 2 ratios derived from spectral mean, obtained from perceptually accurate tokens. Group analyses compared adults and typically developing children; individual children with SSD were compared to their respective typically developing peers. Results Typically developing children demonstrated smaller fricative acoustic contrast than adults but similar coarticulatory patterns. Three children with SSD showed smaller fricative acoustic contrast than their typically developing peers, and 2 children showed abnormal coarticulation. The 2 children with abnormal coarticulation both had a clinical diagnosis of childhood apraxia of speech; no clear pattern was evident regarding SSD subtype for smaller fricative contrast. Conclusions Children have not reached adult-like speech motor control for fricative production by age 10 even when fricatives are perceptually accurate. Present findings also suggest that abnormal coarticulation but not reduced fricative contrast is SSD-subtype–specific. Supplemental Materials S1: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5103070. S2 and S3: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.5106508 PMID:28654946

Parenting Behavior in Mothers of Preschool Children with ASD: Development of a Self-Report Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Lambrechts, Greet; Maljaars, Jarymke; Boonen, Hannah; van Esch, Lotte; Van Leeuwen, Karla; Noens, Ilse

2015-01-01

Parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encounter many daily challenges and often experience much stress. However, little research exists about parenting behavior among these parents. With this study, we aim to address this gap. We examined the structure and internal consistency of a questionnaire intended to measure parenting behavior among mothers of young children with ASD. Furthermore, we compared parenting behavior among mothers of young children with and without ASD between two and six years old. Factor analyses resulted in a factor solution with seven subscales of parenting behavior. Two additional subscales especially relevant for parenting preschoolers with ASD were also considered. Analyses of covariance, controlling for gender and age, showed significantly higher scores for Discipline and Stimulating the Development in the control group in comparison with the ASD group. These findings suggest that mothers of preschoolers with ASD are still trying to find strategies to guide and stimulate their child's behavior and development effectively. PMID:26605085

Effects of particulate air pollution on nasal and lung function development among Greek children: a 19-year cohort study.

PubMed

Spyratos, Dionisios; Sioutas, Constantinos; Tsiotsios, Anastasios; Haidich, Anna-Bettina; Chloros, Diamantis; Triantafyllou, Georgios; Sichletidis, Lazaros

2015-01-01

The aim was to investigate respiratory symptoms, lung function and nasal airflow development among a cohort of children who were exposed to particulate air pollution. We used questionnaires, spirometry and rhinomanometry, while central-monitored PM10 concentrations were used for exposure assessment. We initially examined 1046 children (10-12 year old) in the heavily polluted town of Ptolemaida, Greece, and 379 children in the cleaner town of Grevena (control group). We re-evaluated 312 of the former and 119 of the latter after 19 years. PM10 concentrations were above permissible levels in Ptolemaida during all study period. At both visits, nasal flow was significantly lower in the study sample. At the follow-up visit, 34.3% had severe nasal obstruction (< 500 ml/s) and 38.5% reported chronic nasal symptoms. Spirometric parameters did not differ compared to the control group. Particulate air pollution had significant and negative effects on nasal but not on lung function development.

Word-initial /r/-clusters in Swedish speaking children with typical versus protracted phonological development.

PubMed

Lundeborg Hammarström, Inger

2018-01-01

The present study investigated word-initial (WI) /r/-clusters in Central Swedish-speaking children with and without protracted phonological development (PPD). Data for WI singleton /r/ and singleton and cluster /l/ served as comparisons. Participants were twelve 4-year-olds with PPD and twelve age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) controls. Native speakers audio-recorded and transcribed 109 target single words using a Swedish phonology test with 12 WI C+/r/-clusters and three WI CC+/r/-clusters. The results showed significantly higher match scores for the TD children, a lower match proportion for the /r/ targets and for singletons compared with clusters, and differences in mismatch patterns between the groups. There were no matches for /r/-cluster targets in the PPD group, with all children except two in that group showing deletions for both /r/-cluster types. The differences in mismatch proportions and types between the PPD group and controls suggests new directions for future clinical practice.

Cognitive Predictors of Spoken Word Recognition in Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorders.

PubMed

Evans, Julia L; Gillam, Ronald B; Montgomery, James W

2018-05-10

This study examined the influence of cognitive factors on spoken word recognition in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and typically developing (TD) children. Participants included 234 children (aged 7;0-11;11 years;months), 117 with DLD and 117 TD children, propensity matched for age, gender, socioeconomic status, and maternal education. Children completed a series of standardized assessment measures, a forward gating task, a rapid automatic naming task, and a series of tasks designed to examine cognitive factors hypothesized to influence spoken word recognition including phonological working memory, updating, attention shifting, and interference inhibition. Spoken word recognition for both initial and final accept gate points did not differ for children with DLD and TD controls after controlling target word knowledge in both groups. The 2 groups also did not differ on measures of updating, attention switching, and interference inhibition. Despite the lack of difference on these measures, for children with DLD, attention shifting and interference inhibition were significant predictors of spoken word recognition, whereas updating and receptive vocabulary were significant predictors of speed of spoken word recognition for the children in the TD group. Contrary to expectations, after controlling for target word knowledge, spoken word recognition did not differ for children with DLD and TD controls; however, the cognitive processing factors that influenced children's ability to recognize the target word in a stream of speech differed qualitatively for children with and without DLDs.

Gross Motor Function Measure Evolution Ratio: Use as a Control for Natural Progression in Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Marois, Pierre; Marois, Mikael; Pouliot-Laforte, Annie; Vanasse, Michel; Lambert, Jean; Ballaz, Laurent

2016-05-01

To develop a new way to interpret Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) score improvement in studies conducted without control groups in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The curves, which describe the pattern of motor development according to the children's Gross Motor Function Classification System level, were used as historical control to define the GMFM-66 expected natural evolution in children with CP. These curves have been modeled and generalized to fit the curve to particular children characteristics. Research center. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Assuming that the GMFM-66 score evolution followed the shape of the Rosenbaum curves, by taking into account the age and GMFM-66 score of children, the expected natural evolution of the GMFM-66 score was predicted for any group of children with CP who were <8 years old. Because the expected natural evolution could be predicted for a specific group of children with CP, the efficacy of a treatment could be determined by comparing the GMFM-66 score evolution measured before and after treatment with the expected natural evolution for the same period. A new index, the Gross Motor Function Measure Evolution Ratio, was defined as follows: Gross Motor Function Measure Evolution Ratio=measured GMFM-66 score change/expected natural evolution. For practical or ethical reasons, it is almost impossible to use control groups in studies evaluating effectiveness of many therapeutic modalities. The Gross Motor Function Measure Evolution Ratio gives the opportunity to take into account the expected natural evolution of the gross motor function of children with CP, which is essential to accurately interpret the therapy effect on the GMFM-66. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Children, parents, and pets exercising together (CPET) randomised controlled trial: study rationale, design, and methods.

PubMed

Yam, Philippa S; Morrison, Ryan; Penpraze, Viki; Westgarth, Carri; Ward, Dianne S; Mutrie, Nanette; Hutchison, Pippa; Young, David; Reilly, John J

2012-03-19

Objectively measured physical activity is low in British children, and declines as childhood progresses. Observational studies suggest that dog-walking might be a useful approach to physical activity promotion in children and adults, but there are no published public health interventions based on dog-walking with children. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study aims to develop and evaluate a theory driven, generalisable, family-based, dog walking intervention for 9-11 year olds. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study is an exploratory, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial as defined in the UK MRC Framework on the development and evaluation of complex interventions in public health. The trial will follow CONSORT guidance. Approximately 40 dog-owning families will be allocated randomly in a ratio of 1.5:1 to receive a simple behavioural intervention lasting for 10 weeks or to a 'waiting list' control group. The primary outcome is change in objectively measured child physical activity using Actigraph accelerometry. Secondary outcomes in the child, included in part to shape a future more definitive randomised controlled trial, are: total time spent sedentary and patterning of sedentary behaviour (Actigraph accelerometry); body composition and bone health from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; body weight, height and BMI; and finally, health-related quality of life using the PedsQL. Secondary outcomes in parents and dogs are: changes in body weight; changes in Actigraph accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Process evaluation will consist of assessment of simultaneous child, parent, and dog accelerometry data and brief interviews with participating families. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together trial should be the first randomised controlled study to establish and evaluate an intervention aimed at dog-based physical activity promotion in families. It should advance our understanding of whether and how to use pet dogs to promote physical activity and/or to reduce sedentary behaviour in children and adults. The trial is intended to lead to a subsequent more definitive randomised controlled trial, and the work should inform future dog-based public health interventions such as secondary prevention interventions in children or adults. ISRCTN85939423.

Children, parents, and pets exercising together (CPET) randomised controlled trial: study rationale, design, and methods

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Objectively measured physical activity is low in British children, and declines as childhood progresses. Observational studies suggest that dog-walking might be a useful approach to physical activity promotion in children and adults, but there are no published public health interventions based on dog-walking with children. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study aims to develop and evaluate a theory driven, generalisable, family-based, dog walking intervention for 9-11 year olds. Methods/design The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study is an exploratory, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial as defined in the UK MRC Framework on the development and evaluation of complex interventions in public health. The trial will follow CONSORT guidance. Approximately 40 dog-owning families will be allocated randomly in a ratio of 1.5:1 to receive a simple behavioural intervention lasting for 10 weeks or to a 'waiting list' control group. The primary outcome is change in objectively measured child physical activity using Actigraph accelerometry. Secondary outcomes in the child, included in part to shape a future more definitive randomised controlled trial, are: total time spent sedentary and patterning of sedentary behaviour (Actigraph accelerometry); body composition and bone health from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; body weight, height and BMI; and finally, health-related quality of life using the PedsQL. Secondary outcomes in parents and dogs are: changes in body weight; changes in Actigraph accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Process evaluation will consist of assessment of simultaneous child, parent, and dog accelerometry data and brief interviews with participating families. Discussion The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together trial should be the first randomised controlled study to establish and evaluate an intervention aimed at dog-based physical activity promotion in families. It should advance our understanding of whether and how to use pet dogs to promote physical activity and/or to reduce sedentary behaviour in children and adults. The trial is intended to lead to a subsequent more definitive randomised controlled trial, and the work should inform future dog-based public health interventions such as secondary prevention interventions in children or adults. Trial registration number ISRCTN85939423 PMID:22429665

Precision grip control while walking down a step in children with unilateral cerebral palsy

PubMed Central

Flament, Benoît; Arnould, Carlyne; Thonnard, Jean-Louis; Bleyenheuft, Yannick

2018-01-01

Aim To compare grip force (GF) and load force (LF) coordination while walking down a step between children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) and typically developing (TD) children. Methods Twenty-five children with UCP (age 9.3±1.7 y) and 25 TD controls (age 9.4±2.1 y) walked down a step while holding a grip-lift manipulandum. Dynamic and temporal variables were analyzed. The maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) was also assessed. Results The temporal course was perturbed mainly in the more affected hand of children with UCP when compared to TD children because the increases in GF and LF onset occurred in a reversed order. Compared with the TD controls, the children with UCP presented higher LF values on both hands and a higher GF on the less affected hand. In children with UCP, the GF to LF adaptation was adequate on the less affected hand but overestimated on the more affected hand. Furthermore, children with UCP presented a lower MVC in the more affected hand, leading to a higher percentage of MVC used during the task. Interpretation Our findings highlight an anticipatory control of precision grip during a stepping down task in children with UCP that is adequate for the less affected hand but altered for the more affected hand. PMID:29390012

Making Decisions about Now and Later: Development of Future-Oriented Self-Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garon, Nancy M.; Longard, Julie; Bryson, Susan E.; Moore, Chris

2012-01-01

This study explored factors underlying preschoolers' ability to make future-oriented choices. In a delay-of-gratification choice task, quantity and visibility of the reward was systematically varied. Participants included 90 typically developing children aged 2-4 years. Children made more choices to delay gratification as the quantity of the…

Emergent Bilingualism and Working Memory Development in School Aged Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Laura Birke; Macizo, Pedro; Duñabeitia, Jon Andoni; Saldaña, David; Carreiras, Manuel; Fuentes, Luis J.; Bajo, M. Teresa

2016-01-01

The present research explores working memory (WM) development in monolingual as well as emergent bilingual children immersed in an L2 at school. Evidence from recent years suggests that bilingualism may boost domain-general executive control, but impair nonexecutive linguistic processing. Both are relevant for verbal WM, but different paradigms…

The Association between Graphomotor Tests and Participation of Typically Developing Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Limor

2015-01-01

This study aimed to explore the association between graphomotor tests--VMI, ROCF, SWT--and the measures of a child's participation. Seventy-five typically developing children aged 4 to 9 years were individually evaluated using the graphomotor tests and their parents completed a participation questionnaire. After controlling for child's age, the…

Neonatal Factors in Infants with Autistic Disorder and Typically Developing Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugie, Yoko; Sugie, Hideo; Fukuda, Tokiko; Ito, Masataka

2005-01-01

The prenatal and neonatal factors of 225 children diagnosed with Autistic Disorder were compared with those of 1580 typically developing children. Each of the neonatal factors was compared between the Autistic Disorder and control groups, and between males and females. The results showed that males in the "Autistic Disorder" group had a…

Motor Education: Educational Development Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tansley, A. E.

This booklet presents educational programs and activities focusing on motor skills for 5- to 9-year-old children and older children with learning problems. The premise of the activities is that the acquisition of motor skills is essential to basic learning. The role of language as a mediator and controller of motor development is emphasized. The…

The Trichotillomania Scale for Children: Development and Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolin, David F.; Diefenbach, Gretchen J.; Flessner, Christopher A.; Franklin, Martin E.; Keuthen, Nancy J.; Moore, Phoebe; Piacentini, John; Stein, Dan J.; Woods, Douglas W.

2008-01-01

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a chronic impulse control disorder characterized by repetitive hair-pulling resulting in alopecia. Although this condition is frequently observed in children and adolescents, research on pediatric TTM has been hampered by the absence of validated measures. The aim of the present study was to develop and test a new…

Asthma Management in Minority Children: Practical Insights for Clinicians, Researchers, and Public Health Planners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Inst. (DHHS/NIH), Bethesda, MD.

This monograph summarizes asthma management conclusions developed by five studies funded under a 5-year federal program titled "Interventions for the Control of Asthma among Black and Hispanic Children." The research goals were to develop model, replicable programs to reduce asthma morbidity; decrease inappropriate use of health care…

Barriers to dental care for children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Barry, S; O'Sullivan, E A; Toumba, K J

2014-04-01

This study examined the problems encountered by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), when accessing dental care. This was a cross-sectional, case-control questionnaire study. A piloted questionnaire was developed to identify the main barriers to dental care experienced by patients with ASD in Hull and East Riding. The study group was comprised of parents/carers of children with ASD, and the control group was comprised of parents/carers of age matched healthy, neurotypical children. Results were analysed using Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests where appropriate. Significance was deemed at p < 0.05. Ordinal data was presented using medians and 25th and 75th centiles and compared using Mann-Whitney U test. A piloted questionnaire was developed to identify the main barriers to dental care experienced by patients with ASD in Hull and East Riding. The study group was comprised of parents/carers of children with ASD, and the control group was comprised of parents/carers of age matched healthy, neurotypical children. 112 subjects completed the questionnaire. There was no significant difference in accessing dental care between study and control groups (p = 0.051), although access was perceived as more difficult in the ASD group (p < 0.001). There was a significantly greater perceived difficulty in travelling to the dental surgery in the ASD group. Predicted negative behaviours were more frequent in the ASD group. All suggested interventions were predicted to be helpful in a significantly greater proportion of the ASD group. Difficulties exist for children with ASD in accessing dental care in the Hull and East Riding area.

[Quality of life in children with cancer history and parental adaptation].

PubMed

Tilkin, C; Touchèque, M; Missotten, P; Etienne, A M

2014-11-01

This study assesses quality of life (Qol) in children with cancer history as well as Qol of their parents and examines the relationship between parental adjustment and children Qol. Two groups were formed: an experimental group composed by children with cancer antecedents and their parents and a control group with healthy children and their parents. Children have filled a questionnaire about their Qol. Parents have completed questionnaires about their coping, their illness perceptions, their parenting stress and their Qol. The results show that Qol was satisfactory and similar in both groups. Significant correlations were found between parental illness representations (threat and personal control) and children Qol as well as between coping strategies based on maintaining family cohesion and children Qol. This study highlights the need to assess the adjustment of parents after child cancer and to develop interventions targeting parental representations and coping strategies.

Inhibitory control in young children and its role in emerging internalization.

PubMed

Kochanska, G; Murray, K; Jacques, T Y; Koenig, A L; Vandegeest, K A

1996-04-01

We examined inhibitory control as a quality of temperament that contributes to internalization. Children were assessed twice, at 26-41 months (N = 103) and at 43-56 months (N = 99), on repeated occasions, in multiple observational contexts and using parental reports. Comprehensive behavioral batteries incorporating multiple tasks were designed to measure inhibitory control at toddler and preschool age. They had good internal consistencies, corresponded with maternal ratings, and were developmentally sensitive. Individual children's performance was significantly correlated across both assessments, indicating stable individual differences. Girls surpassed boys at both ages. Children's internalization was observed while they were alone with prohibited objects, with a mundane chore, playing games that occasioned cheating, being induced to violate standards of conduct, and assessed using maternal reports. Inhibitory control was significantly associated with internalization, both contemporaneously and as a predictor in the longitudinal sense. The implications for considering children's temperament as a significant, yet often neglected contributor to developing internalization are discussed.

Autonomic Dysfunction and Risk Factors Associated with Trypanosoma cruzi Infection among Children in Arequipa, Peru

PubMed Central

Bowman, Natalie M.; Kawai, Vivian; Gilman, Robert H.; Bocangel, Cesar; Galdos-Cardenas, Gerson; Cabrera, Lilia; Levy, Michael Z.; Cornejo del Carpio, Juan Geny; Delgado, Freddy; Rosenthal, Lauren; Pinedo-Cancino, Vivian V.; Steurer, Francis; Seitz, Amy E.; Maguire, James H.; Bern, Caryn

2011-01-01

Chagas disease affects an estimated 8 million people in Latin America. Infected individuals have 20–30% lifetime risk of developing cardiomyopathy, but more subtle changes in autonomic responses may be more frequent. We conducted a matched case-control study of children in Arequipa, Peru, where triatomine infestation and Trypanosoma cruzi infection are emerging problems. We collected data on home environment, history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, and autonomic testing. Signs of triatomine infestation and/or animals sleeping in the child's room and household members with Chagas disease were associated with increased infection risk. Electrocardiogram findings did not differ between cases and controls. However, compared with control children, infected children had blunted autonomic responses by three different measures, the Valsalva maneuver, the cold pressor test, and the orthostatic test. T. cruzi-infected children show autonomic dysfunction, although the prognostic value of this finding is not clear. Sustained vector control programs are essential to decreasing future T. cruzi infections. PMID:21212207

Auditory evoked potentials: predicting speech therapy outcomes in children with phonological disorders.

PubMed

Leite, Renata Aparecida; Wertzner, Haydée Fiszbein; Gonçalves, Isabela Crivellaro; Magliaro, Fernanda Cristina Leite; Matas, Carla Gentile

2014-03-01

This study investigated whether neurophysiologic responses (auditory evoked potentials) differ between typically developed children and children with phonological disorders and whether these responses are modified in children with phonological disorders after speech therapy. The participants included 24 typically developing children (Control Group, mean age: eight years and ten months) and 23 children clinically diagnosed with phonological disorders (Study Group, mean age: eight years and eleven months). Additionally, 12 study group children were enrolled in speech therapy (Study Group 1), and 11 were not enrolled in speech therapy (Study Group 2). The subjects were submitted to the following procedures: conventional audiological, auditory brainstem response, auditory middle-latency response, and P300 assessments. All participants presented with normal hearing thresholds. The study group 1 subjects were reassessed after 12 speech therapy sessions, and the study group 2 subjects were reassessed 3 months after the initial assessment. Electrophysiological results were compared between the groups. Latency differences were observed between the groups (the control and study groups) regarding the auditory brainstem response and the P300 tests. Additionally, the P300 responses improved in the study group 1 children after speech therapy. The findings suggest that children with phonological disorders have impaired auditory brainstem and cortical region pathways that may benefit from speech therapy.

[Oral health related knowledge and health behavior of parents and school children].

PubMed

Lalić, Maja; Aleksić, Ema; Gajić, Mihajlo; Malesević, Doka

2013-01-01

The family provides the background for developing behaviors, attitudes and knowledge related to oral health of children. The aim of this study was to compare oral health behavior of parents and their children and to asses the impact of parental behavior on children's oral health. This cross-sectional study included 99 parent--child pairs (12 to 15 years old). Data on oral health behavior, knowledge and attitudes regarding oral hygiene, fluorides and nutrition of parents and their children were collected by questionnaires. The parental dental health was assessed according to self-reported data on tooth loss and prosthodontic rehabilitation, while the dental status of children was determined by clinical examination. The parents reported the use of dental floss (p < 0.001) and mouth rinses (p < 0.05) more often than their children and they had better knowledge on fluorides. Approximately one third of parents thought they should not control sugar consumption of their child. There was a statistically significant correlation between parental oral hygiene and their habit to control the child in brushing with the child's oral health status. Oral health education activities directed towards the prevention of risk factors for developing caries should involve both parents and their children, because parental behavior is a significant predictor of children's oral health.

Can subsyndromal manifestations of major depression be identified in children at risk?

PubMed

Uchida, M; Fitzgerald, M; Lin, K; Carrellas, N; Woodworth, H; Biederman, J

2017-02-01

Children of parents with major depression are at significantly increased risk for developing major depression themselves; however, not all children at genetic risk will develop major depressive disorder (MDD). We investigated the utility of subsyndromal scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Anxiety/Depression scale in identifying children at the highest risk for pediatric MDD from among the pool of children of parents with MDD or bipolar disorder. The sample was derived from two previously conducted longitudinal case-control family studies of psychiatrically and pediatrically referred youth and their families. For this study, probands were stratified based on the presence or absence of a parental mood disorder. Subsyndromal scores on the CBCL Anxiety/Depression scale significantly separated the children at high risk for pediatric MDD from those at low risk in a variety of functional areas, including social and academic functioning. Additionally, children at genetic risk without elevated CBCL Anxiety/Depression scale scores were largely indistinguishable from controls. These results suggest that the CBCL Anxiety/Depression scale can help identify children at highest risk for pediatric MDD. If implemented clinically, this scale would cost-effectively screen children and identify those most in need of early intervention resources to impede the progression of depression. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Direction-specific impairment of stability limits and falls in children with developmental coordination disorder: Implications for rehabilitation.

PubMed

Fong, Shirley S M; Ng, Shamay S M; Chung, Louisa M Y; Ki, W Y; Chow, Lina P Y; Macfarlane, Duncan J

2016-01-01

Limit of stability (LOS) is an important yet under-examined postural control ability in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). This study aimed to (1) compare the LOS and fall frequencies of children with and without DCD, and (2) explore the relationships between LOS parameters and falls in the DCD population. Thirty primary school-aged children with DCD and twenty age- and sex-matched typically-developing children participated in the study. Postural control ability, specifically LOS in standing, was evaluated using the LOS test. Reaction time, movement velocity, maximum excursion, end point excursion, and directional control were then calculated. Self-reported fall incidents in the previous week were also documented. Multivariate analysis of variance results revealed that children with DCD had shorter LOS maximum excursion in the backward direction compared to the control group (p=0.003). This was associated with a higher number of falls in daily life (rho=-0.556, p=0.001). No significant between-groups differences were found in other LOS-derived outcomes (p>0.05). Children with DCD had direction-specific postural control impairment, specifically, diminished LOS in the backward direction. This is related to their falls in daily life. Therefore, improving LOS should be factored into rehabilitation treatment for children with DCD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immediate Neural Plasticity Involving Reaction Time in a Saccadic Eye Movement Task is Intact in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Paolozza, Angelina; Munoz, Douglas P; Brien, Donald; Reynolds, James N

2016-11-01

Saccades are rapid eye movements that bring an image of interest onto the retina. Previous research has found that in healthy individuals performing eye movement tasks, the location of a previous visual target can influence performance of the saccade on the next trial. This rapid behavioral adaptation represents a form of immediate neural plasticity within the saccadic circuitry. Our studies have shown that children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are impaired on multiple saccade measures. We therefore investigated these previous trial effects in typically developing children and children with FASD to measure sensory neural plasticity and how these effects vary with age and pathology. Both typically developing control children (n = 102; mean age = 10.54 ± 3.25; 48 males) and children with FASD (n = 66; mean age = 11.85 ± 3.42; 35 males) were recruited from 5 sites across Canada. Each child performed a visually guided saccade task. Reaction time and saccade amplitude were analyzed and then assessed based on the previous trial. There was a robust previous trial effect for both reaction time and amplitude, with both the control and FASD groups displaying faster reaction times and smaller saccades during alternation trials (visual target presented on the opposite side to the previous trial). Children with FASD exhibited smaller overall mean amplitude and smaller amplitude selectively on alternation trials compared with controls. The effect of the previous trial on reaction time and amplitude did not differ across childhood and adolescent development. Children with FASD did not display any significant reaction time differences, despite exhibiting numerous deficits in motor and higher level cognitive control over saccades in other studies. These results suggest that this form of immediate neural plasticity in response to sensory information before saccade initiation remains intact in children with FASD. In contrast, the previous trial effect on amplitude suggests that the motor component of saccades may be affected, signifying differential vulnerability to prenatal alcohol exposure. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Detection of atypical network development patterns in children with autism spectrum disorder using magnetoencephalography

PubMed Central

Watanabe, Katsumi; Yoshimura, Yuko; Kikuchi, Mitsuru; Minabe, Yoshio; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2017-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder that involves developmental delays. It has been hypothesized that aberrant neural connectivity in ASD may cause atypical brain network development. Brain graphs not only describe the differences in brain networks between clinical and control groups, but also provide information about network development within each group. In the present study, graph indices of brain networks were estimated in children with ASD and in typically developing (TD) children using magnetoencephalography performed while the children viewed a cartoon video. We examined brain graphs from a developmental point of view, and compared the networks between children with ASD and TD children. Network development patterns (NDPs) were assessed by examining the association between the graph indices and the raw scores on the achievement scale or the age of the children. The ASD and TD groups exhibited different NDPs at both network and nodal levels. In the left frontal areas, the nodal degree and efficiency of the ASD group were negatively correlated with the achievement scores. Reduced network connections were observed in the temporal and posterior areas of TD children. These results suggested that the atypical network developmental trajectory in children with ASD is associated with the development score rather than age. PMID:28886147

Feeding behaviour in young children who fail to thrive.

PubMed

Drewett, Robert F; Kasese-Hara, Mambwe; Wright, Charlotte

2003-02-01

One-year-old children who failed to thrive in infancy were identified through a specialist clinical service using a conditional weight gain criterion which identified the slowest gaining 5%. Control children of the same age and sex were recruited from the same local geographical area and had the same primary care physician. The food intake and feeding behaviour of the groups was compared using a detailed observational micro-analysis of a lunchtime meal, using a behavioural coding scheme developed for use over the weaning period. Both food and fluid intake at the test meal were significantly lower in the children who failed to thrive than the controls. There was no significant difference in the energy density of the foods they consumed. As recorded in the behaviour counts at the meal, the mothers of the children who failed to thrive fed them as much as or more than the control mothers fed their children. The children who failed to thrive tended to refuse or reject the offered food more, and also fed themselves significantly less often than the controls. These behavioural differences during the meal accounted for about one third of the difference in energy intake between the groups.

The effects and costs of the universal parent group program – all children in focus: a study protocol for a randomized wait-list controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In recent decades, parents have been involved in programs that aim to improve parenting style and reduce child behavior problems. Research of preventive parenting programs has shown that these interventions generally have a positive influence on both parents and children. However, to our knowledge there is a gap in the scientific literature when it comes to randomized controlled trials of brief, manual-based structured programs which address general parenting among the population, and focus on promoting health. A four-session universal health promotion parent group program named All Children in Focus was developed. It aims at promoting parental competence and children’s positive development with the parent–child relationship as the target. There is currently no randomized controlled trial existing of the program. Methods/Design A prospective multicenter randomized wait-list controlled trial is being conducted. Approximately 600 parents with children ranging in age from 3–12 years have been recruited in eleven municipalities and city districts in the County of Stockholm, Sweden. Parents are randomized at baseline to an intervention group, which receives the program directly, or to a waiting-list control group, which participates in the program six months later. Changes in parenting and child health and development are assessed with measures immediately post-intervention and six months after the baseline. Observations of a minor group of parents and children are conducted to explore possible relations between parental reports and observed behaviors, as well as changes in the interaction between parent and child. Further, data collected within the evaluation will also be applied to evaluate the possible cost-effectiveness of the program. Discussion This paper describes a study protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Except for the quantitative outcome measures to evaluate the effectiveness of All Children in Focus, this protocol also describes health economic and qualitative analyses to deepen the knowledge of the program. We further discuss some issues regarding the implementation of the program in municipalities and city districts. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN70202532 PMID:23890316

Altered urinary porphyrins and mercury exposure as biomarkers for autism severity in Egyptian children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Khaled, Eman M; Meguid, Nagwa A; Bjørklund, Geir; Gouda, Amr; Bahary, Mohamed H; Hashish, Adel; Sallam, Nermin M; Chirumbolo, Salvatore; El-Bana, Mona A

2016-12-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social, communication, and behavioral development. Recent evidence supported but also questioned the hypothetical role of compounds containing mercury (Hg) as contributors to the development of ASD. Specific alterations in the urinary excretion of porphyrin-containing ring catabolites have been associated with exposure to Hg in ASD patients. In the present study, the level of urinary porphyrins, as biomarkers of Hg toxicity in children with ASD, was evaluated, and its correlation with severity of the autistic behavior further explored. A total of 100 children was enrolled in the present study. They were classified into three groups: children with ASD (40), healthy controls (40), and healthy siblings of the ASD children (20). Children with ASD were diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR, ADI-R, and CARS tests. Urinary porphyrins were evaluated within the three groups using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), after plasma evaluation of mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in the same groups. Results showed that children with ASD had significantly higher levels of Hg, Pb, and the porphyrins pentacarboxyporphyrin, coproporphyrin, precoproporphyrin, uroporphyrins, and hexacarboxyporphyrin compared to healthy controls and healthy siblings of the ASD children. However, there was no significant statistical difference in the level of heptacarboxyporphyrin among the three groups, while a significant positive correlation between the levels of coproporphyrin and precoproporphyrin and autism severity was observed. Mothers of ASD children showed a higher percentage of dental amalgam restorations compared to the mothers of healthy controls suggesting that high Hg levels in children with ASD may relate to the increased exposure to Hg from maternal dental amalgam during pregnancy and lactation. The results showed that the ASD children in the present study had increased blood Hg and Pb levels compared with healthy control children indicating that disordered porphyrin metabolism might interfere with the pathology associated with the autistic neurologic phenotype. The present study indicates that coproporphyrin and precoproporhyrin may be utilized as possible biomarkers for heavy metal exposure and autism severity in children with ASD.

Exploring an Age Difference in Preschool Children's Competitiveness Following a Competition.

PubMed

Hu, Yu; Zhu, Yi

2018-01-01

Literature suggests that resource acquisition compels competition in young children. However, little is still known about the development of preschool children's competitiveness. In this preliminary study, 166 children (aged 2-4 and 5-6 years) engaged in a dyadic competition which resulted in a winning and a losing group (in a control/non-competition group, participants engaged in a similar task which did not lead to winning/losing outcome), and then experimenters tracked their decisions to compete again with a rival (i.e., an individual they interacted in the previous competition task) and a non-rival competitor (i.e., an anonymous classmate they did not interact in the previous competition task) for a reward, respectively. As expected, results showed an age-related decreasing trend in the percentage of choices to compete with a competitor. However, this age difference was only significant in the control group when participants played with the partner with whom they interacted in the previous game and in the losing group when participants competed with a non-rival competitor. This study contributes to our knowledge of how competitiveness develop in preschool childhood, and calls for further research on the roles of motivation and cognitive control in children's competitiveness.

Profile of language and cognitive functions in children with dyslexia in speakers of Brazilian Portuguese.

PubMed

Barbosa, Thais; Rodrigues, Camila Cruz; Toledo-Piza, Carolina Mattar; Navas, Ana Luiza Gomes Pinto; Bueno, Orlando Francisco Amodeu

2015-01-01

To verify the language and cognitive profile of children with dyslexia, contributing to the diagnosis of this condition in readers of a regular orthography, such as Brazilian Portuguese. In this study, 47 children with dyslexia (GD) and two controlled groups, one composed of 41 age controls (GCI) and the other with 31 reading controls (GCL), participated. All children were submitted to a battery involving the above-mentioned abilities. GD demonstrated predominant deficits in phonological processing, which were not compatible with a delay in the development of such abilities, indicating an atypical development. The GD also obtained lower scores in both basic and more complex reading and writing skills (i.e., letters, words, pseudowords, and texts, respectively), as well as in other domains, such as language (syntactic processing and oral sentence comprehension), which may be a result of a deficit in phonological skills, that interfered with higher complexity linguistic skills. Phonological abilities demonstrated to be the main difficulty observed in children with dyslexia investigated in this study, corroborating previous studies in other languages. This demonstrates that, independently of the language regularity, phonological skills are fundamental to the diagnosis of developmental dyslexia.

A year-long caregiver training program improves cognition in preschool Ugandan children with human immunodeficiency virus.

PubMed

Boivin, Michael J; Bangirana, Paul; Nakasujja, Noeline; Page, Connie F; Shohet, Cilly; Givon, Deborah; Bass, Judith K; Opoka, Robert O; Klein, Pnina S

2013-11-01

To evaluate mediational intervention for sensitizing caregivers (MISC). MISC biweekly caregiver training significantly enhanced child development compared with biweekly training on health and nutrition (active control) and to evaluate whether MISC training improved the emotional well-being of the caregivers compared with controls. Sixty of 120 rural Ugandan preschool child/caregiver dyads with HIV were assigned by randomized clusters to biweekly MISC training, alternating between home and clinic for 1 year. Control dyads received a health and nutrition curriculum. Children were evaluated at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year with the Mullen Early Learning Scales and the Color-Object Association Test for memory. Caldwell Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment and videotaped child/caregiver MISC interactions also were evaluated. Caregivers were evaluated for depression and anxiety with the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist. Between-group repeated-measures ANCOVA comparisons were made with age, sex, CD4 levels, viral load, material socioeconomic status, physical development, and highly active anti-retroviral therapy treatment status as covariates. The children given MISC had significantly greater gains compared with controls on the Mullen Visual Reception scale (visual-spatial memory) and on Color-Object Association Test memory. MISC caregivers significantly improved on Caldwell Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment scale and total frequency of MISC videotaped interactions. MISC caregivers also were less depressed. Mortality was less for children given MISC compared with controls during the training year. MISC was effective in teaching Ugandan caregivers to enhance their children's cognitive development through practical and sustainable techniques applied during daily interactions in the home. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Obstetric complications as risk factors for schizophrenia spectrum psychoses in offspring of mothers with psychotic disorder.

PubMed

Suvisaari, Jaana M; Taxell-Lassas, Virpi; Pankakoski, Maiju; Haukka, Jari K; Lönnqvist, Jouko K; Häkkinen, Laura T

2013-09-01

Obstetric complications have predicted future development of schizophrenia in previous studies, but they are also more common in mothers with schizophrenia. The aims of this study were to compare the occurrence of obstetric complications in children of mothers with schizophrenia spectrum psychoses and control children, and to investigate whether obstetric complications predicted children's psychiatric morbidity. The Helsinki High-Risk (HR) Study monitors females born between 1916 and 1948 and treated for schizophrenia spectrum disorders in Helsinki psychiatric hospitals, their offspring born between 1941 and 1977, and controls. We examined information on obstetric complications and neonatal health of 271 HR and 242 control offspring. We compared the frequency of obstetric complications and neonatal health problems in the HR group vs controls and in HR children who later developed psychotic disorders vs healthy HR children. A Cox regression model was used to assess whether problems in pregnancy or delivery predicted psychiatric morbidity within the HR group. Few differences between HR and control offspring were found in obstetric complications. Within the HR group, infections (hazard rate ratio [HRR] 3.73, 95% CI 1.27-11.01), hypertension during pregnancy (HRR 4.10, 95% CI 1.15-14.58), and placental abnormalities (HRR 4.09, 95% CI 1.59-10.49) were associated with elevated risk of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses. Common medical problems during pregnancy were associated with increased risk of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses in offspring of mothers with schizophrenia spectrum psychoses. These results underline the role of the prenatal period in the development of schizophrenia and the importance of careful monitoring of pregnancies of mothers with psychotic disorder.

Cognitive functions in children exposed to antiepileptic drugs in utero - Study in Georgia.

PubMed

Kasradze, Sofia; Gogatishvili, Nino; Lomidze, Giorgi; Ediberidze, Tamar; Lazariashvili, Marine; Khomeriki, Ketevan; Mamukadze, Shorena; Metreveli, Mariam; Gagoshidze, Tamar; Tatishvili, Nino; Tomson, Torbjörn

2017-01-01

The cognitive teratogenicity of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has gained increasing attention in the last decade. The objective of the current study was to assess the effects of AED fetal exposure on the cognitive development of children of mothers with epilepsy from Georgia in a controlled study taking into consideration major confounding factors. A prospective cohort group was formed from children and mothers registered in the Georgian National AED-Pregnancy Registry. The study group's age- and gender-matched control children without fetal AED exposure were selected retrospectively. The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - revised (WAIS-R) was assessed in mothers. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-4) were used to assess intellectual functioning for children of both study and control groups. Linear regression analysis was performed to detect association of AED exposure on the cognitive performance of children. In total, 100 children aged 36 to 72months were evaluated. The IQ of WWE was significantly lower compared to women without epilepsy in all modalities. Exposure to valproate (VPA) (n=18) was associated with lowest cognitive performance regarding Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) (β, -12.04; p=0.006) and verbal comprehension (VCI) (β, -8.89; p=0.019). Maternal FSIQ, maternal performance IQ (PIQ), and child's age at first phrases were independent factors associated with the cognitive development of children. Multivariate analysis showed VPA to be an independent predictor for decreased cognitive performance. Maternal FSIQ, PIQ, and child developmental achievements were significant confounders for cognitive performance in children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.