African American Children Research Articles

Modeling longitudinal change patterns of self-regulation from early to middle childhood: Methodological innovations and individual differences.

Patterns of change in self-regulation from the ages of 2.5 to 12 years were modeled using repeated measures of self-regulation for a sample of 399 African American (n = 180, 45%) and Latinx (n = 219, 55%) children from families experiencing low income. Measures included both direct assessment and parent report. Results confirmed four components of self-regulation: working memory, inhibitory control, complex response inhibition, and set shifting. Furthermore, these components of self-regulation were more differentiated at younger ages but grew increasingly integrated as children developed. During early childhood, Latinx children displayed greater levels of working memory and higher levels of inhibitory control, and African American children displayed greater complex response inhibition and set shifting, but these ethnic differences reversed by early elementary school. By late middle childhood, ethnic differences in self-regulation had virtually disappeared altogether. Few differences by child gender or family poverty status were identified. Recommendations are provided to facilitate the modeling of self-regulation over extended periods of development including (a) utilizing measures that overlap time points, (b) standardizing the measurement scales, and (c) utilizing a flexible latent variable model. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Caregiver Feedback on Services in Children’s Advocacy Centers: How Does it Differ by Caregiver Language and Child Race-Ethnicity, Gender and Age?

ABSTRACT This study analyzed caregiver feedback regarding referrals, service use, and wanting additional services using a standardized survey completed by 1,585 caregivers at 260 Children’s Advocacy Centers. Most caregivers were referred to counseling or support services for their child (84%). Caregivers who completed the survey in Spanish were significantly more likely to receive referral information for themselves, have children use the services, use the services themselves, report being on waiting lists, want additional services for their child, and believe staff could have done something additional compared to caregivers who completed it in English. African American children were significantly less likely to receive referrals, use services and have caregivers want additional services. Spanish-speaking caregivers and African American children warrant more attention to ensure all families’ needs are being addressed.

Enacting Reading Comprehension: Using Diverse Literature to Engage Children's Critical, Sociopolitical Knowledge

AbstractThe current climate of K‐12 education in the United States has seen a narrowing of literacy instructional practices, exponential amounts of book bans, and contrived hysteria about liberal indoctrination and Critical Race Theory (CRT). Yet, as the world becomes increasingly connected across difference, and as research increasingly demonstrates that we must engage young children from all backgrounds in discussions about sociopolitical issues, it is urgent that classroom teachers foreground children's experiential knowledge in comprehension instruction. In this article, we address the following question: In three early elementary literacy contexts, how did educators use culturally sustaining practices with diverse children's literature to enact reading comprehension and engage young children in critical, sociopolitical meaning making? Three teacher educators of Color share findings from qualitative studies in the United States Northeast and Southwest that examine this integration with the use of diverse children's literature. The first finding illustrates how teachers utilized book introductions to situate a diverse group of early elementary‐aged students in various sociopolitical issues and engage them in critical readings about texts. The second finding illustrates how a series of after‐school literature circle discussions enabled first‐grade African American children to make meaning dialogically and communally about enslavement. The third finding illustrates how the teacher created space for second‐grade Latinx students to translanguage as they drew on multiple reading comprehension strategies and made sense of immigration. The implications from these studies invite a rethinking of the dominant paradigm of reading comprehension instruction.

Sharing Stories Versus Explaining Facts: Comparing African American Children's Microstructure Performance Across Fictional Narrative, Informational, and Procedural Discourse.

Both fictional oral narrative and expository oral discourse skills are critical language competencies that support children's academic success. Few studies, however, have examined African American children's microstructure performance across these genres. To address this gap in the literature, the study compared African American children's microstructure productivity and complexity across three discourse contexts: fictional narratives, informational discourse, and procedural discourse. The study also examined whether there were age-related differences in microstructure performance by discourse type. Participants were 130 typically developing African American children, aged 59-95 months old, enrolled in kindergarten through second grades in a Midwestern U.S. public school district. Wordless children's books were used to elicit fictional narratives, informational, and procedural discourse. Indicators of microstructure performance included measures of productivity (i.e., number of total words and number of different words) and complexity (i.e., mean length of communication unit and complex syntax rate). The effects of genre and age on microstructure performance were assessed using linear mixed-effects regression models. Children produced longer discourse and used a greater diversity of words for their fictional stories compared to their informational or procedural discourse. Grammatical complexity was greater for fictional narratives and procedural discourse than informational discourse. Results showed greater productivity and complexity among older children compared to younger children, particularly for fictional and informational discourse. African American children exhibit variation in their microstructure performance by discourse context and age. Understanding this variation is key to providing African American children with support to maximize their oral language competencies.

Variants in the β-globin locus are associated with pneumonia in African American children

In African American adults, the strongest genetic predictor of pneumonia appears to be the A allele of rs334, a variant in the β-globin gene which in homozygous form causes sickle cell disease (SCD). No comparable studies have been done in African American children. We performed genome-wide association analyses of 482 African American children with documented pneumonia and 2048 African American controls using genotypes imputed from two reference panels: 1000 Genomes (1KG) (which contains rs334) and TOPMed (does not contain rs334). Using 1KG imputed genotypes, the most significant variant was rs334 (A allele (OR = 2.76 (2.21-3.74), p=5.9x10-19); using TOPMed imputed genotypes the most significant variant was rs2226952, found in the β-globin locus control region (G allele (OR =2.14 (1.78-2.57), p = 5.1x10-16). After conditioning on rs334, the most strongly associated variant in the β-globin locus was rs33930165, (allele T, 1KG: OR=4.09 (2.29-7.29), p=1.7x10-6; TOPMed: OR=3.58 (2.18-5.90), p=4.7x10-7), which as a compound heterozygote with rs334 A allele can cause SCD. To compare the power of different sample sets we developed a way to estimate the power of sample sets with different sample sizes, genotype arrays and imputation platforms. Our results suggest that in African American children the strongest genetic determinants of pneumonia are those that increase the risk of SCD.

Assessment of Kidney Size in African American Children with Sickle Cell Disease: A Matched-Pair Analysis

Assessment of Kidney Size in African American Children with Sickle Cell Disease: A Matched-Pair Analysis

Reframing Child Protection in Emergency Medicine

Child maltreatment remains a concerning source of morbidity and mortality in the United States, where more than 600,000 children are victims of abuse each year, with well-described, long-term consequences for physical and mental health. However, the US child welfare system is characterized by systemic racism and inequity. Black and Native American children are more likely to be evaluated and reported for suspected abuse despite evidence that race does not independently change their risk of being abused. Once reported to child protective services (CPS), these children are more likely to be removed from their homes and less likely to be reunited with their families than White children. Much of the inequity in this system starts at the front door, where a growing body of research demonstrates that bias regularly infiltrates decision-making in the initial clinical evaluation and management of suspected abuse. Minority children presenting to emergency departments (ED) are more likely to receive diagnostic testing and are more likely to be referred to CPS. In this editorial, we argue for the application of an equity lens to child protection in the ED. We discuss how emergency physicians can balance efforts to protect children from abuse with the imperative to protect children and families from the harms of an inequitable child welfare system. Our discussion concludes with concrete recommendations for emergency clinicians to participate in active bias mitigation and thoughtfully navigate their responsibilities as mandated reporters.

Decline in Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months and Vaccination Inequities Among Children Born in 2020 and 2021 - National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2021-2023.

Data from the National Immunization Survey-Child (NIS-Child) were analyzed to estimate coverage with childhood vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices among U.S. children by age 24 months. Coverage with nearly all vaccines was lower among children born in 2020 and 2021 than it was among those born in 2018 and 2019, with declines ranging from 1.3 to 7.8 percentage points. Analyses of NIS-Child data for earlier birth cohorts have not revealed such widespread declines in routine childhood vaccination coverage. Coverage among children born during 2020-2021 varied by race and ethnicity, health insurance status, poverty status, urbanicity, and jurisdiction. Compared with non-Hispanic White children, coverage with four of the 17 vaccine measures was lower among non-Hispanic Black or African American children as well as Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) and non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native children. Coverage was also generally lower among those covered by Medicaid or other nonprivate insurance, uninsured children, children living below the federal poverty level, and children living in rural areas. Coverage varied widely by jurisdiction, especially coverage with ≥2 doses of influenza vaccine. Children born during 2020-2021 were born during or after the period of major disruption of primary care from the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers should review children's histories and recommend needed vaccinations during every clinical encounter. Addressing financial barriers, access issues, vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine-related misinformation can also help to increase coverage, reduce disparities, and protect all children from vaccine-preventable diseases. Strategies that have been found effective include implementation of standing orders and reminder and recall systems, strong physician recommendations to vaccinate, and use of immunization information systems to identify areas of lower coverage that could benefit from targeted interventions to increase immunization rates.

Unjust: Publishing Black and African American Children’s Books and School Availability

Traditional book publishing has a pronounced and unjust deficiency of Black and African American voices. White culture, thoughts, and rules are the standard in traditional publishing. Black and African American authors are not typically picked up by white-dominated publishing companies. In traditional publishing, mostly white literary agents are gatekeepers and acquisition editors shut the doors too frequently to non-white authors. Aspiring Black authors then resort to hybrid or vanity press companies that often use unscrupulous practices, charge exorbitant fees, accomplish little or low-quality work, and deny authors’ agency and full rights in the final disposition of a book. Because a majority of traditionally published children’s books featuring Black or African American stories or characters are written by or illustrated by non-Black people, the wide possibilities of adventure, celebrations, discovery, and friendship stories are not published for Black children. Instead, publishers favor stories about slavery, the civil rights movement, famous Black people, and hair tales as well as racially ambiguous characters. Regrettably, Black and African American culturally relevant stories written and illustrated by Black or African Americans are not readily available to children in school and library settings consistent with schools’ community or student demographics. This article shares research findings and viewpoints of Kathy Anderson and Karen Bowlding, two Black children’s book writers and publishing consultants who are also parents. Black and African American students encounter education and cultural injustice because of the practices of traditional publishing companies, educators, and librarians. Parents and guardians can ameliorate these issues with discernment and action. Foremost, publishing company decision-makers must acknowledge their own racial biases that deny representation and authenticity to all children in our US classrooms.

Adalimumab to treat noninfectious pediatric chronic anterior uveitis: a case series

PurposeEvaluate the response to adalimumab (ADA) in pediatric chronic anterior uveitis (pCAU).MethodsRetrospective chart review of pCAU patients treated with ADA. Outcomes evaluated included the proportion of patients achieving zero ocular inflammation and discontinuation of topical corticosteroids, visual outcomes, and incidence of uveitis recurrences after ≥ 12 months of prescribing ADA. Incidence and risk factors for developing anti-adalimumab antibodies (AAAs) were also evaluated.ResultsOf 27 children aged 11 years, 16 (59%) were Caucasian and 6 (22%) African Americans. Thirteen (48%) patients had idiopathic pCAU, 12 (44%) had juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) related pCAU, and 2 (7%) had tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. At baseline, African American children had worse visual acuity (p = 0.026). At 1 year, 21 (78%) children achieved zero ocular inflammation (remission). Risk factors associated with non-remission were being African American (20% vs. 94%, p = 0.003) and experiencing ≥ 1 episode of uveitis recurrence (100% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). Six episodes of uveitis recurrence were documented in five children, four of whom were African American. Topical corticosteroids were discontinued in 83% of children, and visual acuity remained stable for 1 year. Twelve children were tested for AAAs due to arthritis or uveitis flare-ups, with five (42%) being positive. No significant factors were associated with the development of AAAs.ConclusionsWe found that ADA is effective in controlling inflammation, reducing the need for topical corticosteroids, and maintaining visual acuity in pCAU. There appears to be racial differences in African American children who had worse baseline disease and poorer outcomes. Studies are necessary to understand better and address these disparities.

A randomized controlled trial of a housing intervention to reduce endocrine disrupting chemical exposures in children

Few studies have considered household interventions for reducing endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposures. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, originally designed to reduce lead exposure, to evaluate if the intervention lowered EDC exposures in young children. Study participants were children from the Cincinnati, Ohio area (n = 250, HOME Study). Prenatally, families received a housing intervention that included paint stabilization and dust mitigation, or as a control, injury prevention measures. At 24-months, we measured organophosphate esters (OPEs) and phthalates or their metabolites in dust and urine. We measured perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in dust and serum at 24- and 36-months, respectively. We assessed associations between dust and biomarker EDCs using Spearman correlations, characterized EDC mixtures via principal components analysis, and investigated treatment effects using linear regression. To mitigate selection bias, we fit statistical models using inverse probability of retention weights. Correlations between dust EDCs and analogous biomarkers were weak-to-moderate (ρ’s ≤ 0.3). The intervention was associated with 23 % (95 % CI: −38, −3) lower urinary DEHP metabolites and, in a per-protocol analysis, 34 % lower (95 % CI: −55, −2) urinary MBZP. Additionally, among Black or African American children, the intervention was associated with lower serum concentrations of several PFAS (e.g., −42 %; 95 % CI: −63, −8 for PFNA). Household interventions that include paint stabilization and dust mitigation may reduce childhood exposures to some phthalates and PFAS in Blacks/African Americans. These findings highlight the need for larger studies with tailored and sustained housing interventions.

Associations Between Experiences of Discrimination, Socioeconomic and Racial Polarization, and Birth Outcomes in the Atlanta African American Maternal Child Cohort

Associations Between Experiences of Discrimination, Socioeconomic and Racial Polarization, and Birth Outcomes in the Atlanta African American Maternal Child Cohort

“I Have Magic in My Mouf!”: Embodied languaging enactments of African American multilingual students in a Spanish-English immersion program

There is limited research that examines African American students’ language learning experiences in Spanish-English dual-language program settings, which exacerbates the narrative that African American students are not the “ideal” demographic for bilingual programs. To address these concerns, we highlight the experiences of two African American multilingual children to examine how they form their translanguaging repertoires. Specifically, we focus on three types of enactments in which they embodied these repertoires, which revealed how they engaged language learning in dynamic and varied ways. These examples further challenge traditional norms engendered in bilingual programming writ large that exhibit narrow viewpoints of language speakers and language speaking.

Prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities and treatment initiation in African American, pediatric patients with vitiligo: A retrospective, single-center, case-control study

BackgroundVitiligo may impact psychosocial development, especially among African American pediatric patients, given heightened visibility and increasing rates of anxiety and depression in this subpopulation. ObjectiveEvaluate psychiatric comorbidities and treatment initiation in African American pediatric patients. Methods327 African American pediatric patients with vitiligo were each matched to three patients without vitiligo by age, race, and sex in this case-control study. Prevalence of psychiatric conditions and subsequent initiation of pharmaco- and/or psycho-therapy were analyzed. ResultsCompared to controls, pediatric African American patients with vitiligo were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with depression (p<0.001) disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) (p<0.001), eating disorders (EDs) (p=0.013), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (p<0.001), substance abuse (SA) (p=0.011), and suicidal ideation (SI) (p=0.005). Patients with depression, DBDs, and EDs had higher initiation rates (76.5%, 82.1%, and 100%, respectively) for psychiatric treatment compared to those with GAD and SA (55.3% and 61.5%). Nearly 15% of patients did not initiate treatment for SI. LimitationsThis retrospective study has a limited sample size in a single institution and does not explore psychiatric treatment efficacy. ConclusionsBetter understanding of associated psychological comorbidities and impacts on African American children of vitiligo may improve quality of life and dermatologic outcomes for these individuals.

Estimated Time of Arrival: Impact of Healthcare Disparities on Access to and Outcomes of Multidisciplinary Cleft Lip and Palate Care.

To determine the impact of sociodemographic and clinical factors on patient presentation into the cleft care pathway and determine how delayed interventions may affect post-surgical outcomes. Retrospective study. Multidisciplinary craniofacial clinics of two university hospitals. 135 patients with cleft lip and/or palate. Primary cheiloplasty, primary palatoplasty. Age at initial presentation, age at first surgery, lag time, delayed surgery, rate of return to the emergency department (ED), readmission rate, reoperations, and oronasal fistula development. Patients referred by OBGYN who underwent cheiloplasty had an earlier age at initial presentation (p < 0.01), earlier age at first surgery (p = 0.01), and a shorter lag time (p < 0.01) compared to children from other referral pathways. African American children had an older age at first surgery (p = 0.01) and a longer lag time (p = 0.02) when compared to non-African American children. Children with syndromes had an older age at first surgery (p < 0.01) and a longer lag time (p < 0.01) than children without syndromes. Patient race, cleft type, and syndromic status increased the odds of receiving delayed surgery. Patients who received delayed palatoplasty returned to the ED at a higher rate than patients who received non-delayed palatoplasty (p = 0.02). Our data suggest that referral source, race, and syndromic status influence the timeliness of cleft care. Surgeons should develop strong referral networks with local OBGYNs and hospitals to allow for an early entry into the cleft care pathway.

Long-Term PM2.5 Exposure and Upregulation of CLCA1 Expression in Nasal Epithelium from Youth with Asthma.

Little is known about long-term PM2.5 exposure and airway epithelial gene expression. To test for association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and nasal epithelial gene expression in youth with asthma. Transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) of long-term PM2.5 in nasal epithelium from youth aged 6-20 years in the: 1) Epigenetic Variation and Childhood Asthma in Puerto Ricans study (EVA-PR, n=182); 2) Vitamin D Kids Asthma Study (VDKA, n=58); and 3) Stress and Treatment Response in Puerto Rican and African American Children with Asthma study (STAR, n=81). Satellite hybrid models were used to estimate PM2.5 exposure in the prior year at each participant's residence. Multivariable negative binomial regression was used for each TWAS, adjusting for age, sex, and other covariates. A meta-analysis of all TWAS results was then conducted using an inverse variance-weighted average approach. Most participants (~95%) in the meta-analysis of TWAS for PM2.5 exposure identified as Puerto Rican or Black. Long-term PM2.5 was associated with: 1) upregulated expression of CLCA1 (calcium-activated chloride channel regulator 1, false discovery rate-adjusted P [FDR-P]=0.008), SYCP2 (synaptonemal complex protein 2, FDR-P=0.01), and CYP2A6 (cytochrome p450 family 2 subfamily A member 6, FDR-P=0.02), and 2) downregulated expression of EDAR (ectodysplasin A receptor, FDR-P=0.01). In a meta-analysis, CLCA1 upregulation was associated with ≥1 positive allergen-specific IgE (FDR-P <0.001) and increased blood eosinophils (FDR-P <0.001) and total IgE (FDR-P <0.001). In a meta-analysis of TWASs in predominantly Puerto Rican and Black youth with asthma, long-term PM2.5 exposure was associated with upregulated airway epithelial CLCA1 expression, in turn linked to biomarkers of T2-high immunity.

Targeted Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis: A Novel Approach

Atopic Dermatitis is a chronic, inflammatory, and widespread skin disease with heterogeneous manifestations having a significant influence on the lives of youngsters and adults. Atopic Dermatitis prevalence is higher in african-american children compared with european american children and it is mainly caused by the interaction between various factors such as genetics, skin barrier dysfunction, and immune abnormalities. Despite various available treatment options for atopic dermatitis, they often fall short in addressing the root cause, prompting patients to seek more effective and enduring solutions. To combat these shortcomings, researchers are focusing on the development of targeted therapy. The development of targeted treatment options involves the utilization of a range of biologic agents designed to pinpoint specific components and regulators of inflammatory pathways associated with allergic and inflammatory conditions. Phytochemicals viz. alkaloids, phenols, carotenoids, and organo-sulfurs have been utilized in traditional medicine for centuries which contribute to increased efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. The objective of this review is to provide information regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and evolving landscape of targeted therapy for atopic dermatitis, encompassing both biologics and phytochemicals.

The association between COVID-19 vaccine/infection and new-onset asthma in children - based on the global TriNetX database.

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of its potential long-term health effects, including its link to new-onset asthma in children. Asthma significantly impacts children's health, causing adverse outcomes and increased absenteeism. Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between COVID-19 infection and higher rates of new-onset asthma in adults, raising concerns about its impact on children's respiratory health. A retrospective cohort study design was employed, using electronic medical records from the TriNetX database, covering January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022. Two cohorts of children aged 5 to 18 who underwent SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing were analyzed: unvaccinated children with and without COVID-19 infection, and vaccinated children with and without infection. Propensity score matching was used to mitigate selection bias, and hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CI were calculated to assess the risk of new-onset asthma. Our study found a significantly higher incidence of new-onset asthma in COVID-19 infected children compared to uninfected children, regardless of vaccination status. In Cohort 1, 4.7% of COVID-19 infected children without vaccination developed new-onset asthma, versus 2.0% in their non-COVID-19 counterparts within a year (HR = 2.26; 95% CI = 2.158-2.367). For Cohort 2, COVID-19 infected children with vaccination showed an 8.3% incidence of new-onset asthma, higher than the 3.1% in those not infected (HR = 2.745; 95% CI = 2.521-2.99). Subgroup analyses further identified higher risks in males, children aged 5-12 years, and Black or African American children. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of these findings. The study highlights a strong link between COVID-19 infection and an increased risk of new-onset asthma in children, which is even more marked in those vaccinated. This emphasizes the critical need for ongoing monitoring and customized healthcare strategies to mitigate the long-term respiratory impacts of COVID-19 in children, advocating for thorough strategies to manage and prevent asthma amidst the pandemic.

The Growth of Complex Syntax in School-Age African American Children Who Speak African American English.

Syntax provides critical support for both academic success and linguistic growth, yet it has not been a focus of language research in school-age African American children. This study examines complex syntax performance of African American children in second through fifth grades. The current study explores the syntactic performances of African American children (N = 513) in Grades 2-5 on the Test of Language Development-Intermediate who speak African American English. Multilevel modeling was used to evaluate the growth and associated changes between dialect density and syntax. Analyzed data were compared both to the normative sample and within the recruited sample. The results suggest that dialect density exerted its impact early but did not continue to influence syntactic growth over time. Additionally, it was not until dialect density was accounted for in growth models that African American children's syntactic growth resembled normative expectations of a standardized language instrument. The current study suggests that failure to consider cultural language differences obscures our understanding of African American students' linguistic competence on standardized language assessments.

Nonsyndromic Craniosynostosis Correlation Between Ethnicity, Race, and Pattern of Affected Suture Type: Meta-Analysis.

Previous studies have sought to analyze risk factors associated with craniosynostosis and while syndromic craniosynostosis is often linked to genetic mutations, the factors impacting nonsyndromic cases are less investigated. The aim of current meta-analysis is to evaluate the relationship between ethnicity and suture type in nonsyndromic craniosynostosis patients. The search term "craniosynostosis [Title/Abstract] AND (race [Title/Abstract] OR ethnicity [Title/Abstract])) NOT (syndrome [Title/Abstract])" was used to search the PubMed, Cochrane, and MEDLINE databases. Analyses were conducted separately for each racial and ethnic group for each suture type cohort. Odds ratios were conducted for each suture cohort and confounders were adjusted using linear mixed-effect models. Because of the homogeneity of the populations and categorical nature of the classification, binary logistic regression was run on aggregate data. The literature search yielded 165 articles. After reviewing titles, abstracts, and manuscript contents of these articles, 5 studies were ultimately included in a meta-analysis. Studies with missing data for a particular cohort or variable were excluded from the respective analysis. Hispanic children had higher odds of sagittal suture involvement (OR: 1.53, P <0.001), whereas Asian had coronal suture (OR: 2.47, P <0.001). Both Asian and African American children had significantly lower odds of sagittal suture involvement (OR: 0.50, P <0.001 and OR: 0.7, P =0.04, respectively). The relationship between ethnicity and craniosynostosis has been suggested as a risk factor, but without definitive conclusion. Present meta-analysis findings demonstrated association between ethnicity and suture type, however further research with larger scale and geographically varied data is warranted.