Assessment Of Children Research Articles

Comparison of Food Selection with the National School Lunch Program Meal Pattern Guidelines and Assessment of Children's Food Intake and Waste Using Digital Photography in a School Cafeteria.

Background: School lunch is an important nutritious food source for children. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal patterns guidelines have been established to promote healthier school lunches. This pilot study compared food selection during lunch in a school cafeteria with the NSLP meal pattern guidelines. Food intake and waste were also examined in relation to food selection. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, data were collected from children in the 1st, 6th, and 10th grades from a school in the United States. The digital photography of foods method was used to assess children's food selection, intake, and waste at lunch over 3 weeks. Results were presented as percentage, frequency, and mean ± standard deviation. Results: About 48 children from 1st grade, 47 from 6th grade, and 50 from 10th grade participated each day. Food selection in these grades consistently fell below the NSLP guidelines, with 69%, 79.8%, and 86.9% of children selecting less than the guidelines for energy, respectively. On average, only 10.4% of children selected vegetables at or above the guidelines. About 41% of the selected energy, 43% of fruits, 43% of vegetables, and 56% of milk were discarded as plate waste across all grades. Conclusions: Selection of energy and vegetables was consistently below the NSLP guidelines, yet almost half of the selected fruits, vegetables, and milk were wasted by children. Initiatives to enhance meal quality and variety, along with nutrition education interventions and school policies, are needed to improve food selection and intake and reduce food waste.

Long-term characterization of behavior phenotypes in children with seizures: Analytic approach matters.

Behavioral problems in children with new onset epilepsies have been well established in the literature. More recently, the literature indicates the presence of unique behavioral patterns or phenotypes in youth with epilepsy that vary significantly in vulnerability and resilience to behavioral problems. This study contrasts the interpretation of behavioral risk as inferred from cross-sectional versus latent group analytic perspectives, as well as the presence, consistency, stability, and progression of behavioral phenotypes in youth with new onset epilepsy and sibling controls over 3 years. Three hundred twelve participants (6-16 years old) were recruited within 6 weeks of their first recognized seizure along with 223 unaffected siblings. Each child's behavior was recorded by parents and teachers frequently over 36 months using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and each child completed self-report measures of depression symptoms over 36 months. Measures were evaluated cross-sectionally and longitudinally to identify clusters with prototypical behavioral trajectories. Cross-sectional analyses exhibited a pattern of generalized and undifferentiated behavioral problems compared to sibling controls at baseline and prospectively. In contrast, latent trajectory modeling identified three distinct behavior phenotype clusters across all raters (parents, teachers, and youth) over baseline and longitudinal assessments. CBCL Cluster 1 (~30% of youth with epilepsy) exhibited behavior similar to/better than controls, Cluster 2 (~50%) exhibited moderate behavior issues, and Cluster 3 (~20%) exhibited the most pronounced/problematic behavior, falling into Achenbach's clinically relevant behavior range. Behavior within clusters remained stable and consistent. Teachers' and children's behavior assessments corresponded to these cluster groupings consistently over 36 months. Predictors of cluster membership include seizure syndrome type and social determinants of health. This study demonstrates the varying public health perspectives of behavioral risk in youth with epilepsy that result as a function of analytic approach as well as the presence of distinct latent behavioral trajectory phenotypes over time in youth with new onset epilepsy.

유아교육현장에서 교육과정평가 실행 지원방안 탐색: 함께 응답하며 나아가기

This study aims to explore support strategies for implementing curriculum assessment in the field of early childhood education. Whereas curriculum focus has continuously shifted towards learner-centered, learning-centered, and competency-based approaches, evaluation practices remain rooted in approaches that emphasize educational content and subject knowledge, relying on empirical evidence and objective facts. To this end, this study conducted multiple mini-interviews (MMI) with teachers, administrators, and supervisors to identify challenges in implementing curriculum assessments and to collaboratively find solutions. The collected data were analyzed in six phases following the thematic analysis method proposed by Braun and Clarke(2006). The findings were categorized into three themes: ‘knotting early childhood curriculum and assessment,’ ‘opening the possibilities for practicing curriculum assessment,’ and ‘going along with children and parents in curriculum assessment.’ First, several years after the implementation of the 2019 revised Nuri Curriculum, the questions emerging in the field of early childhood education concern the connections of the essence of early childhood education, curriculum literacy, and curriculum assessment and implementation, which are the complex and entangled ‘knots’. Second, for assessment to be integrated into curriculum implementation, it is essential to go beyond individual teacher practices and explore the possibilities within the relational context, including the cultural and structural atmosphere of the school. Third, if implementing the curriculum in educational settings is a long process of ‘correspondence’ with all beings, it is crucial to seek ways for children and parents as the subjects of curriculum assessment to move forward together in harmony. Based on the diverse educational experiences, current positions, and educational philosophies of the participants, this study offers academic and practical implications for implementing curriculum assessment that lightens the burden of evaluation and refocuses on ‘our classrooms, children, teachers, and communities.’

The AI-driven age detection in children's drawings: a deep learning approach for late childhood assessment

The AI-driven age detection in children's drawings: a deep learning approach for late childhood assessment

Happy childhood: the search for an informative system of characteristics through the prism of eventfulness

The results of a study devoted to identifying the potential of using information about childhood events to explain the subsequent perception of childhood as a happy one are presented. Based on the assumption that the specificity of the eventfulness of the very first stage of life can determine the existence of groups with happy and unhappy childhood according to subjective estimates, a selection of childhood events has been made that most allow differentiating those who evaluate their childhood as happy and unhappy. As an empirical basis, the results of a survey of representatives of a youth group who have crossed the age of majority or are on its border are used. Among the 100 initial childhood events for analysis, groups of life episodes were identified, the presence and age of occurrence of which are associated with a retrospective assessment of childhood as happy. These are events related to the manifestation of subjectivity and its recognition by adults; consumer and financial socialization ; establishing relationships with peers and parents; independent movements and mobility; a variety of leisure practices and prosocial behavior; some manifestations of infantilism; the absence or later onset of certain traumatic events, deviant behavior practices, actions to change appearance. The listed groups of life episodes form the basis of an informative system of characteristics of a subjectively prosperous childhood and can be used in the future to implement models of multidimensional analysis.

Assessment of Children and Adolescents’ Admissions to Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Department

Objective Emergencies in child and adolescent psychiatry are prevalent, and pediatric psychiatric emergency departments play a crucial role in acute intervention during mental health-related crises. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the characteristics of children and adolescents who were admitted to a pediatric psychiatric emergency department. Method The data were collected from the records of 8803 patients (females 56.6%, Mage = 15.07 ± 2.6) admitted to our pediatric psychiatry emergency department between 2014 and 2021. Diagnoses were made using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. We used descriptive statistics to determine patient characteristics and conducted a regression analysis to compare the changes in the admissions numbers by the year. Results It was found that depressive disorder was the highest psychiatric diagnosis, with a percentage of 21.4%. Depressive disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder have shown an increase over the years. In 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychiatric admissions reached their lowest level. The percentage of hospitalizations was 21.1% for the total of all years. No significant change was found in the total number of admissions, sex, and age. Conclusions The number of admissions for female adolescents who were diagnosed with depressive disorder to our pediatric psychiatry emergency department is shown to be high. The fact that these patients seek help more frequently should be taken into consideration during the planning of mental health services for outpatient and inpatient clinics as well as pediatric psychiatry emergency services.

Use of Telehealth in Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessment in Children: Evaluation of anOnline Diagnostic Protocol Includingthe Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to develop the field of remote assessment for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The purpose of the study was to evaluate an online assessment protocol that includes the Brief Observation of Symptoms of Autism (BOSA). The online protocol consisting of BOSA and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) was administered by experienced examiners to 29 children with suspected ASD. The participants were then evaluated by clinical psychologists in a standard clinical setting using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and other methods, and the ASD diagnosis was confirmed or ruled out. The results show substantial to moderate inter-rater agreement between the online and face-to-face raters with the value of Cohen's Kappa = 0.66 (P < 0.001); this corresponds with 79.8% agreement. The sensitivity of the protocol was approx. 94.7%, the specificity was 70%, the positive predictive value was 85.7%, and the negative predictive value was 87.5%. Further, direct false positive or false negative diagnostic conclusions based on the online protocol were absent when the possible conclusion of "I cannot decide" was included. The items B9 Showing, B10 Spontaneous Initiation of Joint Attention, B1 Unusual Eye Contact, B3 Facial Expressions Directed to Others, and C2 Imagination/Creativity were shown to be well observable in BOSA when related to ADOS-2 scoring. The results indicate that the protocol consisting of BOSA and ADI-R administered by an experienced examiner is a promising combination of tools for remote autism assessment.

Neurophysiological Assessment in Children with Vocal Fold Paralysis: A Tertiary Center Experience.

The aim of this study is to report on experience acquired during the laryngeal electrophysiological assessment with Co-MEP and L-EMG in pediatric patients with acquired, congenital, and syndromic vocal fold paralysis (VFP), and correlate our findings with patients' characteristics, their comorbidities, and VFP etiology. Pediatric patients with suspected or previously diagnosed unilateral or bilateral VFP underwent electrophysiological records under general anesthesia; corticobulbar motor-evoked potentials (Co-MEPs) and laryngeal electromyography (L-EMG) of thyroarytenoid (TA) and posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles were recorded. Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between early gestational age at childbirth and TA muscle intensity (p = 0.002) and PCA muscle intensity (p = 0.002); tracheostomy presence and TA muscle intensity (p = 0.002) and PCA muscle intensity (p = 0.002); presence of genetic anomalies with intensity and latency for TA muscle and latency for PCA muscle (TA latency p = 0.015, TA intensity p = 0.021, PCA latency p = 0.035); congenital presentation of VFP and an increased intensity for TA muscle (p = 0.04); latency and intensity for TA muscle (p = 0.024); TA muscle intensity and PCA intensity (p = 0.005). Intraoperative Co-MEPs and L-EMG are two complementary tools for evaluating the functional integrity of the structures involved in conveying signals from the motor cortex to TA and PCA muscles in children with vocal fold paralysis. Further studies are needed to establish their ability to predict the recovery of VF mobility, which could potentially lead to decannulation. Level 4 Laryngoscope, 2024.

Do Confidence Ratings Reactively Modify Children's Academic Assessment Performance? Negative Answer from a Three-Year Longitudinal Study.

The reactivity effect of metacognitive judgments on first-order task performance has received increased research attention. Previous studies showed that soliciting retrospective confidence ratings (CRs) reactively enhances task performance itself, such as performance in decision making and reasoning tasks, especially for those with high self-confidence. It remains unknown whether CRs can improve students' academic assessment performance in real educational settings. The current study recruited 795 fourth-grade elementary school children to explore if making CRs reactively affects students' academic assessment performance in two main subjects (i.e., Chinese Language and Mathematics). The data were collected across six waves with half-year intervals. From Wave 2, children either provided (CR group) or did not provide CRs (no-CR group) when completing standardized academic assessments. The results showed Bayesian evidence supporting the claim that making CRs does not influence children's academic assessment performance (both the average performance across waves 2-6 and the performance in each wave) in both subjects. Furthermore, children's self-confidence did not moderate the reactive influence of CRs. The results from multilevel regression analyses re-confirmed the above conclusions. Possible explanations for the absence of the reactivity effect of CRs on children's academic assessment performance are discussed.

A - 44 Value of Repeat Neuropsychological Assessments in Children with Complex Birth and Neurological Injuries

Abstract Objective Extremely low birth weight, in-utero insult, and PVL are associated with an array of neurodevelopmental complications. PVL is most common in very premature. Associated complications in this case study include diffuse demyelination, cerebellar atrophy, and arthrogryposis. Data from serial assessments reveal preservation of intelligence, decoding, and social skills. Implications for the role of repeat assessments in guiding education and intervention are discussed. Method The subject was an 18-year-old male with extremely low birth weight, in-utero insult, PVL, cerebellar atrophy, delayed myelination, and arthrogryposis. His presentation also included craniosynostosis. Three outpatient neuropsychological assessments were completed over eight years. Assessments included measures of intellectual, academic, neurocognitive, and emotional functions. Results Despite multiple physical and neurological impairments, assessments revealed preserved verbal and nonverbal intelligence, phonemic awareness, computation skills, and social cognition. Deficits were evident in processing speed, rapid naming, math fluency, word fluency, working memory, and executive functions. Academic strengths were evident in reading and written expression. Checklists revealed inattention and impulsivity with strengths in social cognition (See data tables). Conclusions This study demonstrates both variability in outcome following a complex birth history and neurological history and the value of repeat neuropsychological assessments. Assessment data was used to identify and build upon preserved skills and focus intervention strategies. Maintained verbal and nonverbal reasoning skills, in the context of strong social cognition, significantly contributed to progress, self-esteem, and future goals. Repeat neuropsychological assessment is well-suited for such cases. Access to such assessments is critical and should be regarded as medically necessary to guide intervention and promote positive outcomes.

Dialogic and pragmatic aspects of early object realization: a crosslinguistic comparison of three Romance languages

This exploratory research aimed to assess the impact of pragmatic and dialogic factors on the choice of referring expressions at the onset of transitive constructions in three Romance languages. The study was conducted using a corpus of three adult-child dialogues with three 2;6-year-old children acquiring Brazilian Portuguese (BP), Spanish (Sp), and French (Fr). After analyzing the distribution of forms for accusative and dative objects, we assessed the impact of the input (through two levels of influence) and of the attentional and discursive status of the referents (through four degrees of accessibility). Overall, the results showed the children’s sensitivity to pragmatic factors, but we also found different uses for null objects in each language: the Brazilian child used more over-explicit forms when nulls would be accepted, while the French child used null objects when pronouns were expected. The Spanish-speaking child showed little disparity from the adults’ usage. The three children adopted linguistic forms from the adults' speech, and this strategy seems to contribute to the children's assessment of referent accessibility and the acquisition of challenging weak forms.

Prognostic Role of Leptin-to-Adiponectin Ratio in Cardio-Metabolic Risk Assessment in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity: Pre and Post Nutritional Management

Prognostic Role of Leptin-to-Adiponectin Ratio in Cardio-Metabolic Risk Assessment in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity: Pre and Post Nutritional Management

Relationships between gross motor skills, psychological resilience, executive function, and emotional regulation among Chinese rural preschoolers: A moderated mediation model

BackgroundEmotional regulation is a critical component of emotional intelligence, particularly during the preschool stage, a key period for children's development. Previous studies have demonstrated that executive function mediates the effect of gross motor skills on emotional understanding. However, studies specifically focusing on children from rural areas and investigating the role of psychological resilience are limited. The present study fills this knowledge gap by examining the effect of gross motor skills on emotional regulation and the roles of executive function and psychological resilience among Chinese rural preschool children. MethodsThis study included 430 children (aged 61.01 ± 6.98 months, 48.8 % boys) and their teachers from three rural preschools in China. Children's gross motor skills, including locomotor and object control skills, were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3. Executive function was measured using the Head-Toes-Knee-Shoulder task, and emotional regulation was assessed using the Emotional Regulation Checklist. Furthermore, psychological resilience was examined using the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment. Demographic information was collected, and the cross-sectional relationships between gross motor skills and emotional regulation were investigated through mediation and moderation analyses. ResultsGross motor skills, executive function, and psychological resilience were associated with emotional regulation (p < 0.05), after controlling for sex, age, and only-child status. Executive function was found to mediate the relationship between gross motor skills and emotional regulation, with a mediation effect of 0.045. Psychological resilience moderated the relationship between executive function and emotional regulation (β = 0.078, p < 0.05). Simple slope analysis, based on categorizing psychological resilience into high, medium, and low groups, revealed that preschoolers with a higher level of psychological resilience exhibited a significantly stronger predictive effect of executive function on emotional regulation (β = 0.202, p < 0.01). ConclusionsGross motor skills significantly affect emotional regulation development in rural preschoolers, with executive function acting as a mediator in this relationship. Psychological resilience was found to moderate the effect of executive function on emotional regulation. The findings suggest that enhancing gross motor skills through physical activities can benefit children by promoting the development of executive function, which is crucial for emotional regulation. On the basis of our findings, we recommend focusing on cost-effective physical activity interventions for motor skills development among rural children while also addressing the development of executive function and psychological resilience. Future efforts should include workshops to improve physical literacy of parents and teachers regarding children's gross motor skills promotion.

Validation of the Devereux early childhood assessment for preschoolers in measuring child well-being in Indonesia

Child well-being remains a pressing issue in Indonesia, with many children lacking fulfillment of essential physical and psychological needs. Addressing this requires valid and reliable tools to assess early childhood well-being, yet few instruments have been adapted for the Indonesian context. This study aims to adapt and validate the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Preschoolers (DECA-P), a comprehensive tool designed for parent and teacher reports on early childhood well-being. Data were collected from 377 parents of children aged 1 to 6 years. Results indicate that the Indonesian adaptation of DECA-P demonstrates strong internal reliability. Additionally, validity testing using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient yielded favorable values. These findings suggest that the Indonesian DECA-P adaptation is a suitable instrument for assessing early childhood well-being in Indonesia. Keywords: Assessment; childhood well-being; Devereux early childhood; well-being

Depth-Sensing-Based Algorithm for Chest Morphology Assessment in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

This study introduced a depth-sensing-based approach with robust algorithms for tracking relative morphological changes in the chests of patients undergoing physical therapy. The problem that was addressed was the periodic change in morphological parameters induced by breathing, and since the recording was continuous, the parameters were extracted for the moments of maximum and minimum volumes of the chest (inspiration and expiration moments), and analyzed. The parameters were derived from morphological transverse cross-sections (CSs), which were extracted for the moments of maximal and minimal depth variations, and the reliability of the results was expressed through the coefficient of variation (CV) of the resulting curves. Across all subjects and levels of observed anatomy, the mean CV for CS depth values was smaller than 2%, and the mean CV of the CS area was smaller than 1%. To prove the reproducibility of measurements (extraction of morphological parameters), 10 subjects were recorded in two consecutive sessions with a short interval (2 weeks) where no changes in the monitored parameters were expected and statistical methods show that there was no statistically significant difference between the sessions, which confirms the reproducibility hypothesis. Additionally, based on the representative CSs for inspiration and expirations moments, chest mobility in quiet breathing was examined, and the statistical test showed no difference between the two sessions. The findings justify the proposed algorithm as a valuable tool for evaluating the impact of rehabilitation exercises on chest morphology.

The Impact of Parent-Based Support Programs on Neurodevelopmental Prognosis: Second-Year Results from a Newly Established Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Unit in a Tertiary Hospital.

This study aims to assess the neurodevelopmental progress of high-risk infants 2 years post implementation of the Neurodevelopmental Follow-Up Unit (NFU) program at our hospital and explore implementation challenges for insights. Infants were assessed using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination (HINE), The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). A multidisciplinary team provided comprehensive parent education covering neurologic cues, postural advice, and developmental instructions in accordance with the children's assessment findings. In addition, a pediatric physical therapist provided motor development training emphasizing age-appropriate milestones and functional independence, while child development specialists addressed delays identified through BSID-III assessments. A total of 121 high-risk babies were enrolled during a 2-year period. Results revealed that 9 infants exhibited suboptimal HINE scores at 3-4 months, with only 2 maintaining suboptimal scores at 12-15 months. Similarly, 2 infants with suboptimal AIMS scores at 3-4 months reached normal values at 12-15 months. Comparable improvements were observed in BSID-III scores. While no correlation between HINE and AIMS scores was found at the 3-4-month mark, a significant correlation emerged between AIMS and HINE scores at 6-9 months (r = 0.643, P < .001) and 12-15 months (r = 0.820, P < .001). Encouraging early family education alongside regular monitoring of high-risk newborns appears to have a positive impact on their motor and cognitive development. Consideration of clinical recommendations, such as tailored interventions and periodic assessments, may contribute to optimizing developmental outcomes.

Perceptions Matter! Active Physical Recreation Participation of Children with High and Low Actual and Perceived Physical Competence.

Emerging evidence suggests that the accuracy of a child's perceived physical competence (PPC) impacts participation in physical activity. We examined differences in active physical recreation (APR) participation based on clusters of high and low motor competence and perceptions from grades 3-5. Participants were a longitudinal sample (n = 155; 85 girls) of grade three, four, and five children. Fundamental motor skills (FMSs) were assessed using the TGMD-2, perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Children, and APR was measured using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment. K-means cluster analysis was used to create four clusters per grade based on participants' FMSs and PPC z-scores. Differences in FMSs, PPC, and APR with cluster group as a factor were examined using a series of factorial ANOVAs. In each grade, participants in the high-high cluster participated in significantly more APR than those in the low-low cluster (p = 0.002 in grades three and four; p < 0.001 in grade five). Among the less accurate clusters (e.g., low FMSs with high PPC) was a trend toward positive FMSs growth among the children with higher perceptions. Results show that combinations of FMSs and PPC influence patterns of engagement or disengagement in active physical recreation persistently across middle childhood.

Pediatric Cancer Screening in Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk Syndromes: An Update from the AACR Childhood Cancer Predisposition Working Group.

Gastrointestinal (GI) polyposis and cancer in pediatric patients is frequently due to an underlying hereditary cancer risk syndrome requiring ongoing cancer screening. Identification of at-risk patients through family history, clinical features of a syndrome, or symptom onset ensures appropriate cancer risk assessment and management in childhood and beyond. In this 2024 perspective, we outline updates to the hereditary GI cancer screening guidelines first published by the American Association of Cancer Research Pediatric Cancer Predisposition Workshop in 2017. These guidelines consider existing recommendations by pediatric and adult gastroenterology consortia to ensure alignment with gastroenterology practices in managing polyposis conditions. We specifically address the recommendations for pediatric screening in familial adenomatous polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and juvenile polyposis syndrome. Further, we emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary care and partnership with gastroenterology, as it is crucial in management of children and families with these conditions.

Advancing Dyslexia Assessment in Children through Computerized Testing.

The acquisition of reading skills is an intricate process that demands the cultivation of various domain-general and domain-specific abilities. Consequently, it is unsurprising that many children grapple with maintaining proficiency at the grade level, particularly when confronted with challenges spanning multiple abilities across both domains, as observed in individuals with reading difficulties. Strikingly, despite reading difficulties being among the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders affecting school-aged children, the majority of available diagnostic tools lack a comprehensive framework for assessing the full spectrum of cognitive skills linked to dyslexia, with minimal computerized options. Notably, there are currently limited tools with these features available for Spanish-speaking children. The aim of this study was to delineate the protocol for diagnosing Spanish-speaking children with reading difficulties using the Sicole-R multimedia battery. This tool for elementary grades focuses on evaluating cognitive skills that are associated with dyslexia as prescribed by the scientific literature. Specifically, it concentrates on assessing a range of cognitive abilities that studies have demonstrated to be linked to dyslexia. This focus is based on the observation that individuals with dyslexia typically exhibit deficits in several of the cognitive areas evaluated by this digital tool. The robust internal consistency and multidimensional internal structure of the battery were demonstrated. This multimedia battery has proven to be a fitting tool for diagnosing children with reading difficulties in primary education, offering a comprehensive cognitive profile that is valuable not only for diagnostic purposes but also for tailoring individualized instructional plans.

Health Risk Assessment in Children Occupationally and Para-Occupationally Exposed to Benzene Using a Reverse-Translation PBPK Model

Health Risk Assessment in Children Occupationally and Para-Occupationally Exposed to Benzene Using a Reverse-Translation PBPK Model