Boys In Childhood Research Articles

Epidemiology of Pediatric Gymnastics Injuries Reported in US Emergency Departments: Sex- and Age-Based Injury Patterns.

Background:Despite increasing participation rates in youth gymnastics, the majority of epidemiologic literature focuses on older elite athletes or stratifies athletes by level of competition.Hypothesis:The authors hypothesized that sex- and age-based patterns in youth gymnastics–related injuries exist, which are otherwise overlooked in an unstratified population.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:Publicly available injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System were collected on pediatric gymnastics injuries presenting to emergency departments in the United States. Participation data from the National Sporting Goods Association were used to calculate national injury incidence rates in 7- to 11-year-olds (childhood) and 12- to 17-year-olds (adolescence) from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2018. Z tests were conducted for the comparison of injury rates between girls and boys within each age group and for overall injury rate across age groups.Results:Girls participated in gymnastics at a frequency 6.5 times that of boys in childhood and 13.5 times that of boys in adolescence. An estimated 72,542 youth gymnastics–related injuries were reported in US emergency departments each year. A large proportion (61.3%) occurred in childhood, with female predominance in both age groups. Overall, there was no difference in weighted annual injury rate (injuries per 100,000 athlete-days per year) by age group (6.9 [childhood] vs 8.8 [adolescence]; P = .19) or sex (7.4 [girls] vs 8.1 [boys]; P = .65). In adolescence, boys were more likely than girls to experience injury (16.47 vs 8.2; P = .003). Wrist and lower arm fractures were more common in childhood than adolescence (1.07 vs 0.43; P = .002) and specifically in girls (childhood vs adolescence, 1.06 vs 0.37; P = .001). Ankle injuries and concussions were more common in adolescence vs childhood (P = .01 and .0002).Conclusion:Upper extremity injuries predominated among childhood gymnasts, particularly girls. In adolescence, girls and boys experienced increases in concussions and foot and ankle injuries. Although representing a lower overall number of training gymnasts as compared with girls, adolescent boys experience a higher rate of injuries overall.

Parental preference for boys in childhood and the health of the elderly: Evidence from China

ObjectiveThis study analyzed the relationship between parents' son preference in a person's childhood and their health when they become older, and tested whether childhood educational opportunities, health level, and care resources play mediating roles in this relationship. BackgroundChina has entered a stage of aging population. The health of the elderly determines whether the government can successfully cope with the challenges brought about by the aging of the population. Chinese people are deeply influenced by Confucianism. The concept of “son preference” is related to residents' parenting strategies. Then, if one's parents exhibit a son preference in their childhood, will it affect one's health in old age? MethodBased on the data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study collected in 2014, this paper uses the least square method to analyze the impact of parents’ preference in childhood for boys on the health of the elderly, and uses Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) to analyze the mediating effects of childhood educational opportunities, health level and care resources. ResultsThis study found that parents’ preference for boys had a positive impact on the health of male children when they became elderly but had a negative impact on the health of female children when they became elderly. Childhood educational opportunities, health level, and care resources mediated this relationship. ConclusionIt is necessary to analyze the impact of parents' preference for sons in one's childhood on the health of elderly, and intervene the adverse factors affecting the health, to improve the health level and quality of life of the elderly.

Factores que potencian la autorregulación y el aprendizaje significativo en Primera Infancia

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación que tuvo como objetivo conocer los factores que potencian la autorregulación del aprendizaje en los niños y las niñas de primera infancia, beneficiarios del proyecto “Pedagogía en contexto Aula Móvil”, del Programa de Licenciatura en Pedagogía Infantil, de Uniminuto Soacha, Colombia; y la incidencia de dicha autorregulación en su aprendizaje significativo. Es menester subrayar que para este estudio se utilizó una metodología cualitativa con alcance exploratorio y descriptivo, logrado a través de una muestra no probabilística intencional. Se encontró que la autorregulación y el aprendizaje significativo se potencian a través de: procesos motivacionales relacionados con la afectividad en el aula, el juego, la lúdica, el arte y los espacios para la libre expresión; procesos metacognitivos como los espacios para la autorreflexión, autovaloración, problematización de realidades, resolución de conflictos, experimentación y praxis; y con procesos de inteligencia emocional como el desarrollo de la confianza, la seguridad en sí mismos y la autoestima.

Can anthropometry and physical fitness testing explain physical activity levels in children and adolescents with obesity?

ObjectivesAs time with patients and resources are increasingly limited, it is important to determine if clinical tests can provide further insight into real-world behaviors linked to clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine which aspects of anthropometry and physical fitness testing are associated with physical activity (PA) levels among youth with obesity. DesignCross-sectional study. MethodAnthropometry [height, waist circumference, bodyweight, fat percentage], physical fitness [muscular endurance (partial curl-ups), flexibility (sit-and-reach), lower-body power (long-jump), upper-body strength (grip), speed/agility (5×5-m shuttle), cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2-max)], and PA [light (LPA), moderate (MPA), vigorous (VPA), MVPA] was assessed in 203 youth with obesity. ResultsThe sample was stratified by age <12 yrs (children); 12 yrs (adolescents) and sex. Stepwise regression evaluated associations between PA with anthropometry and physical fitness. Children (57% male) and adolescents (45% male) had a BMI Z-score of 3.5(SD:0.94) and 3.1(SD:0.76) respectively. Long-jump explained 19.5% [(Standardized) Beta=0.44; p=0.001] of variance in VPA for childhood girls and 12.6% (Beta=0.35; p=0.025) of variance in MPA for adolescent boys. 5×5-m shuttle explained 8.4% (Beta=−0.29; p=0.042) of variance in MVPA for childhood girls. Body mass explained 6.3% (Beta=−0.25; p=0.007) of variance in LPA in childhood boys. Fat percentage explained 9.8% (Beta=0.31; p=0.03) of variance in MPA in adolescent girls. ConclusionsIn conclusion, tests of lower body power, body mass and fat percentage provide limited information concerning PA levels in youth with obesity. Activity monitoring should be considered in addition to clinical assessments to more fully understand youth health.

A Thematic Analysis of Parents’ Gendered Beliefs About Emotion in Middle Childhood Boys and Girls

This study examined mothers’ and fathers’ ( N = 102) beliefs about emotion and emotion expression in boys and girls aged 8 to 12 years using a mixed-methods design. Parents attended two focus group sessions 2 weeks apart. A thematic analysis of the group transcripts resulted in six themes: value in the experience and expression of emotion, vulnerability in the experience and expression of emotion, multiple influences on children’s learning about emotion, distinct expectations for emotion displays at home versus in public, gender roles influence emotion expectations, and generational shift in emotion-related expectations. Identified themes were consistent with previous research, yet new themes emerged relevant to gender and gender roles within society. Implications of gender-related roles and expectancies are discussed.

Development of social learning and play in BaYaka hunter-gatherers of Congo

High-fidelity transmission of information through imitation and teaching has been proposed as necessary for cumulative cultural evolution. Yet, it is unclear when and for which knowledge domains children employ different social learning processes. This paper explores the development of social learning processes and play in BaYaka hunter-gatherer children by analysing video recordings and time budgets of children from early infancy to adolescence. From infancy to early childhood, hunter-gatherer children learn mainly by imitating and observing others’ activities. From early childhood, learning occurs mainly in playgroups and through practice. Throughout childhood boys engage in play more often than girls whereas girls start foraging wild plants from early childhood and spend more time in domestic activities and childcare. Sex differences in play reflect the emergence of sexual division of labour and the play-work transition occurring earlier for girls. Consistent with theoretical models, teaching occurs for skills/knowledge that cannot be transmitted with high fidelity through other social learning processes such as the acquisition of abstract information e.g. social norms. Whereas, observational and imitative learning occur for the transmission of visually transparent skills such as tool use, foraging, and cooking. These results suggest that coevolutionary relationships between human sociality, language and teaching have likely been fundamental in the emergence of human cumulative culture.

Identidades afrocolombianas de niños y niñas de primera infancia y sus cuidadores: estudio de caso desarrollado en el centro cultural del barrio El Oasis del municipio de Soacha (Cundinamarca)

espanolComo resultado de la linea de investigacion en socializacion politica de la Maestria en Desarrollo Educativo y Social de la Universidad Pedagogica Nacional, en convenio con la Fundacion Centro Internacional de Educacion y Desarrollo Humano (Cinde), sede Bogota D. C., surgio el presente trabajo. Esta es una investigacion cualitativa, de caracter descriptivo, en la cual se seleccionaron como instrumentos de indagacion talleres ludicos con ninos y ninas, relatos de vida y narrativas orales con adultos cuidadores, y entrevistas semiestructuradas a lideres comunitarios. En el analisis de los resultados, se describen elementos de la realidad de los ninos y las ninas de primera infancia y sus cuidadores a partir de sus enunciados e interpretacion, apoyados en la herramienta Atlas.ti (Qualitative Data Analysis). http://dx.doi.org/10.11600/21450366.11.2aletheia.153.178 EnglishThis work emerged as a result of the research line in political socialization of the Master's Degree in Educational and Social Development of the National Pedagogical University, in agreement with the International Center for Education and Human Development (Cinde), Bogota D. C. headquarters. This is a qualitative, descriptive research, in which recreational workshops with children, life stories and oral narratives with adult caregivers, and semi-structured interviews with community leaders were selected as instruments of inquiry. In the analysis of the results, elements of the reality of early childhood boys and girls and their caregivers are described based on their statements and interpretation, supported by the Atlas.ti (Qualitative Data Analysis) tool. portuguesEste trabalho surgiu como resultado da linha de pesquisa em socializacao politica do Mestrado em Desenvolvimento Educacional e Social da Universidade Pedagogica Nacional, em convenio com o Centro Internacional de Educacao e Desenvolvimento Humano (Cinde), sede de Bogota D. C. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, descri-tiva, na qual foram selecionados como instrumentos de investigacao oficinas recrea-tivas com criancas, historias de vida e narrativas orais com cuidadores adultos, alem de entrevistas semiestruturadas com lideres comunitarios. Na analise dos resultados, os elementos da realidade de meninos e meninas na primeira infância e seus cuida-dores sao descritos com base em suas declaracoes e interpretacoes, apoiadas na fer-ramenta Atlas.ti (analise qualitativa dos dados).

Estrogen contributes to sex differences in M2-polarization during asthma

Abstract Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways that exhibits sex differences, affecting mostly boys in childhood and women in adulthood. Alveolar macrophages have emerged as major mediators of allergic lung inflammation. We hypothesized that alveolar macrophages respond to estrogen by enhancing M2 responses and thereby contribute to sex differences in asthma. We found that macrophages from female mice exhibited increased expression of canonical M2 markers like Ym1 and Arg1 in response to IL-4. Signaling through ERα further enhanced IL-4-induced M2 gene expression in macrophages from female mice. The promoters of these genes contained increased abundance of transcriptionally active modifications like H3Ac and H3K4Me3 in macrophages from female mice. Using an OVA model of allergic lung inflammation, we found that female mice exhibited enhanced M2-polarization in vivo after allergen challenge. M2-polarization was impaired in ovariectomized (OVx) mice and but was restored with estrogen replacement. Further, we established a mixed bone marrow chimera model whereby irradiated mice were reconstituted with a 1:1 mix of bone marrow from CD45.1+ WT and CD45.2+ LysMCREERαflox/flox mice. In these mice, ERα-sufficient alveolar macrophages exhibited enhanced M2-polarization compared to ERα−/− alveolar macrophages. ERα−/−cells were largely retained in the bone marrow, suggesting that E2 regulates leukocyte trafficking during lung inflammation. Together these data suggest that sex and hormonal factors contribute to sex differences in macrophage responses during asthma. Understanding the role of estrogen signaling in M2-polarization is paramount for identifying novel therapeutic targets to better treat women with asthma.

Attachment SECURITY and Behavioral Problems of Middle Childhood Boys in Republic of KOREA

This study examined the relationship between attachment security and clinical behavioral problems in a sam-ple of 155 middle childhood boys in...

Estrogen Signaling Contributes to Sex Differences in Macrophage Polarization during Asthma.

Allergic asthma is a chronic Th2 inflammation in the lungs that constricts the airways and presents as coughing and wheezing. Asthma mostly affects boys in childhood and women in adulthood, suggesting that shifts in sex hormones alter the course of the disease. Alveolar macrophages have emerged as major mediators of allergic lung inflammation in animal models as well as humans. Whether sex differences exist in macrophage polarization and the molecular mechanism(s) that drive differential responses are not well understood. We found that IL-4-stimulated bone marrow-derived and alveolar macrophages from female mice exhibited greater expression of M2 genes in vitro and after allergen challenge in vivo. Alveolar macrophages from female mice exhibited greater expression of the IL-4Rα and estrogen receptor (ER) α compared with macrophages from male mice following allergen challenge. An ERα-specific agonist enhanced IL-4-induced M2 gene expression in macrophages from both sexes, but more so in macrophages from female mice. Furthermore, IL-4-stimulated macrophages from female mice exhibited more transcriptionally active histone modifications at M2 gene promoters than did macrophages from male mice. We found that supplementation of estrogen into ovariectomized female mice enhanced M2 polarization in vivo upon challenge with allergen and that macrophage-specific deletion of ERα impaired this M2 polarization. The effects of estrogen are long-lasting; bone marrow-derived macrophages from ovariectomized mice implanted with estrogen exhibited enhanced IL-4-induced M2 gene expression compared with macrophages from placebo-implanted littermates. Taken together, our findings suggest that estrogen enhances IL-4-induced M2 gene expression and thereby contributes to sex differences observed in asthma.

Estrogen contributes to sex differences in M2-polarization during asthma

Abstract Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the airways that affects over 300 million people worldwide. Asthma exhibits sex differences, affecting mostly boys in childhood and women in adulthood. Alveolar macrophages have emerged as major mediators of allergic lung inflammation. Macrophages express receptors that recognize and respond to estrogen. We hypothesized that estrogen enhances M2 polarization of alveolar macrophages and thereby contributes to asthma. We found increased expression of the canonical mouse M2 marker YM1 by alveolar macrophages from allergic female mice compared to male mice. Consistently, bone marrow derived macrophages (BMMs) from female mice exhibited higher levels of YM1 and ARG1 than did BMMs from male mice following stimulation with IL-4. This sex difference is reflected on the epigenetic level as M2 promoters in BMMs from female mice exhibited enhanced acetylated H3 compared to BMMs from male mice following stimulation with IL-4. Pretreatment of BMMs from female mice with estrogen receptor ligands enhanced IL-4-induced M2-gene expression. Using ovariectomized (OVx) and LysMCREERaflox/floxmice, we show that an absence of either estrogen or the estrogen receptor-a (ERa) impairs M2 polarization following challenge with OVA. Thus, macrophages exhibit sex differences in their ability to polarize to an M2-phenotype in vitro and in vivo. Estrogen and ERa engagement augment IL-4-induced M2-gene expression. Together these data suggest that sex and hormonal factors contribute to sex differences in macrophage responses during asthma. Understanding the role of estrogen signaling in M2-polarization is paramount for identifying novel therapeutic targets to better treat women with asthma.

Identidade de gênero/sexo de atletas e sedentários

Existem diferenças no processo de estruturação da identidade de gênero/sexo de atletas e não-atletas? Este estudo teve como objetivo comparar a identidade de gênero/sexo autopercebida e autoquantificada de atletas de diferentes modalidades (180 homens e 180 mulheres) em relação a sedentários (22 homens e 22 mulheres), no tocante a personalidade e preferências lúdicas da infância. Os homens se perceberam mais masculinos e as mulheres mais femininas. Encontraram-se mais mulheres não heterossexuais do que homens, entre as atletas. Os homens assumiram-se mais propensos a gostar de quebrar as regras e sonhavam em ser campeão esportivo quando crianças. As atletas mulheres que brincaram mais com meninos na infância se avaliaram como mais masculinas, ousando em transgredir as fronteiras dos papéis de gênero, o que pode ter facilitado o interesse delas pelo treinamento esportivo.

Boys' Bodies in Early Childhood

THIS PAPER IS BASED ON QUALITATIVE research data from a project investigating early childhood boys' constructions of masculinities in relation to sport, health and the body. The focus group data, with 33 boys, has been collected in each of the boys' first three years at school. It is part of the data that will be collected over eight years with the same cohort of boys, as they continue through their primary school years. The paper will highlight important issues the boys raise about sport, health, masculinities and the body, including descriptions and interpretations of how the male body should look and how it should perform. These are pivotal in terms of how these boys in early childhood perceive the hegemonic masculine male body. Given the challenges in accessing qualitative data from boys in early childhood, the paper will also highlight methodological processes by which the data was attained.

Prospective Study of the Association Between Neurobehavior Disinhibition and Peer Environment on Illegal Drug Use in Boys and Girls

Background: Individual and contextual factors jointly participate in the onset and progression of substance abuse; however, the pattern of their relationship in males and females has not been systematically studied. Objectives: Male and female children and adolescents were compared to determine the relative influence of individual susceptibility (neurobehavior disinhibition or ND) and social environment (deviancy in peers) on use of illegal drugs. Methods: Boys (N = 380) and girls (N = 127) were prospectively tracked from age 10–12 to age 16 to delineate the role of ND and peer deviancy on use of illegal drugs. Results: Girls exhibited lower ND scores than boys in childhood and were less inclined to affiliate with deviant peers. These differences were reduced or disappeared by mid-adolescence. In boys only, peer deviancy in childhood mediated the association between ND and illegal drug use at age 16. In both genders, peer deviancy in mid-adolescence mediated ND and substance abuse at age 16. Conclusions: Individual and contextual risk factors promoting substance abuse are more salient at a younger age in boys compared to girls. Scientific Significance: These results point to the need for earlier screening and intervention for boys.

Physical activity and overweight in children and adolescents using intensified insulin treatment

To describe physical activity and inactivity and parameters associated with overweight in a population-based study of children and adolescents on intensive insulin treatment. Physical activity and inactivity were evaluated in 723 type 1 diabetic subjects, 240 children aged 6-10 yr and 483 adolescents aged 11-19 yr, using a questionnaire that can estimate total amount of time spent on inactivity and light, moderate and vigorous activity. Overall, 54% of the participants do not fulfil the international recommendations of 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous activity per day. Girls are less active than boys in childhood (70 vs. 88 min/d, p = 0.01) and in adolescence (47 vs. 57 min/d, p = 0.02). Furthermore, this study shows that those who are more active are also those who seldom skip meals (p < 0.001). Forty-three percent of the participants watch TV for more than 2 h a day, and TV viewing was found to be related to overweight in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes [OR: 2.5 (1.40-4.54), p = 0.002]. No statistical differences in physical activity were noted between the different intensified insulin regimens. Patients wearing insulin pumps were not less active. To increase physical activity to recommended level and limit TV viewing should be an important issue in education of all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, independent of insulin regimen.

Social Information Processing, Security of Attachment, and Emotion Regulation in Children With Learning Disabilities

This study examined the contribution of attachment security and emotion regulation (ER) to the explanation of social information processing (SIP) in middle childhood boys with learning disabilities (LD) and without LD matched on age and grade level. Children analyzed four social vignettes using Dodge's SIP model and completed the Kerns security scale and the children's self-control scale. Study results demonstrated major difficulties in SIP, lower attachment security, and less ER in children with LD compared to children without LD. Attachment as well as the interaction between attachment and ER emerged as important contributors to most SIP steps, suggesting that children with higher security who also have better ER skills will have better SIP capabilities along the different steps, beyond group inclusion. Results were discussed in terms of practical and clinical implications regarding the importance of mother-child attachment and ER skills for social cognitive capabilities in children with LD.

Gender‐medicine aspects in allergology

Despite the identical immunological mechanisms activating the release of mediators and consecutive symptoms in immediate-type allergy, there is still a clear clinical difference between female and male allergic patients. Even though the risk of being allergic is greater for boys in childhood, almost from adolescence onwards it seems to be a clear disadvantage to be a woman as far as atopic disorders are concerned. Asthma, food allergies and anaphylaxis are more frequently diagnosed in females. In turn, asthma and hay fever are associated with irregular menstruation. Pointing towards a role of sex hormones, an association of asthma and intake of contraceptives, and a risk for asthma exacerbations during pregnancy have been observed. Moreover, peri- and postmenopausal women were reported to increasingly suffer from asthma, wheeze and hay fever, being even enhanced by hormone replacement therapy. This may be on account of the recently identified oestradiol-receptor-dependent mast-cell activation. As a paradox of nature, women may even become hypersensitive against their own sex hormones, resulting in positive reactivity upon intradermal injection of oestrogen or progesterone. More importantly, this specific hypersensitivity is associated with recurrent miscarriages. Even though there is a striking gender-specific bias in IgE-mediated allergic diseases, public awareness of this fact still remains minimal today.

Is neighborhood context differently related to externalizing problems and delinquency for girls compared with boys?

Although a number of reviews of gender differences in conduct problems and delinquency exist, this paper fills a gap in reviewing neighborhood influences on gender differences in conduct problems and delinquency. These influences are known to be important for boys in childhood and adolescence, but cannot be assumed to be influential in the same manner for girls. The paper starts with several conceptualizations of the association between gender, neighborhoods and juvenile delinquency. It then addresses 4 key questions. Is residing in a disadvantaged neighborhood associated with problem behavior in girls? Are neighborhood effects independent of girls' age? Are girls in disadvantaged neighborhoods exposed to more risk factors than girls in advantaged neighborhoods? Can mediating risk factors explain gender differences in neighborhood effects on children's and adolescents' conduct problems and delinquent behavior? Answers to these questions are important to steer research and elucidate aspects of interventions that can be optimized for girls.

Feminine gender role behavior and academic achievement: Their relation in a community sample of middle childhood boys

Previous studies on the relationship between gender role behavior and academic achievement and/or cognitive abilities in boys have led to somewhat conflicting hypotheses. The present study extends these hypotheses to a broadly representative school-based sample of boys (ages 6–10 years) and asks whether feminine and/or masculine gender role behavior is associated with lower academic achievement in general as well as specifically in math, and whether these relationships increase with age. The parents of 333 boys (74% of the eligible sample) who attended one public school system in northern New Jersey agreed to participate. The survey included two psychometrically robust gender role behavior questionnaires as well as the Child Behavior Checklist, which contains a scale concerned with school achievement, all based on parental report. In addition, the results of the routinely school-administered California Achievement Tests were analyzed. The results only weakly and somewhat inconsistently supported the hypotheses. We conclude that variations of gender role behavior as seen in a school-based sample are only marginally correlated with school achievement. The correlation patterns vary with the aspect of gender role behavior—masculinity, femininity—under investigation and with age.

Multilocular cystic nephroma: a radiographic-pathologic correlation of 58 patients.

Clinical radiographic, and pathologic findings of multilocular cystic nephroma (MLCN) in 58 patients are presented. The lesion that affects predominantly boys in childhood and women in adulthood is usually solitary but rarely can be multiple, and it commonly occurs as an asymptomatic mass, occasionally with hematuria. Tumors may grow slowly over years or rapidly within months. A mass that is usually identified on plain radiographs occasionally has curvilinear calcification. Excretory urography and retrograde pyelography are helpful when pelvic herniation of the tumor is recognized, or when septae are noted with total body opacification. Angiography showed an avascular mass (six lesions), a hypovascular mass (14 lesions), or a hypervascular mass three lesions). Ultrasonography is helpful when multiple circumscribed sonolucent areas are identified. Similarly, a multilocular mass with septae is usually identified by computed tomography (six of seven cases). Our findings and a review of the literature indicate that this lesion is a neoplasm that can be strongly suspected preoperatively if pelvic herniation or a multilocular pattern is noted on imaging studies.