Young School-age Children Research Articles

The Neuropedagogical Aspects of Mental and Cognitive Activity in Younger School-Age Children

This article discusses theoretical angles of investigating the psychological development of younger school-age children and the examination of cognitive processes, due to the fact that each age group is associated with its own predominant activity. The leading activity is distinguished by the formation and alteration of other forms of activity, the restructuring of fundamental cognitive processes and personality development. It might not consume all of a child’s spare time, but it does affect his/her growth during that age. Engaging in learning activities is of paramount importance for young learners. Firstly, it establishes essential relationships between the child and society. Secondly, it serves as the groundwork for developing core personality traits and certain cognitive processes of younger school-age children. The level of success that students in this group attain will significantly determine their well-being and standing in the class. Ukrainian research has outlined various learning challenges commonly experienced by younger school-age children and the psychological factors behind them. Accordingly, learning challenges can be attributed to a lack of attention, inadequate short-term and long-term memory, visual reasoning, mental processes and general intelligence. However, not only children with learning difficulties require an individual approach. Considering the distinct cognitive mental processes of younger school-age children, teachers can create the most favourable conditions for their learning and growth. Therefore, this article aims to study the characteristics of cognitive mental processes in younger school-age children.

Risk factors of recurrent respiratory infections in early school-age children

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) annually rank first in the structure of infectious diseases both in Ukraine and worldwide. ARIs are the leading cause of disability and death in preschool children, and with recurrent episodes, they can impact the physical and psychological aspects of children's health, imposing a significant medical burden on families, healthcare systems, and society as a whole. Preventing recurrent respiratory infections (RRIs) can only be achieved through timely intervention in risk factors.Aim: to determine the influence of risk factors on the development of recurrent episodes of acute respiratory infections in children aged 5 to 7 years and to develop preventive measures for their control in primary healthcare settings.Materials and Methods. The authors retrospectively analyzed medical records of 342 children aged 5 to 7 years. The main group included children with RRIs (264), and the control group consisted of children with sporadic illness episodes (78). Results: the incidence of RRIs in children has two peaks at ages 3 and 6, which is likely associated with the commencement of attendance in childcare settings (kindergarten and school). Key prenatal and postnatal, clinical-anamnestic, and social risk factors that increase the likelihood of recurrent respiratory infections in younger school-age children were identified.Conclusions. factors significantly increasing the likelihood of developing RRIs in a child include: ARI episode within the first 6 months of life (OR = 22, 95% CI 11.6 - 41.7), previous pneumonia (OR = 12, 95% CI 3.7 - 40), and the presence of chronic infection foci in the form of tonsillitis (OR = 8.2, 95% CI 4.3 - 15.6), p=0.0001. Primary healthcare practitioners should follow strategies to modify these risk factors and not wait for further depletion of the child's adaptive potential (sanitation of chronic infection foci, promotion of breastfeeding, and tobacco cessation).

Do children’s family drawings reflect adaptation in early years of elementary school?

The first elementary school years involve diverse, simultaneous developmental requirements in various domains that influence children’s future adaptation. The literature in art therapy has shown that children’s family drawings could be a valuable tool for learning about children’s internal world and adaptation. Therefore, the current study used children’s family drawings to assess children’s adaptation. Using the Main and Kaplan (1986) coding system to classify attachment representations, it examined children’s adjustment with different attachment classifications derived from their family drawings in a sample of 136 Israeli triads composed of young elementary school children, their mothers, and their fathers. Each drawing was coded into one of four attachment classifications based on global scales and detailed markers, such as the completeness of figures, facial expression, size, and degree of movement. Children whose drawings represented secure attachment exhibited the highest psychosocial functioning. Children whose drawings were ambivalent and disorganized showed the most salient adjustment difficulties, while those classified as representing avoidant attachment functioned relatively well. These results add to the accumulated findings in this area, pointing to the potential value of using family drawings to assess young elementary school-age children’s adaptation.

An interdisciplinary intervention for children with complex health complaints; a feasibility study of selection criteria.

There is a need for re-designing the health service for children suffering from complex and compound health complaints. Based on a previous register study, we have developed criteria to select patients with complex health complaints eligible for an Intervention with an interdisciplinary professional team. The team consists of a pediatrician, a psychologist and a physiotherapist. To identify children with complex health complaints who would benefit from this intervention, we have selected a group of patients by using a set of criteria consisting of the following criteria: multi-referred young school age children referred to both mental health service and pediatric service. This study focuses on the feasibility of these criteria by measuring participation and compliance and by gathering feedback from the team members in the interdisciplinary team. Among 677 children aged 6-12 years referred to a regional hospital, we found 32 (5%) children eligible for the interdisciplinary Intervention according to the applied criteria. Only 6% of the invited parents declined to participate in the intervention. According to the interdisciplinary team, the intervention was found suitable for 88% of the children. The suggested criteria seemed feasible, in terms of identifying eligible patients for this interdisciplinary Intervention for children with complex health complaints. Retrospectively registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov, ID NCT04652154, on the 3rd of December 2020.

Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risks of central obesity and hypertension in young school-aged children: a large, population-based study

BackgroundPrevious studies examined the effects of breastfeeding on measured values of body circumferences or blood pressure during childhood. However, limited data are available for the association between child feeding and a specific disease diagnosed as central obesity or hypertension. Hence, we aimed to examine whether the type and duration of breastfeeding are associated with obesity/central obesity or hypertension in young school-aged children.MethodsWe matched the data obtained from a cross-sectional survey in 2019 with retrospective breastfeeding information recorded in the database. Heights, weights, waist circumferences, and blood pressures of 8480 children in first grade of primary schools in Shanghai, China were measured to diagnose obesity, central obesity, and hypertension. Data on child feeding was collected retrospectively from clinical records. Associations between the type/duration of breastfeeding and children’s measured values of body mass index, waist circumference, and blood pressure were analysed by linear regression. Associations between the type/duration of breastfeeding and risks of obesity, central obesity, and hypertension were analysed by generalised linear models.ResultsBreastfeeding duration was inversely associated with blood pressure values in children in the first grade. Each month’s increase in the duration of any breastfeeding was associated with a 0.07 mmHg decrease in systolic blood pressure (P < 0.01) and a 0.05 mmHg decrease in diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.01). Any breastfeeding > one month was associated with a reduced risk of hypertension (adjusted risk ratio 0.84; 95% CI 0.73, 0.96, P = 0.01). Exclusive breastfeeding > one month was associated with a reduced risk of central obesity (adjusted risk ratio 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.96, P = 0.02). Any breastfeeding > 12 months was linked with a lower risk of hypertension (adjusted risk ratio 0.83; 95% CI 0.70, 0.98, P = 0.03).ConclusionsLack of breastfeeding is associated with higher risks of central obesity and hypertension during middle childhood. As a potential component of the public health strategy to reduce population levels of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, breastfeeding could be a vital prevention strategy.

FOOTBALL AS A MEANS OF SOCIAL EDUCATION OF CHILDREN USING BELBIN’S THEORY OF TEAM ROLES

In the modern world, such a concept as a project team is of a great importance, it helps team members to interact with colleagues to achieve team goals. The article refers to the problem of introducing team roles since childhood and preparing children for socialization in society. The study of researches in the sphere of management of project teams, taking into account the team roles, shows the lack of that approach among younger school age children’s groups. In the work, on the basis of generalization and analysis of literature review sources, the applied value of the theory of command roles by R. M. Belbin in various fields of education is substantiated, including for solving educational and upbringing problems of children. At the same time, football and its training process are considered as a social institution of children's activity, where the training process is organized with the help of role-playing games, taking into account the rules of the game. The results of the study confirmed the need of designing and investing a team role model, according to the concept of R.M. Belbin focused on thinking, action and society (people), as a means of social education of children.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on the physique of school-age children in Japan.

Schools in Japan were closed nationwide from March to May 2020 because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Many suspect that this school closure affected children's mental and physical health. We investigated changes in school-age children's physiques to determine the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions on their health. Data were extracted from a database of school physical examinations in Osaka elementary and junior high schools for 4 consecutive years from 2018 to 2021. The following characteristics were analyzed: short stature, tall stature, underweight, mild obesity, middle grade obesity, and severe obesity. The paired Student t-test was used to compare school examination data in the prepandemic period (2018-2019), pandemic lockdown (2019-2020), and post-lockdown period (2020-2021). Obesity rates in elementary school students aged 6-12 years, particularly in boys, were significantly higher during the lockdown than they were in 2019. After the pandemic, the tall stature rate continued to rise, while rates of short stature and underweight decreased in both sexes in 2020. In junior high school students aged 12-15 years, rates of obesity and underweight tended to decrease in 2020. However, these rates rebounded and rose in 2021 when the lockdown was lifted. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, elementary school students gained weight, while junior high school students lost weight. The lockdown that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic had an unfavorable effect on weight gain, particularly in young school-age children.

Peculiarities of the Manifestation of Psychotrauma in Younger School Age Children in Military Conditions

The article highlights an urgent problem faced by children of primary school age (the second period of childhood) - the experiences of war psychotrauma. The concept of trauma, psychotrauma in medical and psychological aspects is considered, the differences and similarities of these concepts are determined in the article. Examples of both foreign and domestic scientists are given regarding the specifics of experiencing psychotraumatic situations concerning primary school age, attention is focused on the impact of psychotrauma on the individual development of a growing personality. The article provides indicative methods and stages of a psychologist's work with younger schoolchildren with the focus on the practical component.

Predictors for Peer Relationships among Children and Adolescents in the Ecological System Perspective: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis

This study examined four ecological systems, namely individual, family, school, and media environments. A series of moderator analyses were conducted to examine variations in effect size estimates across the study characteristics. The current study estimated that the effect size results were gleaned from 360 primary studies, including 90 journal articles and 270 thesis/dissertations, published between 2011 and 2022. The current meta-analysis results supported the ecological framework. That is, the impact of each ecological system on the development of positive and negative peer relationships varies depending on age groups and protective-risk factors. Specifically, for positive peer relationships, the largest effect size of the protective factor was found at the individual level for young and school- aged children, but at the school level for adolescents. Regarding the risk factors for positive peer relationships, the media was the ecological system with the strongest effect size for both young children and adolescents, while the individual-level demonstrating the strongest effect for school-aged children. Results from this meta-analysis allow us to identify some vital intervention areas in terms of healthy peer-relationship development, which should be of considerable interest to the educators and policymakers who are responsible for assessing and intervening with at-risk young children, school-aged children, and adolescents. From a practical standpoint, the current meta-analysis results are expected to contribute to developing effective prevention initiatives by targeting specific protective and risk factors for peer relationship development on the ecological system level.

Early temperament and physical health in school-age children: Applying a short temperament measure in a population-based cohort.

Temperament has drawn considerable attention in the understanding of behavioural problems and psychopathology across developmental stages. However, less of a focus has been placed on the role of temperament in physical aspects of health. We aimed to examine the relations between early temperament traits and physical health in school-age children. This study used longitudinal data of 18,994 children (52.4% boys) born in 2005 from the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study, in which follow-up surveys were conducted via face-to-face interviews with the child's caregiver. Temperament at 5.5 years of age was assessed using a nine-item measure, and two higher-order temperament traits, surgency and regulation, were derived through confirmatory factor analysis. Physical health outcomes at age 8 included caregiver-rated general health status and medically attended injuries. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied, with the child's birth outcome, early health status or injury history, health behaviours and family socioeconomic status as control variables. The results indicated that higher levels of surgency and regulation, as early temperament traits, significantly predicted lower odds of caregiver-rated poor health in later years. Higher level of regulation was also associated with lower odds of injury risk. Our findings suggest that assessing early temperament traits could be useful for the promotion and management of physical health in young school-age children.

Methodological and organizational features of teaching swimming to children of younger school age

The article examines the peculiarities of teaching swimming skills to children of primary school age. An important condition for successfully teaching children to swim is the sequence of learning movements: from simple movement on the bottom to learning certain swimming movements (sliding, swimming with a board in hands or in an easy way, etc.), because this is the key to mastering more complex swimming techniques from diving up to the waist to full execution exercises at a greater depth. Purpose: determination of methodical and organizational features of swimming training for children of primary school age. Methods of work: theoretical research methods were used in the work: analysis, comparison, induction, deduction, systematization, and generalization of scientific and methodical literature. Results: because of the conducted research, the general didactic and organizational principles of building classes during initial swimming training were clarified. It has been established that the conscious and active attitude of children to exercises and games in the water is of good importance for achieving positive results in learning to swim, because understanding the meaning of the tasks stimulates interested and active performance of them, contributes to the gradual assimilation and awareness of the exercises. The basis for mastering swimming skills by children aged 7-9 is the formation of stable neuro-coordinative connections that arise as a result of repeated exercises for sliding in a horizontal streamlined body position with further coordination of technical elements and breathing. Conclusions: Despite the availability of publications on the methods of teaching swimming, questions regarding the regulation of physical load during the use of the game method in the pool are practically not disclosed, which complicates its application in classes and requires further study.

Reactivity of the autonomic nervous system in children of younger school age with mental retardation

Introduction. The functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to some extent affects various aspects of human health and general well-being. One of the main ANS functions is to ensure adaptation to the factors of the external and internal environment, carried out by the coordinated activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic links. Determining the predominant type of ANS reactivity according to the characteristics of the heart rhythm makes it possible to predict the adaptive capabilities of the child’s body in the learning process in a personalized way. &#x0D; The aim of the study was to study the trend in heart rate variability in children with special health conditions associated with disorders of the intellectual development, which characterizes the implementation of mechanisms for adapting the body to the conditions of schooling.&#x0D; Materials and methods. We examined one hundred sixty eight 7–11 years children of primary school age, including 54 children with special health abilities (SHA) (F70, F71), and 114 mentally healthy children. The study of heart rate variability was carried out using the hardware-software complex “ORTO Valeo”. There was analyzed TP, HF, LF, VLF, LF / HF; RMSSD, SDNN, Mo, AMo, ΔX, IN, AMo / Mo, Amo / ΔX; type of vegetative regulation.&#x0D; Results. In SHA children of primary school age, the LF, VLF, LF / HF indices are increased and HF is decreased relative to the control group, which indicates the predominance of the sympathetic link of the autonomic nervous system over the parasympathetic. When analyzing the spectral components in SHA children of primary school age, VLF (40.6%) and low HF (19.6%) dominate. According to the types of autonomic regulation in SHA children, the following ratio was found 50: 4: 33: 13, the central type of cardiac regulation dominates (type I).&#x0D; Limitations. The limitation of the study is due to the specifics of the individuals in the observation group – children of primary school age (7–11 years) with special health opportunities associated with mental retardation.&#x0D; Conclusion. SHA children of primary school age have high activity of sympathetic modulation, reduced resistance to stress, high tension of adaptive responses with the dominance of the central type of regulation of the cardiac activity. The revealed imbalance of the parameters of autonomic regulation in SHA children without corrective measures (including correction of physical status, psychoemotional and educational loads) threatens the development of a breakdown of adaptive responses to the effects of various internal and external factors, contributing to asthenization of regulatory systems.

Resting-State Activity in Children: Replicating and Extending Findings of Early Maturation of Alpha Rhythms in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Resting-state alpha brain rhythms provide a foundation for basic as well as higher-order brain processes. Research suggests atypical maturation of the peak frequency of resting-state alpha activity (= PAF) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study examined resting-state alpha activity in young school-aged children, obtaining magnetoencephalographic (MEG) eyes-closed resting-state data from 47 typically developing (TD) males and 45 ASD males 6.0 to 9.3 years old. Results confirmed a higher PAF in ASD versus TD, and demonstrated that alpha power differences between groups were linked to the shift of PAF in ASD. Additionally, a higher PAF was associated with better cognitive performance in TD but not ASD. Finding thus suggested functional consequences of group differences in resting-state alpha activity.

Are Different Aged Youth Skiers and Snowboarders Experiencing Different Injury Characteristics?

Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter sports with significant youth participation and inherent potential for injury. We investigated the relationship between age and injury characteristics exhibited by youth skiers and snowboarders. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated injury characteristics among youth skiers and snowboarders at a ski resort, examining the association between age and injury type. We compared injury characteristics among young children (aged 3-6 y), school-aged children (aged 7-14 y), and older adolescents (aged 15-17 y) using χ2, and examined predictive variables for injuries at different anatomical locations using logistic regression. Compared with snowboarding, skiing was associated with greater odds of lower extremity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=6.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.89, 9.47, P<0.001) and head/face/neck (aOR=1.63, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.21, P=0.002) injuries. Compared with skiing, snowboarding was associated with greater odds of upper extremity injury (aOR=5.9, 95% CI: 4.6, 7.6, P<0.001). Age group significantly affected injury mechanism (χ2 [df=12, n=1129]=42.882, P<0.0001) and diagnosis (χ2 [df=12, n=1129]=43.093, P<0.0001). Young child skiers had the highest proportion of injuries to the head/neck/face and lower extremities and a significantly higher proportion of collision injuries and fractures than older skiers. Young child skiers most frequently injured the lower leg/ankle, while older skiers most frequently injured the knee. Youth skiers exhibited predominately lower extremity injuries, while snowboarders exhibited predominately upper extremity injuries. Age significantly affected injury mechanism and injury diagnosis in youth skiers. Specifically, younger skiers tended to suffer more fractures and collision injuries than older youth skiers.

Retention Process of Gymnastics Skills in Young School-Aged Children

The assessment of the level of motor skills in the retention phase is done to determine the impact of the process of motor learning on the process of memorization, and thus on the automation of motor skills. This study aimed at determining the differences in the levels of some gymnastics skills in retention points after different retention intervals. The sample of respondents consisted of a total of 56 first-grade pupils (6.5 years±6 months). The sample of variables consisted of 12 simpler gymnastics skills that were assessed by three independent judges on a 5-point Likert scale. After an experimental gymnastics treatment lasting for 9 months, the subjects were tested two months, and four years post treatment. Trends in the quality of skills retention can be organized into several groups: the first group of skills did not show the differences between different measurement points; however, in the second group, a significant deterioration in performance between measurement points was noted. The third group of skills, structurally the most complex one, showed the differences only after 4 years of the retention period. It can be concluded that no link between the skills has been established, which would precisely define the causes of different trends regarding the decrease in the level of skills. Namely, for some skills, a retention period of two months was sufficient to determine the actual level of acquisition, while some skills required a significantly longer time, in our case 4 years, to determine the actual level of their acquisition.

Factors driving underweight, wasting, and stunting among urban school aged children: Evidence from Merawi town, Northwest Ethiopia.

Prior research identified malnutrition as one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among children globally. Furthermore, research revealed that over two thirds of deaths associated with inappropriate feeding practices occurred during the early years of life. Improper feeding practices impact a child's health in many different ways. However, research on the possible factors driving underweight, wasting, and stunting among school aged children in developing countries is limited, hence warrant further attention. Against this backdrop, this research strives to identify and assess the determinants of underweight, wasting and stunting among school aged children of a developing country-Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 1, 2018 to June 15, 2018 in Merawi town, Ethiopia. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 422 children. Binary logistic regression technique was performed to examine the effect of each selected variable on the outcome measure. The prevalence of being underweight, wasting and stunting was found to be 5.7%, 9.8%, 10.4%, respectively. The age of the child [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 12.930 (2.350, 71.157)] and the number of children [AOR = 8.155 (1.312, 50.677)] were emerged as the key determinants for underweight, and the gender of the child was significantly associated with wasting [AOR = 0.455 (0.224, 0.927)]. Finally, the age of the child [AOR = 12.369 (2.522, 60.656)] was found to predict the risk of stunting. This study revealed the age, number of children and gender of the child to have a significant association with malnutrition. The findings of this research suggest that in improving the feeding practices of young school-aged children, special attention should be paid to female children and those coming from relatively large families.

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Presenting as a Lesser Trochanter Fracture in an Adolescent: A Case Report.

We present the case of an 18-year-old man with right hip pain who was found to have a lytic lesion of the lesser trochanter of the right femur with cortical destruction and a lytic lesion of the left inferior pubic ramus. Additional imaging and pathology testing confirmed a diagnosis of multifocal, single-system Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) of the bone. LCH is a rare pediatric disease most commonly diagnosed in toddlers and young school-age children. Its epidemiologic characteristics are poorly described for young adults and older adolescents, in whom clinical suspicion should be maintained when evaluating multifocal osseous lesions.

Effect of a vestibular-stimulating training program on motor skills in conjunction with cognitive aptitude of young school-aged children

IntroductionThe current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the Minds-in-Motion Maze program on motor and cognitive abilities in school-aged children.MethodsThe experimental design used was a randomised controlled trial. Participants, belonging to a public primary school, were 100 young children (50% boys) ranging from 6.00 to 8.50 years old (7.32 ± 0.82 years in average). They were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (50 subjects/each), and two dropped out from each group. While the control group received unstructured physical activity, the children in the experimental group engaged in the Minds-in- Motion Maze vestibular stimulation program (24 weeks of a 30-minute structured PA on a daily basis). A pre- and post-test were conducted to evaluate the performance in motor skills and cognitive ability using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor ProficiencyTM Second Edition, complete form and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition.ResultsThe analysed data indicated that engaging in Minds-in-Motion Maze activities positively influenced the motor and cognitive abilities among the children. The between-group analysis exhibited strong significant improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group (p &amp;lt; 0.05), which did not show significant development. Boys outperformed girls on most tests, notably as age increased. The within-groups analysis (experimental group) demonstrated significant differences in the post-intervention gains of all motor and cognitive parameters (p &amp;lt; 0.05).ConclusionsTaken together, the current results reinforce causal evidence for the effects of Minds- in-Motion Maze based physical activity on improving both motor skills and cognitive aptitude in school-aged children.

Reception of Prosocial Literary Role Models by Children of Younger School Age

The aim of the study is to clarify how a younger school-aged child perceives literary heroes who represent prosocial literary role models, and thus provide evidence for the positive trace of prosocial literary role models in the (prosocial) development of the child reader. The research was conducted on a sample of 24 participants (average age 9.04 years) using research methods such as product content analysis, projective interview and writing techniques. Empirical research gave a positive clue, which the specific literary text with the prosocial literary role model “printed” into the notion of prosociality in the child. The prosocial literary role model may perhaps therefore be used in education as an effective tool in the (prosocial) upbringing of the child of younger school age.

The latest children’s literature in the context of developing ecological awareness

Treating the problem of climate security as particularly important in the education of children, in the article I present an analysis and interpretation of seventy books that appeared in the last decade of the 21st century on the Polish publishing market. In my opinion, these books can be described as particularly sensitive to the ecological condition of the contemporary world and humanity. Following the ideas of ecological humanities and numerous narratives about the Anthropocene, I divided the analysed books into seven thematic groups. As a result, I propose my own “Ekobiblioteczka” [en. “Ecolibrary”], which should be of interest to librarians in the first place. I consider it particularly helpful for parents, teachers, guardians and educators in the difficult and complex process of supporting the shaping of ecological awareness in younger school-age children. I pay attention to the value of the books indicated therein in terms of the child’s relationship with the natural environment. The above project is aimed at preparing future generations for conscious, creative and active participation in activities aimed at stopping the destruction of the natural environment, facilitating the transmission of the content of selected literary proposals for family and school education.