Child Age Research Articles

Hubungan ASI eksklusif dengan kejadian stunting pada balita 6-24 bulan pada tiga kecamatan kasus tertinggi stunting di Kabupaten Jeneponto, Sulawesi Selatan

Background: Stunting is a major issue with toddlers' eating habits, which are frequently linked to malnutrition during these crucial early years of development. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stunting as a developmental failure characterized by a body length deficit about age, specifically a z-score of less than -2. A persistent problem with public health in some communities is the high rate of stunting. A few elements add to hindering, with selective breastfeeding being a basic determinant. Hindering, or weakened direct development, is a typical wholesome issue among babies that influences long-haul well-being, mental turn of events, and future efficiency. This study looks to evaluate whether selective breastfeeding is a gamble factor for hindering kids between the ages of 6 and two years in the Jeneponto region. Methods: An observational research design with a case-control approach was used. Children aged 6 to 24 months who were recorded in the posyandu (community health post) toddler register across three sub-districts—West Bangkala, Bontoramba, and Rumbia—were chosen for their high stunting rates. Findings: The review uncovered that 39.67% of kids were solely breastfed, while 60.33% were not. Bivariate examination demonstrated a remarkable connection between restrictive breastfeeding and hindering in this age bunch (p = 0.03; OR = 1.74), recommending that non-only breastfed youngsters had a 1.74 times higher gamble of hindering contrasted with the people who were solely breastfed. In any case, multivariate examination, which represented factors, for example, kid age, birth weight, mother's level, and breastfeeding status, uncovered that the connection between restrictive breastfeeding and hindering was as of now not huge (p = 0.49; OR = 1.23). This suggests that when these extra factors are thought of, the gamble of hindering non-solely breastfed youngsters was just 1.23 times higher than in only breastfed kids, a distinction not measurably huge. Conclusion: Although the initial data indicate that not exclusively breastfeeding increases the risk of stunting by 74%, this risk is reduced when other factors like maternal height, child age, birth weight, and overall breastfeeding status are taken into consideration. This demonstrates the complexity of stunting and the need for comprehensive interventions that address breastfeeding practices as well as broader factors affecting the health of mothers and children.

A Hypothesis-Free Approach to Identifying Potential Effects of Relative Age in School Year: an Instrumental Variable Phenome-Wide Association Study in the UK Biobank.

A child's relative age within their school year ('relative age') is associated with educational attainment and mental health. However, hypothesis driven studies often re-examine the same outcomes and exposure, potentially leading to confirmation and reporting biases, and missing unknown effects. Hypothesis-free outcome-wide analyses can potentially overcome these limitations. We conducted a hypothesis-free investigation of the effects of relative age within school year. We used an instrumental variable (IV)-pheWAS in the UK Biobank (participants aged 40-69 years at baseline), using the PHESANT software package. We created two IVs for relative age: being born in September vs. August (n=64 075) and week of birth (n=383 309). Outcomes passing the Bonferroni-corrected P value threshold for either instrument were plotted to identify a discontinuity at the school year transition. 13 traits associated with at least one of the instruments showed a discontinuity. Previously identified effects included those with a younger relative age being less likely to have educational qualifications and more likely to have started smoking at a younger age. We detected a few associations not explored by previous studies. For example, those with younger relative age had better lung function as adults. Hypothesis-free approaches could help address confirmation and reporting biases in epidemiology.

Health-related quality of life in 153 children with neuromuscular disorders in Latin America: is it age, functional dependence or diagnosis?

Neuromuscular diseases impact on children's health related quality of life but there is a lack of studies in Latin America that measured this construct. To respond to this need, this study aimed to explore quality of life and its relationship with age, functional dependence and specific diagnosis in children and adolescents in Latin America. A cross-sectional correlation study was carried out with 133 caregivers on children (2–18 years old) with various neuromuscular disorders. Parents reported on their children's health related quality of life through the PedsQL GCS and the PedsQL NMM. Differences in quality of life were found when comparing children with high functional dependence with those with mild dependence (p = 0.05). No significant differences were found regarding the child diagnosis. Finally, quality of life was highly correlated with the child's age, even when controlling for functional dependence differences between ages. Children and adolescents with neuromuscular show a diminished health related quality of life, not only in physical functioning but in their psychosocial functioning. Health related quality of life may vary according to the child's age and functional dependence.

Assessment of prevalence and epidemiological determinants of undernutrition in children of 6-60 months of the age in an urban slum of Mumbai, India

Background: In urban slums, several socio-demographic factors contribute for the occurrence of undernutrition in children of 6-60 months of the age, this study aims at Assessment of prevalence of undernutrition in children of 6-60 months of the age in an urban slum of Mumbai and to study associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Urban Slum which is a field practice area of institution. Children of 6-60 months of the age were included in the study and information was gathered by interviewing parents/caretakers and anthropometric measurement of all children confirming to the inclusion criteria were recorded. Data was analysed with SPSS v.22.0 with suitable tests. Results: Prevalence of undernutrition was found 50.6%, more per cent of undernutrition was found in 25-60 months age 100 (54.1%), 90 (53.3%) girls, 132 (51%) nuclear family dwellers, in 43 (64.2%) children whose mothers got married <18 years age. 88 (71.5%) children with undernutrition belonged to Class IV, (B.G Prasad classification), statistically significant association of undernutrition was found with the factors age of child, mother’s education, birth order, birth weight, immunisation status, mother’s age at marriage, exclusive breast feeding, history of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and diarrhoea, and socio-economic status. Conclusions: Study found certain socio-demographic factors like age, gender and birth order of child, type of family, age of mother during marriage and her literacy level, exclusive breast feeding, immunisation and frequency of ARI and diarrhoea associated with undernutrition.

Parental and child's psychosocial and financial burden living with an inherited metabolic disease identified by newborn screening.

Newborn screening (NBS) is one of the most effective measures of secondary prevention. While the benefit of NBS on the clinical long-term outcomes of children with inherited metabolic diseases (IMD) has been demonstrated, the potential burden of families living with an early diagnosed and treated child with an IMD has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this longitudinal questionnaire-based study on 369 families living with a child with an IMD was to investigate the psychosocial and financial burden following a true-positive NBS. The reported psychosocial burden differed between children and their parents, and was associated with the child's age, diagnosis, and treatment. At younger ages, parent-reported burden was higher for the parents than for the individual child, while it increased for children and decreased for parents as the child grew older. Furthermore, psychosocial burden increased if the child required a strict dietary treatment and was at risk of metabolic decompensation. Regardless of diagnosis and treatment, the developmental delay of their child independently increased the parental psychosocial burden. Financial burden was reported by 24% of all families, and was higher in low-income families and in families whose children required dietary treatment. In conclusion, a substantial psychosocial and financial burden was revealed for children and their families after true-positive NBS. Since this burden is likely to have a negative impact on the long-term individual health benefits of NBS, this study underlines the importance of regularly assessing the psychosocial and financial needs of these families.

Edukasi Pedoman Makan “Isi Piringku” untuk Gizi Seimbang pada Balita

Toddlers are very vulnerable to nutritional problems. Malnutrition or stunting in Banten in 2022 is 20%, not yet reaching the 2024 RPJMN target of 14%. One way to prevent malnutrition for toddlers is by increasing the knowledge of mothers or caregivers regarding balanced nutrition and eating guidelines. The aim of this community service is expected to provide education to mothers in providing food to toddlers with balanced nutrition in each portion of their meal. This community service method is through outreach by delivering material and direct interaction, using leaflets, posters and flip sheets. The activity was carried out at Posyandu Anggrek 2 in the Cipondoh Tangerang Community Health Center Working Area for 21 mothers who had toddlers. The results show that the majority of mothers of toddlers have attended nutritional guideline education but still need ongoing information to optimize the provision of balanced nutrition to their toddlers. Education is emphasized on the menu for each item on my plate according to the child's age. After the education was carried out, the knowledge of mothers of toddlers increased, marked by the ability to answer post-counseling evaluation questions

Effect of a behavior change and hardware intervention on safe child feces management practices in rural Odisha, India: a cluster-randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPoor child feces management contributes to enteropathogen exposure and, consequently, is associated with diarrheal disease and negative impacts on child growth. Despite high latrine coverage, only 37% of Indian households safely dispose of their child’s feces into a latrine or have the child use the latrine, with the lowest rate in the state of Odisha at 12%. We evaluated a behavior change and hardware intervention designed to improve caregiver safe disposal of child feces and child latrine use.MethodsWe conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial among 74 villages in rural Odisha, India. Eligible villages previously participated in a water and sanitation infrastructure program. Following a baseline survey, half the villages were assigned to intervention and half to control. Caregivers of children < 5 years old from households with a latrine were eligible to participate. The intervention included five behavior change activities. Hardware was provided at the first activity, based on child age, to aid safe disposal and latrine training (wash basin and bucket with lid for children < 7 months old; latrine training mat platform with removable tray for children 7 to 48 months old). The primary outcome was caregiver reported ‘safe disposal’ as defined by the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) which encompasses two behaviors: caregiver disposal of child’s feces into a latrine and child latrine use. Safe disposal was measured four to six months after intervention delivery (endline).ResultsEndline analysis included 665 intervention caregivers (840 children) and 634 control caregivers (785 children). Prevalence of JMP-defined safe disposal was 1.16 times greater in the intervention arm compared to control (77.7% vs. 65.9%; prevalence ratio [PR] 1.16, 95% CI 1.04–1.29), with higher prevalence of caregiver safe disposal (18.6% vs. 13.6%; PR 1.46, 95% CI 1.12–1.92) but no significant difference in child latrine use (59.0% vs. 52.2%; PR 1.06, 95% CI 0.95–1.18). When restricted to children < 3 years old, JMP-defined safe disposal was 1.42 times greater (67.5% vs. 46.7%; PR 1.42 95% CI 1.21–1.67) with higher prevalence of both caregiver safe disposal (34.6% vs. 25.7%; PR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11–1.86) and child latrine use (32.9% vs. 20.9%; PR 1.41, 95% CI 1.08–1.83).ConclusionsThe intervention increased JMP-defined safe disposal, with substantial improvements in both caregiver safe disposal and child latrine use among children < 3 years old. While future research is needed to demonstrate sustainability of these effects, our results suggest a potentially scalable intervention for improving child feces disposal and reducing disease.Trial registrationThis trial was retrospectively registered at ISRCTN15831099 on 18/02/2020, which was approximately two months after the first participant was recruited for the baseline survey on 02/12/2019.

Do Parental and Children’s Dental Anxiety Affect Childhood Dental Caries?

Background: Dental anxiety is an unpleasant reaction to fear or stress related to the dental environment and can be observed in both parents and children as dental patients. Despite several studies challenging the significance of parental anxiety in influencing a child's response to dental treatment, conflicting results have emerged regarding the impact of both parental and children's anxiety on the development of dental caries. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the association between parental and children's dental anxiety and the occurrence of dental caries in children. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 7 - 12-year-old students and their parents in schools of Rasht, Iran, utilized the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) for parents and the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDAS) questionnaire for children. Participants were chosen through a multistage sampling process. A trained dentist assessed children's dental caries using the DMFT/dmft (decayed, missing, and filled teeth) Index. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test and linear regression. Results: The study included 275 parents and an equal number of children, with a mean child age of 9.32 ± 1.85 years. The findings indicated a significant relationship between maternal dental anxiety and DMFT + dmft scores in boys (P = 0.049). The study revealed that the number of teeth with caries experience (P = 0.023), child's sex (P = 0.007), history of dental clinic visits (P = 0.045), and maternal dental anxiety (P = 0.043) significantly influenced the child's dental anxiety. Conclusions: Children with anxious parents showed lower DMFT/dmft values, suggesting increased attention to their dental health. The study highlights the impact of parental dental anxiety on children's oral well-being and emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies to address dental anxiety in both parents and children.

Pharmacotherapy Study Of Albendazole And Mebendazole For Soil Transmitted Helminths Infections In Children

Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) infection is a nematode infection of the intestine that requires soil for its transmission. The worms that cause Soil Transmitted Helminths infection include; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. The incidence of STH infection is quite high with the highest spread of STH infection in the child age group. Treatment of cases of STH infection is by administering antihelmintic drugs or worming drugs. Although there are four The drugs recommended by WHO, only the two drugs most often used in the treatment of STH infections, namely albendazole and mebendazole. Both drugs have been used for more than 30 years, but cases of STH infection still have a high incidence. That is why this literature review was written aims to describe the efficacy of the two drugs for STH infection in children so that their effectiveness can be assessed.The research method used was a literature review, a literature search was sourced from Proquest, Google scholar, Pubmed, Elsevier and Europe PMC. keywords Albendazole, Mebendazole, Soil Transmitted Helminths Infections, Children. There are 10 selected literatures to be studied in this literature review. The results showed that albendazole had satisfactory efficacy in STH infections caused by Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworms, but reduced efficacy in Trichuris trichiura worms. Mebendazole has satisfactory efficacy in STH infections caused by Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, but reduced efficacy in hookworms. Albendazole and mebendazole does not cause side effects.

Protocol of the Nutritional, Psychosocial, and Environmental Determinants of Neurodevelopment and Child Mental Health (COINCIDE) study

Background Over 250 million children are developing sub-optimally due to their exposure to early life adversities. While previous studies have examined the independent effects of nutritional status, psychosocial adversities, and environmental pollutants on children’s outcomes, little is known about their interaction and cumulative effects. Objectives This study aims to investigate the independent, interaction, and cumulative effects of nutritional, psychosocial, and environmental factors on children’s cognitive development and mental health in urban and rural India. It also seeks to explain pathways leading to inequities in child development outcomes at the individual, household, and neighbourhood levels. Methods A mixed-methods prospective cohort study will be conducted on 1600 caregiver-child dyads (child age 3–9 years) in urban and rural India. Nutritional status, psychosocial adversities, environmental pollutants, and child mental health outcomes will be assessed using parent-report questionnaires. Performance-based measures will be used to assess cognitive outcomes. Venous blood and urine samples will be used to measure nutritional and pesticide biomarkers in 500 children. Indoor air pollution will be monitored in 200 households twice, during two seasons. Multilevel regression, weighted quantile sum regression, and Bayesian kernel machine regression will assess the individual and combined effects of exposures on child outcomes. Thematic analysis of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions will explore pathways to early childhood development inequities. Discussion The data will be used to formulate a Theory of Change (ToC) to explain the biological, psychosocial, and environmental origins of children’s cognitive and mental health outcomes across the first decade of life in diverse Indian settings, which will then inform context-specific intervention targets for promoting children’s outcomes beyond the first 1000 days, potentially generalizable to similar under-resourced global settings. The COINCIDE research infrastructure will comprise a valuable global health resource, including prospective cohort data, validated study tools, and stored biological and environmental samples for future studies.

Family Coping With COVID-19: Unexpected Parental Loss and Surviving Parent Coping, Grief and Posttraumatic Growth Outcomes Based on Child Age.

Guided by the conceptual framework of widowed parenting, the current study takes a relational approach to understand more about how the characteristics of parents of young and adult children relate to coping following the unexpected death of a partner due to COVID-19, and how these variables predict complicated grief and posttraumatic growth. A sample of 81 widowed parents completed self-report measures examining parenting self-efficacy, relationship uncertainty, coping, complicated grief, and posttraumatic growth. Results of hierarchical regression analyses suggest that, when controlling for time since death (1) relationship uncertainty and avoidant coping significantly predict complicated grief for parents in the sample with adult children, and (2) widowed parenting self-efficacy and both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping significantly predict posttraumatic growth for parents in the sample with young children. Results of the current study may inform future practices (e.g., use of Emotionally Focused Family Therapy) to aid families grieving an unexpected loss.

Vitamin D status in pregnancy and cord blood is associated with symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder at age 5 years: Results from Odense Child Cohort.

Vitamin D status in pregnancy may affect offspring neurodevelopment. The objective was to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in cord blood and pregnancy and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in 5-year-old offspring. In Odense Child Cohort, Denmark, 944 mother-child pairs had data on pregnancy or cord serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parent-rated attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score by Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5-5 years. Adjusted multiple linear regression and two-stage exposure analyses were performed for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D associations to the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score. The mean (standard deviation) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in cord blood was 48.0 (21.8) nmol/L; early pregnancy was 65.5 (20.2) nmol/L and late pregnancy was 79.3 (25.7) nmol/L. The median (interquartile range) age of child at examination was 5.2 (5.1-5.4) years and median (interquartile range) attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score was 2 (0-3) points. In adjusted analyses, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D of <25 nmol/L and <32 nmol/L in cord blood and <25 nmol/L in early pregnancy was associated with 0.9 [95% confidence interval: 0.4, 1.3], 0.5 [0.1, 0.9] and 2.1 [0.8, 3.4] points higher attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score vs reference. In the two-stage exposure analysis, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score decreased by 0.4 points per 25 nmol/L increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Moreover, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D of <25 nmol/L in early pregnancy and cord was associated with a five-fold and a two-fold risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score ⩾90th percentile, adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 4.9 [1.3, 19.0] and 2.2 [1.2, 3.9]. In this cohort, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <25 nmol/L in cord blood and early pregnancy were risk factors for higher attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom score in 5-year-old children, suggesting a protective effect of vitamin D on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder traits at preschool age.

The Relation between Parental Locus of Control and Willingness to Implement Parent Management Training Strategies.

In child disruptive behavior treatment, successful parent management training (PMT) outcomes are dependent on parents' use of strategies outside of sessions. This study aimed to identify the influence of parental locus of control (PLOC) on a key treatment acceptability variable: parents' willingness to implement PMT strategies. We sought to investigate this relationship for individual strategies within PMT, given the composite nature of the intervention. In this study, 109 parents of children (ages 2-12) with disruptive behavior watched brief videos detailing three proactive PMT strategies (child-directed interaction, effective commands, positive attention) and three reactive PMT strategies (ignoring, time out, and removal of privileges) and rated their willingness to implement each strategy. Internal PLOC predicted greater overall willingness to use PMT strategies, above and beyond the influence of child age, child gender, and disruptive behavior severity. Notably, the relationship between willingness and PLOC differed across individual strategies. PLOC predicted willingness to implement proactive PMT strategies to a greater degree than willingness to implement reactive strategies. External PLOC may be a greater barrier to use of proactive strategies because of these strategies' misalignment with external PLOC-related beliefs. Results have implications for the personalization of PMT based on parent cognitions, as well as for the separate analysis of individual components of PMT in future research.

The Early Pretending Survey (EPS): A reliable parent-report measure of pretense type development for 4- to 47-month-olds

We present a new 18-item parent-report measure of pretense development for 4- to 47-month-olds: the Early Pretending Survey (EPS). Study 1 (N = 231) demonstrated good internal reliability, and a strongly correlated 2-factor structure for 4- to 47-month-olds. Study 2 (N = 587) also showed good internal reliability, and found the two factors loaded onto a latent second-order Pretend Play factor. Study 3 (N = 84) found the EPS correlated with a researcher-led pretense experiment, however it no longer correlated when controlling for age. Additional analyses using subsamples of parents from Studies 2 and 3 showed good inter-observer reliability between parents (N = 29), and good longitudinal stability after 6 months (N = 196). Additional analyses combining Study 1–3 participants (N ≤ 902) found no item functioning differences across demographic variables, including child age, country, and socio-economic factors. Children’s EPS scores increased as they aged; girls had higher scores than boys; and children of younger parents had higher scores. Finally, we examined the age patterns of each EPS item, demonstrating when 25 %, 50 %, and 75 % of children were predicted to pass each pretense type. The EPS is useful for researchers to better understand how pretending relates to other areas of development (e.g., cognition, language). The EPS could also help parents, early years educators, and children’s media professionals decide which pretense types to use with children of different ages.

Evaluating Stuttering Self-Stigma and Its Relationship to Adverse Impact in Children and Adolescents With the Child Stuttering Self-Stigma Scale.

Self-stigma occurs when a person internalizes and applies stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination to themselves. For adults who stutter, self-stigma is linked to negative outcomes and reduced quality of life. The development of self-stigma in people who stutter is not well understood. The aim of this study is to evaluate stuttering self-stigma in school-age children and adolescents and explore potential relationships to stuttering's overall adverse impact. One hundred one children and adolescents who stutter, aged 10-18 years, completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering (OASES), a measure of adverse impact related to stuttering, and the Childhood Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale (Child 4S), our novel adapted version of the Self-Stigma of Stuttering Scale (4S) created for this study. The Child 4S comprises three subscales measuring three stages of self-stigma: Awareness, Agreement, and Application. Each stage was evaluated for relationships with child age and the adverse impact of stuttering. We found a range of self-stigma scores among children and adolescents who stutter. Child age did not correlate with Awareness and Agreement; however, older children and adolescents reported greater Application. All stages of self-stigma strongly predicted adverse impact as measured by the OASES, and latter stages of the model were stronger predictors than earlier stages. Children as young as 10 years old may experience stuttering self-stigma, and the application of self-stigma increases in adolescence, a critical period in the development of personal identity. Importantly, all stages of self-stigma predicted adverse impact related to stuttering, with latter stages being stronger predictors than earlier ones consistent with the progressive model of self-stigma being tested. The findings highlight the need for targeted, early intervention to mitigate downstream effects of stuttering self-stigma. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26352556.

Practice patterns in pediatric myopia management: Insights from a 2023 survey among Indian ophthalmologists.

This study investigates the practice patterns related to paediatric myopia among Paediatric Ophthalmologists in India, based on a 2023 survey conducted via Google Forms. The survey aimed to gather insights into physicians' perceptions and experiences concerning the clinical and treatment aspects of myopia in children. The survey reveals several key insights into current practice patterns among Paediatric Ophthalmologists in India regarding paediatric myopia management. The recommended mean age for a child's first eye checkup is 3 years, underscoring the importance of early detection. Refractive error thresholds for prescribing spectacles are set at 3.0 D for infants, 2.0 D for preschool children, and 1.0 D for school-going children older than 3 years. There is a growing trend in using 0.01% Atropine eye drops for myopia management, with a mean prescription age of 4.83 years. Notably, 80.11% of respondents prioritize documenting myopia progression regardless of the child's age. Orthokeratology and Peripheral Defocus spectacle lenses are gaining recognition, and lifestyle modifications such as increasing outdoor activities and reducing near activities are widely acknowledged as effective. While most respondents do not use progressive lenses for myopia, there is significant emphasis on axial length measurements and considering the lag of accommodation. Additionally, under-correction of myopia is favored by a notable proportion of practitioners. These findings indicate a shift towards early intervention and evidence-based strategies in myopia control. The survey highlights a shift towards early intervention and evidence-based myopia control strategies among practitioners. There is, however, room for improvement in standardizing approaches and considering additional factors like axial length and lag of accommodation. Collaborative efforts among policymakers, health regulatory bodies, and industry stakeholders are essential to enhance the accessibility and affordability of myopia control treatments and address the growing health burden associated with paediatric myopia.

Risk and Protective Factors in Children Bullying Perpetration: Application of the Multiple Disadvantage Model.

This secondary study examined bullying perpetration's relationships with social disorganization, social structural factors, social relationships, mental health, and access to health insurance and care. A sample of 30,173 children age 6 to 17 years was extracted from the 2021 National Survey of Children's Health for secondary data analysis. Logistic regression results demonstrated that these children's likelihood of bullying perpetration was positively associated with racial discrimination, child age 6 to 10 years, child age 11 to 13 years, parent education level, employed parent, neighbor support, family violence, difficulty parenting the child, child difficulty with peers, child behavioral/conduct problems, family substance use problem, and child receipt of mental health services; such likelihood also had negative associations with safe neighborhood, Black, Asian, other non-Hispanic ethnic minority, parent age, and family cohesiveness. Implications included interventions to promote awareness of racial discrimination for families as well as bully prevention programs in schools and communities.

Associations of Infant Sleep Characteristics with Childhood Cognitive Outcomes.

The objective of this study was to quantify associations of infant 24-hour sleep duration and nighttime sleep consolidation with later child cognition. This study included children from Project Viva, a prospective cohort in Massachusetts with (1) sleep measures in infancy (median age 6.4 months) and (2) child cognition in early childhood (median age 3.2 years) or mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). Main exposures were parental reports of infant 24-hour sleep duration and nighttime sleep consolidation (% of total daily sleep occurring at nighttime). Cognitive outcomes were (1) early childhood vocabulary and visual-motor abilities and (2) mid-childhood verbal and nonverbal intelligence quotient (IQ), memory, and visual-motor abilities. We examined associations of infant sleep with childhood cognition using linear regression models adjusted for child sex, age, and race or ethnicity; maternal age, education, and parity; and household income. Early and mid-childhood analyses included 1102 and 969 children, respectively. Most mothers reported infant race or ethnicity as White (69%) and were college graduates (71%). The mean infant 24-hour sleep duration was 12.2 ± 2.0 hours, and the mean nighttime sleep consolidation was 76.8% ± 8.8%. Infant 24-hour sleep duration was not associated with any early or mid-childhood outcomes. Higher infant nighttime sleep consolidation was associated with higher mid-childhood verbal intelligence (β: 0.12 points per % nighttime sleep; 95% CI, 0.01-0.22), but not with any early childhood cognitive measures. In this cohort, higher infant nighttime sleep consolidation was associated with higher verbal IQ in mid-childhood. Future studies should investigate causal relationships of infant sleep consolidation with child cognition among diverse populations.

Perpetrator characteristics and firearm use in pediatric homicides: Supplementary Homicide Reports - United States, 1976 to 2020

BackgroundDescribe trends in perpetrator characteristics and firearm use in pediatric homicides across the United States.MethodsMultiply-imputed data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 1976–2020 Supplementary Homicide Reports were used to estimate perpetrator characteristics (sex, age, and relationship to victim) and firearm use in pediatric homicides. Descriptive analyses were stratified by victim age group, sex, race, and five-year time periods.ResultsFamily members were the most common perpetrator of infant and toddler (ages 0–4) and child (ages 5–12) homicides, whereas acquaintances accounted for the majority of adolescent (ages 13–19) homicides. Perpetrator characteristics vary across victim sex and race, particularly among adolescents. Despite overall stability, there were changes in perpetrator characteristics from 1976 to 2020. There was a sustained increase in the proportion of homicides committed with a firearm. In 2016–2020, the proportion of firearm-involved homicides was an all-time high for infant and toddler (14.8%), child (53.1%), and adolescent victims (88.5%).ConclusionsPolicy interventions that improve family stability and well-being may be most effective at preventing infant, toddler, and child homicides, whereas programs that target peer and community relationships, as well as policies that focus on firearm access, may be more crucial for preventing adolescent homicides.

Predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities in Saudi Arabia: An observational study.

To examine predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, a cross-sectional design was used. Participants were primary caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. Caregivers completed a demographic form about the child and the family, and the Arabic version of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Profile 29 (PROMIS-29 v2.0). Descriptive statistics were used to report on demographic data, 1-sample Z tests to compare PROMIS domain scores with the general population, and multiple linear regression analyses to identify predictors of each domain. Participants were 111 primary caregivers, mostly mothers (65.8%). Caregivers reported higher levels of anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and pain interference, and lower levels of physical function and social participation compared to the general population, P < .05. The regression models for predicting the HRQoL accounted for 12.3% of the variance in the physical function domain (P = .016), 13.9% in the anxiety domain (P = .009), 24.7% in the ability to engage in social activities and roles (P < .001), and 11.4% in the pain interference domain (P = .02). In these models, the severity of the child's disability and/or the child's age were common significant predictors. Specifically, child's age was the only significant predictor in 2 domains, the anxiety domain (β = -.29, P < .01) and ability to participate in social activities and roles domain (β = .42, P < .05). The severity of the child's disability was the only significant predictor in the physical function domain (β = -.52, P < .01). Both the severity of the child's disability and the child's age were significant predictors in the pain interference model (β = .40, P < .05), and (β = -.23, P < .05), respectively. However, the models did not significantly predict depression, fatigue, or sleep disturbance, P > .05. HRQoL is a complex construct and is influenced by multiple child and family factors. Implications of the study emphasize the importance of regular HRQoL screening for caregivers, the development of efficient referral systems for support services, and the exploration of respite care options.