Diseases In School-age Children Research Articles

Study of medico-biological, medico-social and organizational factors influencing the morbidity of school-age children

Aim. The study of the incidence among school-age children, and development of a complex of medico-biological, medico-social and organizational measures for improving health status of schoolchildren. Methods. Statistical, mathematical, sociological. Results. Morbidity among children in Kazan in 2015-2017 increased to 20.4%, incidence during this period increased by 38.6%. The conducted examination of physical development of schoolchildren revealed significant decrease of the ratio of students with normal physical development. While in primary school this parameter was 85.3±2.17%, in grades 8 to 11 it decreased to 77.8±1.98% (p <0.01). The social and hygienic health characteristics of schoolchildren's health include the following: 25% of surveyed students live in families with a low subsistence level; 30% of schoolchildren are brought up in single-parent families; in 10% of cases parents do not allocate money for child nutrition at school; 30.5% of schoolchildren of grades 8 to 11 smoke; 35.9% of students of grades 8 to 11 drink alcohol; 34.9% of schoolchildren have conflicts with their classmates; 17.1% of schoolchildren of grades 8 to 11 do not eat hot meals at school; 28% of students consider themselves not informed about the issues of proper nutrition, etc. The conducted study of the schedule at schools demonstrated that the workload of the junior schoolchildren exceeds the age standards by 5-7 hours, and in the middle and senior classes the load turned out to be higher than the age standards by 5-10 hours. Conclusion. One-way ANOVA reflected that medico-biological, medico-social and organizational factors significantly influence the occurrence of diseases in school-age children; based on the data on the influence of unfavorable risk factors on the development of diseases in school-age children we will develop measures for medical and social prevention.

WS06.1 Monitoring cystic fibrosis lung disease in school-age children with computer tomography

WS06.1 Monitoring cystic fibrosis lung disease in school-age children with computer tomography

Variability of lung clearance index in clinically stable cystic fibrosis lung disease in school age children

BackgroundData on long term variability of Lung Clearance Index (LCI) in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is urgently needed to guide test result interpretation. Our aim was to evaluate LCI variability in clinically stable CF lung disease in school age children. MethodsPaediatric patients, aged 6 to 17years, attending the outpatient CF clinic performed Multiple Breath Nitrogen Washout (Exhalyzer® D) and spirometry every third month over a period of one year. Clinical stability was assessed by the Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Score (CFCS) at each visit. ResultsTwentyfive children were recruited: baseline median (range) FEV1% pred. 91 (55–122)%, LCI 9.1 (6.4–18.6), CFCS 15 (12−23). A total of 107 visits were included in the study, of which 93% were defined as clinically stable. In clinically stable visits, within-subject variability of LCI and FEV1% pred. were 10% and 16%, respectively. The upper limit of normal (ULN, 95% percentile) of LCI variability during clinical stability was 17%. ConclusionsLCI within-subject variability was low and comparable to FEV1% pred. which strengthen the use of LCI to monitor lung disease progression in CF patients. An increase in LCI >17% compared to previous LCI-measurement in clinically stable CF patients may therefore indicate early lung disease progression.

EPS4.3 Differential sensitivity of outcome measures that assess progression of mild CF lung disease in school age children

EPS4.3 Differential sensitivity of outcome measures that assess progression of mild CF lung disease in school age children

Allergic disease in 8‐year‐old children is preceded by delayed B cell maturation

We previously reported that exposure to a farming environment is allergy-protective, while high proportions of neonatal immature/naïve CD5+ B cells and putative regulatory T cells (Tregs) are risk factors for development of allergic disease and sensitization up to 3years of age. To examine if B and T cell maturation are associated with allergic disease and farming environment over the first 8years in life. In the prospective FARMFLORA study, including both farming and non-farming families, 48 of 65 children took part in the 8-year follow-up study. Various B and T cell maturation variables were examined in blood samples obtained at several occasions from birth to 8years of age and related to doctors' diagnosed allergic disease and sensitization, and to farming environment. We found that the incidence of allergic disease was lower among farmers' compared to non-farmers' children during the 8-year follow-up period, and that farmers' children had higher proportions of memory B cells at 8years of age. Moreover, a high proportion of neonatal CD5+ B cells was a risk factor for and may predict development of allergic disease at 8years of age. A high proportion of Tregs was not protective against development of these conditions. High proportions of neonatal naïve B cells remained as a risk factor for allergic disease in school-aged children. Thus, the accelerated B cell maturation observed among farmers' children may be crucial for the allergy-protective effect of a farming environment.

Preventon of childhood diabetes in school environment: awareness of families

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes is the most common metabolic disease in school-age children. The families of these children need information about the specifics of the disease. Given the incidence rate of the disease on one hand, and factors such as the trend for unhealthy eating habits in children and the decrease in physical activity, on the other, prevention should play a key role when working with parents. This could be of great importance for the decrease of the morbidity rate. Thus, support for the parents by healthcare professionals would be appropriate in the school environment. AIM: To assess the knowledge of families about diabetes in school-age children, and to promote the prevention and prophylaxis of the disease with the involvement of nurses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey has been conducted amongst parents of school children. The level of awareness about the disease and the needs of the families have been assessed. RESULTS: Families are not always educated well enough about diet (68%), physical activity (43%), and the role of heredity (48%) as a factor in the development of diabetes. The most trusted healthcare professionals are usually the school nurse, the family physician and the psychologist. CONCLUSION: The support with regard to prevention of diabetes would facilitate the families and will aid in improving the lifestyle of school-age children. The data from our study reveal the level of awareness of families regarding diabetes in school environment and stimulate support to prevent the disease.

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Facilities and Hygiene Practices Associated with Diarrhea and Vomiting in Monastic Schools, Myanmar

Gastrointestinal diseases are major contributors to mortality among children globally, causing one in 10 child deaths. Although most deaths are in children aged ≤ 5 years, the burden of disease in school-aged children is still considerable and contributes to high rates of school absenteeism. This study investigates behavioral and structural risk factors associated with diarrhea and/or vomiting among schoolchildren in Myanmar. Cross-sectional data from a school-based multistage cluster sample of grade 4 and 5 students were analyzed to explore water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and hygiene-related practices of students in monastic schools in Myanmar. The outcome of interest was student self-reported diarrhea and/or vomiting in the past week. Random effects multinomial logistic regression models were used to explore correlates at the student and school level. A total of 2,082 students from 116 schools across eight states/regions were included. Of these, 11% (223) self-reported at least one episode of diarrhea only, 12% (253) at least one episode of vomiting only, and 12% (244) diarrhea and vomiting in the past week. Independent risk factors associated with the outcome included poor availability of handwash stations, no access to a septic tank toilet, inconsistent toilet use, and lower student grade. These findings highlight the importance of having an adequate number of handwash stations for students, the provision of septic tank toilets, and consistent toilet use. Future WASH programs need to target not only the provision of these WASH facilities but also their utilization, particularly among younger school-aged children.

Low Gut Microbiota Diversity in Early Infancy Precedes Asthma at School Age

TR Abrahamsson, HE Jakobsson, AF Andersson, B Bjorksten, L Engstrand, MC Jenmalm. Clin Exp Allergy. 2014;44(6):842–850 To assess diversity and characterize stool bacteria during the first year of life in relation to the prevalence of allergic disease in school-age children. The children in the current study are a subset of a larger study of infants with a family history of allergic disease conducted in Sweden between 2001 and 2005. Study participants received either Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC 55730 or placebo daily from day 1 to 3 of life until 12 months of age. Stool samples were collected at ages 5 to 7 days, 1 month, and 12 months. At 2 years of age, 20 …

Interventions for caries in primary teeth; mapping reported outcomes in clinical trials over the last 30 years

Background Dental caries (tooth decay) is the most prevalent disease in school age children and carries a burden of pain and infection. Clinical trials investigating interventions (fillings and other caries management techniques) to mitigate these have no agreed core outcome set making research design difficult and complicating evidence synthesis. The first step in addressing these issues is to map the current status.

Prevalence of skin diseases in school-aged children in rural Ghana

Prevalence of skin diseases in school-aged children in rural Ghana

Fine particulate matter exposure and initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition in cystic fibrosis.

Increasing evidence suggests that exposure to ambient air pollution contributes to the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) respiratory disease in school-age children and adults; however, the effects of air pollution on young children with CF are poorly understood. To investigate the association of exposure to fine particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) and initial Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition in young children with CF. Retrospective analysis of initial Pseudomonas acquisition in children 6 years of age or younger, using Cystic Fibrosis Foundation National Patient Registry data from 2003 to 2009. PM2.5 exposure was estimated by inverse distance weighting methods based on air pollution monitors within 30 miles of place of residence, for the year before the patient's birth. Multivariable Weibull regression with interval-censored outcomes was done to evaluate the association of time to initial Pseudomonas acquisition and PM2.5 concentrations. A total of 3,575 children met inclusion criteria and 48% (n=1,711) acquired Pseudomonas at a median age of 15 months (25th-75th percentiles, 9-25 mo). An increase in PM2.5 exposure of 10 μg/m3 was associated with a 24% increased risk of Pseudomonas acquisition (95% confidence interval, 1-51%) during follow-up. Results were generally consistent across exposure metrics. These results suggest that increased PM2.5 exposure is associated with earlier Pseudomonas acquisition in young children with CF and may play an important, previously unrecognized, role in the etiology of initial Pseudomonas infection.

Recurrent respiratory infections and psychological problems in junior school children

Background. Recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) are among most common diseases in school-aged children. Little is known about possible associations between RRI and children psychological well-being. Aim. To study possible associations between RRI in junior school pupils and their emotional/behavioural characteristics. Methods. The RRI group comprised 30 first-to-fourth-year pupils from the community setting in whom 4 and more episodes of practitioner-attended respiratory tract infections during the preceding year had been diagnosed. Children were born in St. Petersburg, did not have any inborn abnormalities, disabilities, chronic and progressive diseases. Control group was made up of 30 healthy children matched to the cases for age at study, sex and date of birth as close as possible. The school class masters were approached with the Child Behavior Checklist Teacher's report form for ages 6–18 aimed at assessing emotional and behavioural characteristics. Results. Children from RRI group presented with statistically significantly higher values (more problems) for the following subscales: withdrawal/depression, somatic complaints, social problems, as well as rule-breaking behaviour. Overall, children with RRI had significantly higher values of the internalising and externalising behavioural problems. These associations remained significant after adjustment for major potential confounders. Children with RRI were more commonly reported to work less hard, behave less appropriately, learn less and be less happy at school. Structural equation modelling was used to test whether RRI influenced school success of the child and resulted in his/her psychological problems, which revealed good fit. Conclusion. Junior school children with RRI may have more psychological problems.

The Importance of immunonutrition in children

A healthy immune system is essential for prevention and recovery in many pediatric illnesses. During last decade, the role of nutrition beyond providing the calories and the macro- and micronutrients for body growth has been well established and clinically proven. Many nutrients have a tremendous potential to modulate directly or indirectly, through a regulation of gut microbiota composition, the development and function of innate and acquired immunity. The potential to modulate the activity of the immune system by interventions with specific nutrients is termed immunonutrition. When we prescribe a particular diet it is important to think that nutrients are not only factors able to influence body growth, but they are also a crucial driving force leading to body health through a regulation of immune system. Within the same category of nutrients it is possible to observe different effects on immune system. As example of this, comparing iso-energetic and iso-proteic doses of different mammalian milks (human milk, donkey milk and bovine milk) we have recently demonstrated, in an animal model, significantly different immunoregulatory and antioxidant properties. These effects are at least in part related to a modification of gut microbiota composition and function, and are able to modulate energy balance, glucose and lipid metabolism. We can modify the immunonutritional properties of a particular food. We have recently demonstrated the possibility through a dietary supplementation with fermented bovine milk with a selected probiotic strain (Lactobacillus paracasei CBA-L74) to significantly reduce the number of common winter infectious diseases in school-age children. This preventive effect derives from a complex network of different mechanisms of action: modulation of gut microbiota composition, stimulation of short chain fatty acids production, stimulation of innate immunity (alpha and beta-defensins, and cathelicidin LL-37 production), stimulation of acquired immunity (secretory IgA), modulation of gut permeability, modulation of epithelial cell growth and differentiation. Significant progress at identifying the gut microbiome has led to a better understanding of the interactions between them and our organs and tissues. Probiotics, while not considered a nutrient, are certainly became a even more frequent component of children diet. The roles that ingested organisms may play in atopic diseases are now potential targets of prevention and treatment.

Hyperactivity and Impulsivity in Children with Untreated Allergic Rhinitis: Corroborated by Rating Scale and Continuous Performance Test

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is the most common chronic allergic disease in school-age children. An increased prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in AR patients has been reported; however, inattention and hyperactivity in AR children have not been investigated using objective and scientific measurements. We used AR symptom score, ADHD symptom scale, and computerized continuous performance test (CPT) to study the attention and impulsivity in AR children, age-matched controls, and ADHD children (aged 6-15 years). Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were applied to identify risk factors for impulsivity and inattention in AR children. Twenty-nine controls, 10 ADHD, and 105 AR children were enrolled. There were no differences in age and sex among the three groups. The scores of Hyperactivity/Impulsivity subscales of ADHD symptoms from both parents and teachers were significantly higher in the AR children. The CPT in AR children revealed higher commission errors, shorter reaction times, and more perseveration. Risk factors for inattention and impulsivity in AR children included younger age, male sex, higher AR symptom scores, persistent AR, moderate/severe AR, multiple atopic diseases, family history of atopy, and possible comorbidity with ADHD. Care for AR children should not only involve treating their allergy, but also monitoring the possible comorbidities of impulsivity and inattention. In children with impulsivity, AR should be considered in addition to ADHD.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPS) from upper limb muscles

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPS) from upper limb muscles

Handwashing among schoolchildren in an ethnically diverse population in northern rural Vietnam

Background: Handwashing with soap (HWWS) is a simple and effective measure to prevent transmission of fecal–oral disease and other infectious diseases in school-age children. To promote the behavior, we need to understand their HWWS compliance. The aim of this article is to describe handwashing behavior and HWWS compliance and to identify associated factors among schoolchildren in the multiethnic rural area of northern Vietnam.Methods: The study was conducted in six primary and secondary schools and in the homes of four ethnic villages in northern Vietnam. Quantitative methods included face-to-face interviews with, and demonstration of handwashing protocol to, 319 schoolchildren in first, fourth, and seventh grades. Qualitative methods included structured observations at six schools and 20 homes comprising 24 children. The dependent variable was the self-reported HWWS behavior (yes/no). The independent variables included grade, school type, gender, ethnicity group, owning home latrine, and household assets. Logistic regression modelling was performed to examine associations between HWWS behavior and demographic factors.Results: Among the 319 schoolchildren interviewed, 66% reported HWWS. Through the demonstration protocol, only 10 out of 319 schoolchildren, performed HWWS satisfactorily. The percentage of students who washed their hands at recommended times (30–60 sec) was 58%. This proportion increased by grade (from 34% among grade 1 to 67% among grade 7; p<0.05). Correlates of self-reported HWWS were more common in higher grades [grade 4 vs. grade 1: odds ratio (OR)=4.14 (2.00–8.56), grade 7 vs. grade 1: OR=7.76 (3.67–16.4)] and less common in ethnic minority groups [Xa Phó vs. Kinh-Tay: OR=0.28 (0.11–0.70)]. All 20 homes of schoolchildren visited had soap and water but none of the six schools had soap for handwashing.Conclusions: This article describes poor compliance of schoolchildren with HWWS in a multiethnic population in Vietnam. Education on handwashing needs to be prioritized among multiethnic children at school.

Cardiovascular disease risk in healthy children and its association with body mass index: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives To describe the association and its magnitude between body mass index category, sex, and cardiovascular disease risk parameters in school aged children in highly developed countries. Design Systematic review...

Ultrasound study of liver disease caused by Schistosoma mansoni in rural Zambian schoolchildren

To evaluate the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni-related liver disease in school-age children who live beside the Zambezi River in the Chitokoloki district, North Western Province, Zambia. Liver ultrasounds of school students from the Chitokoloki day school, grades 1-12, were performed. Liver patterns, periportal branch wall thickening and portal hypertension were assessed to evaluate the presence of liver fibrosis due to S. mansoni infection. To obtain incidence rates of acute disease, stool specimens were examined from a subgroup for the presence of S. mansoni eggs using the formol detergent sedimentation technique. Of 976 enrolled students, 764 (78.2%) were examined by ultrasound. Of those, 284 (37.2%) had findings indicative of periportal fibrosis on ultrasound. Stool specimen were collected from 414 (54%) students of which six (1.5%) were positive for S. mansoni eggs. School students living along the Zambezi River, Zambia have a relatively high prevalence of S. mansoni-related liver disease. These findings suggest that all schoolchildren in this area should receive treatment against S. mansoni.

Prevalence of Eye Diseases and Causes of Visual Impairment in School-Aged Children in Western China

BackgroundThe present study investigated the prevalence of refractive error, visual impairment, and eye diseases in school-aged children in western China.MethodsThe survey was done in a representative county (Yongchuan District, Chongqing Municipality) of western China. Cluster random sampling was used to select children aged 6 to 15 years. We conducted door-to-door surveys and eye examinations including optometry, stereoscopic vision test, eye position and eye movement, slit lamp examination of the anterior segment, retinoscopy, and fundus examination after cycloplegia with 1% cyclopentolate.ResultsAmong 3469 children, data were available for 3079 (88.76%). The prevalences of eye diseases were, in descending order, refractive error (20.69%; 637/3079), conjunctivitis (11.76%; 362/3079), amblyopia (1.88%; 58/3079), color vision defect (0.52%; 16/3079), keratitis (0.36%; 11/3079), strabismus (0.29%; 9/3079), cataract (0.23%; 7/3079), pathologic myopia (0.19%; 6/3079), and ocular trauma (0.13%; 4/3079). The prevalence of corneal leucoma, corneal staphyloma, optic neuropathy, macular degeneration, and myelinated nerve fibers was 0.03% (1/3079) for each. The prevalence of visual impairment was 7.70% (237/3079), and the major causes of visual impairment were uncorrected refractive error (86.08%; 204/237), amblyopia (9.70%; 23/237), pathologic myopia (1.27%; 3/237), congenital cataract (0.42%; 1/237), and others (2.11%; 5/237).ConclusionsAmong school-aged children in a less developed area of western China, refractive error was the most prevalent eye disorder, and uncorrected refractive error was the main cause of visual impairment.

Classification of ADHD children through multimodal magnetic resonance imaging

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common diseases in school-age children. To date, the diagnosis of ADHD is mainly subjective and studies of objective diagnostic method are of great importance. Although many efforts have been made recently to investigate the use of structural and functional brain images for the diagnosis purpose, few of them are related to ADHD. In this paper, we introduce an automatic classification framework based on brain imaging features of ADHD patients and present in detail the feature extraction, feature selection, and classifier training methods. The effects of using different features are compared against each other. In addition, we integrate multimodal image features using multi-kernel learning (MKL). The performance of our framework has been validated in the ADHD-200 Global Competition, which is a world-wide classification contest on the ADHD-200 datasets. In this competition, our classification framework using features of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) was ranked the 6th out of 21 participants under the competition scoring policy and performed the best in terms of sensitivity and J-statistic.