Early Childhood In Japan Research Articles

Study of factors related to social and emotional skills in early childhood in Japan

Abstract Background There are numerous reports that social and emotional skills in early childhood have profound influence on lifelong health. The aim of this research is to determine the relation between the lifestyle and the social and emotional skills among children in present day Japan. Methods The object of analysis was a total of 110 parents of kindergarten students (56 boys, 48 girls,6 gender unknown) from 3 kindergartens in central Okinawa Island. The survey was conducted in mid-December 2019. Regarding the content of the survey, parents were asked to answer on a five-point scale, based on their subjective opinion, how good is their child, as compared to other children, in each of the 9 sub-scales of the social and emotional skills proposed in the 2015 OECD report, namely “perseverance,” “self-control,” “passion for goals,” “sociability,” “respect,” “caring,” “self-esteem,” “optimism,” “confidence.” Additionally, other question items were set, mainly to ask about the child's own lifestyle. Results The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis are following. As for “achieving goals:” 3 items for perseverance - “there are few likes and dislikes about food (OR:2.67, 95％CI:1.03～6.94, p=.043),” “Time for playing games on smartphone is determined (OR:3.21, 95％CI:1.19～8.68, p=.021),” “Eat more fruits (OR:3.03, 95％CI:1.24～8.26, p=.016),” are statistically significant. [Other results are omitted in this abstract] Conclusions It became clear that the acquisition of social and emotional skills during early childhood generally involves regular lifestyle and “discipline” at home as a whole. Besides, it is important for parent and child to do various activities together, including those aiming to increase cognitive skills. This study is considered to be a powerful evidence for the development of future intervention programme, aimed at acquiring social and emotional skills in early childhood. Key messages In early childhood family and kindergarten have to cooperate to foster social and emotional skills, important for lifelong health. This study is considered to be a powerful evidence for the development of future intervention programme, aimed at acquiring social and emotional skills in early childhood.

Early Childhood Character Education in Japan

Character education has a very important role in shaping the superior character of Japanese society. Compared to Indonesia, Japan has long designed and implemented character education for all levels of education. Since 1970 Japan has begun to develop a character-based curriculum that has begun to be applied at the kindergarten and elementary school level. Japan recognizes the importance of character education starting at the age of children because educating characters in children will be easier to do than educating teenage or adult characters. Implementation of character education in early childhood in Japan prioritizes character education that can bring out superior characters such as courage, independence, discipline, responsibility, cooperation, and socializing. To bring out these characters, the application of early childhood character education in Japan places great importance on moral and personality education. Through moral education and personality, the characters are brave, independent, disciplined, responsible, cooperating, and socializing. Moral and personality education is not taught through special subjects but is applied in everyday life. And this is characteristic of the application of early childhood character education in Japan

Recent Trends in Physique and Motor Ability of Preschool Children-Trends After 2000 in Japan

The purpose of this study was to clarify the trends since 2000 in body shape, physical strength, and motor ability in early childhood in Japan. The study subjects were kindergarten and nursery school girls (age 3–5 years old) in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Physique (height and weight), quantitative motor ability (20 m dash, standing long jump, tennis ball throw, side step, one-leg hop, hanging from a horizontal bar, and general motor ability (jump over and under) were compared in the 1999 and 2009 school years. The results revealed that, compared with ten years earlier, height was approximately 0.9 cm shorter in 4-year-old girls and weight was approximately 0.3 kg lighter in 3- and 4-year-old girls in 2009. In physical strength and motor ability, the time for jump over and under was shorter in 3-year-olds, the number of times a rope was jumped was higher and the time hanging from a horizontal bar was longer, and the time for jump over and under was shorter in 4-year-olds. In 5-year-olds, only an increase in the number of times a rope was jumped increased. The tennis ball throw and side steps were not significantly different from 10 years earlier in any of the ages. Physique, physical strength, and motor ability improved with growth, but compared with 10 years earlier many of the items were found to decrease or remain the same in all ages.

Children's Hair Mercury Concentrations and Seafood Consumption in Five Regions of Japan.

Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) during the foetal and postnatal periods is known to have adverse effects on children's development. However, little attention has been paid to MeHg exposure during early childhood in Japan. To examine the regional differences in MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and the association between MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and dental metal restorations, we measured the total mercury (T-Hg) concentration in hair as an MeHg exposure index, and using questionnaires, we measured the frequency and amount of seafood consumption and the presence of dental metal restorations in 118 children aged 3-6years in five regions of Japan. The arithmetic and geometric means of the T-Hg concentrations in hair were 1.03 and 0.87ppm, respectively, and approximately 40% of the children exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommendation of 1.0ppm. Significant regional differences in the hair T-Hg concentrations were found among the five regions, and the regional differences were consistent with the traditional regional patterns of eating fatty fish. According to the regression analysis, the consumption of fatty fish, particularly tuna/swordfish, had a significant effect on hair T-Hg concentrations, whereas age, sex, the materials used for dental metal restorations, and other types of seafood or fish/shellfish had no significant effects.

Long-Term Effects of Breastfeeding on Children's Hospitalization for Respiratory Tract Infections and Diarrhea in Early Childhood in Japan.

Whether or not the protective effects of breastfeeding last during or after a shift to a weaning diet is not clear. In the present study, we examined the effects of breastfeeding on hospitalization for respiratory tract infections and diarrhea in early childhood in Japan. Data were extracted from a nationwide longitudinal survey of Japanese children. We restricted the study participants to singleton children who were born after 37 gestational weeks and whose information on feeding practice during infancy were included (n = 43,367). We used logistic regression models to evaluate the associations of breastfeeding with hospitalization for the two diseases among young children (i.e., between ages 6 and 18 months, between ages 18 and 30 months, and between ages 30 and 42 months, respectively), adjusting for children's factors (sex, birth weight, childcare attendance and presence of siblings) and maternal factors (educational attainment and smoking status). Breastfeeding compared with infant formula was not associated with reduced risk of hospitalization for diarrhea during the periods we examined. Although breastfeeding was not associated with reduced risk of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections between ages 6 and 18 months, breastfeeding showed protective effects after that period: the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of exclusive breastfeeding were 0.82 (0.66-1.01) between ages 18 and 30 months and 0.76 (0.58-0.99) between ages 30 and 42 months. Breastfeeding may have long-term protective effects on hospitalization for respiratory tract infections after infancy, but not for diarrhea.

Hereditary interstitial lung diseases manifesting in early childhood in Japan.

Genetic variations associated with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) have not been extensively studied in Japanese infants. Forty-three infants with unexplained lung dysfunction were studied. All 43, 22, and 17 infants underwent analyses of surfactant protein (SP)-C gene (SFTPC) and ATP-binding cassette A3 gene (ABCA3), SP-B gene (SFTPB), and SP-B western blotting, respectively. Two and four underwent assessment of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor-stimulating phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-5 (pSTAT-5) and analyses of FOXF1 gene (FOXF1), respectively. ILD were diagnosed clinically in nine infants: four, three, and two had interstitial pneumonitis, hereditary pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (hPAP), and alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACD/MPV), respectively. Genetic variations considered responsible were detected in six (67%) of the nine infants with ILD: three with hPAP (SFTPC p.Leu45Arg and p.Gln145fs, and ABCA3 p.Arg1583Trp/p.Val1495CysfsX21), two with interstitial pneumonitis (SFTPC p.Lys63Glu and p.Ser72Asn/p.Gly100Ala), and one with ACD/MPV (FOXF1 p.Leu300ArgfsX79). None showed SFTPB mutations or defects in pSTAT-5. The 17 bronchoalveolar lavage or tracheal aspirates contained enough SP-B protein. The SP-C abnormality was most prevalent, and SP-B deficiency was rare in Japanese infants with hereditary ILD.

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux of Wheezers in Infancy and Early Childhood

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) has largely been recognized as a physiological phenomenon in infancy and early childhood and the relationship of severe, recurrent wheezing to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been well described. However it has remained unclear how many mildly wheezy infants are complicated by GER. Objective: This study investigated the prevalence of GERD among wheezers in infancy and early childhood in Japan. Subjects and Method: We evaluated esophageal pH monitoring in wheezy children under 2 years old. Results: A positive pH index was found in 9.4% of all subjects. Conclusion: Although the prevalence of GERD among severe wheezers was higher in previous reports, our study concluded that the prevalence of GERD among wheezers was lower in younger children.

Oxidative Stress of Kawasaki Disease: Comparison between Acute and Convalescent Phase along with Administration of IVIG

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is common disease in infancy and early childhood in Japan. Association KD with oxidative stress has been reported, whereas many diseases are associated with oxidative stress. Objects:This study investigated the association KD and oxidative stress. Subjects and Method: We evaluated serum oxidative stress marker as D-ROMs, derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites, on acute and convalescent phase of KD and compared the value on two phases. Results:The mean levels of D-ROMs was 576.2 ± 86.2 U.CARR on acute phase, and that on convalescent phase was 535.2 ± 85.0 U.CARR. The levels were significantly reduced after IVIG therapy (p = 0.030). Conclusion:Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis and is important with regard to the complication of coronary artery lesions. Oxidative stress could affect the vascular lesion in KD.

Comparison of Factors Contributing to Developmental Attainment of Children between 9 and 18 Months

BackgroundLittle is known about how contributing factors of development change during early childhood in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that contributed to the developmental attainment of children between 9 and 18 months of age using prospective longitudinal data from a developmental cohort study.MethodsWe used data from observations at 3 time points (at infant age of 4, 9 and 18 months) in the Japan Children’s Study. Mothers were administered questionnaires that requested information about their child’s perinatal outcomes, temperament, family structure, family income, parental education, parenting stress, and child-rearing environment at home. At 9 and 18 months, mothers completed the Kinder Infant Development Scale to evaluate their child’s development.ResultsA total of 284 children were available for analysis. Female children and children having siblings had higher probability of attaining developmental norms at 18 months than male and only children. Birth weight, gestational age, and temperament were associated with development at 9 months, but the effects of gestational age and temperament on development disappeared at 18 months. Stimulation from the mother at 9 months was not only related to development at that age but also promoted development at 18 months.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the role of family environmental factors such as early mother’s stimulation and sibling’s existence in development during early childhood might become more important as the child gets older.

TAKIGAWA Koji, The Historical Study of the Science Education and Picture Books in Early Childhood in Japan

TAKIGAWA Koji, The Historical Study of the Science Education and Picture Books in Early Childhood in Japan

Immune pathogenesis of sclerosing cholangitis in biliary atresia

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most frequent single life-threatening hepatic disorder in early childhood in Japan, Europe and North America. It affects one in 9000 live-born infants in our country. BA is characterized by complete inability to excrete bile associated with obstruction, destruction or absence of the extrahepatic bile ducts. Pathologic study of tissues removed from the porta hepatis and of the proximal extrahepatic bile ducts suggests that BA in the vast majority of infants results from a sclerosing, inflammatory lesion initiated in ductular tissues. Kasai procedure (KP) is in the first line of treatment for BA infants in the developed countries all over the world. In KP, bile duct remnants or fibrous tissues in front of the hepatic artery are dissected and a Roux-en -Y anastomosis is fashioned between the area of the porta hepatic and the jejunum. KP has provided opportunities to survive years for some infants with BA with reasonable quality of life. However in BA, bile duct injury and sclerosing inflammation is ongoing even after apparently successful KP. A 10-year survival rates with native liver is still 53% in 1999 according to multi-centre analysis in Japan. BA is still the leading cause of paediatric liver transplantation. Poor prognosis of BA is, of course, due to unknown aetiology. Potential aetiologies for more common perinatal form of BA include viral infections, immune-mediated injuries and autoimmune disease involving biliary systems. Details of each theory including our updated findings will be reviewed and discussed.

Infectious mononucleosis as a disease of early childhood in Japan caused by primary Epstein-Barr virus infection.

The present study investigated 54 pediatric patients with acute Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-induced infectious mononucleosis (IM) in Japan. Most of the acute cases clustered within the first 5 years of life, and the peak incidence was observed at around 4 years of age. These patients were arbitrarily separated into three age groups (less than 3 years, 3-5 years, and 6-14 years). Fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly were detected in more than 80% of all cases. Tonsillitis and splenomegaly were present in about 60% of cases. Skin manifestations and eyelids edema were less often detected in the older age group than in the young age groups. In addition to an increase of total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts in the peripheral blood, a significant increase in the percentage of CD3+ CD8+ HLA-DR+ T cells was always observed. Epstein-Barr virus seropositivity increased soon after birth and reached approximately 70% around 3 years of age. Close to 100% of the adult controls were EBV seropositive. The results suggest that EBV-induced acute IM is a disease of early childhood in Japan.