Function Development In Children Research Articles

Association of improved air quality with lung development from childhood until young adulthood: The BAMSE study

Background and Aim The beneficial effect of improving air quality on lung function development in children remains understudied. We assessed associations of changes in ambient air pollution levels with lung function growth from childhood until young adulthood in a Swedish cohort study. Methods In the prospective birth cohort BAMSE (Children, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm Epidemiology), spirometry was conducted at the 8-year (2002-2004), 16-year (2011-2013) and 24-year follow-ups (2016-2019). Participants with one spirometry measurement at 8 years and at least one another measurement in subsequent follow-ups were included (1509 participants with 3837 spirometry measurements). Ambient air pollution levels (particulate matter≤2.5 μm [PM2.5], particulate matter≤10 μm [PM10], black carbon [BC] and nitrogen oxides [NOx]) at residential addresses during the lifetime were estimated using dispersion modelling. Linear mixed-effect models were used to estimate the association between air pollution level change and lung function development. Results Overall, individual air pollution levels decreased progressively during the study period. For example, median (interquartile range, IQR) of PM2.5 decreased from 8.2 (0.92) μg/m3 during 2002-2004 to 5.22 (0.67) μg/m3 during 2016-2019. Reduction of air pollution exposure was associated with higher rate of growth for both FEV1 and FVC. For each IQR decrease in PM2.5, the growth rate increased by 3.7 ml/year (95%CI: 1.3-6.0, P<0.001) for FEV1 and 7.9 ml/year (95%CI:4.3-11.4, P<0.001) for FVC. Significant associations with lung function growth were also observed for reduction of PM10, BC and NOx. These associations persisted after adjustment for potential confounders. The beneficial effect from improved air quality was not statistically modified by asthma, allergic sensitization, early-life air pollution exposure or dietary intake of antioxidants. Conclusions Long-term reduction of air pollution is associated with positive lung function development from childhood to young adulthood. Keywords: air pollution, lung function, spirometry, improved air quality, cohort

The development of uncertainty monitoring during kindergarten: Change and longitudinal relations with executive function and vocabulary in children from low-income backgrounds.

Children's ability to monitor subjective feelings of uncertainty (i.e., engage in uncertainty monitoring) is a central metacognitive skill. In the current study, we examined the development of uncertainty monitoring as well as its relations with vocabulary and executive function development in children (N=137, 52% female) from predominately White and Latinx/Hispanic backgrounds when they were 4-6years old and enrolled in a Head Start preschool and kindergarten between 2018 and 2019. We found that children's uncertainty monitoring improved during the kindergarten year. Children's executive function and vocabulary in preschool and vocabulary growth from preschool to kindergarten predicted uncertainty monitoring at the end of kindergarten, which sheds new light on potential mechanisms supporting children's metacognitive development.

Effect of scalp acupuncture stimulation on mood and sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder

To observe the effects of penetrating technique of scalp acupuncture on emotion, sleep and function development in children of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 60 SAD children aged 3 to 6 years were randomized in a control group (music education rehabilitation,n=30) and an observation group (penetrating technique of scalp acupuncture + music education rehabilitation,n=30). In the two groups, the treatment for 3 months was as 1 course, and 2 courses of treatment were required. Before and after treatment, the changes were observed in childhood autism rating scale (CARS), emotion regulation subscale (ER), children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ) and children autism and psycho-educational profile for autistic and developmentally disabled children (C-PEP-3), separately. Compared with the scores before treatment, CARS score, the score of each subscale of CSHQ, e.g. bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, irregular sleep duration, sleep anxiety, parasomnias and daytime sleepiness as well as the total score of CSHQ were all reduced in children of two groups (P<0.05); and the score of ER and C-PEP-3 were all increased (P<0.05) after 6 months' treatment. Compared with the control group, ER score was increased in 3 and 6 months after treatment (P<0.05), CARS score was reduced (P<0.05) and C-PEP-3 score was increased obviously (P<0.05) 6 months after treatment in the observation group; but the scores of the subscale for night waking and sleep disordered breathing did not changed noticeably (P > 0.05). Penetrating technique of scalp acupuncture improves the emotion and sleep disorder and promotes the function development in ASD children.

An Exploratory Study of Executive Function Development in Children with Autism, after Receiving Early Intensive Behavioral Training

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the development of executive functions, in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), receiving early intensive behavioral training (EIBI). Method: Executive functions (EF) were assessed with The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P), by parents and preschool teachers at the time of diagnostic assessment and after 15 months of EIBI intervention. Ten children with ASD (M = 2.9 years, nine males) participated in the study. Reliable Change Index scores were computed for each of the participants in order to investigate any significant change in BRIEF-P T-scores. Results: Three children showed a significant improvement in EF, based on parent ratings. Four children showed a significant improvement in EF based on preschool teacher ratings. Conclusion: Findings indicating a reliable improvement in one third of preschool children with ASD receiving EIBI are encouraging but need to be replicated in larger scale controlled studies.

Association of Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Executive Function Among Children.

This study aimed to examine individual and combined associations between after-school sedentary time (ST) and daily physical activity (PA) with executive function development in children. The study included 4304 children aged 6 to 12 years. ST and PA were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, and executive function was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (Parent Version). Participants were classified as low (<2 h per day) or high (≥2 h per day) ST and low (not meeting guidelines) or high (meeting guidelines) PA. Resulting groups were defined as 1) low ST/high PA, 2) low ST/low PA, 3) high ST/high PA, and 4) high ST/low PA. Children in group 4 had the highest mean T-scores for BRIEF indices (48.23 ± 8.44, indicating increased symptoms of executive function dysfunction), followed by those in group 3 (47.10 ± 8.05), group 2 (45.81 ± 7.78), and group 1 (44.41 ± 7.31). ST was positively related to the T-score of all indices, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Significantly negative associations were observed between MVPA and Metacognition Index only in the high ST subgroup. Low ST and high PA were positively associated with executive function development in children. Notably, children with high ST and high PA demonstrated more significant deficits in executive function than those with low ST and low PA, suggesting that intervention efforts should focus on ST reduction in addition to promoting PA.

The influence of species richness in primary school surroundings on children lung function and allergic disease development

Primary schools represent important environments for biodiversity exposure and thus may play a crucial role on early-life immunomodulation, protecting against allergic sensitization. The aim of this study was to understand how the exposure to different levels of species richness surrounding urban primary schools may influence the development of allergic diseases and asthma in children. A species richness index (SRI), evaluating habitat diversity in terms of amphibians, birds, reptiles, and small mammals, was estimated and attributed to 20 primary schools in the city of Porto, Portugal. The SRI was measured considering a 100m straight-line buffer around the schools. Children who attended the participating schools were invited to participate in the study, performed spirometry with bronchodilation and skin-prick tests, and had their parents fill a questionnaire concerning allergy and asthma symptoms, as well as demographic and socioeconomic data. Asthma was defined according to three distinct criteria. The study results showed significant and positive associations between the exposure to species richness in schools and the forced expiratory volume at the first second (FEV1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC) parameters both before and after bronchodilation, independently of the asthma and atopic status. Fully adjusted models revealed that a unitary increment in the SRI was associated with an average increase of approximately 2 and 3mL in FEV1 and FVC, respectively. Species richness in school surroundings may impact lung function development in children. However, this increase in lung function was not associated with any clinically relevant protective effect on allergy and asthma development.

Upper-extremity Spasticity-reducing Treatment in Adjunct to Movement Training and Orthoses in Children with Cerebral Palsy at Gross Motor Function- and Manual Ability Classification System Levels IV-V: A Descriptive Study

ABSTRACT Covering a 20-year period of work with children with severe cerebral palsy (CP) within a Swedish habilitation service, changes in passive wrist extension with fingers extended (PWE-FE) and current hand function are described and compared between children receiving systematic upper-extremity treatment with botulinum neurotoxin type A and intervention programs from before 7 years of age (Group 1, n = 7), those whom for various reasons did not undergo this treatment (Group 2, n = 10), and those not having the option to receive treatment until later during childhood/adolescence (Group 3, n = 8). Group 3 showed more critical and less normal PWE-FE values for both wrists, and poorer hand function scores, particularly compared with Group 1. Findings cautiously suggest that repeated upper-extremity spasticity-reducing treatment and movement training/orthoses from an early age may help prevent critical loss of passive range of motion of the wrist joint flexion/extension and promote hand function development in children with severe CP.

PECULIARITIES OF DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORAL FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITHDIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDING UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS

The aim of the research is to study the state of behavioral function in infants who were born and living in the Lugansk and donetsk during the military conflict.A dynamic clinical examina- tion was made. Also it was made the assessment of the rate of behavioral development in 68 children in the area of military conflict. Among them 32 children were breast-fed, forming Ia (the main) group of children, and 36 children who were bottle-fed, forming the comparison group Ib.The control groups of our study consist of 88 children who were outside the zone of military conflict. Among them there were 47 children who were breast-fed (IIa group), and 41 children who were bottle-fed (IIb group).The assessment of the level of behavioral function development in children was carried out using a standard- ized clinical-psychological techniques "Gnome".Conclusions: The development of behavioral functions in infants and toddlers depends on the sur- rounding stressful conditions and the type of feeding. The level of formation of these functions in chil- dren who were bottle-fed and under stress of war was the lowest. The greatest delay in children of this group were the indicators of social development. From biological indicators much more suffered the functions associated with eating behavior. Children who were bottle-fed in the stress of military actions in infancy and early childhood are in need of rehabilitation activities.

PECULIARITIES OF DEVELOPMENT OF BEHAVIORAL FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDING UNDER STRESSFUL CONDITIONS

The aim of the research is to study the state of behavioral function in infants who were born and living in the Lugansk and donetsk during the military conflict. A dynamic clinical examina- tion was made. Also it was made the assessment of the rate of behavioral development in 68 children in the area of military conflict. Among them 32 children were breast-fed, forming Ia (the main) group of children, and 36 children who were bottle-fed, forming the comparison group Ib. The control groups of our study consist of 88 children who were outside the zone of military conflict. Among them there were 47 children who were breast-fed (IIa group), and 41 children who were bottle-fed (IIb group). The assessment of the level of behavioral function development in children was carried out using a standard- ized clinical-psychological techniques "Gnome".Conclusions: The development of behavioral functions in infants and toddlers depends on the sur- rounding stressful conditions and the type of feeding. The level of formation of these functions in chil- dren who were bottle-fed and under stress of war was the lowest. The greatest delay in children of this group were the indicators of social development. From biological indicators much more suffered the functions associated with eating behavior. Children who were bottle-fed in the stress of military actions in infancy and early childhood are in need of rehabilitation activities.

Flexible Multi-Level Models for Health Effects of Air Quality Actions: Results from the Children's Health Study

Flexible Multi-Level Models for Health Effects of Air Quality Actions: Results from the Children's Health StudyAbstract Number:2892 Kiros Berhane*, Jim Gauderman, Chih-Chieh Chang, Robert Urmann, and Frank Gilliland Kiros Berhane* University of Southern California, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Jim Gauderman University of Southern California, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Chih-Chieh Chang University of Southern California, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , Robert Urmann University of Southern California, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author , and Frank Gilliland University of Southern California, United States, E-mail Address: [email protected] Search for more papers by this author AbstractDetermination of the positive health impacts of declining air pollution levels is important in assessing the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of environmental regulatory policy. In data from children, the challenges in doing this properly include dealing with effects of puberty (e.g., non-linear growth trajectories over the entire childhood period), long term temporal trends due to unmeasured time-varying confounders, complexity in the potentially multi-pollutant dose response relationships and potentially synergistic effects acting at multiple levels of data aggregation (e.g., between communities, between individuals and across time). By using data on multiple cohorts of children spanning a long time period (1993-2012) from the Southern California Children’s Health Study as a motivation, we outline a flexible multi-level modeling framework that allows for the assessment of the healthimpacts of the recent declines in air pollution levels in Southern California. The focus will be on assessment of bronchitic symptoms (in children with or without asthma) and lung function development in children. The Generalized Linear Mixed Models setup will be used as a general modeling paradigm for all outcomes from the exponential family of distributions. For lung function outcomes, splines will be used to characterize growth trajectories for ‘homogenous’ sub-groups of children, with random effects used to capture subject-to-subject heterogeneity in growth trajectories. For bronchitic symptoms, the logistic setup will be used with a rich random effects structure to allow for heterogeneity of pollution effects across communities. In all cases, the effects of declining of pollution levels will be assessed using models of increasing complexity to deal with (a) non-constant effects across time,(b) non-linear dose-response relationships, (c) heterogeneity in pollution effects across multiple sites (e.g., communities, cities, regions, etc.), and/or (d) multi-pollutant health effects.

Martial Arts Research: Prudent Skepticism

A. Diamond and K. Lee's review “Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old” (special section on Investing Early in Education, 19 August, p. [959][1]) leaves the impression that martial arts training as usually delivered enhances executive functions.

Martial Arts Research: Weak Evidence

The Review “Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old” by A. Diamond and K. Lee (special section on Investing Early in Education, 19 August, p. [959][1]) cited work that close examination shows to be weak. Some of the studies ([ 1 ][2], [ 2 ][3]) were randomized, but they failed to meet other criteria such as blinding of teachers and parents to pupils' treatment groups. Studies involving martial arts and physical exercise were particularly weak on isolation of variables. One study on martial arts training for children ([ 1 ][2]) compared a treatment group who wore special uniforms, meditated, bowed to their instructor, and were reminded of self-awareness and self-control, to a control group who continued with their ordinary physical education activities; these authors concluded that when some improvement on some scales occurred for the treatment group, the change was caused by the self-awareness and self-control messages, rather than by other ways the two groups differed. Another study ([ 2 ][3]) compared children who did “sport stacking,” a bimanual physical task, with a control group that did not experience any exciting new activity, and concluded that improvement on one of two reading measures was caused by the stacking task. ![Figure][4] CREDIT: STUART MONK/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM A relevant volume dealing with treatments for developmental disabilities ([ 3 ][5]) stressed the weakness of evidence for special education interventions and described some such conditions as “fad magnets.” Unfortunately, early educational interventions seem to be similarly weak in evidence. The stakes are high and the resources scarce in both cases. 1. [↵][6] 1. K. D. Lakes, 2. W. T. Hoyt , Appl. Dev. Psychol. 25, 283 (2004). [OpenUrl][7][CrossRef][8] 2. [↵][9] 1. T. A. Uhrich, 2. R. L. Swalm , Percept. Mot. Skills 104, 1935 (2007). [OpenUrl][10] 3. [↵][11] 1. J. W. Jacobson, 2. R. M. Foxx, 3. J. A. Mulick , Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities (Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, 2005). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1204529 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: pending:yes [5]: #ref-3 [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [7]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAppl.%2BDev.%2BPsychol.%26rft.volume%253D25%26rft.spage%253D283%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.appdev.2004.04.002%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [8]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.appdev.2004.04.002&link_type=DOI [9]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [10]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPercept.%2BMot.%2BSkills%26rft.volume%253D104%26rft.spage%253D1935%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [11]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text

LONG-TERM EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION FROM TRAFFIC IN EUROPEAN CITIES IN RELATION TO PREGNANCY OUTCOME AS WELL AS AIRWAY DISEASE AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN CHILDREN: THE ESCAPE STUDY

Background and Aims:Work package 3 of the European multicenter ESCAPE project focuses on quantitative assessment of the impact of ambient air pollution on adverse pregnancy outcomes (aim 1), development of asthma, sensitization, lung function and respiratory infections in children during the first twelve years of life (aim 2), and cognitive function development in children up to five years of age (aim 3). Biomarkers are used to assess some phenotypes, particularly with regard to allergy and sensitization. Methods: A total of 18 birth cohorts are included from different parts of Europe, as well as Taiwan and Australia. All participating cohorts assessed the spatial variability of specific air pollution components within their communities based on the ESCAPE exposure protocol. City-specific analyses with subsequent combined analyses are performed as well as pooled analyses for some outcomes. Results: A different set of cohorts is included for each specific aim. Thirteen cohorts contribute to aim 1 with 77,600 participants, 13 cohorts to aim 2 with 54,600 participants, and 6 cohorts to aim 3 with 18,500 participants. For aim 2 separate analyses are performed in the five oldest birth cohorts, including more than 18,000 children, and results will be presented at the ISEE conference. Conclusions: The project adds to the existing knowledge on the impact of ambient air pollution on adverse pregnancy outcomes, childhood airway disease and cognitive function development. In particular, it is envisaged that the results will serve as a basis for estimation of exposure-response relationships and contribute to an understanding of the role of specific air pollution components.

Interventions shown to aid executive function development in children 4 to 12 years old.

To be successful takes creativity, flexibility, self-control, and discipline. Central to all those are executive functions, including mentally playing with ideas, giving a considered rather than an impulsive response, and staying focused. Diverse activities have been shown to improve children's executive functions: computerized training, noncomputerized games, aerobics, martial arts, yoga, mindfulness, and school curricula. All successful programs involve repeated practice and progressively increase the challenge to executive functions. Children with worse executive functions benefit most from these activities; thus, early executive-function training may avert widening achievement gaps later. To improve executive functions, focusing narrowly on them may not be as effective as also addressing emotional and social development (as do curricula that improve executive functions) and physical development (shown by positive effects of aerobics, martial arts, and yoga).

Longitudinal analysis of a four-year follow up of pulmonary function development in children with a past history of asthma

In order to longitudinally study the pulmonary function development of children with a history of asthma, we measured the flow-volume curves of 441 fourth-grade children in seven primary schools randomly selected from the Kashima district in Ibaraki prefecture in 1980, and again in 1982 and 1984. Levels and slopes of pulmonary function indices for individual children were calculated in 325 children who performed acceptable forced expiratory maneuvers at all of the three surveys. In FVC and FEV1, no significant difference of levels and slopes was observed between children with asthmatic history and control children. However, the level and slope of V25 of children with asthmatic history were significantly lower than those of control children (0.5 l/sec for the level, 0.08 l/sec for the slope) even when only those who did not suffer from wheezing attack during the follow-up period were concerned. These results suggested that the functional change of peripheral airways in children with asthmatic history did not recover within a couple of years even when they were in remission. Moreover, the functional differences between those two groups of children might become larger in early adolescence.

Manual function versus general functional development in children suffering from cerebral palsy in comparison to epilepsy

Manual function versus general functional development in children suffering from cerebral palsy in comparison to epilepsy

Gesundheitliche Bedeutung inhalierter Stäube

Particulates refer to particles, dust, dirt, soot and aerosol mists that has suspended in the surrounding air. They may consist of solids of various forms including fibres or liquids. Long term exposure to silicon dioxide containing dusts (crystalline silica: quartz, tridymite, cristobalite, coesite, stishovite) may cause pneumoconiosis in the form of acute or/either chronic silicosis. Asbestos refers to a divers family of crystalline hydrated fibrous siliates typically exhibiting a greater tha 3:1 length ot diameter ratio. It is subdivided into serpentine (Chrysotile) and amphibole (crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite). Exposure to asbestos fibres may cause lung fibrosis and promote cancer of the lung or the pleura. Besides the induction of malignant diseases dust exposure may result in obstructive as well as restrictive lung diseases which may be compensate in case of the recognition as a occupational diseases. Other occupational exposures leading to pneumoconiosis are caused be talc, or metals including aluminium containing dusts. Also the group of man-made mineral (MMMFs) or vitreous fibres (MMVFs), including glass wool, rock wool, slag wool, glass filaments, microfibres, refractory ceramic fibres are bioactive under certain experimental conditions. Although it has been shown that MMMFs may cause malignancies when injected intraperitoneally in high quantities in rodents, inhalation trials and human studies could not reproduce these results in the same precision. Fine particles (particulate matter = PM) comprise one of the most widespread and harmful air pollutants in the industrialized world. PM may cause worsening of asthma and other respiratory diseases, reduce lung function development in children, potentially increased the risk of premature death in the elderly and enhance mortality from cardiac diseases. Because of the small size PM2.5 is seen to be even more hazardous than PM10.

Pulmonary function development in children with past history of asthma.

The aim was to examine whether or not the children with a past history of asthma but free from asthmatic attacks for several years show a different growth pattern in pulmonary function from control children. A community based cohort was surveyed three times during a four year follow up period. Kashima district in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. In 1980, 441 primary school children between 113 and 124 months of age were enrolled as an initial cohort; 325 of these provided reliable results in each of the three surveys. A level and a slope of FVC, FEV1, Vmax50, and Vmax25 were calculated for each child, based on a general linear model analysis. Past histories of each child were determined from a standardised questionnaire. The children with a history of doctor diagnosed asthma showed a lower Vmax50 level (p < 0.005) and a lower level and slope of Vmax25 (p < 0.005, p < 0.01) than control children, even when only those who did not suffer from wheezing attacks during the follow up period were considered. Indices of peripheral airways function in children with an asthmatic history were reduced even if they had been in remission for several years. The difference in pulmonary function in comparison to control children might become greater at the time of the adolescent growth spurt.