Population Of Preschool Children Research Articles

The Relationship Between Response Time and The Effect of Hospitalization on Preschoolers

Objective : Response time is the speed of health workers in treating patients starting from the time the patient comes to the emergency room until he gets health care . The indicator of success is the speed of officers in providing assistance to emergency patients ≤ 5 minutes. One of the first units to go to at the hospital is the emergency room. In children, not all treatments given are acceptable and even these treatments can have an impact or effect on the child's hospitalization. This study aims to analyze the correlation between response time and the effect of hospitalization on preschool children in the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital. Methods : This type of research is analytic with a cross-sectional approach with a patient population of preschool children (3-6 years) who come to the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital with a total of 132 children as respondents. And using purposive sampling method. Data analysis in this study used the Chi-Square test to determine the relationship between response time and the effect of hospitalization on preschool children with a significant p value = <0.05. Results : Preschoolers children in the emergency room of Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital Most (54.5%) experienced the effects of anxious hospitalization, namely as many as 72 children. Response time of nurses to preschool children in the emergency room of the Muhammadiyah Gresik hospital, almost all of them were fast (89.4%), namely 118 children.. Conclusion : There is no correlation between response time and the effects of hospitalization in preschool children with a p-value = 0.056 Keywords: Hospitalization Effect, Response Time

Scaffolding attention and perseverance skills in a diverse population of preschool children in Sweden

In two interventions, 139 and 52 preschool children, age 4–6, from low-SES communities in Sweden, used a play-&-learn game in early mathematics for 10 weeks, about 20 min at a time. 50 % of the participating children were Swedish second language speakers with low language proficiency and about 20 % had learning vulnerabilities in the form of developmental language disorders and neurocognitive diagnoses. In contrast to teachers' predictions ahead of the interventions, game log data and teacher observations regarding children's sustained attention and perseverance – core elements of ‘learning-related behaviors’ – suggest that a majority of children, including children with reported learning difficulties, did well with respect to sustained attention and perseverance. It is proposed that the interventions allowed children with learning difficulties to demonstrate – and practice – these skills to a larger degree than expected. A relative difference in outcome between the two interventions is interpreted as an effect of differences in structured guidance and scaffolding by teachers and peers. Educational relevance statementThe two intervention studies reported in the paper engaged preschool children, age 4–6, in using a play-&-learn educational game in early mathematics for 10 weeks, about 20 min at a time. The children were from environments with low SES indexes. A substantial part of the participants were Swedish second language speakers with low language proficiency and some children had different neurocognitive diagnoses. Ahead of the intervention studies teachers raised doubts regarding the intervention setup, predicting that many children would not be able to stay sufficiently focused on the learning activities. Teachers also predicted that many children would have difficulties to engage in the learning activities as long as 20 min and to hold out all through the intervention period. In contrast to the predictions the data suggests that a majority of the children – including children with learning difficulties – managed well. Specifically, most of the children who encountered substantial challenges in gameplay, again including children with learning difficulties, showed high degrees of perseverance as well as sustained attention. In practical terms the results, together with similar and related results, suggest that high-quality early math activities can have a dual benefit and promote not only growth of math skills, but also growth of central basic skills such as perseverance and sustained attention. With the pressure many preschool teachers experience regarding pedagogical requirements, it may ease their burden to know that growth of more than one important skill can be targeted by one and the same intervention.

Early childhood caries among pre-school children in rural areas

Background: Early childhood caries can occur and exist among children in slums areas, rural areas and under-served communities. Africa has countries with rural areas inhabited by diverse ethnic populations of pre-school children, with their parents and family members. Method: An electronic literature search in Science direct and PubMed was done in January, 2024 using the Population, Concept and Context framework. Search terms and keywords were combined by Boolean operators. Two independent investigators screened titles and abstracts of publications on early childhood caries among pre-school children in rural areas. The inclusion criteria was original (primary) research articles with accessible full text, related to early childhood caries among pre-school children in rural areas, carried out in Africa, published in English and in electronic databases. Original research articles related to early childhood caries among pre-school children in urban, semi-urban or sub-urban areas, hospital based studies, studies with participants selected from rural and urban or rural and semi-urban communities, review articles, systematic reviews, thesis or dissertations were excluded during screening. Results: Three articles with accessible full texts were included as it was assessed to meet the aim of the review. The study designs of the included studies were cross-sectional study, randomized, controlled field trial and a case-control study respectively. The studies were carried out in rural areas of Uganda and Egypt respectively. Conclusion: Early childhood caries has multifactorial aetiology. More studies from diverse ethnic population in Africa countries will fill the gaps in knowledge and add to the existing literature.

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Brain Areas Involved, Neurobiological Mechanisms, Diagnoses and Therapies.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), affecting over 2% of the pre-school children population, includes an important fraction of the conditions accounting for the heterogeneity of autism. The disease was discovered 75 years ago, and the present review, based on critical evaluations of the recognized ASD studies from the beginning of 1990, has been further developed by the comparative analyses of the research and clinical reports, which have grown progressively in recent years up to late 2023. The tools necessary for the identification of the ASD disease and its related clinical pathologies are genetic and epigenetic mutations affected by the specific interaction with transcription factors and chromatin remodeling processes occurring within specific complexes of brain neurons. Most often, the ensuing effects induce the inhibition/excitation of synaptic structures sustained primarily, at dendritic fibers, by alterations of flat and spine response sites. These effects are relevant because synapses, established by specific interactions of neurons with glial cells, operate as early and key targets of ASD. The pathology of children is often suspected by parents and communities and then confirmed by ensuing experiences. The final diagnoses of children and mature patients are then completed by the combination of neuropsychological (cognitive) tests and electro-/magneto-encephalography studies developed in specialized centers. ASD comorbidities, induced by processes such as anxieties, depressions, hyperactivities, and sleep defects, interact with and reinforce other brain diseases, especially schizophrenia. Advanced therapies, prescribed to children and adult patients for the control of ASD symptoms and disease, are based on the combination of well-known brain drugs with classical tools of neurologic and psychiatric practice. Overall, this review reports and discusses the advanced knowledge about the biological and medical properties of ASD.

Surveillance of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection in Preschool Child Population: Do Changes in Behavior and Immunological Responses Affect Prevalence?

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) persist as a significant global public health issue among neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), particularly in children. STH infection can induce immune responses that affect the course of the disease; if treatment fails, chronic infection can lead to stunting, especially among children aged 24-59 months, which is a vulnerable period for growth and development. We conducted a correlational, cross-sectional data collection study to evaluate the characteristics and association of 25(OH)D, interleukin-5 (IL-5), and interleukin-13 (IL-13) with the prevalence of STH infection in children aged 24-59 months in Bandung District, Indonesia, in October 2019-January 2023. We recruited 694 subjects (401 stunted and 293 normal-height children). The prevalence of STH infection among the stunted and normal-height groups was 5.7% (95% CI: 3.85-8.46%) and 3.4% (95% CI; 1.86-6.17%) (p = 0.156), respectively. The probability of the prevalence of STH infection in children with levels of 25(OH)D, IL-5, and IL-13 below the cut-off point was 6,93 to 16.71 times higher. We found a relationship between IL-5, IL-13, and environmental factors and the prevalence of STH infection in stunted children.

Effect of oral nutrition supplement on growth in preschool children – a systems physiology-based in silico analysis

Introduction: Optimum nutrition is the cornerstone of child growth and development. Childhood is a period of rapid growth and development. Children of preschool age have higher nutritional needs and are often at risk of nutrient deficiencies. Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of an oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on growth parameters in a representative population. Methods: We used the systems-biology-based mathematical model for child growth to analyze the effect of ONS on growth in a representative in silico population of preschool children. The analysis included changes in average growth velocities of weight, height, muscle mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and bone mass. We used meta-data analysis for evaluating the absorption of micronutrients present in the ONS that affects growth in preschool children. Results: The results of the analysis showed one serving of ONS in milk/day improved the weight gain velocity by 1.7 times in preschool children. The linear growth was 1.04 times higher than the control. The absorption of micronutrients such as iron, vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium was higher in the ONS group. Conclusions: This study indicates that the ONS containing macro and micronutrients, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and prebiotics can potentiate growth and development in preschool children. It provides micronutrients that can be readily absorbed which are essential for other vital functions in the body.

Epidemiology of Acute and Chronic Diseases in the Population of Preschool Children (Results of A Prospective Study)

It is necessary to study and analyze the diseases of children of different age groups on the basis of improvement of medical and social assistance to children, improvement of effectiveness of preventive activities, and on the basis of these, measures aimed at maintaining and protecting children's health should be developed. In the study, diseases of preschool children were analyzed in depth, and their causes were studied. The obtained results showed that the incidence of children under seven years of age in Andijan depends on age, and the incidence rate decreases with age. In the structure of diseases, diseases of respiratory organs are leading at all ages. If the study of children's diseases under 7 years of age in the cities of Andijan region on the basis of appeals revealed the characteristics of children's diseases specific to this region, then the children who were not identified before the organization and conduct of medical examinations, without clinical symptoms, were registered in treatment-preventive institutions. allowed to identify new chronic diseases.

Ten-Year Differences in Nutritional Status and Obesity-Related Risk Factors in Polish Preschool Children.

The aim of this study was to assess ten-year differences in nutritional statuses and obesity prevalences between populations of preschool children from Katowice, Poland, examined in 2007 and 2017, and to determine factors associated with overweight and obesity in preschool children. A cross-sectional questionnaire was conducted among parents and legal guardians of 276 preschool children in 2007 and 259 preschool children in 2017. Basic anthropometric measurements were performed. Overall, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among our sample of Polish preschool children (median age 5.25 year) was 16.82%, whereas 4.49% of children were obese. No significant differences in the number of overweight and obese children were observed when comparing the years 2017 to 2007. Overall body mass index (BMI) z-score was significantly lower in this group of children from 2017. However, median values of the BMI z-score were higher in two of the weight categories (overweight and obesity) in 2017. The child's BMI z-score was positively correlated with birth weight (r = 0.1, p < 0.05). The BMI z-score was positively correlated with maternal BMI, paternal BMI, and maternal pregnancy weight gain, r = 0.24 p < 0.01; r = 0.16 p < 0.01; r = 0.12 p < 0.05, respectively. A decrease in overweight and obesity prevalence over the past decade and higher median values of BMI z-scores in the group of children with excessive weight in 2017 were observed. Birth weight, maternal BMI, paternal BMI, and maternal pregnancy weight gain all correlate positively with a child's BMI z-score.

EEG abnormalities and clinical phenotypes in pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundAbnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG) results have been reported in a high percentage of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of EEG abnormalities in a clinical population of pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the differences in terms of the following phenotypic characteristics: adaptive behavior, executive functioning, severity of Autism Spectrum Disorder core symptoms, and comorbidity symptoms. MethodsA cross-sectional analysis of 69 children who attended the Autism Spectrum Disorder early diagnosis program with electroencephalography and clinical diagnosis was performed. A battery of questionnaires was also made to parents to evaluate emotions, behavior, and functional skills for daily living. ResultsOut of 69 pre-school children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, twenty nine (42%) had abnormalities in electroencephalography results. The group with abnormal epileptiform electroencephalography exhibited more impairment in executive functioning and social-relationship coexisting symptoms. ConclusionsThe presence of an abnormal epileptiform electroencephalography in pre-school children with ASD already suggests a worse development in clinical features.

An Investigation of the Basic Gymnastics Program in Preschool Children in Terms of Motor Development

Background: Achieving an adequate level of basic motor skills by the end of the preschool period is an important prerequisite for children's participation in many later sporting activities. However, only a few studies have focused on the assessment of motor competence before starting primary school in the population of preschool children in Turkey. Aim: The aim of this study is to present An Investigation of the Basic Gymnastics Program in Preschool Children in Terms of Motor Development Method: Preschool children with a body weight of 18.26 ± 2.48 kg and a mean height of 1.10±.03 cm, who participated in the basic gymnastics program (n=28), participated in the study voluntarily. In our study; (n:15) experimental group students 3 days 35 minutes on 8 weekdays. gymnastics program was applied for a period of time. The control group (n=13) students were not given any activity. In order to investigate the effects of the basic gymnastics program in terms of motor development; One-leg bounce, agility, ball catching, tennis ball throwing, 9m sprint, flexibility, vertical jump, standing long jump and hitting the target performance tests were performed at the beginning and end of the study. The effects of the tests were compared between the groups in the pre- and post-test order by performing repeated measurements of variance analysis (P &lt; 0.05). Results: As a result of the analysis of the data, when the first and last measurements of the groups were compared, it was determined that the performance results of hop on one leg, agility, flexibility, vertical jump and standing long jump performance were better in the experimental group than the control group (P &lt; 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the performance tests of catching the ball, throwing the tennis ball (9m), speed and hitting the target (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusion: For 8 weeks, the basic gymnastics program led to positive differences in one-leg bounce, agility, flexibility, vertical jump and standing long jump performance. Keywords: Preschool Children, Motor Development, Basic Gymnastics Program, Exercise

Innate Immune Activation and Circulating Inflammatory Markers in Preschool Children.

Early childhood is characterised by repeated infectious exposures that result in inflammatory responses by the innate immune system. In addition, this inflammatory response to infection is thought to contribute to the epidemiological evidence linking childhood infection and adult non-communicable diseases. Consequently, the relationship between innate immune responses and inflammation during early life may inform prevention of NCDs later in life. In adults, non-genetic host factors such as age, sex, and obesity, strongly impact cytokine production and circulating mediators, but data in children are lacking. Here, we assessed cytokine responses and inflammatory markers in a population of healthy preschool children (mean age 4.2 years). We studied associations between cytokines, plasma inflammatory markers and non-genetic host factors, such as sex, age, adiposity, season, and immune cell composition. Similar to adults, boys had a higher inflammatory response than girls, with IL-12p70 and IL-10 upregulated following TLR stimulation. Adiposity and winter season were associated with increased circulating inflammatory markers but not cytokine production. The inflammatory markers GlycA and hsCRP were positively associated with production of a number of cytokines and may therefore reflect innate immune function and inflammatory potential. This dataset will be informative for future prospective studies relating immune parameters to preclinical childhood NCD phenotypes.

Social Vulnerability Is Associated with Poorer Outcomes in Preschool Children With Recurrent Wheezing Despite Standardized and Supervised Medical Care

Social determinants of health are associated with disparate asthma outcomes in school-age children. Social determinants have not been studied in preschool children with recurrent wheezing. We hypothesized that preschool children with recurrent wheezing at highest risk of social vulnerability would have more frequent symptoms and exacerbations when followed over 1 year, despite receiving standardized and supervised asthma care. A multicenter population of adherent preschool children receiving standardized and supervised care for wheezing was stratified by a composite measure of social vulnerability based on individual-level variables. Primary outcomes included days with upper respiratory infections and days with asthma symptom flares. Other outcomes included symptom scores during upper respiratory infections and respiratory symptom flare days, exacerbation occurrence, quality of life during the exacerbation, and hospitalization. Preschool children at highest risk of social vulnerability did not have more frequent upper respiratory infections, respiratory symptoms, or exacerbations, but instead had more severe symptoms during upper respiratory infections and respiratory flare days, as well as more severe exacerbations with significantly poorer caregiver quality of life. Children at highest risk of social vulnerability also lived in poorer housing conditions with differing exposures and self-reported triggers. Individual-level social determinants of health reflecting social vulnerability are associated with poorer outcomes in preschool children with recurrent wheezing despite access to supervised and standardized care. Comprehensive assessment of social determinants of health is warranted in even the youngest children with wheezing, because mitigation of these social inequities is an essential first step toward improving outcomes in pediatric patients.

Psychometric Properties of Persian Version of Intelligibility Context Scale in Persian-Speaking Children

Background and Aims The intelligibility context scale (ICS) is the first screening tool for the intelligibility of speech. The ICS assesses parents’ perceptions of their child’s speech clarity in real situations when talking with different people and has been adapted into more than 60 languages. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the ICS-Persian in preschool Persian-speaking children. Methods This is a validation and instrumentation research study. The parents of 118 children aged 4 to 6 years with and without speech sound disorders (SSD) from 10 kindergartens in Isfahan were recruited to the study through a clustered randomized sampling method. A speech therapist evaluated all children to confirm their overall health. Their parents completed the ICS-Persian, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) was completed for each child to determine the convergent validity of the ICS. In the test-retest study, 54 parents re-filled the ICS-Persian after 3 weeks. Statistical methods included Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, Pearson correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and paired t-test. Results Internal consistency and test-retest values were good and calculated as 0.89 and 0.82, respectively. The mean scores of children with and without SSD were statistically significant (P0.001). In addition, a significantly higher score obsereved in children who spoke similarly to their peers and children who did not talk identically on the ASQ, documenting good construct validity. Conclusion The ISC-Persian showed good psychometric properties for the population of persian-speaking preschool children. Iranian speech therapist can reliably use it with persian-speaking children for clinical and research purposes.

Family management of asthma in Head Start preschool children

BackgroundUrban minority preschool children are disproportionately affected by asthma with increased asthma morbidity and mortality. It is important to understand how families manage asthma in preschool children to improve asthma control. ObjectiveTo evaluate family asthma management and asthma outcomes among a low-income urban minority population of Head Start preschool children. MethodsThe family asthma management system scale (FAMSS) evaluates how families manage a child's asthma. A total of 388 caregivers completed the FAMSS at baseline. Asthma outcomes were evaluated at baseline and prospectively at 6 months, including asthma control (based on the Test for Respiratory and Asthma Control in Kids), courses of oral corticosteroids (OCSs) required, and caregiver health-related quality of life (Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire [PACQLQ]). Multiple regression models evaluated the relationship between the FAMSS total score, FAMSS subscales, and asthma outcomes. ResultsHigher FAMSS total scores were associated with fewer courses of OCSs required (b = −0.23, P < .01) and higher PACQLQ scores (b = 0.07, P < .05). At baseline, higher integration subscale scores (b = −0.19, P < .05) were associated with fewer courses of OCSs required, and higher family response scores were associates with higher PACQLQ scores (b = 0.06, P < .05). Nevertheless, higher collaboration scores were associated with lower PACQLQ at baseline (b = −0.06, P < .05) and 6 months (b = −0.07, P < .05). ConclusionAmong this population of low-income minority preschool children, understanding how a family manages their child's asthma may help identify gaps for education to possibly improve caregiver asthma-related quality of life and reduce courses of OCSs. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01519453 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01519453); protocol available from meakin1@jhmi.edu.

The role of the district pediatrician in the early diagnosis of speech developmental disorders in preschool children

Speech and language are the most important means of communication between a child and the outer world. Currently in the Russian Federation there is no reliable data on the prevalence of speech and language disorders in children. According to foreign authors, speech disorders are diagnosed in 3,4–6,4% in the population of preschool children, and language disorders are diagnosed in 8–10% of cases. Early identification of the causes of speech and language development disorders in children is a complex interdisciplinary problem. The authors have developed an algorithm for diagnosing speech and language developmental disorders in preschool children, where the district pediatrician plays the leading role. It is district pediatrician who can assess the speed of the child’s speech skills development, based on age norms, analyze the history data, risk factors, carry out a physical examination of the child, develop an individual program for conducting basic laboratory and instrumental studies and consult specialists. Dynamic observation of this category of children is important.

Validation of the chemosensory pleasure scale for kids (CPS-K) and its mediating role in the relationship between autistic traits and eating behaviors

Children with autistic traits in clinical or non-clinical populations are vulnerable to chemosensory anhedonia and unusual eating behaviors. However, few studies have explored the relationship between the three. Thus, in the current study, we first validated the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale for kids (CPS-K) from a population of preschool children and then investigated the potential role of chemosensory hedonic capacity as a mediator of the relationship between autistic traits and eating behaviors. A total of 305 preschool children and their parents participated in the study. The results showed that CPS-K had good reliability (internal consistency and test–retest stability) and validity, confirming it as a suitable tool to assess the hedonic capacity to enjoy smells and tastes. Moreover, the mediation models were tested using the bias-corrected bootstrap method and the results indicated that the relationship between autistic traits and enjoyment of food was mediated by chemosensory hedonic capacity, especially the ability to experience pleasure while eating, while the relationship between autistic traits and food fussiness was mediated by the ability to experience pleasure while eating. In conclusion, children with high autistic traits reported unusual eating behaviors (loss of enjoyment of food and food fussiness), which were associated with decreased chemosensory hedonic capacity.

The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Iran: An updated systematic review.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. There is a controversy over the true prevalence of ADHD in Iran, the knowledge of which is crucial for allocating health care resources and identifying research priorities. This is an updated systematic review of the prevalence of ADHD in Iranian children and adolescents. Methods: For this systematic review, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, IranPsych, IranMedex, Irandoc, Google Scholar, and grey literature were reached for publications between January 1990 and December 2018 that reported prevalence estimates of ADHD in Iran. Parallel independent assessments were conducted. The Quality Assessment Checklist for Prevalence Studies was used to assess the overall quality of studies. Results: A total of 34 original studies covering 33 621 Iranian children, adolescents, and adults were included. The included studies were mostly conducted on the population of preschool, elementary, middle, and high school-aged children as well as adolescents. Also, 6 studies addressed university students. Prevalence estimates of ADHD reported varied substantially across the studies and offered a range of heterogeneous data. Conclusion: Overall, making exact comparisons among studies was not easy because the assessment method and the type of sampling could impact prevalence estimates. These factors need to be considered when comparing data from different studies.

Early identification of toe walking gait in preschool children - Development and application of a quasi-automated video screening procedure

PurposeTo develop and test the application of a quasi-automated screening procedure identifying probable toe walking in a large population of preschool children. MethodsThe proposed screening procedure was designed to identify children exhibiting signs of toe walking in a previously recruited cohort of preschool children (MiPS cohort). The procedure combines parent observation (step 1), objective parameters of foot contact during gait by an automated screening of 3-D video recordings (step 2), and clinical video screening of the children identified in step 1 and/or 2 (step 3). FindingsFrom 879 children, gait trials were obtained from 87% (n = 766). Step 1 (parent observation) identified 34 children with potential toe walking, step 2 (automated screening) 122. Fourteen were identified in both step 1 and 2. Thus, 142 children were selected for step 3 (clinical video screening), from which 41 children were classified as showing symmetric signs of toe walking, and five children were identified with asymmetrical signs of toe walking. Of the 41, five had been identified by step 1 only, 32 by step 2 only and four by both steps. InterpretationApplication of a quasi-automated screening algorithm was feasible and may assist in early detection of toe walking. Disagreements found between parent reported toe walking and video screening, indicate added value in quasi-automated video screening. However, thresholds of heel lift and clinical criteria of toe walking in the algorithm and video screening need to be addressed and validated to confidently identify toe walking gait.

THE ROLE OF KINDERGARTEN IN THE FUNCTION OF PREPARING CHILDREN FOR STARTING SCHOOL

The partnership between kindergarten and family has a special function and importance in the upbringing and education of the child. The content of the topic refers to the introductory part, which explains what we will be researching. The partnership between family and kindergarten has a special significance and role in the function of preparing children for school. Numerous definitions of family are mentioned in the literature, but given the diversity of structure, relationships, functions, ways of formation, there are many combinations and it could be said that each family is unique or a separate definition should be made for each family. The child is the center of attention in the partnership. The results show that parents are involved in kindergarten activities, and that they are available for cooperation. This is the first prerequisite for establishing, above all, quality communication, and thus cooperation. All parents are interested in the progress of their child and want to cooperate with the kindergarten in this area. This research is of a theoretical-empirical character. We used specifically descriptive statistics, which have special significance. The educational preparation of a child refers to what we call the formation of work habits of learning, on the one hand, and the acquisition of prior knowledge, on the other. Kindergarten children do not read or write, make figurines, play, draw, learn numbers up to ten. Educators need to continuously learn and establish a partnership with the family and the child, in order for the child to feel accepted, satisfied, happy and successful. It is certainly evident, through our theoretical research, that we can conclude that educators need to be specially educated to work with the population of preschool children with a special “dose” of sensibility. Key words: child, kindergarten, family.

Hyperactivity is associated with higher fat-free mass and physical activity in Swedish preschoolers: A cross-sectional study.

AimWe investigated psychological strengths and difficulties in a Swedish population of preschool children and analysed how these behavioural variables were related to body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour and diet.MethodsThree hundred and fifteen boys and girls were recruited during 2014‐2015. Body composition was measured using air‐displacement plethysmography, and anthropometric measures were taken. Parents responded to questions about age, sex and educational attainment, diet, physical activity levels and smoking habits, as well as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Regression models were created to analyse associations between psychological variables, body composition and health behaviours.ResultsHyperactivity scores were positively related to fat‐free mass (β = 0.20, P = .001) and moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (β = 0.16, P = .003) and negatively associated with sedentary behaviours (β = 0.18, P = .001), but showed no statistically significant associations with fat mass.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the adverse health consequences of hyperactivity on obesity and obesity‐related health behaviours may be established after the preschool period. Questions about the time frame of contributing and modulating factors in obesity development are discussed.