Sample Of Toddlers Research Articles

Cognitive and behavioral differences in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder from multiplex and simplex families.

Prospective, longitudinal designs utilizing "high-risk" infant siblings of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD-sibs) have provided unique and valuable insights regarding the early ASD phenotype. However, it remains unclear whether these cases are representative of all children with ASD. The objective in the present study was to investigate whether the early development of toddlers with ASD from multiplex (MPX) families, who have an affected older sibling, is similar or different to toddlers with ASD from simplex (SPX) families, where there is no affected sibling. A further aim was to examine patterns of association between autism symptom severity and cognitive functioning within each group to inform possible mechanisms for group similarities/differences. Behavioral and cognitive assessment data from a sample of toddlers with ASD was utilized, comprising 45 MPX, 127 first-born SPX, and 72 later-born SPX toddlers. Participants in the MPX group had significantly higher developmental quotients on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning compared to those in the SPX groups, who did not differ from each other. However, all three groups were similar on their autism severity scores (measured using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Autism Diagnostic Interview), and the pattern of relationships between cognitive ability and autism symptom severity. The results suggest that caution be exercised in generalizing findings from ASD-sib samples to other samples of children with ASD. The higher cognitive abilities in the MPX group, in addition to biological differences, may also be an outcome of family environmental factors, which deserves further investigation. Autism Research 2019, 12: 682-693. © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: We sought to establish whether toddlers with autism from families where there is more than one affected child, called multiplex families, are different to children from simplex families, where there is only one affected child, and no other members within the immediate family with an autism diagnosis. We found that while toddlers from multiplex families were similar to those from simplex families in their autism symptoms, they were more developmentally advanced than children in the latter group.

The interaction between impulsivity, inhibitory control and scale errors in toddlers

ABSTRACTAn exploratory analysis was performed in a sample of 2- and 2.5-year-old children to investigate the effect of delay manipulation on the scale errors production. Results showed that delay manipulation does not reduce scale errors across a full sample of toddlers, but is effective in reducing errors in the younger subgroup of 2-year-olds. In this adaptation of the miniature replica objects task, the presence of a delay between the vision of the replica objects and their manipulation by the child dramatically decreases both the scale errors frequency and the scale errors duration in 2-year-olds. These findings suggest that immature inhibitory control is at least part of the reason why 2-year-olds do scale errors. The absence of a delay effect at the age of 2.5 years indicates that in older toddlers additional factors might play a role in scale errors production. Taken together, these findings suggest that scale errors correspond to a dynamic phenomenon, influenced by multiple parameters at different time scales.

Asupan Zat Gizi Makro dan Mikro terhadap Kejadian Stunting pada Balita

Stunting is a cumulative process and is caused by insufficient intake of nutrients or recurrent infectious diseases or both. Stunting can also occur before birth and is caused by very poor nutritional intake during pregnancy, eating patterns that are very lacking, low quality of food in line with the frequency of infectious diseases so that it can inhibit growth (UNICEF, 2012). This type of research was descriptive analytic. The study design was cross-sectional consisting of 58 samples of toddlers 24-59 months in the work area of Sumber Urip Health Center Rejang Lebong Regency in 2018. Data were collected in the form of nutritional status data TB/U using microtoice tools, energy intake, macro and micronutrients using questionnaires 2x24 hour recall. Toddlers 24-59 months who experienced stunting were 17 people (29.3%) and normal ones were 41 people (70.7%). The incidence of stunts was largely due to a lack of energy intake, and zinc. The results of this study indicate that there was a significant relationship between energy intake, macronutrients, and zinc with the incidence of stunting in infants.

Caregiver-perceived sleep outcomes in toddlers sleeping in cribs versus beds

ObjectiveLittle is known about whether sleep space impacts toddler sleep outcomes. We examined the prevalence of crib-sleeping and its association with caregiver-reported sleep patterns and problems in a large sample of toddlers from Western countries. MethodsParticipants were caregivers of 1983 toddlers ages 18.0–35.9 months (51.7% male; mean age 25.3 months) from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States sleeping in a crib or bed in a separate room from caregivers. Caregiver-reported sleep patterns and problems were collected via a free, publicly available child sleep smartphone application. ResultsAcross countries/regions, rates of crib-sleeping decreased linearly with age, with 63.4% of toddlers ages 18.0–23.9 months, 34.3% of toddlers ages 24.0–29.9 months, and 12.6% of toddlers ages 30.0–35.9 months sleeping in a crib. Across age groups and countries, crib sleeping was significantly associated with an earlier bedtime, shorter sleep onset latency, fewer night awakenings, longer stretches of time asleep, increased nighttime sleep duration, and decreased bedtime resistance and sleep problems. The duration of night awakenings did not significantly differ by sleep space. ConclusionSleeping in a crib instead of a bed is associated with enhanced caregiver-reported sleep quantity and quality for toddlers in Western countries. Consistent with practice recommendations, deferring the crib-to-bed transition until age 3 years may benefit toddlers’ sleep in Western contexts. Additional research is needed to identify the impact of sleep space on child sleep in other countries/regions.

SOCIOEMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN TODDLERS WITH LANGUAGE DELAY.

Toddlers with language delay are at risk for persistent developmental and behavioral difficulties; however, the association between socioemotional/behavior problems and language in young children is not well understood. This study explored socioemotional/behavior problems in a unique sample of toddlers with language delays using a measure developed explicitly for this age group. Toddlers identified by 18 months with receptive and expressive language delay (LD; n=30) or typical development (TD; n=61) were evaluated at 18 and 24 months of age using the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) and the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. Compared to toddlers who had TD, toddlers with LD had significantly more concerning scores at 18 and 24 months on all ITSEA domains. The rate of "clinical concern" on most domains was not high in either group, except that >60% of LD toddlers were in the clinical concern range on the Competence domain. Socioemotional/behavioral problems were dimensionally related to receptive and expressive language, with greater language delay associated with more concerning ITSEA scores. Socioemotional and behavioral problems are related to receptive and expressive language abilities in 18- and 24-month-olds, indicating the need for screening of both types of concerns in toddlers identified with potential language delays.

Restricted, Repetitive, and Reciprocal Social Behavior in Toddlers Born Small for Gestation Duration

To characterize restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and reciprocal social behaviors (RSBs) in a large sample of toddlers who represent a range of birth weights and gestation durations. A battery of questionnaires characterizing demographic information and measuring RRBs and RSBs were completed by parents of toddlers between the ages of 17-26 months (n = 1589 total; n = 98 preterm). The association between birth weight and/or gestation duration and the primary outcome measures (RRBs and RSBs as ascertained through the Repetitive Behavior Scale for Early Childhood and the Video-Referenced Rating of Reciprocal Social Behavior) were tested by using hierarchical multivariate multiple regression. Toddlers born preterm and full term did not differ on RRBs or RSBs. However, there were significant associations between birth weight percentile for gestation duration (BPGD) and RRBs (β = -2.1, P = .03), above and beyond the effects of age, sex, and vocabulary production. Similarly, there was a significant association between BPGD and RSBs (β = -1.8, P = .02), above and beyond the effects of age, sex, and vocabulary production. These findings demonstrate that BPGD better predicted putative antecedents of adverse psychological outcomes-specifically, RRBs and RSBs-than gestation duration alone. These findings provide insight to the link between preterm birth and suboptimal behavioral/psychological outcomes and suggest that high birth weight, which may reflect a more optimal intrauterine environment, may serve as a protective factor irrespective of gestation duration.

Child Sleep and Socioeconomic Context in the Development of Cognitive Abilities in Early Childhood.

Despite a robust literature examining the association between sleep problems and cognitive abilities in childhood, little is known about this association in toddlerhood, a period of rapid cognitive development. The present study examined the association between various sleep problems, using actigraphy, and performance on a standardized test of cognitive abilities, longitudinally across three ages (30, 36, and 42months) in a large sample of toddlers (N=493). Results revealed a between-subject effect in which the children who had more delayed sleep schedules on average also showed poorer cognitive abilities on average but did not support a within-subjects effect. Results also showed that delayed sleep explains part of the association between family socioeconomic context and child cognitive abilities.

Sensory Subtypes of Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Date Presented 3/30/2017 This session describes subtypes and profiles of children based on sensory processing patterns and developmental characteristics in a sample of toddlers under age 3 yr diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (N = 75). Implications for practice are discussed. Primary Author and Speaker: Scott Tomchek Additional Authors and Speakers: Lauren Little, Evan Dean, Winnie Dunn

ERP responses to lexical-semantic processing in typically developing toddlers, in adults, and in toddlers at risk for language and learning impairment.

Children begin to establish lexical-semantic representations during their first year of life, resulting in a rapid growth of vocabulary around 18-24 months of age. The neural mechanisms underlying this initial ability to map words onto conceptual representations remain relatively unknown. In the present study, the electrophysiological underpinnings of these mechanisms are explored during the critical phase of lexical acquisition using a picture-word matching paradigm. Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) elicited by words (either congruous or incongruous with the previous picture context) and pseudo-words are investigated in 20-month-old toddlers (N = 20) and compared to those elicited in a sample of adults (N = 20), reflecting the final and efficient system, and a sample of toddlers at familial risk for language and learning impairment (LLI, N = 15). The results suggest that the architecture underlying spoken word representation and processing is constant throughout development, even if some differences between children and adults emerged. Interestingly, children seem to be faster than adults in processing incongruent words, probably because relying on a different and more superficial strategy. This early strategy does not seem to be present in children at risk for LLI. In addition, both groups of children do not show different and specific electrophysiological underpinnings in response to real but incongruent words and unknown words, suggesting that during the critical phase of lexical acquisition any potential word is processed in a similar way. Overall, children at risk for LLI turned out to be sensitive to verbal incongruity of the lexical-semantic context, although some differences from typically developing children emerged, reflecting slower processing and less automatic responses. Taken together, the findings of this study pave the way to further research to investigate these effects in clinical and at-risk populations with the general purpose of disentangling the underlying mechanisms of lexical acquisition, and potentially predicting later language (dis)abilities.

Home-Based Child Care Provider Education and Specialized Training: Associations With Caregiving Quality and Toddler Social-Emotional and Cognitive Outcomes

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: Although there has been considerable research on the associations between the qualifications of teachers in center-based settings and preschool-age children’s developmental outcomes, very little is known about the relationships between home provider qualifications and the developmental outcomes of toddlers who attend licensed family child care settings or unregulated family, friend, and neighbor care settings. Analyzing a sample of toddlers and their providers drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, we found positive relationships between home-based quality and higher education degree (defined as an associate’s degree or at least a bachelor’s degree), field of major, and coursework in early childhood education or a related field. However, provider qualifications were unrelated to children’s cognitive outcomes and related to a limited number of social-emotional outcomes. Practice or Policy: Our results suggest that as states consider the spectrum of supports needed for strengthening home-based child care in ways that facilitate responsive and developmentally supportive caregiving, strategies should include opportunities for home-based care providers to pursue higher education. A more nuanced analysis of the content and comprehensiveness of providers’ formal education is needed to better understand relationships between toddlers’ social and cognitive development and providers’ formal education.

Food neophobia and its association with intake of fish and other selected foods in a Norwegian sample of toddlers: A cross-sectional study

Reluctance to try novel foods (food neophobia) prevents toddlers from accepting healthy foods such as fish and vegetables, which are important for child development and health. Eating habits established between ages 2 and 3 years normally track into adulthood and are therefore highly influential; even so, there are few studies addressing food neophobia in this age group. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between the level of food neophobia and the frequency of toddlers' intake of fish, meat, berries, fruit, vegetables, and sweet and salty snacks. Parents of 505 toddlers completed a questionnaire assessing the degree of food neophobia in their toddlers (mean age 28 months, SD ± 3.5), and frequency of intake of various foods. Food neophobia was rated by the Children's Food Neophobia Scale (CFNS, score range 6–42). Associations between CFNS score and food frequency were examined using hierarchical multiple regression models, adjusting for significant covariates. Toddlers with higher CFNS scores had less frequent intake of vegetables (β = −0.28, p < 0.001), berries (β = −0.17, p = 0.002), fruits (β = −0.16, p < 0.001), and fish (β = −0.15, p = 0.001). No significant associations were found for CFNS score and frequency of toddlers' intakes of meat or of sweet and fatty snacks. These findings suggest that food neophobia in toddlers is associated with lower diet quality, and indicate a need for intervention studies to address the food neophobia.

Elevated cortisol levels in Norwegian toddlers in childcare

ABSTRACTMeta-analytic evidence suggests that children have higher cortisol levels in childcare than at home. In the present study change of morning to mid-afternoon levels of cortisol was explored at home and in childcare in a Norwegian sample of toddlers. Further, analyses of associations between change of cortisol levels in childcare and child-, family-, and childcare factors were conducted. One hundred and twelve children attending 85 childcare centres were included in the present study. Saliva samples and observations in childcare were conducted 5–6 months after the children entered childcare. Linear mixed-model analyses revealed a statistical significant difference in change of cortisol levels during the day in childcare as compared at home. An increase in cortisol levels during the day was found among Norwegian toddlers in childcare, in particular for children with long hours in childcare, but not at home. Implications for practice are discussed.

Sensory Processing Relationships to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Risk in Toddlers Diagnosed With ASD

Abstract Date Presented 4/8/2016 This session will describe the relationships between sensory processing patterns and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk (as measured by ASD screening measures) in a sample of toddlers diagnosed with ASD. Early identification and intervention implications for occupational therapy practitioners will be discussed. Primary Author and Speaker: Scott Tomchek Additional Author and Speaker: Evan Dean, Winnie Dunn, Lauren Little

The association between physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, and body mass index z-scores in different settings among toddlers and preschoolers.

BackgroundPhysical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep are all movement behaviors that range on a continuum from no or low movement, to high movement. Consistent associations between movement behaviors and adiposity indicators have been observed in school-age children. However, limited information exists in younger children. Since approximately 50 % of Canadian children ≤5 years of age attend non-parental care, movement behaviors within and outside of the child care setting are important to consider. Therefore, this study examined the association between movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep) inside and outside of child care, with body mass index (BMI) z-scores, among a sample of toddlers and preschoolers.MethodsChildren aged 19–60 months (n = 100) from eight participating child care centers throughout Alberta, Canada participated. Movement behaviors inside child care were accelerometer-derived (light physical activity, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary time, and time spent in sedentary bouts lasting 1–4, 5–9, 10–14 and ≥15 min) and questionnaire-derived (daytime sleep). Movement behaviors outside of child care were questionnaire-derived (MVPA, screen and non-screen sedentary behavior, and nighttime sleep). Demographic information (child age, child sex, and parental education) was also questionnaire-derived. Height and weight were measured, and age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores were calculated using World Health Organization growth standards. The association between movement behaviors and BMI z-scores were examined using linear regression models.ResultsHours/day of sedentary bouts lasting 1–4 min (β =−0.8, 95 % CI:−1.5,−0.1) and nighttime sleep (β = 0.2, 95 % CI: 0.1, 0.4) were associated with BMI z-scores. However, after adjusting for demographics variables, sedentary bouts lasting 1–4 min (β =−0.7; 95 % CI:−1.5, 0.0) became borderline non-significant, while nighttime sleep (β = 0.2, 95 % CI: 0.1, 0.4) remained significant. No other movement behaviors inside/outside of child care were associated with BMI z-scores.ConclusionsAll children must engage in some sedentary behavior in a day, but promoting the sedentary behavior in short bouts during child care may be important for the primary prevention of overweight and obesity. Future research is needed to understand the mechanisms between sleep and adiposity in this age group and to confirm these findings in large representative samples.

Toddler naps in child care: associations with demographics and developmental outcomes

ObjectivesThe objectives were to characterize the rate, duration, and factors associated with napping in a large, nationally representative sample of toddlers attending child care. DesignWe analyzed a subset of data from the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Birth Cohort, including parent report, caregiver report, and observational measures. ParticipantsData were limited to the 3050 participants reporting that their 2-year-old routinely spent greater than 1 hour per week in nonparental child care. MeasurementsInterviews were completed to measure child care type (relative, nonrelative, center-based), demographics, bedtime characteristics (eg, presence of a bedtime routine, assistance needed to fall asleep), and naptime. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development—Research Edition was used to measure child outcomes. ResultsNapping was reported to occur in 91% of 2-year-olds, with most naps reported to last 2 hours. Significant racial and ethnic differences were found in nap duration, with black children napping longer and Latino children napping shorter than white children, controlling for socioeconomic status and sex. Children cared for by relatives had longer naps than those in nonrelative child care. There were no significant relationships between naps and child outcomes. ConclusionsResults highlight racial and ethnic differences in daytime napping duration and interesting differences in nap duration in different child care settings. Child care providers may use these results to adopt appropriate expectations, policies, and practices for 2-year-old napping.

Using Spoken Language Benchmarks to Characterize the Expressive Language Skills of Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Spoken language benchmarks proposed by Tager-Flusberg et al. (2009) were used to characterize communication profiles of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders and to investigate if there were differences in variables hypothesized to influence language development at different benchmark levels. The communication abilities of a large sample of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (N = 105) were characterized in terms of spoken language benchmarks. The toddlers were grouped according to these benchmarks to investigate whether there were differences in selected variables across benchmark groups at a mean age of 2.5 years. The majority of children in the sample presented with uneven communication profiles with relative strengths in phonology and significant weaknesses in pragmatics. When children were grouped according to one expressive language domain, across-group differences were observed in response to joint attention and gestures but not cognition or restricted and repetitive behaviors. The spoken language benchmarks are useful for characterizing early communication profiles and investigating features that influence expressive language growth.

The psychometric properties of the Quantitative-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) as a measure of autistic traits in a community sample of Singaporean infants and toddlers.

BackgroundThere is growing research evidence that subclinical autistic traits are elevated in relatives of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), continuously distributed in the general population and likely to share common etiology with ASD. A number of measures have been developed to assess autistic traits quantitatively in unselected samples. So far, the Quantitative-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) is one of very few measures developed for use with toddlers as young as 18 months, but little is known about its measurement properties and factor structure.MethodsThe present study examined internal consistency, factor structure, test-retest stability, and convergent validity of the Q-CHAT in a sample of toddlers in Singapore whose caregivers completed the Q-CHAT at 18 (n = 368) and 24 months (n = 396).ResultsThree factors were derived accounting for 38.1 % of the variance: social/communication traits, non-social/behavioral traits, and a speech/language factor. Internal consistency was suboptimal for the total and speech/language scores, but acceptable for the social/communication and non-social/behavioral factor scores. Scores were generally stable between 18 and 24 months. Convergent validity was found with the Pervasive Developmental Disorders subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) completed by caregivers when their children were 24 months. Q-CHAT total scores in this sample were higher than those reported in other unselected samples from the UK.ConclusionsThe Q-CHAT was found to have a three-factor structure, acceptable internal consistency for its two main factor scores (social/communication and non-social/behavioral), normally distributed scores in an unselected sample, and similar structure and measurement properties as those reported in other published studies. Findings are discussed in relation to existing literature and future directions for the validation of the Q-CHAT.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour of toddlers and preschoolers in child care centres in Alberta, Canada.

To describe duration of physical activity and duration and bouts of sedentary behaviour during child care in a sample of toddlers and preschoolers (19-60 months) from Alberta, Canada, and to examine whether duration and bouts differed among sex, age and parental immigration status groups. One hundred and fourteen children aged 19-60 months from eight child care centres throughout Alberta participated. Data were collected at baseline of a study examining revised Alberta Child Care Accreditation Standards. Duration of physical activity (light (LPA), moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA)) and duration and bouts (1-4, 5-9, 10-14, and ≥15 minutes) of sedentary behaviour during child care were accelerometer-derived using 15-second epochs during October/November, 2013. Median [Interquartile ranges] and ANOVAs, accounting for the clustered nature of the data, were calculated. Minutes/hour spent in sedentary behaviour, LPA and MVPA were 36.9 [32.9, 40.7], 18.4 [16.0, 20.9] and 4.2 [2.5, 5.6] respectively. Frequency/hour of sedentary bouts lasting 1-4, 5-9, 10-14 and ≥15 mins were 6.7 [6.1, 7.6], 0.9 [0.6, 1.1], 0.4 [0.2, 0.5] and 0.3 [0.2, 0.4] respectively. Preschoolers participated in less sedentary behaviour and more LPA and MVPA, and had fewer sedentary bouts lasting 10-14 and ≥15 mins compared to toddlers (p &lt; 0.05). This is the first Canadian study to report on the duration of physical activity and duration and bouts of sedentary behaviour among both toddlers and preschoolers attending child care centres. These findings suggest child care interventions are needed to increase MVPA and decrease total sedentary behaviour while continuing to promote short sedentary bouts.

Efficacy of the ADEC in Identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder in Clinically Referred Toddlers in the US.

The Autism Detection in Early Childhood (ADEC) is a brief, play-based screening tool for the assessment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children aged 12-36 months. We examined the psychometric properties of the ADEC in a clinical sample of toddlers (n = 114) referred to a US pediatric hospital for assessment due to concerns of developmental delay or ASD. The ADEC (cutoff = 11) returned good sensitivity (.93-.94) but poorer specificity (.62-.64) for best estimate clinical diagnosis of ASD, and compared favorably with the ADOS-2. Internal consistency was acceptable, α = .80, and inter-rater reliability was high, ICC = .95. Results support the use of the ADEC as a clinical screen for ASD.

RETRACTED: Children assessed for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Developmental delay and change over time in BDI-2 developmental quotients

Abstract Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often have overall developmental delays and delays in developmental domains outside of the core ASD symptoms. Research results have been mixed regarding the stability of level of functioning over time in young children with ASD symptoms. Elements that influence development over time in young children with ASD symptoms are an important area of research. Early assessment and intervention is critical to improving prognosis, though effectiveness of intervention depends on a number of factors with some researchers suggesting IQ or overall functioning may influence the degree or rapidity of treatment effects. Using the Battelle Developmental Inventory, this study investigates the effect of overall developmental quotient (DQ) at first assessment on subsequent DQ scores, including scores in communication and adaptive domains in a sample of toddlers evincing significant ASD symptoms.