Significance In Children Research Articles

Sleep architecture and memory consolidation in children with focal epilepsy

BackgroundCognitive impairment is a major comorbidity in children with epilepsy. During the past decade, evidence has emerged that the consolidation of declarative memory (memory for facts and events) is promoted by slow-wave sleep. The aim of this study was to investigate whether sleep architecture is disrupted in children with epilepsy, and whether this disruption impacts on memory consolidation in these children compared with healthy children. MethodsA within-subject comparison of memory retention across similar length intervals overnight (sleep condition) or daytime (wake condition) was performed in 20 children with focal epilepsy (aged 6–16 years) and 19 healthy, age-matched children (controls). For each condition, participants learned a list of semantically related word pairs for cued recall after the interval. Patients participated during admission for video electroencephalogram (EEG) telemetry, whereas controls underwent ambulatory EEG polysomnography across the sleep condition. FindingsChildren with epilepsy had less rapid eye movement sleep (ANCOVA with age as covariate F=8·2, p=0·007) and more stage 2 sleep (F=5·335, p=0·027) than did controls, but a similar amount of slow-wave sleep and stage 1 sleep. Memory retention was greater in the sleep than the wake condition (repeated measures ANOVA F=7·876, p=0·008) and there was no significant interaction effect with group (patients vs controls) or order of conditions. The difference in memory retention scores between the sleep and wake conditions correlated with the proportion of time that the child spent in slow-wave sleep across the total sample (Pearson r=0·461, p=0·003). This association was significant in controls (r=0·546, p=0·051), but did not reach significance in children with epilepsy, and was not altered after controlling for age. InterpretationPatients with focal epilepsy show benefit to memory consolidation with sleep similar to that seen in healthy individuals, despite the underlying disease and effects of treatment. The association with slow-wave sleep, which is preserved at the expense of rapid eye movement sleep, also seems robust. Our findings suggest that the enhancement of slow-wave sleep—by behavioural, pharmacological, or physical means—has the potential to improve cognitive outcome in this patient group. FundingAction Medical Research, Reta Lila Howard Foundation.

The price of an apprentice : contracts and trials in the woollen industry in sixteenth century Italy

The history of work in the modern era has – often unfairly – considered children’s work to be a minor aspect of the household, if not « complementary » to the economic activities unfolding within it. While the traditional garzonato [apprenticeship] represented a formative stage of an adolescent’s life, geared toward learning a trade that would be practiced in adulthood, other work done outside of a trade career was considered – often incorrectly – as « minor » and as a mere response to a family’s economic or structural difficulties. As a result the wages of pueri, that is children between the ages of 7 and 14, were usually considered « supplementary » to the household budget in relation to the wages of more adult workers, and thus stripped of their individual nature. However, research on certain Italian and European cities has enabled a partial revision of these interpretations, offering a broader framework for the causes and significance of children’s work in modern times. Drawing on the proceedings from a number of central and northern Italian civil and business courts (Padua, Florence, Vicenza, Milan), cross-checked with a large body of notarial acts, this paper seeks to show how children’s wages played a role that went beyond just remunerating work or supplementing family income. In fact, wages were primarily a means to ensure the temporal continuity of a relationship of debt and credit between two or more people, allowing the children – and their respective parents and guardians – to enter into relationships with other individuals and build social as well as economic ties that might prove useful in the future. Second, children’s wages were not set according to a ‘standard’, but rather reflected apprentices’ individual characteristics, which were primarily defined by the characteristics of their biological family. Finally, by earning wages these children were able to begin a long process of integration into ancien regime society. On the basis of these and other elements this paper proposes to critically discuss the nature, role and function of children’s wages in modern times.

Parental education, class and income over early life course and children's achievement

Very few studies on intergenerational achievement consider the high correlation between separate measures of parental socioeconomic position and possible life course variation in their significance for children. We analyse how socioeconomic characteristics of mothers and fathers over children's life course explain children's occupational outcomes in adulthood. Using Finnish register data, we matched the occupational position (ISEI) of 29,282 children with information on parents’ education, occupational class and income when children are 0–4, 5–9, 10–14, 15–19, 20–24 and 25–29 years old. We fitted three-level random effects linear regression models and decompose family-level variance of siblings’ ISEI by each measure of parental status. We show that parental education explains family variation in siblings’ occupation most and income explains it least. Status characteristics of fathers together explain approximately half of children's outcomes, and those of mothers explain slightly less. These explanations vary only a little during children's life course. We also find that independent, non-overlapping effects of observed parental indicators vary over time. Mothers’ education explains independently most in infancy, whereas that of fathers in early adulthood. The influence of class alone is minor and time constant, but the effect of income alone is negligible over the entire follow-up. The independent effects are overall relatively small. The largest proportion of children's outcomes explained by these parental measures is shared and cannot be decomposed into independent effects. We conclude that bias due to ignoring life course variation in studies on intergenerational attainment is likely to be small.

Orientalism for Beginners: Ethnic Diversity in Karl-Heinz Käfer's 1990 Feature Film Production Lippels Traum

Karl-Heinz Käfer's film Lippels Traum (1990) foregrounds the question of Muslim identity in German cinema shortly after reunification. This article examines the film with the aid of the topos of the Orient and typical elements of Oriental fairy tales in Germany, revealing the significance of children's films in the discourse on social diversity in the early 1990s in Germany. Children's films in the context of German culture are an underexplored research area. Their examination yields critical results regarding the broader tradition of German film as well as notions of Germanness after the Wende and how audiences consumed non-Western identities at a time of social change.

Increased Lateral Tibial Slope is a Risk Factor for Pediatric ACL Injury

Objectives:Recent research has asserted that increased posterior tibial slope measured on plain radiographs is associated with elevated risk of ACL rupture in adults. It is unclear, however, if tibial slope is also of significance in children and adolescents. The purpose of this case-control study was to 1) determine if alterations in posterior tibial slope are associated with ACL rupture in pediatric and adolescent athletes, and 2) to quantify changes in tibial slope by age.Methods:T2-weighted sagittal MRI scans of the knee were reviewed by three raters in a 1:1 sample of cases and controls, totaling 152 patients. Seventy-six skeletally immature patients with a complete non-contact ACL rupture were compared to an age- and gender-matched control group of 76 knees without ACL injury. The mean age of both groups was 14.8 +/- 1.3 years old and 46% of both groups were male. The medial and lateral compartments were each measured separately. All measurements were made using PACS software, employing a method similar to that which has been standardized in the adult literature. Our technique differed from previous studies in adults, though, in that the slope was measured on the cartilage surface, not the subchondral bone.Results:The mean posterior slope of the medial tibial plateau (MTS) was 5.4° ± 2.2° and 5.1° ± 2.3° (t-test; P=0.42) in the ACL-injured and control knees, respectively. The mean posterior slope of the lateral plateau (LTS) was 5.7° ± 2.4° in the ACL-injured knees and 3.4° ± 1.7° in the control knees (t-test; P<0.001) (Table 1). There was no difference in LTS between males and females (4.46° and 4.58°, P = 0.75). An interaction variable created by combining gender with LTS in a logistic regression model was not significant (P=0.12). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of lateral tibial slope was used to determine a threshold value that might predict elevated risk of ACL injury. A cutoff of lateral posterior tibial slope >4° resulted in a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 75% for predicting ACL rupture in this cohort. Interrater reliability of tibial slope measurements was excellent (ICC=0.62 and 0.77 for the medial and lateral tibial plateaus, respectively). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that tibial slope decreased, or flattened, by 0.18° (P=0.028) and 0.21° (P=0.009) degrees per year as adolescents age.Conclusion:The biomechanical basis for an association between posterior tibial slope and ACL injury is well established in adults. To our knowledge, this is the first study that evaluates the association between tibial slope (as measured along the cartilage surface on MRI rather than subchondral bone on plain radiographs) and the risk of ACL rupture in a large adolescent cohort using a case-control design. Employing standard measurement techniques, the lateral tibial slope averaged 5.7° in ACL-injured knees and 3.4° in ACL-intact knees. A cutoff of >4° for the lateral posterior slope is 76% sensitive and 75% specific for predicting ACL rupture in this cohort of skeletally immature athletes. LTS did not influence the incidence of ACL injury differently between genders.

PET/CT and MIBG scans in diagnosis and management of Neuroblastoma

Introduction and aim: Several studies report conflicting results about 18 F-FDG/PET and MIBG scans and their diagnostic as well as prognostic significance in children with neuroblastoma. The current study was meant to evaluate both modalities and to compare them in relation to standardized modes of evaluation. Patients and Methods: Paired evaluation ( 18 F-PET/CT and MIBG) was carried out prospectively (within a time interval of 1 month) at diagnosis and at different points of therapy, between June 2012 and April 2013. Thirty patients (14 males and 16 females), aged (0-18 years), diagnosed with Neuroblastoma at Children’s Cancer Hospital-Egypt. They were treated according to COG A3973 for high risk patients and COG A3961 for intermediate risk patients. Results: FDG/PET showed good results in detecting NB at all sites. FDG/PET also showed a higher sensitivity and specificity, and a better PPV/NPV than MIBG which was not statistically significant. Concordance between paired scans (MIBG, and PET) was found in 55.7% of cases (Kappa=0.001) for primary tumor site, and in 7% for bone and 19.4% for bone marrow. The significance of concordance between both modalities was only demonstrated for metastatic boney lesions. There were 13 patients having stage III neuroblastoma (43.3%) while 17 patients (56.7%) were having stage IV disease. 23 Patients were categorized as high risk (76.7%) while 7 patients (23.3%) were intermediate risk. Both, PET/CT scan and MIBG were more sensitive in detecting disease at stage IV than stage III. Conclusion: 18 F-FDG/PET scan can be used effectively in both diagnosis and management decisions for children with neuroblastoma, it is a good complementary tool especially in detecting bone metastasis, although further clinical trials must agree on definite analytical aspects between both modalities.

The care worlds of migrant children – Exploring inter-generational dynamics of love, care and solidarity across home and school

There is increasing interest in migrant children’s contribution to family processes of integration. Less explored are the role of affective bonds and the significance of children’s care worlds in managing the transition of the migrant family, especially between home and school. Drawing on a deep ethnographic study of 10 diverse migrant families (parent and child), this article highlights how inter-generational practices of love, care and solidarity – the creation of a ‘family feeling’ (Bourdieu, 1998) – are central to the negotiation of belonging in the settlement country. However, affective practices, it is argued, are interconnected with access to economic, social and cultural resources giving rise to substantive differences in how migrant children negotiate the transition between home and school.

Changes of serum heart type fatty acid binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide and their clinical significance in children with Kawasaki disease

Objective To explore the serum levels changes of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide in children with Kawasaki disease, as well as their links with the heart function. Methods A total of 53 children with Kawasaki disease admitted to our hospital from February 2008 to March 2012 were selected and at the same time 50 healthy controls were randomly selected.The serum levels for the children in acute phase, recovery period of Kawasaki disease and control group children were determined by enzyme-linked immnoabsorbent assay.The internal diameter of coronary artery, LVEF, LVSF, CI and E/A of children were measured by two-dimensional echocardiography. Results The heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide concentrations of children with Kawasaki disease in acute stage[(18.23±13.81) ng/ml,(517.2±213.2) pg/ml]were higher than those in recovery stage[(6.29±1.26) ng/ml,(92.1±46.0) pg/ml](P<0.05). They were also higher for children in acute stage than those of control group[(6.26±1.60) ng/ml,(37.6±7.6) pg/ml]. The LVEF, LVSF, CI of Kawasaki disease for children in acute stage were lower than those in recovery phase[(60.3±3.6)% vs.(64.8±4.3)%,(30.6±2.5)% vs.(34.9±1.9)%,(3.1±0.3)% vs.(3.5±0.3)%]. Linear correlation analysis showed the heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide′concentrations in Kawasaki disease were negatively correlated with LVEF(P<0.05). The heart-type fatty acid-binding protein′positive rates were also higher than brain natriuretic peptide for the children in acute and recovery phase. Conclusion The heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide could be used as the biochemical markers for myocardial damage of children with Kawasaki disease.The heart-type fatty acid-binding protein was more significant than brain natriuretic peptide.The heart-type fatty acid-binding protein and brain natriuretic peptide in Kawasaki disease were also high in recovery stage, indicating that myocardial damage could maintain for a long period after the clinical improvement. Key words: Kawasaki disease; Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein; Brain natriuretic peptide

Poverty, Gender and Fertility in Rural Kenya

Despite a global decline in fertility, in Kenya, fertility has remained at a fairly high level. This article is based on two studies in rural villages in Western Province, Kenya in 1988 and 2011. In 1988, this province had the highest fertility level in the country. By 2011, fertility had fallen, but remained high in the national context. The analysis explores the interaction of poverty and gender relations in order to understand this. The Bukusu ethnic group, traditionally strongly patriarchal, is the focus of the article. Methodology and data collection followed the same basic principles in the two studies: collecting focused biographies among randomly sampled women (and a few men), and with information from community leaders. The 2011 case study re-interviewed some of the informants from 1988 and their descendants, supplemented with a few informants acquired through snowballing. Greater emphasis was now given to men. The findings show that, despite increasing education, people are facing even harsher realities in 2011 than they did 20 years ago. The Bukusu retain a form of patriarchy in which men's obligations have been reduced, while their privileges have been sustained. Persistent poverty has triggered risky behaviour in terms of excessive drinking and sex for money, both of which are likely to push up fertility. However, limiting births also represents a risk. Present fertility levels correspond to the significance of children for both women and men. But changes can be traced in women's attitudes, with a vision of less dependence on a husband.

Framing Young Children’s Humour and Practitioner Responses to it Using a Bakhtinian Carnivalesque Lens

This article presents findings from a pilot study offering an alternative framing of children’s humour and laughter in an early childhood education setting. It employs a Bakhtinian carnivalesque lens to explore the nature of children’s humour in an urban nursery and investigate the framing of children’s humour and laughter outside the popular paradigm of developmental psychology. In addition, it addresses the challenge that children’s humour can present for early childhood practitioners, turning to Bakhtin’s analysis of carnival to frame children’s humour as carnivalesque. This conception is then offered as a part of a potential explanation for practitioners’ occasional resistance to children’s humour, proposing that dominating, authoritative discourses within early childhood education play a significant role in this. The article draws on a number of theorists, including Bakhtin more widely, to address reasons why humour is not valued pedagogically within the UK early childhood field and suggests that further research in the area is imperative, in order that we gain a better understanding of the place and significance of children’s humour within early childhood practice.

Clinical significance of CD44 expression in children with hepatoblastoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of CD44 and its clinical significance in children suffering from hepatoblastoma (HB). CD44 expression was detected with immunohistochemistry staining in 30 samples from hepatoblastoma children and 10 normal liver tissue samples from normal children. The data obtained was statistically analyzed using the chi-square test, using the SPSS (v.11.0) software. The rate of CD44 expression was significantly higher (66.7%) in hepatoblastoma tissues than in normal liver tissues (χ(2) = 4.848, P < 0.05). The rate of CD44 expression was significantly higher in children with stage III or IV hepatoblastoma (83.3%) than that in children with stage I and II hepatoblastoma (χ(2) ＝ 5.625, P < 0.05) (41.7%). Therefore, CD44 expression might play an important role in the pathogenesis, progression, and prognosis of HB in children.

Asymptomatic Bile Duct Dilatation in Children: Is It a Disease?

PurposeBile duct dilatation is a relatively common sonographic finding; nevertheless, its clinical significance in children is controversial because little research has been done in the area. Therefore, we investigated the natural course and clinical significance of biliary duct dilatation in children.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study of 181 children (range, 1-day-old to 17-year-old) in whom dilatation of the intrahepatic duct and/or common hepatic duct and/or common bile duct was detected by abdominal ultrasonography at the Severance Children's Hospital between November 2005 and March 2014. We reviewed and analyzed laboratory test results, clinical manifestations, and clinical course in these patients.ResultsPediatric patients (n=181) were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups. The first group included 59 subjects, without definitive cause of bile duct dilatation, who did not require treatment; the second group included 122 subjects, with definitive cause of bile duct dilatation or underlying biliary disease, who did require treatment. In the first group, 24 patients (40.7%) showed spontaneous resolution of bile duct dilatation, 20 patients (33.9%) showed no change, and 15 patients (25.4%) were lost to follow-up. In the second group, 31 patients were diagnosed with choledochal cysts, and 91 patients presented with biliary tract dilatations due to secondary causes, such as gallbladder or liver disease, post-operative complications, or malignancy.ConclusionBiliary dilatation in pediatric patients without symptoms, and without laboratory and other sonographic abnormalities, showed a benign clinical course. No pathologic conditions were noted on follow-up ultrasonography.

Food allergens: molecular and immunological aspects, allergen databases and cross-reactivity.

The currently known food allergens are assigned to a relatively small number of protein families. Food allergens grouped into protein families share common functional and structural features that can be attributed to the allergenic potency and potential cross-reactivity of certain proteins. Molecular data, in terms of structural information, biochemical characteristics and clinical relevance for each known allergen, including isoforms and variants, are mainly compiled into four open-access databases. Allergens are designated according to defined criteria by the World Health Organization and the International Union of Immunological Societies Allergen Nomenclature Sub-committee. Food allergies are caused by primary sensitisation to the disease-eliciting food allergens (class I food allergen), or they can be elicited as a consequence of a primary sensitisation to inhalant allergens and subsequent IgE cross-reaction to homologous proteins in food (class II food allergens). Class I and class II allergens display different clinical significance in children and adults and are characterised by different molecular features. In line with this, high stability when exposed to gastrointestinal digestion and heat treatment is attributed to many class I food allergens that frequently induce severe reactions. The stability of a food allergen is determined by its molecular characteristics and can be influenced by structural (chemical) modifications due to thermal processing. Moreover, the immunogenicity and allergenicity of food allergens further depends on specific T cell and B cell epitopes. Although the T cell epitope pattern can be highly diverse for individual patients, several immuno-prominent T cell epitopes have been identified. Such conserved T cell epitopes and IgE cross-reactive B cell epitopes contribute to cross-reactivity between food allergens of the same family and to clinical cross-reactivity, similar to the birch pollen-food syndrome.

Concerns about Soy Cultivation: What is Known and What is not Known

There is abundant literature suggesting medical use for phytoestrogen-containing products. There is also published evidence suggesting potentially negative consequences of phytoestrogens use for humans. Substantiation of both concepts appears questionable. Meanwhile, soy products are used liberally in the food also for infants and children. The concept discussed here is that it is not consistent to support soy use for estrogenic effects without concern for its impact on routine use as a foodstuff and livestock fodder. It is important for thorough independent studies to be done to answer these questions. Phytoestrogens are substances of plant origin that are structurally and functionally similar to estrogens. Among them, isoflavones and coumestans are the most extensively studied groups. Isoflavones are present in different edible plants, but are most abundant in soy [13]. Consumption of soy products has been associated with favorable health effects, but potentially adverse effects are underacknowledged [4]. Phytoestrogens are advertised as a natural alternative to estrogens for hormone replacement therapy during menopause [1]. Preclinical trials have demonstrated both genomic and non-genomic action of phytoestrogens including selective but weak binding to the estrogen receptors [5]. Some epidemiological studies suggest that dietary intake of phytoestrogens may contribute to the decreased incidence of postmenopausal cardiovascular disease [6] and that phytoestrogens are significantly more effective than placebo in reducing the frequency of hot flashes [7]. Evidence in support of clinically relevant biological effects has been generally rated as insufficient or absent [5,8-14]. A recent review concluded that in spite of increasing preclinical and clinical studies over the past decade, “appealing evidence is still lacking to support the overall positive risk-benefit profile of phytoestrogens” [15]. Then as now, the conventional menopausal hormone replacement therapy remains the only treatment that has consistently had a greater effect than placebo in controlled trials [16]. As evaluation of earlier works on enrichment the diet with soy products has failed to confirm favorable effects related to the cardiovascular system [17], doubts concerning phytoestrogens have recently increased. There is little evidence to support the hypothesis that phytoestrogens protect against menopausal osteoporosis, with published studies having no controls for confounding factors, the observations generally being of short duration [18,19]. In regard to osteoporosis, the latest review concluded that “evidence points to a lack of a protective role of soy isoflavones in the prevention of postmenopausal bone loss” [20], although in vitro and animal studies show some positive effect of isoflavones on bone which has not been clearly confirmed by long-term human trials [21]. There might be genetic differences in this regard, as equol producers seem to present a more positive response to isoflavone intervention [21]. The use of phytoestrogens as an alternative for hormone replacement therapy is not advocated due to insufficient information on safety [22], and reports of adverse effects and interactions with drugs [23]. Moreover, soy is known as allergenic food [2,24], and soybeanbased oil emulsions have been identified as one of the major causes of cholestasis related to pediatric parenteral nutrition [25]. There is a discrepancy in how phytoestrogens and soy products are viewed in science and medicine. Among edible plants, phytoestrogens are most abundant in soy, and are structurally and functionally analogous to estrogens, with their biological action mediated by estrogen receptors. Soy products are widely used in infant food and other foodstuffs; and, at the same time, phytoestrogens have been applied for compensation of hormone deficiency in menopause. Furthermore, soy is applied as livestock fodder, and residual phytoestrogens and their active metabolites can remain in meats. There are only few reports on modified gender-related behavior or feminization in humans as a result of soy consumption. In animals, the intake of phytoestrogens was reported to impact fertility, sexual development and behavior. Feminizing effects in humans can be subtle and identifiable only statistically in large populations, and may be of particular significance for children and adolescents. This matter should be clarified by independent research, which may affect the future of soy cultivation. Citation: Jargin SV (2014) Concerns about Soy Cultivation: What is Known and What is not Known. J Nutr Health Sci 1(3): 310. doi: 10.15744/2393-9060.1.310

“Because We Like To”: Young Children’s Experiences Hiding in Their Home Environment

This qualitative study of 3-to-5-year-old children’s hiding places and experiences is framed around the importance of recognizing children as active agents in creating their own culture and places in the world. Through the use of interactive data collection strategies collected at school and in children’s homes, including book discussions, representation activities, place tours, and interviews with children and parents, this research found that young children have many kinds of hiding places that serve various purposes in their lives. Children’s most common hiding places were in closets, under blankets, under beds, and behind couches. Children engaged in hiding alone and as a social activity. Through hiding, children gained control and constructed their own rules in their home environments. Hiding places also offered children a sense of comfort and security and provided a space for play and creativity. Early childhood educators need consider the significance of children’s hiding places and activities as they construct their own sense of place and identity.

E2F3a gene expression has prognostic significance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

To study E2F3a expression and its clinical significance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We quantified E2F3a expression at diagnosis in 148 children with ALL by real-time PCR. In the test cohort (n = 48), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to find the best cut-off point to divide the patients into E2F3a low- and high-expression groups. The prognostic significance of E2F3a expression was investigated in the test cohort and confirmed in the validation cohort (n = 100). The correlations of E2F3a expression with the clinical features and treatment outcome of these patients were analyzed. ROC curve analysis indicated that the best cut-off point of E2F3a expression was 0.3780. In the test cohort, leukemia-free survival (LFS) and event-free survival (EFS) of the low-expression group were lower than those of the high-expression group (log rank: P = 0.026 for both). This finding was verified in the validation cohort. LFS, EFS, and overall survival were also lower in the low-expression group than in the high-expression group (log rank, P = 0.015, 0.008, and 0.002 respectively). E2F3a low expression was correlated with the existence of BCR-ABL fusion. An algorithm composed of E2F3a expression and minimal residual disease (MRD) could predict relapse or induction failure more precisely than current risk stratification. These results were still significant in the ALL patients without BCR-ABL fusion. Low expression of E2F3a was associated with inferior prognosis in childhood ALL. An algorithm composed of E2F3a expression and MRD could predict relapse or induction failure more precisely than that of the current risk stratification.

Commemorating Young Victims of World War II in Poland

This article analyses the public commemoration of young victims of World War II in Poland. In particular, it examines the various practices of remembrance associated with Polen-Jugendverwahrlager, the notorious children’s camp established by the Nazis on the territory of Litzmannstadt Ghetto in 1942. While investigating state-sanctioned and local initiatives, undertaken both under Communism and after its fall, this article poses salient questions about Poland’s politics of memory and the role of various actors, such as the state, survivors, and local nongovernmental organizations, in its making. Whilst acknowledging the historical and cultural significance of children, this article also contributes to the ongoing debate on the revision of history that occurred in Poland after the fall of Communism.

Constructions of cosmopolitanism in teenage citizenship in Singapore

This study aims to uncover the geographies of places informing teenagers' understanding of cosmopolitanism and citizenship. Children and young people (CYP) in Singapore are becoming more internationally mobile and growing up in highly globalised Singapore. There are three overall arguments in this paper. First, the local is the actual place to situate studies on cosmopolitanism and that cosmopolitanism should be considered as a dimension of deterritorialised citizenship amongst CYP growing up in highly globalised nation-states. There are ‘roots and routes’ approaches to citizenship and my second argument is that the ‘routes approach’ to citizenship has ingrained cosmopolitan experiences into young people's life-worlds and is arguably the stronger approach of the two for young Singaporeans. Finally, this study demonstrates that the experiences of CYP in geographies of education [Holloway, S. L., P. Hubbard, H. Jöns, H. Pimlott-Wilson. 2010. “Geographies of Education and the Significance of Children, Youth and Families.” Progress in Human Geography 34 (5)] are credible yet neglected life-worlds that can help reconstitute frameworks for understanding cosmopolitanism and citizenship [Harvey, D. 2000. “Cosmopolitanism and the Banality of Geographical Evils.” Public Culture 12 (2)].

Gendering the Victorian Irish child reader as buyer

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to examine the role of children in an emergent Irish consumer culture and advertising from 1848-1921. In particular, the significance of children's gender and reading materials in the process of consumption will be evaluated. Design/methodology/approach – An analysis of primary sources, literature and secondary sources substantiates this research. Findings – By evaluating advertisements, magazines, school textbooks and children's literature from the 1848-1921 period, this article argues that Irish children were encouraged to engage with an emergent consumer culture through reading. This article also evaluates the importance of gender in considering children as consumers and it focuses upon a number of critically neglected Victorian, Irish, female authors who discussed the interface between advertising, consumption and the Irish child. Originality/value – This article is an original contribution to new areas of research about Irish consumerism and advertising history. Substantial archival research has been carried out which appraises the historical significance of advertisements, ephemera and critically neglected children's fiction.

Home Talk

ABSTRACTThis article explores what home means for children by considering the significance for children of the old adage—the home is where the heart is. This suggests that bricks and mortar, space and place, are of less relevance to ideas of home than the affective relationships of connectedness through which ideas and feelings of “home” are constituted. In this view, the home, as opposed to the house, is an emotionally loaded construct that unfolds through the everyday relationships taking place within the house's walls. This article develops these themes by exploring what home looks like from the perspectives of two ten-year-old girls, examining not only the circumstances in which these two children find themselves, but those which they themselves have helped create. The discussion is framed by the paradigm shift towards seeing children as social actors embraced by contemporary childhood studies in the 1990s.