Sociodemographic Characteristics Of Children Research Articles

Co-morbid anaemia and stunting among children of pre-school age in low- and middle-income countries: a syndemic.

To determine the prevalence of co-morbidity of two important global health challenges, anaemia and stunting, among children aged 6-59 months in low- and middle-income countries. Secondary analysis of data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted 2005-2015. Child stunting and anaemia were defined using current WHO classifications. Sociodemographic characteristics of children with anaemia, stunting and co-morbidity of these conditions were compared with those of 'healthy' children in the sample (children who were not stunted and not anaemic) using multiple logistic models. Low- and middle-income countries. Children aged 6-59 months. Data from 193 065 children from forty-three countries were included. The pooled proportion of co-morbid anaemia and stunting was 21·5 (95 % CI 21·2, 21·9) %, ranging from the lowest in Albania (2·6 %; 95 % CI 1·8, 3·7 %) to the highest in Yemen (43·3; 95 % CI 40·6, 46·1 %). Compared with the healthy group, children with co-morbidity were more likely to be living in rural areas, have mothers or main carers with lower educational levels and to live in poorer households. Inequality in children who had both anaemia and stunting was apparent in all countries. Co-morbid anaemia and stunting among young children is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, especially among more disadvantaged children. It is suggested that they be considered under a syndemic framework, the Childhood Anaemia and Stunting (CHAS) Syndemic, which acknowledges the interacting nature of these diseases and the social and environmental factors that promote their negative interaction.

Adherence status of HIV infected children at ART centre of South India

Background: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a principal determinant of virologic suppression. A variety of factors: including formulation of medicine, dose frequencing, drug toxicities, child’s age, as well as psychosocial, behavioral, and sociodemographic characteristics of children and caregivers have been associated with nonadherence. Still no consistent predictors of either good or poor adherence in children have been consistently identified.Methods: Data was collected from the ART Centre. Record based data from the year 2008 to 2018 April of pediatric age group i.e. from 0-18 years. All the cases registered at the center whose data were available were included for the study. Adherence was assessed calculating the average monthly consumption of ARV assessed by pill count as per NACO guidelines.Results: At the ART Centre, 139 (73.5%) were on treatment i.e. 75.7% of boys registered and 70.9% of registered girls. Average monthly adherence and treatment interruptions among the 73 children alive on ART, majority i.e. 90.4% were on good adherence with 8.2% on less than 80% adherence.Conclusions: Overall a good adherence indicates efficient functioning of the programme and determined efforts from the ART Centre.

Nutritional status and dietary diversity of orphan and non \u2013 orphan children under five years: a comparative study in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana

BackgroundUndernutrition in children under 5 years is a major risk factor to child deaths and is related to impaired cognitive development and lower school performance. Underprivileged children such as orphans are at particularly high risk of undernutrition. Little is however known about the nutritional status and dietary diversity of orphan children in Ghana. This study therefore compared the nutritional status and dietary diversity of orphan and non- orphan children.MethodsAn analytical cross – sectional study design was used. Two hundred and forty-six children (123 non- orphan and 123 orphans) were sampled from households (non - orphans) and four orphanages (orphans). Maternal / caregiver and child socio-demographic characteristics and dietary diversity of children was assessed with a semi – structured questionnaire. We measured anthropometric characteristics of children. Stunting, wasting and underweight in children was classified using Height – for – age Z – scores (HAZ), Weight – for – height Z – scores (WHZ) and Weight – for – age Z – scores (WAZ) respectively. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare the nutritional status and dietary diversity of orphan and non- orphan children.ResultsMajority of the children were male (52.4%). The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight was 17.9, 5.3 and 7.7% respectively for all children. There was no difference in the prevalence of stunting (17.1% vs 18.7%) (p = 0. 74), wasting (4.9% vs 5.7%) (p = 0.78) and underweight (7.3% vs 8.1%) (p = 0.81) among non – orphans and orphans. There was also no difference in mean HAZ (p = 0.52), WHZ (p = 0.27) and WAZ (p = 0.12) of non- orphan and orphan children. However, orphans had higher mean dietary diversity score (p < 0.001) and minimum dietary diversity (p < 0.001) than non – orphans. After controlling for potential confounders, non – orphans were 7.491 times more likely to have a low dietary diversity [AOR = 7.491; 95% CI (1.851–30.320); p = 0.005] compared to orphans.ConclusionPresent study data show no significant difference in the anthropometric status of orphan and non – orphan children. Orphans were more likely to receive a diversified diet than non – orphans.

Suça Sürüklenen Çocukların Klinik ve Sosyodemografik Özelliklerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Giriş: Suça sürüklenen çocukların ruhsal değerlendirmesinde çocuğu suça sürükleyen risk faktörleri detaylı incelenmelidir. Bu çalışmada birincil amaç suça sürüklenen 12-15 yaş arası çocukların sosyodemografik ve klinik özelliklerinin değerlendirilmesi, ikincil amaç ise klinisyenin ceza sorumluluğu değerlendirmesinde göz önünde bulundurduğu özelliklerin incelenmesidir.&#x0D; Gereç ve Yöntem: 12-15 yaş arası suça sürüklenen çocukların tıbbi kayıtları retrospektif değerlendirildi. Olguların ve ebeveynlerinin sosyodemografik özellikleri, suç türü, suç öyküsü, ailede suç öyküsü ve rapor sonucu bilgileri çalışmada yer aldı.&#x0D; Bulgular: Olguların çoğunluğu (%87.1) erkekti. %31.7’si okulu bırakmıştı. Olguların %55.4’ünün işlediği iddia edilen suçun hukuki anlam ve sonuçlarını algılayabildiği ve davranışlarını yönlendirebildiği saptandı. %43.6’sında bir ruhsal rahatsızlık mevcuttu ve en sık görülen Dikkat eksikliği hiperaktivite bozukluğuydu. En sık suç türü kasten yaralamaydı. %32.7’sinde tekrarlayan suç öyküsü vardı. Hem suçun hukuki anlam ve sonuçlarını algılama ve davranışlarını yönlendirme yeteneği gelişmiş grupta hem de tekrarlayıcı suç öyküsü olan grupta istatistiksel anlamlı düzeyde okul başarısızlığı, ebeveyn akrabalığı, ailede birinci derece akrabalarda suç öyküsü, sigara/alkol/madde kullanımı ve ruhsal rahatsızlık saptandı. Beck depresyon ve sürekli kaygı ölçeği (STAI-2) puanları tekrarlayıcı suç öyküsü olan grupta daha yüksekti. Hırsızlık (p=0.012) ve darp suçları (p=0.046) daha çok tekrarlama eğilimindeydi.&#x0D; Sonuç: Hem ceza sorumluluğu olan hem de tekrarlayan suç işleyen grupta öne çıkan risk faktörleri okul başarısızlığı, ebeveyn akrabalığı, akrabalarda suç öyküsü, sigara/alkol/madde kullanımı ve ruhsal rahatsızlıklardır. Bu risk faktörlerinin genetik bir zemini olabileceği bilinmekle birlikte birçoğunun koruyucu, destekleyici çalışmalar ile önlenebilecek özellikler olması dikkat çekicidir. Topluma ciddi yükü olan çocuk suçluluğunu önleyici toplumsal projelerin geliştirilmesi gerekmektedir.

Widening socio-economic disparities in early childhood obesity in Los Angeles County after the Great Recession.

While economic crises can increase socio-economic disparities in health, little is known about the impact of the 2008-09 Great Recession on obesity prevalence among children, especially low-income children. The present study examined whether socio-economic disparities in obesity among children of pre-school age participating in a federal nutrition assistance programme have changed since the recession. A pre-post observational study using administrative data of pre-school-aged programme participants from 2003 to 2014. Logistic regression was used to examine whether the relationship between obesity prevalence (BMI≥95th percentile of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's growth charts) and three measures of socio-economic status (household income, household educational attainment, neighbourhood-level median household income) changed after the recession by examining the interaction between each socio-economic status measure and a 5-year time-period variable (2003-07 v. 2010-14), stratified by child's age and adjusted for child's sociodemographic characteristics. Los Angeles County, California, USA. Children aged 2-4 years (n 1 637 788) participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The magnitude of the association of household income and household education with obesity increased after 2008-09 among 3- and 4-year-olds and 2- and 3-year-olds, respectively. However, the magnitude of the association of neighbourhood-level median household income with obesity did not change after 2008-09. Disparities in obesity by household-level socio-economic status widened after the recession, while disparities by neighbourhood-level socio-economic status remained the same. The widening household-level socio-economic disparities suggest that obesity prevention efforts should target the most vulnerable low-income children.

Childcare Type and Quality among Subsidy Recipients with and without Special Needs.

Low-income children, particularly those with special needs, may have limited access to high quality early care experiences. Child care subsidies are intended to increase families' access to quality care, but little is known about subsidy use by children with special needs. Using a nationally representative sample of 4,000 young children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Birth Cohort, we examined the types and quality of childcare received by children with and without special needs who came from subsidy eligible families. We also investigated the extent to which subsidy use and child and family sociodemographic characteristics predicted care type and quality among young children with special needs who used childcare subsidies at nine months, two years, and four years. Findings indicated that subsidies increased the use of non-parental care, mainly center-based care, as well as home-based care to a lesser extent among children with special needs relative to peers without special needs and relative to peers with special needs who did not use subsidies. However, use of subsidy did not consistently result in families with children with special needs accessing higher quality care. Sociodemographic characteristics of children, families and their context were differentially predictive of type and quality care. We discuss implications for practice and policy to foster quality early care and education of young children with special needs who are receiving subsidies.

Urinary schistosomiasis in Boko Haram-related internally displaced Nigerian children

We aimed to determine the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis among internally displaced children in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Data on the children's sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for schistosomiasis were collected, over a period of six months, using an interview-based questionnaire. Ten milliliter of urine sample was collected from each child and investigated for hematuria and ova of Schistosoma haematobium. Two hundred and thirty-eight of 385 children had urinary schistosomiasis (62.0%); of this, 125 (53.0%) were males, with a male:female ratio of 1.1:1. Urinary schistosomiasis was the most common among 5-9 years' age group, low social class children, and children of farmers, P <0.05. Stunting was significantly associated with urinary schistosomiasis, P <0.05. It is concluded that urinary schistosomiasis in children was more frequently associated with stunting and low social class. It was a very common disease among internally displaced children in Nigeria.

Unique contribution of Ecuadorian kindergartners' spontaneous focusing on numerosity to their early numerical abilities.

Recent evidence indicates that young children's spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON) uniquely contributes to their early numerical abilities. This study complements previous findings by validating the relation between young children's SFON and their early numerical abilities in a developing country, namely Ecuador. We analysed 355 Ecuadorian 5- to 6-year-olds' SFON in relation to their early numerical abilities at the start of kindergarten, controlling for children's socio-demographic (socio-economic status, age) and general cognitive (working memory, intelligence) characteristics. Our results evidence the unique contribution of Ecuadorian kindergartners' SFON to their early numerical abilities, controlling for children's working memory, intelligence, socio-economic status, and age. Our findings support the validity of previous findings on the unique contribution of SFON to young children's early numerical abilities in developed countries for developing countries. Additionally, they raise timely questions for further theoretical and methodological studies on young children's numerical development worldwide, in developing and developed countries. Statement of contribution What is already known? SFON uniquely contributes to early numerical abilities. However, this is only documented in Finnish samples. Previously only limited control for domain-general cognitive and socio-demographic characteristics. What does the study add? SFON uniquely contributes to early numerical abilities in Ecuadorian 5- to 6-year-olds. This unique contribution remains after controlling for WM, IQ, SES, and age. Evidence for the universal nature of the association between SFON and early numerical ability.

Effect of child to child approach educational method on knowledge and practices of selected first aid measures among primary school children

Background and objective: Environmental school is the best setting for unintentional injury which is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide. So, emergency instances need first aid. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of child to child approach educational method on knowledge and practices of selected first aid measures among primary school children.Methods: Research design: A quasi-experimental research design was applied for this study. Setting: This study was carried out in two governmental primary schools in El-Massara Administration, Cairo Governorate, Egypt (Abobakr Elsedeak and Anas Ben Malek). Sample: A multi-stage random sample was used. The total number of children was 460 (both male and female). Tools: Two tools were used in this study: (1) An interview questionnaire to collect data about the studied children's socio-demographic characteristics, and their knowledge about first aid. (2) An observational checklist for assessing the studied children practices regarding first aid.Results: The current study revealed that, there were statistically significant increases in mean scores of all items as well as the total score of knowledge and practices after application of the child to child approach. There was a statistically significant positive association between knowledge and practice levels; good level of knowledge with adequate practice level showed higher prevalence (75.6%) than good level of knowledge with inadequate practice level (24.4%). Fair level of knowledge with adequate practice level showed higher prevalence (66.9%) than fair level of knowledge with inadequate practice level (33.1%).Conclusions: The application of the child to child approach increased children’s good level of knowledge and adequate practices related to first aid measures. The study recommended that the use of innovative methods of health education in teaching first aid for other sectors as in preparatory school students, as well as child-to-mothers and child-to-community, to promote children’s health.

Biomarkers of Environmental Enteric Dysfunction Among Children in Rural Bangladesh.

Environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) may inhibit growth and development in low- and middle-income countries, but available assessment methodologies limit its study. In rural Bangladesh, we measured EED using the widely used lactulose mannitol ratio (L:M) test and a panel of intestinal and systemic health biomarkers to evaluate convergence among biomarkers and describe risk factors for EED. In 539 18-month-old children finishing participation in a randomized food supplementation trial, serum, stool, and urine collected after lactulose and mannitol dosing were analyzed for biomarkers of intestinal absorption, inflammation, permeability and repair, and systemic inflammation. EED scores for each participant were developed using principal component analysis and partial least squares regression. Associations between scores and L:M and with child sociodemographic and health characteristics were evaluated using regression analysis. EED prevalence (L:M > 0.07) was 39.0%; 60% had elevated acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein >5 mg/L or α-1 acid glycoprotein >100 mg/dL). Correlations between intestinal biomarkers were low, with the highest between myeloperoxidase and α-1 antitrypsin (r = 0.33, P < 0.01), and biomarker values did not differ by supplementation history. A 1-factor partial least squares model with L:M as the dependent variable explained only 8.6% of L:M variability. In adjusted models, L:M was associated with child sex and socioeconomic status index, whereas systemic inflammation was predicted mainly by recent illness, not EED. Impaired intestinal health is widespread in this setting of prevalent stunting, but a panel of serum and stool biomarkers demonstrated poor agreement with L:M. Etiologies of intestinal and systemic inflammation are likely numerous and complex in resource-poor settings, underscoring the need for a better case definition with corresponding diagnostic methods to further the study of EED.

Sociodemographic Profile and Treatment-Seeking Behavior of HIV Infected Children Accessing Care at Pediatric ART Clinic of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Delhi

Background: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has emerged as one of the most serious public health problems in India. The parents of HIV-infected children are more likely to die and thus render the children orphan. The sociodemographic characteristics of children with HIV infection are different than the other children of the same age group. With the diverse range of manifestations, the symptoms of HIV/AIDS can appear in children at any time during the course of infection. After appearance of various signs/symptoms, the parents wander to various health agencies for relief and thus lose their vital time. Aims: The present study was conducted (1) to study the sociodemographic profile of children living with HIV/AIDS and (2) to know the treatment-seeking behavior of HIV/AIDS patients before coming to the tertiary hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional study where 216 children registered at the pediatric ART clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi and their caregivers were included in the study. Semi-structured, pretested interview schedule was used for data collection through face-to-face interviews. Results: Out of the 216 children, males outnumbered females in the ratio of 2.48:1. Most of the children were in the age group of 10–14 years (48.1%) and the majority belonged to urban areas (63.4%). Most of the children were going to school. Majority of children (46.3%) belonged to social class-4. Hospitals (62.5%) were consulted first followed by private practitioners (33.3%) by these patients after appearance of earliest symptoms. Presenting symptoms of HIV in children were not specific and the most common symptom was fever (79.1%) followed by not gaining weight (69.4%), recurrent diarrhea (65.3%), cough (41.7%) and vomiting (30.6%). The average number of consultations sought by these patients before coming to this hospital was 2.34 per patients. Hospitals (39.8%) and prior experience at same hospital (33.3%) were the most common source of information about the ART center.

Prevalence of malocclusion in Canadian children with autism spectrum disorder.

The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of malocclusion among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to describe the most common malocclusion traits in this population. This cross-sectional study included patients diagnosed with ASD aged between 5 and 18years. Randomly selected healthy children with the same demographic characteristics comprised the control group. Dental charts were reviewed to obtain the children's sociodemographic characteristics and type of occlusion. Information on each child's molar occlusion classification (Angle classification), midline deviation, crossbite, open bite, overbite, overjet, and crowding were recorded. The statistical analysis used descriptive analysis, the Pearson chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression. Ninety-nine children comprised the ASD group, and 101 children were in the control group. Our results demonstrated a significantly higher prevalence of malocclusion in children with ASD compared with the control group (P<0.001). Patients with ASD were significantly more likely to have posterior crossbite (P=0.03), increased overjet (P<0.0001), and severe maxillary crowding (P<0.01). Furthermore, children with ASD were more likely to have malocclusion than non-ASD children, independently of their demographic characteristics (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.46, -4.65). The prevalence of malocclusion was higher among children with ASD. Posterior crossbite, increased overjet, and severe maxillary crowding were the most common malocclusion traits in these children.

Physical activity and sleep on the risk of overweight among Grade 5 students in Gampaha Medical Office of Health area, Sri Lanka

Background: Overweight in childhood is an emerging health problem in developing countries. The increasing trend in overweight is associated with three important factors; dietary habits, physical activity and socio-economic changes. Objective: To determine the risk factors for overweight among Grade 5 students in schools of Gampaha Medical Officer of Health area. Methods: A case control study was carried out. Cases were defined as Grade 5 students who were overweight, which was identified based on the age and sex specific body mass index (BMI) centile charts recommended by the International Obesity Task Force. Controls were those who were not overweight selected from the same class of cases. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was administered to the parent or guardian of the children to assess the physical activities, dietary pattern and socio-demographic characteristics of children. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied. Risk factors for overweight were assessed using adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Less physical activity during free times at home (OR=1.86; 95% CI=1.01, 3.42), less physical activity during weekends (OR=2.06; 95% CI=1.18, 3.61), less overall physical activity (OR=1.77; 95% CI=1.08, 2.9) and sleeping more than 8 hours per day (OR=0.46; 95% CI=0.29, 0.74) showed statistically significant associations with overweight in bivariate analysis. Of them, after adjusting for confounders, engaging in less physical activities during the weekend was a risk factor (aOR=2.17; 95% CI=1.22, 3.86) for overweight. Sleeping more than 8 hours per day was a protective factor (aOR=0.46; 95% CI=0.29, 0.74) for overweight. Other characteristics of physical activities, socio-demographic factors, high-fibre diet and fatty food did not show any significant association with overweight. Conclusions: Less physical activity especially during weekends showed a two-fold risk for overweight while sleeping more than 8 hours per day showed a similar protective effect for overweight among Grade 5 school children.

Parent-Reported Severity and Health/Educational Services Use Among US Children with Autism: Results from a National Survey

Little national data exist regarding service use patterns for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) of varying severity. This study aimed to assess the relationship between parent-reported severity and use of educational and health care services. Data from the 2011 Survey of Pathways to Diagnosis and Services were used to examine a nationally representative sample of 1420 US children aged 6 to 17 years with ASD, with or without developmental delay and intellectual disability. Weighted multivariable logistic regression assessed associations of parent-reported ASD severity and child sociodemographic characteristics with school-based therapy, non-school-based therapy, behavioral interventions, and specialty provider visits. Higher parent-reported ASD severity was associated with increased likelihood of current use of school-based therapy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.08, 95% confidence interval =1.85-8.98), non-school-based therapy (AOR = 3.60 [1.95-6.66]), and behavioral interventions (AOR = 2.30 [1.22-4.34]), as well as regular specialty provider visits (AOR = 2.99 [1.38-6.46]). Although rates of service use were generally highest among children with severe ASD, non-school-based therapy and behavioral interventions were only used by about half of children with severe ASD, and about 1 in 4 children with mild ASD were using none of the therapies asked about. Parent-reported severity is associated with increased therapy and specialty provider service use among children with ASD. However, substantial variability exists in service use across levels of severity.

Severe parental mental illness is associated with lower school readiness in offspring: A linked data study

ABSTRACT&#x0D; ObjectivesPrevious research has demonstrated an association between parental mental illness and adverse developmental outcomes in their offspring. If parental mental illness impacts on child development such that their offspring do not optimally develop the skills and abilities required for academic success, the effects may be long lasting. To date, the majority of research in this area has focused on maternal depression, with much less attention paid to other diagnostic groups or mental illness in fathers. It is important that we better understand the impact of parental mental illness on children’s development, so that the child’s needs may be incorporated into treatment alongside interventions for the parent. Data linkage provides us with a unique opportunity to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of this association.&#x0D; ApproachData from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) was used as a measure of early childhood development in five domains (physical health, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive skills, and communication skills and general knowledge). Data were available for 22,890 Western Australian children aged 5-6 years, whose 2009 AEDC scores were linked to data on parental psychiatric hospitalisations. We identified parents with diagnoses of a range of mental illness diagnoses; parents who had more than one diagnosis; and mental illness in both mothers and fathers. Models were adjusted for child, parent and community socio-demographic characteristics.&#x0D; ResultsA total of 1069 mothers and 656 fathers had an inpatient psychiatric admission during the study period. The most prevalent diagnoses for both mothers and fathers were mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for each AEDC domain using logistic regression. Parental mental illness was found to be associated with increased risk of offspring being developmentally vulnerable, compared to outcomes for children of parents without a psychiatric hospitalisation. This effect was equivalent for both parents, and was evident after controlling for socio-demographic factors.&#x0D; ConclusionThese findings add support to recommendations that mental health professionals consider the impact of their patient’s psychiatric symptoms on the developing child when planning treatment. The study also shows that it is important to ensure that fathers are not overlooked in assessment and intervention. Family-based approaches to adult psychiatric care could meet the dual needs of intervention for parents and preventative measures for their offspring. These findings can inform policy regarding the importance of integrating and coordinating services to meet the needs of the family.

The effect of maternal and child factors on stunting, wasting and underweight among preschool children in Northern Ghana

BackgroundUndernutrition among preschool children in Northern region is the highest in Ghana. However, there is scarcity of data on the factors that determine undernutrition in these children. This study investigated the effect of maternal and child factors on undernutrition among preschool children in Northern Ghana.MethodsThis study was a community based analytical cross-sectional survey on a sample of 425 mother- child pairs drawn from 25 clusters. A semi- structured questionnaire was used to collect data on maternal and child socio-demographic characteristics, feeding practices and anthropometry. Anthropometric indices of Height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), Weight-for-height Z-scores (WHZ) and Weight-for – age Z-scores (WAZ) were used to classify child stunting, wasting and underweight respectively. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine associations between explanatory variables and undernutrition.ResultsThe prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight were 28.2, 9.9 and 19.3% respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that, the odds of stunting was higher among male children [AOR = 1.99; 95% CI (1.26–3.13); p = 0.003], children of mothers less than 150 cm in height [AOR = 3.87; 95% CI (1.34–11.20); p = 0.01], mothers 155–159 cm tall [AOR = 2.21; 95% CI (1.34–3.66); p = 0.002], and older children aged 12–23 months [AOR 9.81; 95% CI (2.85–33.76); p < 0.001]. Wasting was significantly higher among male children [AOR = 2.40; 95% CI (1.189–4.844); p = 0.015], consumption of less than four food groups [AOR = 3.733; 95% CI (1.889–7.376); p < 0.001] and among children of underweight mothers [AOR = 3.897; 95% CI (1.404–10.820); p = 0.009]. Male children [AOR = 2.685; 95% CI (1.205–5.98); p = 0.016] and having low birth weight [AOR = 3.778; 95% CI (1.440–9.911); p < 0.001] were associated with higher odds of underweight in children.ConclusionMaternal height associated negatively with stunting but not wasting. Factors that affect low height –for-age z-score (HAZ) may not necessarily be the same as stunting. Infant and child feeding practices as measured by dietary diversity score associated positively with weight-for-height Z-scores than length-for-age Z-scores of young children. Surprisingly, consumption of some specific food groups including, animal source foods, legumes, staples and eggs were associated with lower HAZ but with increased likelihood of higher WHZ among children 6–59 months.

Does having an asthmatic sibling affect the quality of life in children?

Yılmaz Ö, Türkeli A, Karaca Ö, Yüksel H. Does having an asthmatic sibling affect the quality of life in children? Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 274-280. Chronic illness in a family member leads to deterioration of quality of life in other members of that family. We aimed to investigate the influence of having an asthmatic sibling on a child`s quality of life (QoL). We enrolled 2-12 year aged healthy children with an asthmatic sibling in the study group and healthy children with a healthy sibling in the control group of this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic characteristics of children and disease severity characteristics of asthmatic siblings were recorded. All parents filled in Turkish generic PedsQLTM short form appropriate for the child`s age group. Study and control groups had 114 children each. Total PedsQLTM scores were not significantly different in any of the age groups (p=0.23, p=0.13, p= 0.11 respectively). Emotional PedsQLTM sub-scores in children with an asthmatic sibling were significantly worse (83.0±16.5 vs 91.6±10.9 in the 2-4 year age group, 72.0±17.8 vs 92.2±11.6 in the 5-7 year age group, 73.7±24.1 vs 88.7±14.8 in the 8-12 year age group respectively, p≤0.002 for all). Similarly, psychosocial sub-score was significantly lower in the 2-4 and 5-7-year-olds but not the 8-12 year old groups (p=0.01, p=0.01, p=0.08 respectively). In conclusion, healthy children with asthmatic siblings have significantly lower emotional QoL and this needs to investigated for other chronic diseases in further research.

Thirteen years of invasive and noninvasive home ventilation for children in a developing country: A retrospective study.

Home ventilation (HV) for children is growing rapidly worldwide. The aim was to describe (1) the sociodemographic characteristics of children on HV and (2) the indications for, means and outcome of initiating HV in children from a developing country. This retrospective study included patients sent home on noninvasive or invasive ventilation, over 13 years, by the pediatric respiratory unit in a single center. Children who declined treatment were excluded. Seventy children were initiated on HV: 85.7% on noninvasive ventilation, 14.3% on invasive ventilation. There was about a threefold increase from 2001-2008 (n = 18) to 2009-2014 (n = 52). Median (range) age of initiating HV was 11 (1-169) months and 73% of children were <2 years old. Common indications for HV were respiratory (57.2%), chest/spine anomalies (11.4%), and neuromuscular (10.0%). Fifty-two percent came off their devices with a median (interquartile range) usage duration of 12 (4.8, 21.6) months. Ten children (14.3%) died with one avoidable death. Children with neuromuscular disease were less likely to come off their ventilator (0.0%) compared to children with respiratory disease (62.1%). Forty-one percent of parents bought their equipment, whereas 58.6% borrowed their equipment from the medical social work department and other sources. HV in a resource-limited country is possible. Children with respiratory disease made up a significant proportion of those requiring HV and were more likely to be weaned off. The mortality rate was low. The social work department played an important role in facilitating early discharge. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:500-507. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The relationship between childcare and adiposity, body mass and obesity-related risk factors: protocol for a systematic review of longitudinal studies.

BackgroundThe rising prevalence of obesity, particularly in childhood, is a global public health emergency. There is some evidence that exposure to non-parental childcare before age 6 years is associated with subsequent development of obesity and obesity-related behaviours such as physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, diet and stress, although these findings are inconsistent. It is possible that the relationship between early childcare and later obesity and obesity-related behaviours depends on characteristics of childcare exposure such as type (i.e. informal versus formal care), duration (i.e. number of years spent in childcare), intensity (e.g. number of hours per week) and timing (i.e. age of onset of childcare) of care received. The relationship may also be moderated by socio-demographic characteristics of children and their families. We will conduct a systematic review exploring longitudinal associations between childcare (type, duration, intensity and timing) and measures of adiposity and body mass, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep, diet and stress. We will also assess whether these relationships vary by socio-demographic factors.MethodsWe will include studies that explore longitudinal associations between childcare attendance in children aged <6 years not in primary school at first assessment and body weight, adiposity, physical activity, diet, sleep and stress. We will limit studies to those involving middle- and high-income countries. Two independent reviewers will screen search results in two stages: (1) title and abstract and (2) and full text. One reviewer will extract relevant data and a second will verify this information. We will assess risk of bias of included studies using an adaption of the United States Department of Agriculture National Evidence Library Bias Assessment Tool. We will tabulate and summarise results narratively. We may conduct meta-analysis if at least five studies report comparable data.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this will be the first systematic review to summarise the existing evidence on longitudinal associations between childcare and adiposity, body mass and obesity-related risk factors. The results will be of relevance to other researchers, childcare practitioners and policy makers.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42015027233Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13643-016-0312-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Prevalence of underweight and overweight among school-aged children and it's association with children's sociodemographic and lifestyle in Indonesia

ObjectivesUnderweight remains a health problem among Indonesian children, and the incidence of overweight continuously increases. This study aims to determine factors associated with underweight and overweight in school-aged children in Indonesia. MethodsThis study is a cross-sectional investigation on parents and children aged 6–13 years in elementary schools in Makassar, Indonesia. The participants included 877 children and their parents. Anthropometric data were obtained using standardized equipment, and sociodemographic and lifestyle data were determined using a questionnaire. The nutritional status of the children was assessed based on the child growth standard prescribed by the WHO. ResultsThe prevalence rates of underweight and overweight among the children were 14.5% and 20.4%, respectively. Underweight was more prevalent in boys. Factors such as mother's level of education, having an underweight father, and playing outdoors on weekends for more than 2 h were significantly associated with underweight children. By contrast, mothers with high levels of education, overweight parents, sleeping for less than 9 h, and playing outdoors on weekends for less than 1 h were significantly associated with overweight children. ConclusionsThe prevalence of underweight and overweight among school-aged children in Makassar, Indonesia is high. These conditions are associated with the sociodemographic characteristics of children and parents, as well as the lifestyle of children. Parental characteristics and children's lifestyle should be considered when planning prevention and intervention programs for underweight or overweight children.