Urban Preschool Research Articles

Sex- and age-based reference intervals for capillary complete blood count parameters among urban preschoolers in southeast China based on a large community population

Background and aimPediatricians commonly use the complete blood count (CBC) of capillary blood to evaluate health status, guide diagnoses, and determine treatment strategies. This study aimed to establish sex- and age-specific reference intervals (RIs) for 23 capillary CBC parameters for urban preschoolers in Fuzhou, Southeast China. Materials and methodsCapillary blood CBC data of 18,369 healthy preschoolers who underwent annual physical examinations at Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital between January 01, 2022, and November 31, 2023, were analyzed retrospectively. To fully validate the new RIs, the data of all apparently healthy children within the same age cohort at the same institution were comprehensively analyzed in December 2023. The new RIs were assessed by comparing them with the RIs currently used in laboratories and those obtained from different regions, sample types, or methodologies. ResultsDynamic temporal changes that differ between males and females were observed in the blood system of 3-7-year-old children in this region. The new sex- and age-specific RIs for capillary CBC parameters were feasible to guide clinical decision-making in the local region. ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated the importance of establishing sex- and age-specific RIs for each region and underscored the necessity of continuous adjustment of clinical Rls based on statistical rules and clinical responses.

Evaluating the accuracy of automated processing of child and adult language production in preschool classrooms.

Young children's language and social development is influenced by the linguistic environment of their classrooms, including their interactions with teachers and peers. Measurement of the classroom linguistic environment typically relies on observational methods, often providing limited 'snapshots' of children's interactions, from which broad generalizations are made. Recent technological advances, including artificial intelligence, provide opportunities to capture children's interactions using continuous recordings representing much longer durations of time. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Interaction Detection in Early Childhood Settings (IDEAS) system on 13 automated indices of language output using recordings collected from 19 children and three teachers over two weeks in an urban preschool classroom. The accuracy of language outputs processed via IDEAS were compared to ground truth via linear correlations and median absolute relative error. Findings indicate high correlations between IDEAS and ground truth data on measures of teacher and child speech, and relatively low error rates on the majority of IDEAS language output measures. Study findings indicate that IDEAS may provide a useful measurement tool for advancing knowledge about children's classroom experiences and their role in shaping development.

Emerging digital inequality in early life: Parenting and differential usage of digital devices among urban preschoolers in China

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the following questions: (1) how Chinese preschoolers’ usage of digital devices differ by their family socioeconomic status (SES), and (2) how socioeconomic differences in children's usage of digital devices can be accounted for by parents’ digital parenting attitudes and behaviors.BackgroundScholars in social stratification and inequality have warned about “Digital Inequality” and argued that the fact that people from different socioeconomic backgrounds differ in their access to digital equipment and their knowledge of how to use digital devices effectively would eventually contribute to social inequality. Unfortunately, most of the current studies on digital inequality focus on the population of adults or adolescents; whether and how digital inequality emerges in early life remains heavily understudied.MethodsWe use data from Early Childhood Study‐The Great Bay Area (ECS‐GB), a regional representative survey conducted in 2018 and designed to assess preschool children's social‐emotional and cognitive development in Guangdong, a coastal province in South China. Our analytical sample consists of 11,445 preschool children aged from 3 to 6 with urban hukou.ResultsOur results show that compared with children from lower‐SES families, preschoolers from higher‐SES families spend less time on digital devices daily, are less likely to use digital devices for prolonged time, and spend significantly less time on non‐education purposed and leisure activities. These socioeconomic differences in children's digital usage in terms of time and types of activities are attributable to the fact that parents of higher SES families impose more restrictions, provide more guidance to their children's digital activities, and are more conscious about their children's digital usage in daily life.ConclusionIn contemporary China, digital inequality emerges in early life and such inequality is closely related to family's digital parenting practices.

Prevalence of Wheezing and Its Association with Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Rural and Urban Preschool Children in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of wheezing and its association with environmental tobacco smoke exposure among rural and urban preschool children in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, an area associated with poor air quality. In this study, parents/caregivers of preschool children (n = 3145) completed a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Data were analysed using multiple logistic regression models. The overall prevalence of Wheeze Ever was 15.14%, with a higher prevalence in urban preschoolers than rural preschoolers (20.71% vs. 13.30%, p < 0.000). Moreover, the total prevalence of Asthma Ever was 2.34%. The prevalence was greater in urban preschoolers than in rural preschoolers (3.92% vs. 1.81%, p < 0.001). In the final adjusted model, both urban- and rural-area children who lived with one or more people who smoked in the same household (WE: OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11-1.86) (CW: OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.38-3.16) and (AE: OR 2.49, 95% CI 1.12-5.54) were found to have an increased likelihood of having Wheeze Ever, Current Wheeze, and Asthma Ever as compared to those who lived with non-smokers. The implementation of smoking limits and prohibition is crucial in areas that are frequented or utilized by children. Hence, it is imperative for healthcare providers to actively champion the rights of those who do not smoke within the society, while also endorsing legislative measures aimed at curtailing the extent of tobacco smoke exposure.

IMPACT OF ECC ON THE ORAL HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Introduction: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is the presence of one or more decayed, missing or filled tooth surfaces in any primary tooth in a child 71 months of age or younger. Quality of life is peoples perception of their position in life, in context to the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. Presence of dental caries in preschool children affects their quality of life and also, has negative impact on the parents quality of life. Aim: Aim of the study was to assess the impact of ECC on the oral health related quality of life of urban preschool children aged 24-71 months. Methodology: The present study was carried out to determine the impact of various oral conditions on the oral health-related quality of life of 24-71 months old urban preschool children. Result: Presence of ECC was found to significantly affect (p=0.003) the oral health related quality of life of preschool children and their families.

Assessment of Nutritional Intake of Urban Pre-school Children

Early years are important in the child’s life. Growth is the most intense and apparent indicator of physical development in early childhood. Children represent the future, and fortifying their physical, socio-emotional, language and cognitive development ought to be a priority for all societies. The emotional, social and physical development of young children has a direct effect on their overall development. Neurological research shows that the early years play a key role in children‟s brain development. The present study was conducted to assess nutritional status of preschool children (3-6 years). For this study, a total of one hundred urban preschool children in the age group of 3-6 years i.e. 35 pre-schoolers in age group 3-4 years and 65 pre-schoolers in age group 4-6 years were selected randomly from four preschools of Hisar district. Nutritional status of children was assessed using methods of dietary survey and anthropometric measurements (height, weight). The mean daily intake of nutrients like energy, protein, fat, calcium and iron were also significantly lower than RDA (ICMR, 2010). Mean daily nutrient intakes by the urban pre-school boys were significantly higher than girls.

Assesment of Daily Food Intake of Urban Pre-schoolers

The first five years of life are very critical and play a key role in development of a child. As children grow through the first five to seven years of life, development takes place at a rapid rate. Babies begin to learn about the world around them from a very early ageincluding during the prenatal, perinatal and postnatal period. Child’s initial experiences- the bonds they form with their parents and their first learning experiences- deeply affect their future physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. These areas are physical-motor, communication and language, cognitive, social and emotional. These developments influence a child’s self-confidence, empathy, the ability to develop meaningful and lasting friendships and partnerships, and a sense of importance and value to those around him/her. Children’s social and emotional development also influences all other areas of development. The present study was conducted to assess nutritional status of preschool children (3- 6 years). For this study, a total of one hundred urban preschool children in the age group of 3- 6 years i.e. 35 pre-schoolers in age group 3-4 years and 65 pre-schoolers in age group 4+ -6 years were selected randomly from four preschools of Hisar district. Nutritional status of children was assessed using methods of dietary survey and anthropometric measurements (height, weight). Results of mean daily food intake of all the food stuffs showed that pulses, milk and milk products, roots and tubers, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, fruits, sugar and jaggery, and fats and oils were lower than RDI. Consumption of all the food stuffs except pulses, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables and fat &amp; oils were significantly (P≤0.05) higher in boys than girls.

Asthma routinization, family asthma management, caregiver depressive symptoms, and medication adherence in Head Start preschool children.

Medication adherence is suboptimal in childhood asthma. Children rely on caregivers to manage medication administration. It is important to detect families who are at risk for poor adherence or to identify potential areas that can assist families with better adherence to asthma medications in order to improve asthma outcomes. We investigated the association between asthma routines, family asthma management knowledge and skills, and caregiver depressive symptoms with daily controller medication adherence among Head Start preschool children in Baltimore City. Our study included 256 low-income urban preschool children who were prescribed a daily controller medication. Asthma routinization (by the Asthma Routines Questionnaire), family asthma management [by the Family Asthma Management System Scale (FAMSS)], and caregiver depressive symptoms (by the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression) were assessed at baseline. The medication possession ratio (MPR) to measure adherence to daily controller medications was calculated at baseline and 12 months from pharmacy fill records. Multiple regression models evaluated the relationship between asthma routinization, the FAMSS, the CES-D, and MPR. Results indicated that only 7% of families had an MPR above 80% at baseline, and 24% of caregivers had clinically significant depressive symptoms. Higher asthma medication routines were associated with higher MPR at baseline (b = 0.05, p = 0.03). Higher family asthma management was associated with higher MPR at both baseline (b = 0.04, p < 0.01) and 12 months (b = 0.05, p < 0.01). Our findings highlight the importance of family asthma management and maintaining medication routines over time to improve asthma controller medication adherence.

Let's Learn from Them: Using the Integrative Multimodal Literacy Assessment Tool to Support Instruction for Young Children

AbstractMany children bring rich multimodal literacy practices into their classrooms, with experience weaving between paper and digital texts. In order to support children's multimodal meaning making, teachers need first to understand the multimodal practices that children bring into the classroom in order to then develop instruction that builds on, and extends, children's existing literacy practices. This article presents a tool to assess young children's multimodal literacies. The Integrative Multimodal Literacy Assessment (IMLA) evaluates children's multimodal meaning making through a questionnaire and performance activity. In this article, we first describe the tool and explain how to administer it in diverse classroom contexts. We then share findings from a pilot study, using the IMLA, conducted in two urban preschools as an example of how teachers might use the tool in their own classrooms.

Toward an interdisciplinary approach to assess the adverse health effects of dust-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s on preschool children

Settled dust can function as a pollutant sink for compounds, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metal(loid)s (MMs), which may lead to health issues. Thus, dust represents a hazard specifically for young children, because of their vulnerability and hand-to-mouth behavior favoring dust ingestion.The aim of the present study was to explore the influence of the season and the microenvironment on the concentrations of 15 PAHs and 17 MMs in indoor and outdoor settled dust in three preschools (suburban, urban, and industrial). Second, the potential sources and health risks among children associated with dust PAHs and MMs were assessed. Third, domestic factors (risk perception, knowledge and parental style) were described to explore protective parental behaviors toward dust hazards.The suburban preschool had the lowest concentrations of dust PAHs and MMs, while the industrial and urban preschools had higher but similar concentrations. Seasonal tendencies were not clearly observed. Indoor dusts reflected the outdoor environment, even if specific indoor sources were noted. Source analysis indicated mainly vehicular emissions, material release, and pyrogenic or industrial sources. The non-cancer health risks were non-existent, but potential cancer health risks (between 1.10−6 and 1.10−4) occurred at all sampling locations. Notably, the highest cancer risk was observed in a playground area (>1.10−4) and material release should be further addressed. Whereas we assessed higher risk indoors, parents perceived a higher risk in the open-air environment and at the preschool than at home. They also perceived a lower risk for their own children, revealing an optimism bias, which reduces parental anxiety.

Urinary aluminium and its association with autism spectrum disorder in urban preschool children in Malaysia.

The presence of aluminium (Al) in the human body may impact brain neurodevelopment and function, and it is thought to contribute to autism spectrum disease (ASD). The main objective of this study was to assess the association between urinary Al and the development of ASD among Malaysian preschool children in the urban city of Kuala Lumpur. This was an unmatched case-control study in which children with ASD were recruited from an autism early intervention center and typically developed (TD) children were recruited from government-run nurseries and preschools. Urine samples were collected at home, assembled temporarily at study locations, and transported to the laboratory within 24 h. The Al concentration in the children's urine samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A total of 155 preschool children; 81 ASD children and 74 TD children, aged 3 to 6 years, were enlisted in the study. This study demonstrated that ASD children had significantly higher urinary Al levels than TD children (median (interquartile range (IQR): 2.89 (6.77) µg/dL versus 0.96 (2.95) µg/dL) (p<0.001). Higher parental education level, non-Malay ethnicity, male gender, and higher urinary Al level were the significant ASD risk factors (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) >1, p<0.05). A higher urine Al level was discovered to be a significant risk factor for ASD among preschool children in the urban area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Dietary Pattern and 24-Hours Movement Activities of Urban Preschool Children in Dhaka, Bangladesh-A Pilot Study

In emerging nations, the prevalence of childhood obesity and overweight has considerably grown. A cross sectional study was conducted to find out the prevalence of obesity and dietary pattern and 24 hours’ movement activities amid two selected schools (English and Bangla Medium) of Dhaka, Bangladesh. 103 participants aged 4 to 11 years were chosen from those schools to collect data. BMI of the children was calculated, and weight status was categorized according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria. Food frequency and 24 hours’ movement activity data was collected through a self-administered well-structured questionnaire. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was found 20.4% and 20.4 % respectively and 5.8% underweight. 70% children spent more than 2 hours’ screen time and 71.8% did not meet WHO sleeping guideline. In this study, it was found that 25.2% children consumed fried food and 20.4% fast food like pizza, burger 2-4 days a week. The frequency of overweight and obesity was found quite high in this study. High levels of sedentary activities, less sleep, higher energy intake from carbohydrate and processed food habit are major underlying elements for increasing prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity among the school children in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Yoga and Mindfulness for Social-Emotional Development and Resilience in 3-5 Year-Old Children: Non-Randomized, Controlled Intervention.

Early childhood is the key life course period for development of social-emotional skills, providing the foundation for school readiness and resilience in later life. Age-appropriate yoga and mindfulness programs may contribute to the development of critical skills in children. Young children from minoritized communities that face structural racism and health disparities may benefit from programs that support social-emotional development and contribute to future academic success. Systematic reviews of yoga interventions for young children have indicated the potential for effectiveness in supporting social-emotional development, executive function, and physical activity. However, studies of yoga and mindfulness with non-White children are sparse and, overall, the evidence base to date for such programs remains limited by non-controlled studies and the variable quality of studies evaluating programs in early childhood settings. The analysis of data from a non-randomized, controlled intervention aimed to assess the effect of exposure to a yoga and mindfulness program for early childhood development of social-emotional skills in a majority Black/African American urban preschool setting in southeastern US. Children in the intervention received group yoga and mindfulness led by a certified children's yoga teacher who also had training and experience as a school teacher. Intervention participants engaged in activities for 20 minutes once per week for 32 weeks, while the control group had no yoga. The final sample included 579 in the historical control group and 122 in the intervention group. Results indicated that children who participated in the yoga and mindfulness program had higher total protective factor (TPF) subscores on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment over time than children who did not receive yoga and mindfulness programming, and that the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Participation in the intervention group significantly predicted increases in initiative score, self-control score, and TPF score, as well as a decrease in the behavioral concerns. School based yoga and mindfulness programming can support social-emotional skills and resilience in young children. Additional studies with larger sample sizes and randomization are needed on use of yoga and mindfulness in young children for social-emotional development, particularly for Black/African American children and others from minoritized communities.

Cognitive Development Assessment of Pre-Primary School Children in Pokhara

This study focused on evaluating cognitive development in urban pre-schoolers in Pokhara. It aimed to assess the socioeconomic and cognitive statuses of early childhood development (ECD), and explored influencing factors. The research involved 160 children aged 4-5 from eight ECD centers in Pokhara, with ECD facilitators, parents, and principals as respondents. It used Jean Piaget's and Lev Vygotsky’s theories, employing mixed methods. The research tools involved observation checklist sand interview guidelines whereas the statistical analysis involved regression analysis-ANOVA. The findings showed that most kids were from Dalit and Janajati communities, relying on daily wage labor and lacking permanent homes. About two-thirds of them displayed cognitive progress. The influential factors included teacher training, home learning environment, family income, and housing ownership. Overall, their cognitive development was unsatisfactory in the researched context. The study suggests towards collaboration among stakeholders and policy changes for improvement.

Assessment of Bone Health Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) And Its Association with Dietary Intakes, Serum Vitamin D Levels, and Anthropometric Measures in Healthy Urban Preschool Children.

To generate reference data for bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) measures among apparently healthy children aged 4-5 y and to study the relationship of BMC and BMD with age, sex, anthropometric measures, dietary intakes, and serum vitamin D levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 219 urban preschool children, aged 4.0-5.11 y. Bone health (BMC and BMD) was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Anthropometric parameters were measured using standard methodology. The 24-h dietary recall method was used to assess the dietary intake of the children. Serum vitamin D levels were assessed using the ELISA kit method. Percentiles for BMC and BMD for each age and sex were constructed using the lambda-mu-sigma (LMS) method. The mean BMD and BMC among children was 0.75 ± 0.04g/cm2 and 544.9 ± 87.6g, respectively, and were significantly different by age and sex category. The BMC and BMD values of boys and girls increased with age, with boys having significantly higher values. A significant positive correlation was observed for BMC and BMD with anthropometric measures and dietary intake of calcium, phosphorous, protein, zinc, and B vitamins. This study developed smoothed percentile curves for BMC and BMD in preschool children, which could be used as reference values for children from India.

The relationship between theory of mind and social competence with peers in Chinese urban preschoolers: the effects of rater, age, and gender

ABSTRACT This study aimed to examine the effects of rater, age and gender on the relationship between theory of mind (ToM) and preschoolers' social competence with peers (SCP). A sample of 152 Chinese urban children aged 4 to 6 years (78 boys and 74 girls) were given ToM scale. Their SCP was measured by teacher report and parent report. There were three main findings: (1) teachers rated children's SCP higher than parents; (2) teacher ratings of SCP were more closely associated with children's ToM than parent ratings after controlling for age and gender; (3) the significant associations between ToM and SCP from cross-informant ratings were only found in the boys and the younger subsamples (aged 4) rather than all preschoolers. These divergent associations indicated that the effective intervention, would require individual and varying ToM training to improve children's SCP.

Influence of parental self-efficacy on behavioural problems of pre-school children

Parental self efficacy is the parent’s conviction about being capable in influencing their children’s behaviour. A correlation research design was employed to study the influence of parental self-efficacy on behavioral problems of pre-school children in both rural and urban locality. Multistage random sampling was employed where rural sample formed 213 pre-school children from ten Anganwadi’s and urban sample formed 121 pre-school children from six Anganwadi’s from the selected villages of Dharwad district. The influence of parental self-efficacy on behavioural problems was studied on a dichotomized sample of 206 children falling in normal and borderline/clinical range for behavioural problems which were assessed by administering the Child Behavior Checklist. The self efficacy among parents was assessed by administering Cooper Parental Self-Efficacy Scale-Child Health Behavior by Cooper (2013). The results revealed that, 47% of pre-schoolers were in the borderline while 13.8 % were in clinical range for behavioural problems. Parents from urban locality had higher self efficacy than rural parents. Parental self efficacy was not found to be significantly influencing behavioural problems among rural pre-schoolers than urban pre-schoolers. To manage the behavioural problems among pre-schoolers, self efficacy skills of parents can be enhanced by adopting individualized intervention programmes.

Characteristics of Child-Rearing Environments Related to Social Development in Early Childhood.

This study aimed to determine the characteristics of childrearing environments related to social development in early childhood. A questionnaire survey was conducted with the caregivers of children attending an urban preschool to identify the characteristics of the childrearing environment in relation to social development in early childhood. The TK Infant Development Test was used to assess social development. The Index of Child Care Environment (13 items in four domains) was used to assess the childrearing environment. Six of the items were used to assess parent–child interaction at home. The correlation coefficients between the social development and childrearing environment items were calculated. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with social development (DQ) as the dependent variable and the childcare environment items as the independent variables. Two types of analyses were conducted: forced entry (model 1) and stepwise (model 2). The results of our univariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant association between the social development items and childrearing environment items after adjusting for the target attributes. This finding suggests that an appropriate childrearing environment promotes social development in early childhood.

Drawingfrom and Expandingtheir Toolboxes: PreschoolTeachers' TraditionalStrategies, Unconventional Opportunities, and NovelChallenges in Scaffolding YoungChildren's Social and Emotional Learning During Remote Instruction Amidst COVID-19.

Building on aspects of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory centering around social interaction and adult scaffolding as essential to children’s learning, this study investigated the most prominently used strategies by eight teachers to scaffold social and emotional learning (SEL) in preschool children (ages 3–4) in the context of remote instruction during the 2021–2022 school year amidst COVID-19. These teachers (seven females and one male) came from two urban preschools funded by their local Board of Education in the state of New Jersey in the United States. These teachers (ages 28–44 years, M = 32 years) varied in teaching experience from five to 29 years (M = 13 years). Each teacher was interviewed for an average of 40 min virtually via Zoom. The interviews were digitally recorded and then transcribed for analysis. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that the three most salient strategies the teachers implemented to virtually scaffold the children’s SEL were: (1) involving book reading and discussion, (2) utilizing visuals, and (3) engaging in targeted conversations. In addition to adapting these three traditional strategies applied during in-person instruction to remote instruction, the teachers creatively and appropriately leveraged online resources to further scaffold and enhance children’s SEL in the unconventional virtual environment, thereby expanding their toolboxes. Despite their intentional efforts, these teachers found that there were unconventional opportunities and novel challenges in scaffolding children’s SEL during remote instruction not traditionally found during in-person instruction. Collectively, the findings of this study suggest that in-person instruction, due to its social nature, is still the most optimal condition for promoting children’s SEL.

Prevalence of Visual Disorders among Urban Palestinian Preschool Children

Background: Childhood blindness is a major public health concern since 40% of visual disorders that can cause blindness among children are preventable. Vision screening programs among preschool children have been implemented in several countries as a tool for early detection and intervention of visual disorders. In Palestine, there is a lack of scientific data on the prevalence of visual disorders among children. In addition, vision-screening programs that are currently implemented are neither validated nor effective. Objective: Using validated vision screening protocols, a cross-sectional study is conducted to determine the prevalence of visual disorders among urban Palestinian preschool children between the ages of 3 to 5 years in Nablus city. Methods: All children attending eight preschools selected using single-stage cluster sampling technique, underwent a validated vision screening administered by trained eye care professionals. The screening protocol was based on a combination of clinical assessment adopted from the Modified Clinical Technique and the Vision in Preschoolers studies, including assessment of visual acuity, ocular alignment, depth perception, color vision, non-cycloplegic retinoscopy, and ocular health. A pass-fail criterion was used to refer all children who did not attend the vision screening for comprehensive eye examination, including cycloplegic retinoscopy and a dilated fundus exam. A chi-squared test was used to determine any association between visual disorders and their independent risk factors. Results: A total number of 764 children underwent vision screening. Out of the 290 children who did not attend the vision screening, 127 children responded to the referral call for comprehensive eye examinations. Refractive error was the most prevalent visual disorder with a prevalence of (29.37%), followed by amblyopia (4.10%), color vision deficiency (1.24%), strabismus (1.24%), and ocular health abnormalities (0.70%). There was no age (p=0.35) and gender (p=0.32) variation in children having refractive errors. Anisometropia was the leading cause for amblyopia (1.32%, n=7), followed by significant refractive error (1.13%, n=6) and strabismus (0.37%, n=2). Conclusion: Refractive error was the most prevalent visual disorder affecting Palestinian preschoolers in Nablus. Anisometropia and significant refractive errors were found to be the major causes of amblyopia. Effective nationwide preschool vision screening programs should be implemented in Palestine to screen amblyogenic risk factors.