Years Of Child's Life Research Articles

The neurodevelopmental spectrum of congenital Zika infection: a scoping review.

To describe the standardized neurodevelopmental outcomes after the first year of life in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) and those exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) during fetal life, but without microcephaly at birth. This scoping review included observational studies about the standardized neurodevelopmental outcome in children with CZS or exposed to ZIKV, but without microcephaly, assessed after 12months of age. The databases searched were MEDLINE/Pubmed, LILACS, Scielo, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Embase. Risk of bias was assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists. Seventeen papers were included: 12 focused on children with CZS, four on children born without microcephaly, and one described both. Only one of the studies about CZS reported a child with microcephaly and typical development; the remainder described a severe pattern of global developmental delay and cerebral palsy. The prevalence of epilepsy was 74.6%. In the reports about children born without microcephaly, 6.9% to 8.7% had some domain with a score below -2 SD, and three children developed autism spectrum disorder. CZS is associated with severe global developmental delay and cerebral palsy after 1year of age. In children born without microcephaly, although most have typical development, some may be at risk for impairments.

Assessment of intelligence quotient score in children at the age of six with suspected congenital hypothyroidism: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: The clinical suspicion of Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) is identified by abnormal results in the first test of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) (5-9.9 mIU/L), and normal results in re-test (TSH<4 mIU/L). The CH has a contribution to physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score in children with suspected congenital hypothyroidism. Methods: This research is a retrospective cohort study conducted in Mashhad, Iran. The IQ scores of 1976 children at the age of 6 were considered as an outcome variable. The history of CH screening for each newborn was assessed, then all suspected CH newborns that diagnosed healthy in re-test were considered as an exposed group, the effects of this situation on IQ score was assessed using logistic regression. All analysis was performed in STATA. Results: The averages of IQ score (p<0.001), weight (p=0.024), and height (p<0.001) in the exposed group were lower than the unexposed group. The exposed group was related to those whose parental education was less or equal to 12 years (p<0.001). Similarly, the history of CH and maternal education for ≤12 years were detected as risk factors for having an IQ score of <90 in children. Conclusion: Aside from the link between parental education and clinical suspicion of CH in neonates, our findings underline the possible strong effect of CH status and maternal education for ≤12 years on reducing IQ scores in the next years of child life.

Dynamics of Islet Autoantibodies During Prospective Follow-Up From Birth to Age 15 Years.

ContextWe set out to characterize the dynamics of islet autoantibodies over the first 15 years of life in children carrying genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D). We also assessed systematically the role of zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies (ZnT8A) in this context.DesignHLA-predisposed children (N = 1006, 53.0% boys) recruited from the general population during 1994 to 1997 were observed from birth over a median time of 14.9 years (range, 1.9-15.5 years) for ZnT8A, islet cell (ICA), insulin (IAA), glutamate decarboxylase (GADA), and islet antigen-2 (IA-2A) antibodies, and for T1D. ResultsBy age 15.5 years, 35 (3.5%) children had progressed to T1D. Islet autoimmunity developed in 275 (27.3%) children at a median age of 7.4 years (range, 0.3-15.1 years). The ICA seroconversion rate increased toward puberty, but the biochemically defined autoantibodies peaked at a young age. Before age 2 years, ZnT8A and IAA appeared commonly as the first autoantibody, but in the preschool years IA-2A– and especially GADA-initiated autoimmunity increased. Thereafter, GADA-positive seroconversions continued to appear steadily until ages 10 to 15 years. Inverse IAA seroconversions occurred frequently (49.3% turned negative) and marked a prolonged delay from seroconversion to diagnosis compared to persistent IAA (8.2 vs 3.4 years; P = .01).ConclusionsIn HLA-predisposed children, the primary autoantibody is characteristic of age and might reflect the events driving the disease process toward clinical T1D. Autoantibody persistence affects the risk of T1D. These findings provide a framework for identifying disease subpopulations and for personalizing the efforts to predict and prevent T1D.

Stability of ABR Wave V Threshold in Early Hearing Diagnostics in Children from Selected Groups at Risk of Congenital Hearing Loss.

&lt;b&gt;Introduction:&lt;/b&gt; Upon hearing that the "little" patient has trouble with hearing, we are mostly interested in the level of his hearing threshold. When the child is in the first year of life, results can only be achieved by means of ABR test. Subsequent control tests, especially in children from the hearing loss risk groups selected in this study, show that the obtained outcomes are subject to fluctuations. Their fluctuating nature is manifested by the instability of wave V threshold in subsequent diagnostic periods. Such variability often delays the implementation of the appropriate proceeding. Knowledge of the dissimilarity of behavior of the wave V threshold occurring in individual groups at risk of hearing loss allows for the correct interpretation of the obtained results, and thus, effective therapeutic measures. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Aim:&lt;/b&gt; The aim of the paper is to analyze the stability of wave V threshold during the first year of life in children from selected risk groups for congenital hearing disorders. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Material and methods:&lt;/b&gt; From the patient population of 2,114 individuals examined in 2015-2016 at a reference center participating in the Universal Neonatal Hearing Screening Program in 2015-2016, the results of 250 children were subjected to retrospective analysis. Furthermore, 4 groups of little patients were formed (children with Down syndrome; children with other diseases or damage to the nervous system; children with cleft palate or cleft lip and cleft palate; children with congenital cytomegaly) in whom diagnostic practice revealed variable results of the wave V threshold. We analyzed the results of tests obtained during the first year of the child's life divided into 4 diagnostic periods. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; The highest percentage of instability in the established threshold of wave V between individual diagnostic periods occurred in the group of children with cleft palate or cleft lip and cleft palate. In the group of children with Down syndrome, it was observed that the instability of the ABR test results decreased over time. In the group of children with other diseases or damage of the nervous system, the highest percentage of the lack of stable ABR wave V thresholds was observed between the 1st and 2nd as well the 1st and 4th diagnostic periods. On the other hand, in the group of children with congenital CMV, there was a relatively low percentage of instability of results. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; (1) Although the ABR test is a diagnostic standard, in particular groups of patients the study is burdened with high variability of measurement results in subsequent diagnostic periods. Such a group of patients are children with cleft palate or cleft lip and cleft palate; therefore, it must receive particular attention in treatment planning; (2) in selected groups at risk of hearing loss, due to the high percentage of children with hearing impairment (70%), the validity of performing newborn hearing screening tests was confirmed.

Hearing and communicative skills in the first years of life in children with congenital Zika syndrome

IntroductionMicrocephaly is recognized as one of the main consequences of congenital Zika syndrome, but other serious problems such as global hypertonia, irritability, excessive crying, swallowing disorders, seizures, visual impairment and sensorineural hearing loss have been identified as associated with the syndrome. ObjectiveDescribe the developmental characteristics of hearing and language skills in the first year of life of children with normal hearing thresholds’ and congenital Zika syndrome. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study that evaluated hearing and language skills in the first year of life of 88 children with normal peripheral hearing and confirmed congenital Zika syndrome. All children were submitted to a behavioral auditory test and a validated questionnaire addressed to parents or caregivers, which was used as an instrument for assessing hearing and communicative skills. ResultsThe delay in communicative skills was present in 87.5% of the children, while 44.3% of them demonstrated a delay in hearing acuity. Only the alteration of cervical motor control presented as a statistically significant association with delays in both skills (p-value=0.006 and <0.001 for hearing and communicative skills, respectively), while the presence of microcephaly and the degree of its severity were only associated with delayed development of communicative skills. ConclusionDespite a normal peripheral auditory system, children with congenital Zika syndrome may demonstrate delayed language development by having neurological damage at the center of auditory processing, requiring more specific studies to clarify language acquisition in this population.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of urinary tract infections in the first year of life in children with vesicoureteral reflux diagnosed in the workup of antenatal hydronephrosis: a systematic review.

Children with antenatal hydronephrosis (ANH) diagnosed with postnatal asymptomatic vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) are thought to be at higher risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). As such, continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) is empirically recommended until age of toilet training; however, there are limited data to support this. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the existing data and compare UTI rates in infants with asymptomatic VUR on CAP during the first year of life, to those not on CAP. Secondary objectives were to determine associated risk factors with UTI development. A systematic search of all relevant studies and abstracts was conducted using 4 electronic databases by utilizing appropriate key words by an expert hospital librarian. Eligible studies included children with prenatal hydronephrosis, asymptomatic VUR with or without CAP, and reported on development of UTI in the first year. Of 6903 citations screened, 18 were selected, giving a total population of 829 (69.4% male, median age 57days) who met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were retrospective and of low-quality evidence. Overall, 15.4% of patients developed at least one breakthrough UTI and females had a higher risk of UTI (odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.7). Comparison with children not taking CAP was not readily reported, and meta-analysis could not be completed. Randomized controlled trials and standardized reporting of clinical variables are required to understand the protective effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in this cohort.

Increased Cancer Incidence Following up to 15 Years after Cardiac Catheterization in Infants under One Year between 1980 and 1998—A Single Center Observational Study

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of cancer within the first 15 years of life in children who underwent cardiac catheterization under the age of one year. Methods: In this retrospective, single center study, 2770 infants (7.8% with trisomy 21) were studied. All infants underwent cardiac catheterization under one year of age between January 1980 and December 1998. Newly diagnosed cancer in the first 15 years of life was assessed through record linkage to the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR). Cancer risk in study patients was compared to the GCCR population of children less than 15 years. Patients with trisomy 21 were compared to the Danish Cytogenic Register for trisomy 21. Effective radiation doses were calculated for each tumor patient and 60 randomly selected patients who did not develop cancer. Results: In total, 24,472.5 person-years were analyzed. Sixteen children developed cancer, while 3.64 were expected (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 4.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.5–7.2, p < 0.001). There was no preferred cancer type. The observed incidence of leukemia and solid tumors in trisomy 21 was only slightly higher (1 in 476 py) than expected (1 in 609 py, p = 0.64). There was no direct relationship between the radiation dose and the incidence of cancer. Conclusion: Cardiac catherization in the first year of life was associated with a significantly increased cancer risk in a population with congenital heart disease.

Clinical burden of severe respiratory syncytial virus infection during the first 2 years of life in children born between 2000 and 2011 in Scotland

National data from Scotland (all births from 2000 to 2011) were used to estimate the burden associated with respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation (RSVH) during the first 2 years of life. RSVHs were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codes. Of 623,770 children, 13,362 (2.1%) had ≥ 1 RSVH by 2 years, with the overall rate being 27.2/1000 (16,946 total RSVHs). Median age at first RSVH was 137 days (interquartile range [IQR] 62–264), with 84.3% of admissions occurring by 1 year. Median length of stay was 2 (IQR 1–4) days and intensive care unit (ICU) admission was required by 4.3% (727) for a median 5 (IQR 2–8) days. RSVHs accounted for 6.9% (5089/73,525) of ICU bed days and 6.2% (64,395/1,033,121) of overall bed days (5370/year). RSVHs represented 8.5% (14,243/168,205) of all admissions between October and March and 14.2% (8470/59,535) between December and January. RSVH incidence ranged from 1.7 to 2.5%/year over the study period. Preterms (RSVH incidence 5.2%), and those with congenital heart disease (10.5%), congenital lung disease (11.2%), Down syndrome (14.8%), cerebral palsy (15.5%), cystic fibrosis (12.6%), and neuromuscular disorders (17.0%) were at increased risk of RSVH.Conclusions: RSV causes a substantial burden on Scottish paediatric services during the winter months.What is known:• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of childhood hospitalisation.What is new:• This 12-year study is the first to estimate the burden of RSV hospitalisation (RSVH) in Scotland and included all live births from 2000 to 2011 and followed > 600,000 children until 2 years old.• The overall RSVH rate was 27.2/1000 children, with 2.1% being hospitalised ≥ 1 times.• RSVHs accounted for 6.2% of all inpatient bed days, which rose to 14.2% during the peak months of the RSV season (December–January), equating to over 1400 hospitalisations and nearly 5500 bed days each year.

P.879 Cognitive development during the first year of life in children with perinatal cerebral distress and the impact of associated comorbidities

Studies have shown that adolescents with moderate hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) may have specific cognitive deficits, especially reduced speed of information processing. The aim of our study was to confirm these earlier findings find out whether the degree of impairment in speed of information processing correlates with the degree of white-matter impairment as measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).Thirty-three participants (mean age 18y 5mo, SD 12mo; 19 male) with mild or moderate HIE and 32 neurotypical adolescents (mean age 17y 10mo, SD 12mo, 18 male) completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery measuring short-term memory, inhibition, speed of information processing, long-term visual and verbal memory. Fourteen participants also underwent structural MRI and DTI scans.After controlling for age, gender and maternal education we found a significant effect of HIE on speed of information processing (F(2, 64) = 3.51, p < .037, η2 = 0.115), but not on other neuropsychological domains. Using tract-based spatial statistics we were also able to confirm a correlation between the degree of impairment in this cognitive domain and fractional anisotropy in several white-matter tracts.The long-term cognitive outcome of moderate HIE includes reduced speed of information processing and is in part mediated by reduced integrity of major white-matter tracts.

Postnatal probiotics and allergic disease in very preterm infants: Sub-study to the ProPrems randomized trial.

Probiotic supplementation to mothers and/or their term-born infants has been suggested to prevent allergic disease, in particular eczema; however, no studies have investigated probiotics for prevention of allergic diseases in very preterm infants. We evaluated the effect of a postnatal probiotic combination on development of allergic diseases in very preterm infants. This sub-study was an a priori secondary outcome of the ProPrems multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial (ANZCTR:12607000144415). ProPrems randomized 1099 very preterm infants to receive a probiotic combination or placebo from soon after birth until discharge from hospital or term corrected age (CA), whichever was earlier. Allergic disease (eczema, atopic eczema, food allergy, wheeze, atopic sensitization) was assessed in a subgroup of ProPrems infants (n=281) as close to 12months CA as possible by questionnaire, clinical examination, and skin prick tests to common allergens. There was no difference in eczema incidence between the probiotic and placebo groups (35[30%] of 118 infants vs 37[27%] of 137 infants, respectively, absolute difference 2.65%, 95% CI -8.45 to 13.75). Similarly, the incidence of atopic eczema (6[5%] of 118 vs 3[2%] of 137), food allergy (4[3%] of 124 vs 2[1%] of 154), wheeze (39[31%] of 127 vs 45[29%] of 154), and atopic sensitization (14[13%] of 106 vs 13[11%] of 123) were similar between the probiotic and placebo groups. This study found no effect of postnatal administration of a probiotic combination on the incidence of allergic diseases or atopic sensitization in the first 2years of life in children born very preterm. Evidence that probiotics are effective for prevention of allergic disease in premature infants remains lacking; adequately powered randomized controlled trials evaluating probiotic supplementation for allergy prevention in very preterm infants are needed.

The Ponseti Method Decreased the Surgical Incidence in Children with Congenital Clubfoot: A Population-Based, 8 Birth-Year Cohort Study.

With the introduction of the Ponseti method for congenital clubfoot, the relapse rate and the surgical rate have been remarkably reduced. However, data from population studies for patients up to 10 years of age are still lacking. This study aimed to survey the relapse and surgery rates in the first 10 years of life in children with congenital clubfoot before and after introduction of the Ponseti method in Taiwan using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). We retrieved clubfoot cases and related surgical procedures determined by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) 754.51 from the 1999-2016 NHIRD. Foot and ankle surgical procedures coded as ICD-9 754.51 for patients who were older than 6 months of age were regarded as surgical procedures for relapsed or residual deformities. The rate of clubfoot release when the patients were 0.5 to 1 year of age and extensive surgical procedures in the first 10 years of life were assessed among 8 birth-year cohorts (1999 to 2006) with a 10-year follow-up. Among 622 children with idiopathic congenital clubfoot diagnosis, 301 underwent a total of 367 surgical procedures for clubfoot between 6 months and 10 years of age. Disease incidence of 0.32 per 1,000 live births remained stable in the 8 birth-year cohorts. After the Ponseti method was introduced in 2002, there was a decrease in the clubfoot release rate in the 0.5 to 1-year age group (25.8% in the 1999 to 2002 birth-year cohorts compared with 17.6% in the 2003 to 2006 birth-year cohorts) and the rate of extensive surgical procedures (41.5% in the 1999 to 2002 birth-year cohorts compared with 31.3% in the 2003 to 2006 birth-year cohorts), both determined to be significant at p < 0.05 using the chi-square test. A significant decreasing trend (p < 0.05) was revealed in the rate of clubfoot release in patients who were 0.5 to 1 year of age by polynomial correlation, with an increasing negative slope after a turning point around 2002. The Ponseti method increased the ratio of minor to extensive surgical procedures when a surgical procedure was required. The Ponseti method decreased subsequent extensive surgical procedures for clubfoot, especially in the group that was 0.5 to 1 year of age. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Factors in the Design of Good Toys for Kids Aged 0-3 Years

Abstract The importance of ages 0-3 years of child life is considered the cornerstone of all dimensions of health for the rest of the child’s life, which is the period in which children grow rapidly and there are many changes in every aspect of development. The purpose of this study is to learn the factors that are relevant to the design of toys for kids aged 0-3 years from development, behavior of children, and the characteristics of children’s toys that are suitable for the ages, including safety. The researcher studied the guidelines for the design of kid’s toys that were appropriate to the age range. This research is a combination that uses both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results of the study after trying playing toy sets from the study of toy design factors in kids aged 0-3 from 230 samples by observing behavior from a total of 80 children, then synthesizing the data for use in the design process, and evaluating by the parents of 150 children, found that it was at a good level, with average value (x̄= 4.17, SD = 0.39). When comparing with playing toy samples from the Toy Industry Association of Thailand, it was found that there was a moderate level of satisfaction with the mean of 3.42 (x̄= 3.41, SD = 0.61), and statistically significant at 0.05 level in all aspects. In conclusion, toys for kids in the age range of 0-3 years resulting from the study of 3 factors in toy design: development and behavior, playing methods, and safety are important links between each other. Development and behavior of children are consistent with the play methods because they affect the physical development of children by age, and safety in the design of toys is able to prevent the danger that could occur to kids.

Predictors of the Performance of Early Antireflux Surgery in Esophageal Atresia

To identify predictors of and factors associated with the performance of antireflux surgery during the first year of life in children born with esophageal atresia. All patients were included in a French registry for esophageal atresia. All 38 multidisciplinary French centers completed questionnaires about perinatal characteristics and one-year outcome for children born with esophageal atresia. Of 835 infants with esophageal atresia born in France from 2010 to 2014, 682 patients, excluding those with long-gap esophageal atresia, were included. Three patients had type I, 669 had type III, and 10 had type IV esophageal atresia. Fifty-three children (7.8%) received fundoplication during the first year of life. The median age at the time of the end-to-end esophageal anastomosis was 1.1day (range 0-15). Multivariate analysis identified three perioperative factors that predicted the need for early antireflux surgery: anastomotic tension (P=.004), associated malformations (P=.019), and low birth weight (P=.018). Six other factors, measured during the first year of life, were associated with the need for antireflux surgery: gastroesophageal reflux (P<.001), anastomotic stricture (P<.001), gastrostomy (P<.001), acute life-threatening event (P=.002), respiratory complications (P = .045), and poor nutritional status (P<.001). Gastroesophageal reflux disease, low birth weight, poor nutrition, and surgical anastomosis difficulties predicted the performance of antireflux surgery in the first year of life in infants with esophageal atresia.

Do different initial doses of L-T4 within the range of 10-15 mcg/kg/die influence neurodevelopment during the first two years of life in children with congenital hypothyroidism?

Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology ISSN 1470-3947 (print) | ISSN 1479-6848 (online)

Hospitalization of children after prenatal exposure to opioid maintenance therapy during pregnancy: a national registry study from the Czech Republic.

Background and AimsOur understanding of the long‐term safety of prenatal exposure to opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) is insufficient. We compared childhood morbidity (0–3 years) between OMT‐exposed and relevant comparison groups.DesignNation‐wide, registry‐based cohort study. Registries on reproductive health, addiction treatment, hospitalization and death were linked using identification numbers.SettingThe Czech Republic (2000–14).ParticipantsChildren with different prenatal exposure: (i) mother in OMT during pregnancy (OMT; n = 218), (ii) mother discontinued OMT before pregnancy (OMT‐D; n = 55), (iii) mother with opioid use disorder, but not in OMT during pregnancy (OUD; n = 85) and (iv) mother in the general population (GP) (n = 1 238 452)MeasurementsEpisodes of hospitalization were observed as outcomes. Information on in‐patient contacts, length of stay and diagnoses (International Classification of Diseases version 10) were assessed. Binary logistic regressions were conducted to estimate the associations between OMT exposure and the outcomes, crude and adjusted for the socio‐economic status and smoking.FindingsNo significant differences were found in the overall proportion of hospitalization among OMT‐exposed children, children of OMT‐D and children of women with OUD [54.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 47.3–60.1%; 47.3%, 95% CI = 33.9–61.1%; 51.8%, 95% CI = 40.7%–62.6%], while the proportion was significantly lower (35.8%, 95% CI = 35.7–35.8%) in the GP. There were no significant differences in risk of specific diagnoses between OMT‐exposed children, children of OMT‐D and children of women with OUD. In the adjusted analyses, differences between OMT‐exposed and children in the GP were still present for infections and parasitic diseases (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.4–2.7), diseases of the digestive system (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.2–2.6) and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.2–3.2).ConclusionThis study did not find clear evidence for an increase in risk of morbidity during the first 3 years of life in children with prenatal opioid maintenance treatment exposure compared with children of women who discontinued such treatment before pregnancy or suffered from opioid use disorder without this treatment. Compared the general population, there appears to be an increased risk of hospitalizations for infectious, gastrointestinal and skin diseases.

Effect of neonatal bacille Calmette-Guérin on the tuberculin skin test reaction in the first 2 years of life.

Latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) is an important reservoir of disease reactivation that is sufficient to generate new cases for decades. The tuberculin skin test (TST) is an important tool to diagnose LTBI; however, neonatal bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination may impact interpretation of TST data. To analyse the effect of the neonatal BCG vaccine on TST reaction in the first 2 years of life in children with no identified contact with tuberculosis (TB). This was a cross-sectional study in children up to 2 years of age who received neonatal BCG vaccination. In the absence of baseline comorbidities or contact with the bacillus, the children were given the TST. Seventy-nine children participated in the study. A decline in TST reactivity was observed in the first 12-24 months of age in patients who had been vaccinated with neonatal BCG but with no contact with TB. After the age of 10 months, no patient showed a TST reaction of >5 mm. BCG had low impact on the TST in children with no TB contact. This finding suggests the need to reassess the cut-off point to 5 mm of induration to improve TST specificity in LTBI identification.

Dependence of Deciduous Tooth Eruption Terms and Tooth Growth Rate on the Weight-Height Index at Birth in Macrosomic Children over the First Year of Life.

The aim of this research is to study the effect of body overweight at birth (fetal macrosomia) on the processes of tooth eruption and tooth growth during the first year of life in children in the Kharkiv City (Ukraine) population. One of the research tasks is to examine the features of deciduous teeth eruption in children who were born with macrosomia with different values of the weight-height index at birth. Materials and methods. The medical records of the children born between 1977 and 2013 have been analyzed. The database has been collected in one of the Kharkiv City clinic. The Main Group is comprised of the medical records of the children (separately for boys and girls) born with fetal macrosomia. All the medical records of the Main Group have been divided into subgroups taking into account the gender and the harmonious (well-balanced) development coefficient. The Comparison Group is comprised of the medical records of the children also born within the normal term range, but with weight and height that correspond to the gestation age (fetal normosomia). To determine the average time of the first tooth eruption, as well as the deciduous teeth growth rate for each of the groups under the study, we have used the hypothesis about a linear dependence between the number of erupted teeth and the age of the child. The statistical data processing and verification of the consistency of this hypothesis is performed using the multiple linear regression analysis with the STATISTICA 6.0 software package (Multiple Regression module). The number of delayed eruption and premature eruption cases observed is calculated along with the corresponding confidence intervals for the significance level, p, of less than 0.05, taking into account the binomial distribution of the random variable. The results of the study indicate a slowed growth rate of deciduous teeth in children born with macrosomia, as well as an increased number of cases (by a factor of 2 to 4 times) of deviations in the timing of teeth eruption compared to regional norms. The smallest growth rate of deciduous teeth and the smallest number of teeth at the age of one year are registered in macrosomic boys and macrosomic girls with a long body and a relatively reduced birth weight, as well as in macrosomic girls with intrauterine obesity. The macrosomic girls with intrauterine acceleration with obesity at the background have the largest average tooth growth rate and the largest percentage of premature eruption cases among all subgroups. Conclusions. The somatometric features of fetal macrosomia suggest the influence on the number of teeth that erupt by a certain age. The data on the deviation from the generally accepted terms of teeth eruption in children born with macrosomia, can be the basis for developing new and improving existing prevention programs aimed at preserving dental health.

Perfil Motor de Lactentes Nascidos no Município de Coari/AM

Introdução: No primeiro ano de vida infantil, as etapas do desenvolvimento motor (DM) progridem de movimentos simples e desorganizados para movimentos mais complexos e voluntários, estando as crianças suscetíveis aos riscos biológicos e ambientais, o que pode alterar o DM infantil. Objetivo: Avaliar o DM de lactentes cadastrados em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) de Coari, Amazonas, e apresentar os possíveis fatores de risco para o DM atípico. Método: Estudo descritivo observacional transversal, com amostragem intencional e não probabilística, em que lactentes cadastrados em uma UBS foram avaliados utilizando questionários de variáveis clínicas, socioeconômicas, ambientais e aplicação da Escala Motora Infantil de Alberta (AIMS). Resultados: Foram avaliados 42 lactentes, dos quais 92,9% apresentaram desempenho motor normal. A baixa renda familiar e reduzida escolaridade dos pais foram achados predominantes, porém sem interferências no DM. As doenças pregressas mais frequentes foram: pneumonia, infecção urinária, diarreia, malária, catapora, infecção intestinal e coqueluche. Nenhuma criança frequentava creches no período da avaliação. Conclusão: A maioria dos lactentes, pertencentes da UBS, do bairro Pêra, em Coari/AM, possuíram o DM adequado, segundo avaliação da AIMS, mesmo eles apresentando alguns fatores de risco para o DM, como prematuridade e baixos níveis de renda e escolaridade dos seus pais.

Infant motor skill predicts later expressive language and autism spectrum disorder diagnosis

Motor difficulties may be an early Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) risk indicator and may predict subsequent expressive language skills. Further understanding of motor functioning in the first year of life in children with ASD is needed. We examined motor skills in 6-month-olds (n = 140) at high and low familial risk for ASD using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (Grasping, Visual-Motor Integration, and Stationary subscales). In Study 1, motor skill at 6 months predicted ASD status at 24–36 months; ASD was associated with poorer infant motor skills. In Study 2, motor skill at 6 months predicted expressive language at 30 and 36 months. Findings provide evidence that vulnerability in motor function early in development is present in ASD. Findings highlight the importance of developmental monitoring in high-risk infants and possible cascading effects of early disruption in motor development.

Development of hand function during the first year of life in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.

To identify developmental trajectories of hand function in infants aged 3 months to 12 months with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Infants at high risk of unilateral CP were recruited from 3 months of age from follow-up programmes and clinics in Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Australia. Measurements on the Hand Assessment for Infants (HAI) were completed until 12 months of age. Group-based trajectory modelling was used to identify subgroups of infants with similar trajectories of development. Multinomial logistic regression determined associations between demographic variables and trajectory membership. Ninety-seven infants (52 males, 45 females; median gestational age 38wks [interquartile range 30-40wks]) were included. Infants were assessed between two and seven times (mean 4, SD 1.2) with a total of 387 observations. A three-group trajectory model identified a 'low-functioning group' (n=45: 46%), 'moderate-functioning group' (n=30: 31%), and 'high-functioning group' (n=22: 23%). Mean posterior probabilities (0.91-0.96) and odds of correct classification (26.3-33.2) indicated good model fit. Type of brain lesion, sex, side of hemiplegia, country, gestational age, and access to intensive intervention were not associated with group membership. Three trajectories of hand function development for infants with unilateral CP were identified and indicate some greater distinctions between groups with increasing age. The HAI is a valuable measure, capturing development of hand function of infants with unilateral CP over time. Three distinct developmental trajectories of hand function in infants with unilateral cerebral palsy were identified. A low-functioning group made little progress in development of hand function in the first year of life. The degree of impairment on the impaired hand at 6 months of age is highly associated with trajectory membership. Infants with all types of brain lesion were represented across each trajectory group.