Young Children Research Articles

Molecular detection and genotyping of HMPV in patients with severe acute respiratory infection in India.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a common respiratory pathogen that causes respiratory tract infections. In India, HMPV has been identified as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in infants and young children with respiratory tract infections. The most reported sublineages of HMPV in India are B1, B2, A2b and A2c. A retrospective study was conducted to determine the circulating genotypes of HMPV among SARI cases from January 2016 to December 2018. Positive throat swab samples were confirmed with real-time RT-PCR. Subsequently, these samples were analysed using semi-nested conventional RT-PCR targeting the G gene, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Clinical data analysis was also performed using SPSS 15.0 software. All 20 samples from the SARI cases were classified under the A2c sublineage of HMPV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these strains were genetically related to those circulating in Japan, China, and Croatia. Among the samples, ten showed 111-nucleotide duplications, while the other ten had 180-nucleotide duplications. Clinical analysis showed that four cases had coinfections with other pathogens. Our extensive analysis of patient samples determined that HMPV, especially the A2c genotype, significantly contributed to SARI cases within our study population, which signifies the importance of considering HMPV as a probable aetiological agent when investigating SARI outbreaks.

Frequency of Myocarditis in Children Presenting with Measles at Tertiary Care Hospitals

Objective: To determine the frequency of myocarditis in children suffering from measles. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Pediatrics Unit C, MTI Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Peshawar, from December 6, 2019, to June 5, 2020. A total of 96 patients, aged 1 month to 12 years, diagnosed with measles for more than a week were included. After obtaining ethical approval, written informed consent was taken from the parents. The frequency of myocarditis was assessed using electrocardiography and echocardiography. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: The mean age was 6.6 ± 3.06 years. Of the patients, 47.9% were male and 52.1% were female. Most children (61.5%) belonged to a middle socioeconomic status. The study revealed that myocarditis was present in 7.3% of the children, with younger age groups (1-6 years) showing significant association (p=0.028). Myocarditis was more prevalent in children from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds (p=0.05). Conclusion: Myocarditis is a frequent complication of measles, especially in younger children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Routine screening for myocarditis in children with measles may reduce associated morbidity and mortality. Keywords: Myocarditis, Measles, Vaccination, Socioeconomic Status.

MiR-124 in Neuroblastoma: Mechanistic Insights, Biomarker Potential, and Therapeutic Prospects

: Neuroblastoma, a malignancy predominantly affecting young children, originates from neural crest cells in the sympathetic nervous system. It primarily appears in the adrenal gland but can also affect nerve tissues in regions, such as the chest, neck, abdomen, and pelvis. Despite advancements in treatment, high-risk neuroblastoma patients often face poor prognoses, underscoring the need for ongoing research. This review paper examines the numerous factors responsible for neuroblastoma, emphasizing the importance of approaching the disorder with more strategic therapeutic methods. MicroRNAs, particularly miR-124, play critical roles in gene regulation and cancer pathogenesis. Abundant in the brain, miR-124 functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting cell growth, migration, and invasion and is often dysregulated in neuroblastoma. This study investigates the molecular functions of miR-124 in neuroblastoma, its potential as a biomarker, and its application in targeted therapy. MiR-124 regulates key pathways in neuroblastoma, including PI3K/AKT, TGF-β, and p53 signaling, impacting cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. The study also explores the promise of miR-124 as a biomarker for neuroblastoma through liquid biopsy, enabling non-invasive diagnosis and disease monitoring. Therapeutic strategies targeting miR-124 pathways show potential for overcoming chemotherapy resistance and improving treatment efficacy. The research underscores the significance of miR-124 in neuroblastoma, aiming to enhance early diagnosis, identify specific drug targets, and expand treatment options, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Challenges of preschool teachers in the implementation of early children's curriculum

This study examines the challenges faced by preschool teachers in implementing the early childhood curriculum, utilizing a fully quantitative approach to gather data. A sample of preschool teachers was selected through simple random sampling to ensure diverse representation. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software to identify the key factors influencing curriculum implementation. The findings reveal significant challenges, including a lack of resources, insufficient training, and time constraints, which hinder effective curriculum delivery. The study underscores the need for increased support and targeted professional development for preschool teachers to enhance the quality of early childhood education. Insights from this research can help policymakers, administrators, and educators understand the obstacles within curriculum implementation and foster an environment that promotes a holistic and effective learning experience for young children. This study contributes valuable quantitative data on the barriers in preschool education, informing strategies for improved curriculum application in early childhood settings.

Exploring parents' perceptions of computational thinking and its role in children's television

AbstractThe rise in children's media use and the prioritization of STEM learning has led to the development of new STEM‐related apps, TV shows, and other media for young children, with several recent examples focused on computational thinking (CT). Learning CT at a young age can be beneficial to children's analytical and problem solving skills. Positive effects of educational media are best realized when the learning is scaffolded by a caregiver, but the ability of parents to scaffold CT lessons is understudied. This study explores parents' perceptions, understanding, and recognition of the CT cues embedded in a new television show for preschoolers. Qualitative semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 30 parents who, together with their children (ages 4–6), viewed two episodes of a new series. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Most participants had never heard of CT before. When asked to define it, many parents highlighted aspects of CT in their definitions; however, their examples illustrated limited understanding of how CT might be taught to young children. Although some parents had reservations regarding the abstractness and age‐appropriateness of the topic, parents believed CT was an important topic for their children to learn. Research has shown that scaffolding can be beneficial to promoting CT learning in young children. Therefore, for creators of CT‐focused content, it is important that the curricular focus and learning goals are made very clear so that parents and caregivers can scaffold the material in a way that effectively supports their children's learning.

Parents spontaneously scaffold the formation of conversational pacts with their children

AbstractAdults readily coordinate on temporary pacts about how to refer to things in conversation. Young children are also capable of forming pacts with peers given appropriate experimenter intervention. Here, we investigate whether parents may spontaneously provide a similar kind of scaffolding with U.S. children in a director–matcher task (N = 201, 49% female; ages 4, 6, 8). In Experiment 1, we show that parents initiate more clarification exchanges with younger children who, in turn, are more likely to adopt labels introduced by the parent. We then examine whether the benefit of such scaffolding acts primarily through childrens' difficulties with comprehension (Experiment 2) or production (Experiment 3). Our findings suggest that parents primarily scaffold pacts by easing children's production difficulties, modeling cooperative communication.

The Future Healthy Countdown 2030 consensus statement: core policy actions and measures to achieve improvements in the health and wellbeing of children, young people and future generations.

This consensus statement recommends eight high-level trackable policy actions most likely to significantly improve health and wellbeing for children and young people by 2030. These policy actions include an overarching policy action and span seven interconnected domains that need to be adequately resourced for every young person to thrive: Material basics; Valued, loved and safe; Positive sense of identity and culture; Learning and employment pathways; Healthy; Participating; and Environments and sustainable futures. Provide financial support to invest in families with young children and address poverty and material deprivation in the first 2000 days of life. Establish a national investment fund to provide sustained, culturally relevant, maternal and child health and development home visiting services for the first 2000 days of life for all children facing structural disadvantage and/or adversity. Implement a dedicated funding model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled early years services across the country to ensure these services are fully resourced to provide quality early learning and integrated services grounded in culture and community. Properly fund public schools, starting by providing full and accountable Schooling Resource Standard funding for all schools, with immediate effect for schools in communities facing structural disadvantage. Establish legislation and regulation to protect children and young people aged under 18 years from the marketing of unhealthy and harmful products. Amend the electoral act to extend the compulsory voting age to 16 years. Legislate an immediate end to all new fossil fuel projects in Australia. Establish a federal Future Generations Commission with legislated powers to protect the interests of future generations. Together, these achievable evidence-based policies would significantly improve children and young people's health and wellbeing by 2030, build a strong foundation for future generations, and provide co-benefits for all generations and society.

Computational transformations of early childhood education: Pathways toward child‐centred computing in two educational change projects

AbstractProgramming is becoming a key subject in early education globally, with surging problems of how computer science can become a subject for children of all ages and backgrounds. Problems of implementing new technologies in the old curricula have long been noted, and lately, concern over computer science education goals is often too narrow and skills‐based without concerns for the critical educational potential. This study follows the change process of two case preschool departments implementing programming with a floor robot across a seven‐month design process. Mixed analytical techniques based on activity theory are used to examine the tensions, conflicts and development of pedagogical alternatives. The studies show the strenuous change processes involving local transformations toward a child‐centred, inclusive early computer science education and development of projects centring making, children's exploration, tinkering and play as key parts of the learning process. It discusses how the considerable change processes enabled pedagogical solutions coherent with important concepts in computer programming and how computing education can build on child‐centred pedagogies through local adaptations and age‐appropriate designs. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Computer science and programming are becoming part of early education worldwide. Less is known about how to implement computing with ever‐younger age groups, especially for those under three. That technological change can be a strenuous change process building on societal, historical and educational tensions, requiring individual learning and organisational change. What this paper adds Two cases of change designing computing education for 1–2‐ and 3–5‐year‐olds. Design processes raising critical questions about current standard childhood programming materials being resolved to enable a child‐centred computing education. Challenges and potentials specific to early childhood in adopting computer science education. Implications for practice and/or policy Computing education challenges pedagogical notions, such as the role of failure in education. Computing education can be developed for very young children. However, there are considerable critical challenges to resolve in developing a child‐centred approach. Childhood fundamentals such as play‐based pedagogy can work synergistically with computer science activities, providing educational potential, also relevant for computer science education at large.

A literature review on the benefits of wordless picture books for children’s development.

Wordless picture books contain no printed text, a narrative is conveyed solely through illustrations. Professionals are not always convinced of the usefulness of wordless picture books, and an overview of the benefits or disadvantages of these books is also lacking. The aims of this review study were to 1) investigate the benefits and/or disadvantages of wordless picture books for children’s development, and 2) provide an overview of the characteristics of research on using wordless picture books with children. A systematic search yielded 35 peer-reviewed articles on the use of wordless picture books with children (aged 0 to 12). These articles show that wordless books may benefit children’s speech and language development and their psychosocial development. Wordless books may also have a positive impact on children’s environment, which may in turn benefit child development. For example, adults seem to interact with wordless picture books in such a way that they provide the right preconditions for children’s language development. Research on wordless picture books is characterised by small-scale studies with young English-speaking children. Studies with larger and other participant groups are needed. Nevertheless, this study provides evidence that wordless picture books are a promising tool for benefiting children's development.

“Learning to ‘waltz’ rather than ‘wrestle’ … ” : a novel, ultra-brief intervention supporting early child–caregiver relationships

ABSTRACT Introduction The quality of the early child–caregiver relationship plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s development. In response to the lack of early intervention provisions for 2–5 year olds, the Leeds Infant Mental Health Service increased their offer to support children up to their fifth birthday (and their caregivers), where relational difficulties impact upon the child’s emotional wellbeing. Aims This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the direct therapeutic work (named ‘Understanding Your Toddler’; UYT), in promoting the child–caregiver relationship. Method Nineteen families were accepted for UYT, where there was motivation and emotional availability to consider change within the relationship. Thirteen families engaged in the work. The UYT offer adopted a three session, home-visiting model, drawing upon several therapeutic approaches. A two-phased mixed methods design was adopted. Phase I analysed quantitative changes within the relationship. Phase II qualitatively evaluated families and professionals’ experiences of UYT. Results Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed rank analyses illustrated significant differences pre and post UYT in caregiver: goals, confidence, perceptions and feelings of irritation. No significant differences were found in caregiver feelings of warmth. Themes from interviews suggested that the strengths-based approach was valued, and that video work supported caregivers to ‘see the world from their (toddlers’) point of view’. Conclusion This evaluation contributes to the limited evidence evaluating the efficacy of child–caregiver interventions in practice. Despite the small sample, the UYT model provides a helpful framework (applicable to clinical contexts) to foster early relationships and emotional development of young children.

Inclusive and Equitable Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs: Recruiting and Retaining Teacher Candidates with Disabilities

Inclusive early childhood education teacher preparation programs are tasked with preparing teacher candidates to work with young children with and without disabilities. Yet, many teacher preparation programs continue to function in a medical model of disability, where teacher educators teach candidates to “fix” or “cure” young disabled children. Working from a medical model of disability positions young disabled children as problematic and ostracizes disabled teacher candidates as they see themselves in the very children spoken of by their teacher educators. Instead, practices can be implemented to build on the unique strengths and assets disabled teacher candidates bring to the early childhood field. This call to action has been co-authored by disabled teachers and candidates to highlight the practices teacher educators can instill in their programs with the goal of recruiting and retaining disabled teacher candidates.

Cerebral disorders as a complication of whooping cough in a child under one year old

Whooping cough is a widespread infectious disease, the manifestations of which vary from nonspecific cough to life-threatening conditions with the development of apnea, hypoxic damage to the central nervous system, and respiratory failure, especially in young children. Against the background of a severe form of whooping cough, hemorrhages of various types can be observed, including in the brain. The team of authors describes a clinical case of cerebral impairment in a child under one year of age, which is associated with whooping cough. A day after discharge from the infectious diseases hospital, the child developed a generalized convulsive attack. Clinical, instrumental and objective data allowed us to establish a diagnosis: acute disorder of cerebral and spinal circulation of the hemorrhagic type. Subarachnoid hemorrhage. Severe anemia. Convulsive syndrome. Whooping cough. Subsequently, the development of signs of hydrocephalus was observed over time, with the further formation of multiple cysts and hemiatrophy of the right hemisphere of the brain.

Bioinformatics analysis to design a multi-epitope mRNA vaccine againstS. agalactiaeexploiting pathogenic proteins.

Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogen infections is a growing global issue that occurs due to their adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, producing an efficient vaccine as an alternative approach can improve the immune system, eradicate related pathogens, and overcome this growing problem.Streptococcus agalactiaebelongs to group B Streptococcus (GBS). Colonization of GBS during pregnancy is a significant risk factor for infants and young children. S. agalactiae infected population exhibits resistance to beta-lactams, including penicillin and the second-line antibiotics erythromycin and clindamycin.On the other hand, there are currently no commercial vaccines against this pathogen. Vaccination of pregnant women is a highly effective method to protect newborns and infants from S. agalactiaeinfection, and it has been identified as an urgent demand by the World Health Organization. This study employed various immunoinformatic tools to develop an effective vaccine that could trigger both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and prevent disease. For this purpose, three conserved antigenic proteins of the main pathogenic strains ofS. agalactiaewere utilized to predict CTL, HTL, and B-cell epitopes for producing an mRNA vaccine against different strains ofS. agalactiae. The selected epitopes were fused using proper linkers. The Resuscitation promoting factor E (RpfE) sequence was incorporated in the designed vaccine construct as an adjuvant to boost its immune response. Different physicochemical characteristics of the final designed vaccine, modeling of the three-dimensional structure, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and immunological response simulation were screened following vaccine administration in an in vivo model.Computational immune simulation data identified that IgG1, IgM, INF γ, IL-2, T helper, and B-cell populations increased significantly after vaccination. These findings suggested that the vaccine candidate may provide good protection againstS. agalactiaeinfection. However,experimental and animal model studies are required for additional validation and implementation in human vaccination programs.

Best Blends Forever

The University of Vermont’s (UVM) blended undergraduate early childhood education (ECE) and early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) program originated as a model to dually prepare and license future educators to teach young children with and without disabilities from birth through age 6. However, strains on the university’s budget, intersecting with the COVID-19 pandemic, led university administrators to recommend deactivating the program in 2020 and prompted program faculty to reconceptualize what the “blending” of the two fields of study could look like in the reality of contemporary contexts. The article begins by highlighting the evolving identity of UVM’s blended ECE/EI/ECSE program. Next, using a social foundations perspective, we explore several key influences that have shaped our current collaborative approach to preparing early childhood educators for inclusive environments and how our ECE and EI/ECSE programs can be officially parted, yet still be blended, in its goals to prepare all future teachers of young children for inclusive settings. It concludes with recommendations for ECE and EI/ECSE faculty who may find themselves in need of reimagining their conceptions of blended teacher preparation for inclusive early childhood settings.

Acral Peeling Skin Syndrome: A Rare Skin Disorder

Objective − We report the case of an 8-year-old girl with acral peeling skin syndrome.Case Report − A previously healthy 8-yearold girl presented with a history of flaccid bullous lesions on the plantar surface of her feet, and subsequent peeling and scarring since she was 12 months old. A biopsy of the plantar lesion was carried out and histological examination revealed an acral skin flap characterized only by the presence of an intracorneal bullous cleft, with hypogranulosis and focal parakeratosis. A genetic study was carried out, identifying two pathogenic heterozygous variants in the TGM5 gene. The clinical presentation, histological and genetic examination confirmed the diagnosis of acral peeling skin syndrome.Conclusion − Acral peeling skin syndrome is not a widely known pathology, which means that cases of acral peeling skin syndrome can be misdiagnosed as Epidermolysis bullosa simplex, especially when a genetic study is not available. Particularly in younger children, it is important not to underestimate the diagnosis of acral peeling skin syndrome, given the different prognostic implications between the two diagnoses.

Feminist participatory action research to co-develop localised health promotion in Indonesia

ABSTRACT Women’s expertise and knowledge can help prevent stunting in impoverished areas with limited resources. Through focus group discussions and photovoice methods, feminist participatory action research (FPAR) explored the perspectives of mothers and community health workers (posyandu) in the development of maternal and community health promotion. Six steps of FPAR were applied: the collection of media on stunting health promotion in public health centres; the building of trust and partnerships with posyandu cadres and mothers; the conducting of focus group discussions with posyandu cadres and mothers of young children to develop local language media through participatory visual methods; the co-designing of media content using online design tools; the dissemination of posters and leaflets to the community through mobile health promotion; and the redevelopment of media content for policy makers. We were able to co-develop effective strategies and solutions for the prevention of stunting that were based on women’s lived experiences.

Motor training for young children with cerebral palsy: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Motor training for young children with cerebral palsy: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Curriculum Framework and Assessment Approach for Computational Thinking in the Early Years

In light of current developments, there is an increasing effort to integrate computing-oriented activities into the education of children as young as two years old. Although the computing strand is not officially addressed in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (DfES, 2024), a small number of early years teachers in England implement computing-oriented activities to ensure that young children progress from early years to Key Stage 1. A particular gap in the field is that previous research on computational thinking concepts never or rarely establish curriculum links in a way that teachers can utilise in their practices. This theoretical article therefore proposes a curriculum-based framework for both teaching and assessing computational thinking (CT) in early years education as assessment is not possible without pedagogic guidelines. Offering a sample lesson plan with links to the Early Learning Goals, this framework aims to encourage teachers, including those without specific computing training, to integrate CT concepts more explicitly into their teaching and enables them to monitor and assess their pupils' progress in relevant skills.

Upper Limb Therapy for Infants and Young Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy: A Clinical Framework

Early detection and rehabilitation interventions are essential to optimise motor function in infants and young children with unilateral cerebral palsy. In this paper we report a clinical framework aimed at enhancing upper limb therapy for infants and young children with unilateral cerebral palsy during a sensitive period of brain development. We describe two major therapeutic approaches based on motor learning principles and evidence: constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual therapy. These two therapies have demonstrated efficacy in older children and emerging evidence is available for their application to infants younger than 2 years of age. To provide clinicians with guidance as to when to implement these therapies, we discuss the key consideration when undertaking upper limb therapy programs. In addition, we describe the factors to consider when choosing which approach may be suitable for an individual child and family. Detailed strategies for implementing these therapies in infants and young children of different ability levels are given.

CIPAS Scale: Pilot Test for Evaluating Interaction Quality and Secure Attachment Potential

The adult's sensitivity to the child's communicative signals, their prompt and appropriate response to the child's needs for security, protection, and comfort, along with their ability to regulate emotions in the face of childhood stress, are parenting skills associated with attachment quality. Various instruments and observation scales code these constructs. Furthermore, developmental psychology has made significant contributions regarding the affective and communicative exchanges between parents and children during early stages of life and their implications for the formation of emotional bonds. The objective of this study is to describe the development and preliminary analysis of a new observation scale called: Quality of Interaction and Secure Attachment Potential (CIPAS), which aims to simply integrate the different parameters of the interactive relationship between attachment figures and children in early childhood. The construction process and initial psychometric analyses from a pilot sample are presented. The results showed very high inter-rater reliability, with an overall kappa value of κ=0.88. The relevance of CIPAS is discussed not only as a valuable tool for developmental psychology research but also as an effective instrument to guide educational practices in promoting secure attachment and quality interaction in young children.