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Background: Very young children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds often show poorer language development. Whilst there have been attempts to provide early intervention programmes, these sometimes miss the most disadvantaged groups. Aims: This report presents preliminary feasibility and effectiveness data for a novel language intervention designed for parents of toddlers in the United Kingdom. Methods and Procedures: In total, 43 UK families of 2–4‐year‐olds were recruited to the study, half of whom completed an 8‐week course (Tots Talking) focussed on parent interaction, and half of whom acted as wait‐list controls. Results and Outcomes: Results suggest that such programmes are feasible for families with 86% staying in the intervention. In addition, greater changes in underlying communication skills such as joint attention and gesture were evident compared to wait‐list controls. Conclusions and Implications: We conclude that pre‐verbal skills may be more important to measure as initial outcomes than language or vocabulary change in this population. What This Paper Adds: What is already known on the subject: Children from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are at higher risk of communication difficulties and there is a need for community intervention programmes for very young children. What this study adds: This study suggests that such programmes can be feasible and effective, but that very early/basic communicative skills (such as joint attention) may be boosted first rather than language or vocabulary. What are the clinical implications of this work?: Children's centres and other community services could feasibly run short parent facing courses emphasising contingent communication in low SES families and other diverse groups. These may be more successful run with younger preschoolers. Joint attention may be a better focus of intervention before expecting vocabulary or language change. Community health professionals may find this information useful in referring and supporting families in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A total of 68% of pre‐school children with cleft palate have speech problems requiring speech therapy. There is a lack of access to regular targeted therapy. Parent training leads to positive outcomes in early communication skills in cleft palate and non‐cleft speech disorders. Connected health has been used to address inadequate access to therapy, providing intervention to those who would not otherwise receive therapy. Aims: To evaluate the speech, activity and participation outcomes of Parent Led, Therapist Supervised, Articulation Therapy (PLAT) compared with routine speech therapy intervention in parent–child dyads. Methods & Procedures: A total of 44 children, aged 2.9–7.5 years, were included in a two‐centre, two‐phase randomized controlled trial. Informed consent and assent were obtained. Participants and speech and language therapists (SLTs) were unblinded to the groups. Parents, in the parent‐trained group (n = 23), attended 2 days' training, received a detailed speech therapy programme, and undertook intervention over 12 weeks supported by the cleft specialist SLT using FaceTime and one face‐to‐face session. In the control arm (n = 21), parent–child dyads received six therapy sessions over 12 weeks with a research SLT, comparable with usual care. Speech recordings were undertaken pre‐ and post‐intervention. Percent consonant correct (PCC) was analysed by external SLTs blinded to the time and group. Activity and participation were measured using the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) and Focus on Outcomes for Children Under Six (FOCUS) questionnaire. Outcomes & Results: There was no evidence of an interaction between Time and Group or an overall statistical difference between groups for PCC scores. There was a statistically significant difference over time for both groups (words: p < 0.002; confidence interval (CI) = 9.38–16.27; d = 0.57; sentences: p < 0.002; CI = 16.04–25.97; d = 0.23). Effect sizes were medium for words and small for sentences. For intelligibility and participation, there was no evidence of an interaction between Time and Group or an overall statistical difference between groups. A statistically significant difference over time was found for intelligibility (F = 29.97, d.f. = 1, 42, p < 0.001, 95 % CI = 1.45–3.15 d = 0.46) and for participation (F = 14.19, d.f. = 1, 41, p < 0.001 95% CI = 7.63–25.03; d = 0.36) with FOCUS results indicating clinically meaningful (parent‐led group) and significant (control group) change in participation. Conclusions & Implications: PLAT can be as effective as routine care in changing speech, activity and participation outcomes for children with cleft palate, when supported by a specialist cleft SLT using connected health. What this paper addsWhat is already known on this subjectOver 50% of children with cleft palate require speech therapy. However, there is a lack of timely, accessible speech therapy services in the UK and Ireland. Previous studies have shown that parents can deliver therapy effectively, and that connected health can support the delivery of speech therapy. This study aims to provide evidence that parent‐led therapy with the supervision of a specialist cleft therapist using FaceTime is effective.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis randomized controlled trial indicates that parents can be trained to deliver therapy for children with cleft palate speech disorders, under the supervision of an SLT. This approach results in improved speech, activity and participation outcomes similar to routine care.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?This study indicates that both parent‐led articulation therapy and routine care showed meaningful gains in speech, activity and participation, and that parent‐led articulation therapy when supported by a cleft SLT using connected health could be an additional service delivery model for children with cleft palate speech disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal iron supplementation improves children's health and cognitive performance, but few studies explore behavioural development. This study assessed the effects of adjusting prenatal iron supplementation to maternal iron stores during early pregnancy on children's behavioural problems. Randomized controlled trial conducted in Tarragona (Spain) involving 230 nonanaemic pregnant women and their children after a 4‐year follow‐up. Based on haemoglobin (Hb) levels before gestational week (GW) 12, women receive different iron doses: those with Hb = 110–130 g/L were randomized to receive 80 or 40 mg/day and those with Hb > 130 g/L were randomized to receive 20 or 40 mg/day. Maternal iron stores at GW12 were classified using serum ferritin (SF) as low (SF < 15 µg/L), normal (SF = 15–65 µg/L), and normal‐high (SF > 65 µg/L). Children's behaviour was assessed by parents using the Child Behaviour Checklist for ages 1.5–5 years and the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function‐Preschool Version, and by teachers using the Teacher's Report Form for ages 1.5–5 years. Multivariable regression models were performed. Taking 80 mg/day of iron improved child behaviour when women had low iron stores but worsened it when mothers had normal–high iron stores, except for depressive and attention/hyperactivity problems. Taking 20 mg/day of iron improved behaviour only in those children whose mothers had SF > 65 µg/L in early pregnancy. Additionally, executive functioning improved at high doses of prenatal iron when maternal baseline SF < 15 µg/L. Adjusting prenatal iron supplementation to both maternal baseline Hb levels and iron stores reduces behavioural problems in 4‐year‐old children. Key messages: Prenatal iron supplementation succeeds in improving maternal haematological outcomes and cognitive performance of children, but few studies have focused on behavioural development.Prenatal iron supplementation adjusted to maternal iron stores reduces behavioural problems in 4‐year‐old children.Maternal iron stores early in pregnancy should be measured in addition to haemoglobin concentration.These findings contribute greatly to the advancement of public health by giving physicians the tools to prescribe the most appropriate dose of iron supplementation to contribute to better child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim Engagement in desired occupations can promote health and wellbeing in older adults. Assessments of engagement often measure frequency, amount or importance of specific activities. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure older adults' evaluation of the extent to which their everyday activities are contributing to their health and wellness. Methods Eighteen items, each scored with a seven-point rating scale, were initially developed by content experts, covering perceptions of how daily activities contribute to physical and mental health, as well as satisfaction and activity participation in the last six months. Rasch analysis methods were used to refine the scale using the pencil and paper responses of 460 community-living older adults. Results Initial Rasch analysis indicated three unlabelled rating scale categories were seldom used, reducing measurement precision. Five items were conceptually different by misfit statistics and principal component analysis. Subsequently, those items were removed and the number of rating scale steps reduced to 4. The remaining 13-item, 4-step scale, termed the Activity Significance Personal Evaluation ( ASPEn), formed a unidimensional hierarchy with good fit statistics and targeting. Person separation reliability (2.7) and internal consistency (.91) indicated the tool is appropriate for individual person measurement. Relative validity indicated equivalence between Rasch measures and total raw scores. Conclusions ASPEn is a brief, easily administered assessment of older adults' perception of the contribution of everyday activities to personal health and wellness. ASPEn may facilitate occupational therapy practice by enabling clinicians to assess change in meaning of an older adult's activity over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal supplementation with protein-energy (PE) and/or multiple-micronutrients (MMNs) may improve fetal growth, but trials of lipid-based nutritional supplements (LNSs) have reported inconsistent results. We conducted a post-hoc analysis of non-primary outcomes in a trial in Gambia, with the aim to test the associations of LNS with fetal growth and explore how efficacy varies depending on nutritional status. The sample comprised 620 pregnant women in an individually randomized, partially blinded trial with four arms: (a) iron and folic acid (FeFol) tablet (usual care, referent group), (b) MMN tablet, (c) PE LNS, and (d) PE + MMN LNS. Analysis of variance examined unadjusted differences in fetal biometry z-scores at 20 and 30 weeks and neonatal anthropometry z-scores, while regression tested for modification of intervention-outcome associations by season and maternal height, body mass index, and weight gain. Despite evidence of between-arm differences in some fetal biometry, z-scores at birth were not greater in the intervention arms than the FeFol arm (e.g., birth weight z-scores: FeFol −0.71, MMN −0.63, PE −0.64, PE + MMN −0.62; group-wise p = .796). In regression analyses, intervention associations with birth weight and head circumference were modified by maternal weight gain between booking and 30 weeks gestation (e.g., PE + MMN associations with birth weight were +0.462 z-scores (95% CI [0.097, 0.826]) in the highest quartile of weight gain but -0.099 z-scores (−0.459, 0.260) in the lowest). In conclusion, we found no strong evidence that a prenatal LNS intervention was associated with better fetal growth in the whole sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To compare the use of sonic powered or manual toothbrush in patients with intellectual disability ( ID) in terms of plaque (PlI) and gingival ( GI) indices and adverse effects. Material and Methods Subjects with ID were recruited for this cluster-randomized, single blinded (examiner), 6-month clinical trial, comparing powered versus manual toothbrushing. Outcome variables included PlI and GI, evaluated at baseline and 3 months after supervised toothbrushing and after 3 additional months of unsupervised used. Clinical outcome variables were analysed by repeated measures ANCOVA considering time and group as factors and respective baseline values as covariates (generalized linear model). Results Sixty-four patients (34 male, mean age 34.5) in six clusters were included in the study. No statistically significant effect of toothbrushing group was observed for PlI or GI. A significant effect of time was identified ( p < 0.001) with mean reductions ranging 0.44-0.45 for PlI and 0.30-0.36 for GI from baseline to 3-6 months. No relevant adverse effect or technical problems were observed. Conclusion The tested sonic powered toothbrush was as effective and safe as the manual toothbrush. The use of powered or manual toothbrushes, together with fluoride toothpaste, may improve plaque and gingivitis levels, in patients with mild to limit ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Evaluate the immediate and cumulative optical whitening efficacy of a blue covarine toothpaste. Materials and Methods 180 bovine tooth specimens with similar shade (Δ E < 3.5) were staining of different beverage: black tea(BT), green tea (GT), red wine (RW), orange soda (OS), and brazilian açai juice (AJ), and then submitted to tooth brushing with a blue covarine toothpaste (Op) or a control abrasive toothpaste (Ab). The whitening effect was evaluated at baseline (B), after staining (S), after 1 day (1D) and 7 days of cumulative use of toothpastes (7D). The color shade chances were assessment by Vita Easyshade reflectance spectroscope and the data of CIELab color coordinates (L*, a*, and b*), color difference (Δ E) and the whiteness index optimized (WIO), were analyzed by two-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures and Bonferroni-corrected t-tests (α = 0.05). Results The analysis showed statistically significant differences before and after staining by colored beverages ( p < 0.05), but no differences were found due to the action of toothpaste ( p > 0.05), in the CIELab coordinates, Δ E and WIO index. Conclusions The use of toothpastes (Op or Ab) reduced the dental staining caused by different colored beverage, but the whitening effect of blue covarine toothpaste could not be confirmed ( p > 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background An increased plasma lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) concentration may favour metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance. The meal composition influences plasma LPS concentrations. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the acute consumption of a high-fat meal (49% of energy from fat) containing conventional or high-oleic peanuts on post-prandial LPS concentrations and its relationship with lipaemia and insulinaemia in overweight and obese men. Methods The test meal consisted of a shake containing conventional peanuts ( CVP; n = 21), high-oleic peanuts ( HOP; n = 23) or a control biscuit ( CT; n = 21). Blood samples were collected in the fasting state and 1, 2 and 3 h post-prandially. LPS, insulin, lipids and glucose concentrations were assessed. Results LPS concentrations were lower in CVP [mean (SE) 0.7 (0.5) EU mL−1] and HOP [1.0 (0.9) EU mL−1] groups compared to CT [1.6 (1.2) EU mL−1] at 3 h post-prandially. Triacylglycerol and insulin concentrations increased in all groups. Triacylglycerol started to increase only after 2 h in the CVP and HOP groups. LPS correlated positively with triacylglycerol. Insulin returned to basal concentrations at 3 h only in the CVP and HOP groups. Conclusions The acute consumption of peanuts delayed the increase in serum triacylglycerol and favoured the quicker return of insulin to basal concentrations, especially in the CVP group. Our results suggest that the consumption of conventional or high-oleic peanuts may help to reduce the risk of endotoxaemia and metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As pregnancy may trigger overweight in women, new means for its prevention are being sought. The aim here was to investigate the effect of individual dietary counselling during and after pregnancy on post‐partum weight and waist circumference up to 4 years post‐partum. A cohort of women (n = 256) were randomized to receive repeated individual dietary counselling by a nutritionist during and after pregnancy, or as controls not receiving dietary counselling, from the first trimester of pregnancy until 6 months after delivery. Counselling aimed to bring dietary intake into line with recommendations, with particular focus on the increase in the intake of unsaturated fatty acids instead of saturated. Pre‐pregnancy weight was taken from welfare clinic records. Weight and waist circumference were measured at 4 years after delivery. The proportion of overweight women increased from 26% prior to pregnancy to 30% at 4 years after delivery among women receiving dietary counselling, as against considerably more, from 32% to 57%, among controls. The prevalence of central adiposity was 31% in women receiving dietary counselling, 64% in controls. Likewise, both the risk of overweight (odds ratio: 0.23, 0.08–0.63, P = 0.005) and central adiposity (odds ratio: 0.18, 0.06–0.52, P = 0.002) were lower in women receiving dietary counselling compared with controls. Repeated dietary counselling initiated in early pregnancy can be beneficial in long‐term weight control after delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is already known about this subject Obesity-related insulin resistance is highly prevalent in children and adolescents, and contributes to an increased lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease., Intensive exercise training may improve insulin sensitivity., What this study adds Three monitored exercise training sessions per week for 8 weeks can improve fitness-related insulin sensitivity in obese, insulin resistant children., Insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation may be dissociable in this population., Improvements in fitness may be accompanied by a rise in intramyocellular lipid content and an associated increase in resting energy expenditure., Background Obesity is associated with poor fitness and adverse metabolic consequences in children. Objective To investigate how exercise and lifestyle modification may improve fitness and insulin sensitivity in this population. Design and subjects Randomized controlled trial, 21 obese (body mass index ≥ 95% percentile) subjects, ages 10 to 17 years. Methods Subjects were given standardized healthful lifestyle advice for 8 weeks. In addition, they were randomized to an in-home supervised exercise intervention ( n = 10) or control group ( n = 11). Measurements Fasting laboratory studies (insulin, glucose, lipid profile) and assessments of fitness, body composition, skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation and intramyocellular lipid content ( IMCL), were performed at baseline and study completion. Results Subjects were 13.0 ± 1.9 (standard deviation) years old, 72% female and 44% non-white. Exercise improved fitness ( P = 0.03) and power ( P = 0.01), and increased IMCL ( P = 0.02). HOMA-IR decreased among all subjects in response to lifestyle modification advice ( P = 0.01), regardless of exercise training assignment. In univariate analysis in all subjects, change in cardiovascular fitness was associated with change in HOMA-IR. In exploratory analyses, increased IMCL was associated with greater resting energy expenditure (r = 0.78, P = 0.005) and a decrease in fasting respiratory quotient (r = −0.70, P = 0.02) ( n = 11). Conclusions Change in fitness was found to be related to change in insulin resistance in response to lifestyle modification and exercise in obese children. IMCL increased with exercise in these obese children, which may reflect greater muscle lipid oxidative capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]