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This work analyses the complex educational relationship between the child and the animal through Italo Calvino’s narrative and formative «path». Its interpretation proposal is based on the texts and critical dynamics of modern childhood pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This study aimed to describe and critically evaluate the COVID-19 vaccination program for high-risk children in Curacao and provide information about important factors such as parents' vaccination hesitancy and effective strategies for communicating and delivering information about vaccination. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study. It was important to identify children aged 12-17 years who were at high risk of severe COVID-19 infection because of the limited medical facilities on the island; children considered to be at high risk were those with diseases such as obesity, hypertension or diabetes mellitus type 2. These children or their caregivers were invited by their pediatricians to be vaccinated as part of a program run by the Public Health Department of Curacao. These high-risk patients were vaccinated between 30 May 2021 and 25 February 2022 in designated child-friendly spaces, with a pediatrician present for guidance and reassurance. Children received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the recommended dose for their age. The primary outcome was a description and evaluation of the attendance for vaccination. The secondary outcomes were side effects after vaccination for the age groups 12-15 years and 16-17 years. Reasons for refusal or nonadherence were also registered. Results. Altogether 51% (24/47) of those aged 16-17 years who were invited were vaccinated compared with 42% (26/69) of those aged 12-15 years who were invited. Altogether, 46% of these high-risk children were vaccinated compared with 48% of children aged 12-17 years without risk factors. In our population, most patients did not experience any side effects and if they did, the side effects were mild. No cases of myocarditis or pericarditis were observed. A lack of trust in the vaccine and a lack of prioritization of vaccination when scheduling daily activities were important factors in refusal and nonadherence. Conclusions. To organize a successful vaccination program in a small community with limited resources for treating high-risk children it is crucial for medical professionals to provide reliable information. Public health initiatives should focus on assuaging parents' fears about vaccines. In addition, ensuring there is good cooperation between doctors and the Public Health Department can help to make implementation successful. Finally, involving pediatricians and using dedicated areas for vaccinating children can help build trust with parents and caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To determine the level of adherence to clinical guidelines in prescribing amoxicillin to children younger than 5 years with pneumonia in outpatient settings in Colombia from 2017 to 2019, and assess the factors associated with adherence Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of secondary data from the Colombian Integrated Social Protection Information System database. Adherence was defined as prescription of oral amoxicillin for bacterial and unspecified pneumonia and non-prescription for viral pneumonia. Variables examined included: age (< 1 year, 1-4 years) of child; sex; cause of pneumonia (bacterial, viral, unspecified); region (Andean, Amazonian, Pacific, Caribbean, Insular, Orinoquian); and payment mechanism (without prior authorization, capitation, direct payment, pay per case, pay for event). Results. Of 215 925 cases of community-acquired pneumonia reported during 2017-2019, 64.8% were from the Andean region, 73.9% were bacterial pneumonia and 1.8% were viral pneumonia. Adherence to guidelines was observed in 5.8% of cases: this was highest for children diagnosed with viral (86.0%) compared with bacterial (2.0%) pneumonia. For children diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, 9.4% were prescribed any antibiotic. A greater proportion of children covered by capitated payments (22.3%) were given treatment consistent with the guidelines compared with payment for event (1.3%). Conclusion. In this first study from Colombia, adherence to guidelines for outpatient treatment of children with bacterial pneumonia was low and was better for viral pneumonia. Further qualitative studies are needed to explore the reasons for this lack of adherence and why bacterial pneumonia was the most commonly reported etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this manuscript is to provide selective examples of the work of the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Parasite Epidemiology and Control which contribute to the WHO goal of eliminating neglected tropical diseases by 2030. This PAHO/WHO CC specifically aligns its activities with the Sustainable Development Goals and with the goals outlined in the WHO Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021-2030. Its role is to contribute to advancing global action on NTDs, primarily through policy development and knowledge translation. Three important projects have recently been completed: 1. Finalizing the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the NTD Road Map (published May 2021; this PAHO/WHO CC was a member of the working group); 2. Developing new guidelines for the preventive chemotherapy of Taenia solium taeniasis (published September 2021; this PAHO/WHO CC was co-Chair; and 3. Formulating a policy brief on deworming for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age (published January 2022; this PAHO/WHO CC is co-lead). These projects are the result of the integration of expertise and experience from multiple partners, including from PAHO and WHO (where both organizations provided key leadership), this PAHO/WHO CC, government ministries, civil society organizations and universities, among others. In conclusion, this PAHO/WHO CC contributes timely guidance to country-led evidence-informed public health policy, to cost-effective program implementation and to the identification of priority research topics - all focused, ultimately, on eliminating NTD-attributable morbidity by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lack of humanitarian action during early stages of acute food insecurity takes a heavy toll.

Ancient DNA shows continuity between living and ancient Maya communities.

Preschoolers who used tablets more were more likely to have trouble regulating frustration and anger when assessed a year later, researchers found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surveillance methods, health resources, vaccination coverage and income stratification and quantify burdens of disease and death in children and adolescents in the Caribbean. The investigation was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that included 15 Caribbean countries/territories and utilized surveys and secondary data sources. Quarantine and isolation measures were robust and surveillance strategies were similar. Pediatric specialists were available across the region, but few had designated pediatric hospitals or high-dependency units. There were more cases in children on islands with larger populations. Compared to high-income countries/territories, upper and lower middle-income countries/territories had higher disease burdens, fewer doctors and nurses per 1 000 population, lower bed capacities, and lower vaccination coverage. Child and adolescent cases ranged from 0.60% to 16.9%, compared with a global case rate of 20.2% in 2021. By August 2021 there were 33 deaths among children from Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. The respective case fatality rates for 0-9-year-olds and 10-19-year-olds were 2.80 and 0.70 in Haiti, 0.10 and 0.20 in Jamaica, and 0.00 and 0.14 in Trinidad, compared with 0.17 and 0.1 globally. Overall COVID-19 incidence and mortality in children were consistent with global estimates. Limited resources have been offset by availability of pediatricians across the region, and minimally direct effects on children. Prioritization of admission of specific at-risk groups, training of first responders and vaccination campaigns targeting pregnant women and vulnerable children and adolescents could benefit countries with low vaccine coverage rates and limited resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries have made important progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to health (SDG3) at the national level. However, vast within-country health inequalities remain. We present a baseline of health inequalities in the region, against which progress towards the SDGs can be monitored. Setting. We studied 21 countries in LAC using data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey carried out from 2011 to 2016. Participants. The surveys collect nationally representative data on women and children using multistage sampling. In total, 288 207 women and 195 092 children made part of the surveys in the 21 countries. Outcome measures. Five health intervention indicators were studied, related to reproductive and maternal health, along with adolescent fertility and neonatal and under-five mortality rates. Inequalities in these indicators were assessed through absolute and relative measures. Results. In most countries, subnational geographical health gradients were observed for nearly all women, child, and adolescent (WCA) indicators. Coverage of key interventions was higher in urban areas and among the richest, compared with rural areas and poorer quintiles. Analyses by woman's age showed that coverage was lower in adolescent girls than older women for family planning indicators. Pro-urban and pro-rich inequalities were also seen for mortality in most countries. Conclusions. Regional averages hide important health inequalities between countries, but national estimates hide still greater inequalities between subgroups of women, children and adolescents. To achieve the SDG3 targets and leave no one behind, it is essential to close health inequality gaps within as well as between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To describe the presence and persistence of neurological and neuropsychological sequelae among children with acquired Zika virus infection and assess whether those sequelae were more common in children infected with Zika virus compared to uninfected children. Methods. We conducted a prospective cohort study of children with and without Zika virus infection in León, Nicaragua, using a standard clinical assessment tool and questionnaire to collect data on symptoms at three visits, about 6 months apart, and a battery of standardized instruments to evaluate neurocognitive function, behavior, depression, and anxiety at the last two visits. Results. Sixty-two children were enrolled, with no significant differences in demographics by infection group. Children infected with Zika virus had a range of neurological symptoms, some of which persisted for 6 to 12 months; however, no consistent pattern of symptoms was observed. At baseline a small percentage of children infected with Zika virus had an abnormal finger-to-nose test (13%), cold touch response (13%), and vibration response (15%) versus 0% in the uninfected group. Neurocognitive deficits and behavioral problems were common in both groups, with no significant differences between the groups. Children infected with Zika virus had lower cognitive efficiency scores at the 6-month visit. Anxiety and depression were infrequent in both groups. Conclusions. Larger studies are needed to definitively investigate the relationship between Zika virus infection and neurological symptoms and neurocognitive problems, with adjustment for factors affecting cognition and behavior, including mood and sleep disorders, home learning environment, history of neuroinvasive infections, and detailed family history of neuropsychological problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To synthesize the findings on correlates of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in South American children. Method. A search was carried out from June 24 to October 27, 2020, in the LILACS, PubMed, SciELO, Scopus and Web of Science databases. To broaden the search, the references of identified review articles were examined, and a panel of experts was surveyed. Observational and interventional studies conducted with South-American children from zero to 5 years of age were included. Results. Of 3 111 articles initially identified, 18 were eligible: 14 observational studies, 12 studies conducted in Brazil, and 17 studies investigating preschool children (3 to 5 years of age). In addition to Brazil, only Chile and Ecuador were represented. PA and SB were measured by accelerometers in seven studies; however, high variability was observed in the instruments and cut-off points used. Although children were classified as physically active in 12 studies, six studies showed that they spent considerable time in SB. Most studies assessed the individual (14 studies) and interpersonal (11 studies) domains, followed by the environmental (eight studies) and political (one study) domains. Interventions in the school context (four studies) increased PA levels and reduced the time spent in SB. However, the evidence from cross-sectional and interventional studies presented a high risk of bias. Conclusions. Given the knowledge gap identified in this review, studies with robust designs, covering additional South American countries are warranted, focusing on infants and children under 3 years of age and investigating correlates in the environmental and political domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Josh Loeb reports from a conference which tackled the topic of whether pet ownership is leading to falling birth rates and, if so, is this such a bad thing?, (© 2024 British Veterinary Association.)