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Introduction: This investigation evaluates whether an intervention involving mindfulness-based practices, socio-affective activities, and socio-cognitive instances can foster prosocial attitudes and positive social relationships and reduce perceived stress in children. Method: The study was conducted with 44 children (20 girls and 24 boys) aged between 6 and 8 (M= 7.25 years, SD= 0.43), and followed a quasi experimental wait list design with two measurement time points (pre and post intervention). We analyzed relative changes in social integration, universal altruism and perceived stress levels. Results: Our results revealed that children who participated in the intervention showed an enhancement in social integration and universal altruism tests, and a decrease in the perceived stress indices. That is, children chose more peers as playmates and rejected fewer of them, while evidencing more prosocial attitudes. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings suggest that this kind of intervention can contribute to fostering social integration and prosociality while promoting children's health and wellbeing from an early age.

The present study investigates the plasticity of altruistic behavior in children, analyzing the effect of a short intervention on 6- to 7-year-olds. After a 10-session intervention performed in a school context, altruism significantly increased. The intervention, which included relaxation practices, cooperative activities and emotional security priming, positively modulated altruistic behavior in children, beyond reciprocation and reputation. The experiences of collaborating, feeling emotional security and attaining moments of relaxation increased participants' awareness of themselves and of others, favoring the emergence of intrinsic altruism. These results are in line with our hypothesis that altruism is an embodied human resource, highly susceptible to experience within social contexts.

The incidence of overweight and obesity is alarming worldwide. In Argentina, multifactorial studies are scarce despite the high rates of childhood overweight and obesity (OW/OB). In this study we assessed the prevalence of childhood OW/OB and the associated risk factors from a multicausal perspective: we analyzed sleep habits, screen use, chronic stress in children and their caregivers, social relationship problems, eating habits, and physical activity. Of the 397 first and seventh graders who completed the questionnaires, 41% had childhood OW/OB. In children with obesity, a lower level of physical activity, a lower consumption of protective foods, a higher risk for sleep disorders, higher levels of chronic stress (in both children and their caregivers), and higher rates of peer rejection were observed. Widespread use of screens before bedtime was noted in most children. This study evidences the diversity of factors associated with childhood OW/OB and highlights the convenience of a multidimensional approach to address it. In addition, the results of this study suggest the need to consider lifestyle habits as a preventive and therapeutic strategy for the management of OW/OB from early stages., (Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.)

Background: Children with achondroplasia (ACH) appear to lack a pubertal growth spurt in height. Aim To explore the growth spurt in height and its segments sitting height and leg length, in a large sample of ACH cases using growth curve modelling. Subjects and methods: Height and sitting height were measured longitudinally in ACH children, and the data were analysed using the SITAR (SuperImposition by Translation and Rotation) growth model, which estimates a mean growth curve and random effects for individuals defining differences in size, pubertal timing and intensity. Results: Out of 402 ACH children, 85 boys and 75 girls aged 7-20 years had respectively 529 and 454 measurements of height and sitting height, with leg length calculated by difference. SITAR analysis identified peaks in mean height velocity at 13.3 and 11.3 years in boys and girls, with peak velocities of 4.3 and 4.4 cm/year. Mean peak velocity for sitting height was 3.0 cm/year, but leg length showed no peak. The SITAR models explained 92% to 99% of the cross-sectional variance. Conclusion: ACH children do experience a growth spurt in puberty, but only half that of control children. The spurt is due entirely to sitting height, with no leg length spurt.

Differences between reported and properly measured parental height were evaluated in 82 mothers and 62 fathers attending either of two growth clinics in Buenos Aires city. Measured height was adjusted to its physiological decline with age. A significant trend towards overestimation of mother's and father's self stature and of mothers' report of their husband's stature was found in the private clinic (PRC). Variances of differences between reported and measured height were significantly greater in mothers attending the clinic of the public hospital (PUC), thus suggesting more inaccurate estimations in lower-class families. Ranges of differences were 5.0/-4.8 and 5.6/-5.8 cm for mothers' and fathers' self-estimations in the PRC. Figures for the PUC were 12.2/-6.7 and 5.0/-5.9 cm respectively. Ranges of differences in mothers' report of their husbands' heights were 5.1/-1.7 (PRC) and 9.4/-14.6 cm (PUC). Partial regression and correlation coefficients showed a significant trend of taller parents to be more inaccurate in their reporting. There were neither age nor sex influences on the accuracy or parental estimations. Individual variations in the errors found show the importance of measuring actual parental height for growth assessment in a clinical setting.