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Background: Outdoor air pollution is increasingly recognised as a key threat to population health globally, with particularly high risks for urban residents. In this study, we assessed the association between residential nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure and children's cognitive and behavioural development using data from São Paulo Brazil, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. Methods: We used data from the São Paulo Western Region Birth Cohort, a longitudinal cohort study aiming to examine determinants as well as long-term implications of early childhood development. Cross-sectional data from the 72-month follow-up was analysed. Data on NO2 concentration in the study area was collected at 80 locations in 2019, and land use regression modelling was used to estimate annual NO2 concentration at children's homes. Associations between predicted NO2 exposure and children's cognitive development as well as children's behavioural problems were estimated using linear regression models adjusted for an extensive set of confounders. All results were expressed per 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2. Results: 1143 children were included in the analysis. We found no association between NO2 and children's cognitive development (beta -0.05, 95% CI [-0.20; 0.10]) or behavioural problems (beta 0.02, 95% CI [-0.80; 0.12]). Conclusion: No association between child cognition or child behaviour and NO2 was found in this cross-sectional analysis. Further research will be necessary to understand the extent to which these null results reflect a true absence of association or other statistical, biological or adaptive factors not addressed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine disparities in early child cognitive and receptive-expressive skills by ethnic ancestry among infants aged 3-24 months from Brazil and Argentina. We employ unique data on the neurodevelopment of children who were seeking routine well-child care at a set of pediatric clinics in these countries. The sample included children who had normal birth outcomes and no major health complications, allowing us to focus on variation in neurodevelopment among children without major physical health limitations. The physicians attending the pediatric clinics were trained in administering the Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener, a standardized instrument used to screen an infant's risk of neurodevelopmental problems on various domains of abilities. We evaluate disparities in overall neurodevelopmental scores and risk for neurodevelopmental problems as well as in cognitive functioning and receptive-expressive neurodevelopment. We also examine the extent to which household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and geographic location explain these disparities. We find large gaps in both cognitive and receptive-expressive neurodevelopment by ancestry. In Brazil, children of African ancestry have lower scores on both cognitive and receptive-expressive domains and on overall neurodevelopment than children of European ancestry. In Argentina, children of Native ancestry have lower scores on these outcomes than children of European ancestry. These gaps however are largely explained by differences in geographic location and household characteristics, highlighting the importance of policies that reduce socioeconomic and geographic disparities in social capital and economic development for eliminating ethnic disparities in infant neurodevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examines the extent to which children's positive attributes are distinct from psychopathology. We also investigate whether positive attributes change or "buffer" the impact of low intelligence and high psychopathology on negative educational outcomes.Method: In a community sample of 2,240 children (6-14 years of age), we investigated associations among positive attributes, psychopathology, intelligence, and negative educational outcomes. Negative educational outcomes were operationalized as learning problems and poor academic performance. We tested the discriminant validity of psychopathology versus positive attributes using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and propensity score matching analysis (PSM), and used generalized estimating equations (GEE) models to test main effects and interactions among predictors of educational outcomes.Results: According to both CFA and PSM, positive attributes and psychiatric symptoms were distinct constructs. Positive attributes were associated with lower levels of negative educational outcomes, independent of intelligence and psychopathology. Positive attributes buffer the negative effects of lower intelligence on learning problems, and higher psychopathology on poor academic performance.Conclusion: Children's positive attributes are associated with lower levels of negative school outcomes. Positive attributes act both independently and by modifying the negative effects of low intelligence and high psychiatric symptoms on educational outcomes. Subsequent research should test interventions designed to foster the development of positive attributes in children at high risk for educational problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Health warning labels on cigarette packages are one way to reach youth thinking about initiating tobacco use. The purpose of this study was to examine awareness and understanding of current health warning labels among 5 and 6 year old children. Subjects and methods: Researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with urban and rural 5 and 6 year olds from Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Russia. Results: Among the 2,423 participating children, 62 % were unaware of the health warnings currently featured on cigarette packages, with the lowest levels of awareness in India and the highest levels in Brazil. When shown the messages, the same percentage of participating children (62 %) showed no level of message understanding. Conclusion: While youth are receiving social and informational messages promoting tobacco use, health warning labels featured on cigarette packages are not effectively reaching young children with anti-smoking messages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to investigate nurseries environment for low-income families and verify the impact of a cognitive-motor skill intervention on babies' development in the large motor, fine motor, language and interaction. Participated in the study 40 babies, age between six and eight months, from ten nursery schools for low-income families. Schools groups were clustered according to the quality of the care offered; and the babies were stratify by gender and randomly assigned in intervention (n= 20) and control (n= 20) groups. The routine of the nurseries was investigated using an observational list. Babies' gross and fine motor skills, as well as interactions and language, were assessed at the pre and post-intervention. The intervention program provided activities such as visual tracking, toy manipulation and postural control. Results demonstrated restrict physical space, opportunities to play and interaction. Educators focus attention regarding to babies' hygiene and feed. Babies from schools with a more appropriate environment showed better performance; and the intervention influenced positively to participants' global development. As a conclusion, educative actions and intervention strategies must be implemented at nursery schools concern primarily with infant' development process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of physical activity in children's development of executive function is not yet consensus among previous studies. So this study aims to evaluate the effects of school based motor stimulation in cognitive function responses in children aged 6 to 10 years of public schools at Brasília-Federal District, Brazil. It was formed two groups control (n = 40) and experimental (n = 40) who were studied before and after the intervention. The variable analyzed was: motor skills, executive function, reaction time and selective attention. The intervention occurred during 7 months, two times week, in a 50 minutes physical education classes. The results showed that there was a significant difference between groups in tests of executive function [F(1, 118) = 13.768, p = .001], reaction time [F(1, 118) = 18.352, p = .001] and attention selective [F(1, 64) = 14.531, p = .001]. Thus, it was observed that the experimental group improved not only its motor performance, but also significantly improved the performance of cognitive functions tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study supports itself in ergonomic concepts and usability criteria by prioritizing the identification and correction of problems found during the interaction of children with projected interfaces for them and left from the cognitive, interactional and interfacial difficulties caused by the excesses of color, elements and animation in sites and games, between them the difficulty of recognition of the information during the interaction with the elements of grid of the interface. The results of the methodology had proven that 78.38% of the 37 children got so absorbed by the game and forgot to fulfill their tasks, at least partially, and that the application of the supported ergonomic beddings in usability criteria is imperative. It is relevant to point out that the projetual activity of the game is centered in the user, the child, whose behavior is distinct and particular. Points that had been disclosed that had passed unobserved by the involved adults in this project, and that they had displayed the unappropriateness of some screens of the Spore® to the etária band due to the ambiguity of the game, besides, the children had been sensible to the clarity in some screens and had passed for unnecessary situations of stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aim of the study was to compare the development of children with and without a programme of psychosocial stimulation in ‘control’ and ‘intervention’ sites in a poorly resourced area of northeast Brazil. The sample (n=156, born 1998) was from a larger cohort. The cohort was tested at 12 months (baseline) with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. All children in the intervention site with a mental development index (MDI) and/or psychomotor development index (PDI) 100 were enrolled. Each time such a child was enrolled, the next child tested in that site of the same sex and with an index of 101 to 115 was also enrolled, and the next two children matched for sex and scores of 100 and 101 to 115 in the control sites were recruited in parallel. The intervention comprised 14 contacts between 13 and 17 months of age. All children were tested again at age 18 months. The intervention and control groups were similar at baseline for a range of socioeconomic, demographic, environmental, and biological variables, and their MDI and PDI were also similar. At 18 months, the mean differences between the intervention and control groups were +9.4 points for MDI and +8.2 points for PDI (p<0.001 in each case). For children with an initial score of 100, the mean difference between the intervened and control groups was +11.2 points for MDI (p<0.001), and +10.8 points for PDI (p=0.001). The intervention was thus associated with significant improvements in cognitive and motor development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the correlation between development of cognitive skills and peer acceptance in 212 grade school students in Brazil. Sociometric evaluation of peer group acceptance in play and study situations; High mean cognitive assessment score in socially isolated children in relation to creation of possibilities and general cognitive development.