Search

China is expected to have a rapid growth in specialized early intervention (EI) services for young children ages birth to 6 and their families. A major barrier in the provision of EI services in China is the shortage of well-trained EI personnel. In 2013, a Home-Based Early Intervention Program (HBEIP) was started at South China Normal University (SCNU) in Guangzhou, China to prepare future professionals to use family-centered EI practices adapted from similar programs in the United States. During the first year of implementation, HBEIP collected data from a self-efficacy survey and a needs assessment. Results from the evaluation showed that Chinese trainees perceived the family-centered approach to EI as relevant and valuable, and indicated needs for improving supervision and coaching supports in future implementation of HBEIP. The research team discussed implications for cross-cultural adaptation and implementation of personnel training practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of efforts throughout China to improve the outcomes of individuals with disabilities, the Shanghai government has launched a campaign to screen at least 95 percent of newborns. To assist in meeting this goal, the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), Third Edition, was translated into Chinese and the feasibility of a screening system using the ASQ-Chinese translation (ASQ-C) was investigated in Shanghai. Twenty-nine primary children’s healthcare clinics and several district-wide children’s healthcare institutes participated. Validity and reliability of the ASQ-C were studied as well as utility in pediatric clinics as part of well child visits. Using a sample of more than 8000 caregivers and children from 3 to 66 months of age, screening cutoff scores for each of the 19 ASQ-C intervals were determined, based on two standard deviations below the mean domain score. Inter-rater agreement between ASQ-C completed by 519 parents and a professional assessor was .89. Test-retest reliability for 651 caregivers who completed two ASQ-C at a 1–4 week interval was .91. Cronbach’s coefficient alpha measuring internal consistency ranged from .37 to .79. Convergent validity, measuring agreement between Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition, and Denver II outcome categories (i.e. risk, typical) and ASQ-C outcomes (i.e. risk, typical), ranged from .57 to .94. Results from this pilot study suggest the ASQ-C is a promising screening instrument for identification of developmental problems in the Shanghai region. Implementation of a universal screening system in pediatric clinics has the potential to assist in early identification of developmental delays, referral to rehabilitative services, and improvement of developmental outcomes for young children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parents play a critical role in the early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) services provided to young children (birth-6 years) with developmental disabilities.Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to explore parental involvement in developmental disabilities across three cultures: Mainland China, Taiwan, and Turkey.Method: According to PRISMA guidelines, we searched for articles indexed in EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, and PubMed published within the last decade for one culture (i.e., Mainland China, Taiwan, and Turkey), using the following keywords: family/parent involvement/engagement, developmental disability/disabilities, young child/children, EI/ECSE, and culture.Results: Twenty-four empirical studies were identified as relevant to our research. A majority of articles reported maternal involvement in EI/ECSE, and only a few studies included parents as intervention agents.Conclusions: This review highlights the need for future research to investigate effects of culture on parental involvement and develop culturally responsive methodical approaches to underpin meaningful parental involvement in EI/ECSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objectives The goal of this study was to provide a comprehensive analysis of the potential health impact of universal vaccination of infants with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) in China. Methods A decision-analytic model designed for pneumococcal disease and outcomes of pneumococcal infection was populated with local age-specific incidence and mortality data to estimate the expected health benefits of vaccinating birth cohorts of approximately 16 million infants per year over a 10-year time horizon in China. The model incorporates both the direct impact on vaccinated children and the indirect effect of herd protection on unvaccinated children and adults. Results The model predicts that more than 16.2 million cases of pneumococcal disease and 709 411 deaths could be prevented in China over the initial 10-year period following the introduction of the PCV7 vaccine. The majority of these health benefits are due to the indirect effectiveness of the vaccine on the unvaccinated population, resulting in approximately 10.8 million cases prevented and 636 371 lives saved over 10 years. Conclusions The results suggest that a policy of universal PCV7 vaccination among infants in China would have a substantial positive public health impact on the population of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]