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A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article on a medical research of the high-frequency percussive ventilation, by P. Allan in the June 2010 issue.

A two-part screening procedure was used to assess school-age children's experience with bullying. In the first part 16,799 students (8,195 girls, 8,604 boys) in grades 4 to 12 were provided with a definition of bullying and then asked about their experiences using two general questions from the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (1996). In the second part, students were asked about their experiences with specific types of bullying: physical, verbal, social, and cyber. For each form of bullying, students were provided with several examples of what constituted such behavior. Results indicated that the general screener has good specificity but poor sensitivity, suggesting that the general screening questions were good at classifying noninvolved students but performed less well when identifying true cases of bullying. Accordingly, reports from the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the United Nations may underestimate the prevalence of bullying among school-aged children world-wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We used discrete choice conjoint analysis to model the bullying prevention program preferences of educators. Using themes from computerized decision support lab focus groups ( n = 45 educators), we composed 20 three-level bullying prevention program design attributes. Each of 1,176 educators completed 25 choice tasks presenting experimentally varied combinations of the study’s attribute levels. Latent class analysis yielded three segments with different preferences. Decision Sensitive educators (31%) preferred that individual schools select bullying prevention programs. In contrast, Support Sensitive educators (51%) preferred that local school boards chose bullying prevention programs. This segment preferred more logistical and social support at every stage of the adoption, training, implementation, and long term maintenance processes. Cost Sensitive educators (16%) showed a stronger preference for programs minimizing costs, training, and implementation time demands. They felt prevention programs were less effective and that the time and space in the curriculum for bullying prevention was less adequate. They were less likely to believe that bullying prevention was their responsibility and more likely to agree that prevention was the responsibility of parents. All segments preferred programs supported by the anecdotal reports of colleagues from other schools rather than those based on scientific evidence. To ensure that the bullying prevention options available reflect the complex combination of attributes influencing real world adoption decisions, program developers need to accommodate the differing views of the Decision, Support, and Cost Sensitive segments while maximizing the support of parents and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes recent trends in the province of Ontario (Canada) and beyond that have begun to create a readiness to bring research to practice in children's mental health. The experience of developing innovative cross-sectoral partnerships in Ontario that facilitate the linkage of research and service is discussed. The Child and Youth Mental Health Information Network is profiled as an emerging collaboration that epitomises such partnerships, and the key knowledge exchange activities of the five partner organisations are described. The article highlights the importance of engaging all levels of the system - clinical, supervisory, management, community, policy and political - in order to create a culture change that truly supports the sharing of information and the process of embedding evidence-based practice in services for children and families. This is a descriptive article that outlines key complementary knowledge exchange activities of each of the partners while highlighting joint initiatives and the value added of the Network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This collaborative project involves teachers in a small public elementary school in Tucson, Arizona in the USA. They examine the pedagogical issues and strategies involved in integrating international literature into the curriculum beyond a "tourist" approach, encouraging close critical reading in developing children's understandings of culture and the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the qualities which preservice teachers must posses to teach effectively children's literature. Teaching children's literature is not all about knowing books and teaching resources. Foremost, preservice teachers should develop critical thinking. Critical thinking is necessary to dissect personal and intertextual connections among pieces of literature which are dissimilar. Moreover, preservice teachers should read books that challenge their beliefs on what is appropriate for children.

Provides ideas for teachers who want to make multiple sign systems a part of the reading and writing curriculum. Ways to respond to literature through multiple sign systems; Information on the initial aesthetic response of students; Role of sign systems and transmediation in learning.

Proposes curricular framework that provides an alternative view of balance in literary instruction. Emphasis on the role of guided reading and literature discussion groups; Overview of the author's experiences; Reference to Michael Halliday's research; Information on the curricular model.

Features several children's books on traveling. Includes `My Secret Place,' by Erica Magnus; `One Afternoon,' by Yumi Heo; `Taxi! Taxi!,' by Gary Best; `Three at Sea,' by Timothy Bush; `How to make an Apple Pie and See the World,' by Marjorie Priceman; `Eyewitness Atlas of the World'; `The New Viking Children's World Atlas,' by Jacqueline Tivers and Michael Day. INSET: Books to good to miss..

Discusses the children's books, `The Earth Is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems about Our Planet,' compiled by Barbara Brenner, `Mountains' by Seymour Simon, `The House Cat' by Helen Cooper and other books. INSET: Books too good to miss..

Considers how patterns enrich the lives of children, and examines children's books with patterns. Includes natural patterns such as the changing of the seasons; `Land, Sea and Sky: Poems to Celebrate the Earth,' as reflecting patterns.

Focuses on books with the theme of children finding their own voices as learners and as people. Difficult struggle of children in search of their own identities; Children's difficulty in school; Children's need to find characters similar to themselves in books; Integration of mathematical games in children's books; Children's pride in their accomplishments as readers. INSET: Books too good to miss..

Enumerates children's books that focus on games and other forms of amusement. Margaret Wild's `The Slumber Party'; Jacqueline Rogers' `Best Friends Sleep Over'; Amy Hest's `Nana's Birthday party'; Jane Yolen's `Mouse's Birthday'; Bonnie Pryor's `Birthday Blizzard'; Welleran Poltarnees' `A Most Memorable Birthday'; Bobbye S. Goldstein's `Birthday Rhymes, Special Times'; More. INSET: Books too good to miss..

Presents children's books that portray environmental issues around the world. Endangered species; Birds; Endangered environments; Tropical forests; Heroes and heroines of the environmental movement; Activities, information and projects. INSETS: Where to send books or comments.;Books too good to miss..

Presents children's books that focus on the American Southwest. `A Brand is Forever,' by Ann Herbert Scott, illustrated by Ronald Himler; `The Skirt,' by Gary Soto, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; `The Anasazi,' by Eleanor H. Ayer; More.

Examines the social and political values discussed or highlighted in selected children's literature. Family conflict; Homelessness; Social challenges; Political conflict; `The Polka Dot Horse,' by Elizabeth Thiel; `The Lotus Seed,' by Sherry Garland; More. INSETS: Where to send books or comments.;Books too good to miss..

Provides reading educators in school and university settings with information on children's books and ways of connecting books with readers and classroom life. Connections between books and curriculum; Books on school experiences; Books on reading and writing; Books on family relationships and friendships; Books on moving and immigration; More. INSETS: Books too good to miss.;Untitled (contact information)..

Wholistic perspectives on language and learning pervade current educational research and theory. Although these theories have affected what is taught in teacher education programs, they are only beginning to influence how that content is taught and learned. Until teacher educators explore more fully how to live their own models, they will have a limited effect on changing the current course of teacher education or of education in elementary and secondary schools. This article first describes the current scene in teacher education by discussing beliefs about learning that build from recent understandings about language, and constraints on change that exist within college settings. The second half of the article presents a variety of changes that teacher educators have been exploring in their class-rooms and programs. These changes are based on insights from current theories of learning and language. They reflect the attempts of teacher educators to create learning environments that support all learners as inquirers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children continuously engage in developing theories about how the world works as they inquire through play and interactions with others. In this study, we investigated children's in-process thinking in the form of working theories about language as they participated in engagements around dual language picturebooks in an afterschool club. Our research is framed within sociocultural theories on knowledge building, inquiry acts and recent research on working theories, dual language picturebooks, and language awareness. Although dual language picturebooks are often associated with supporting bilingual learners in learning a language, we argue that these books can also encourage children in learning about language and language diversity. We analysed field notes, audio recordings, and children's artefacts to identify the kinds of working theories about language explored by children and their strategies for developing these theories. The findings show children explored working theories about what language is, what it means to know a language, and how language is learned. The strategies children used to develop these theories included demonstrations of peers and adults, the mediation of tools, talk as a tool of mind, and language play. This study contributes to understandings about how children develop working theories about language and language diversity through inquiry and suggests possibilities for classroom practice in opening spaces for children to connect to what they consider significant in engagements with dual language picturebooks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the selection of children's books that qualify as notable for Kindergarten 8 (K-8) classrooms by the Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts Committee (NCBLA) in the U.S. It mentions that April Bedford, Mary Napoli and Quinn White were among the people appointed by the board of the Children's Literature Assembly of the National Council of Teachers in English.

The article suggests an approach to teaching reading. It criticizes the approach of grouping children by ability. It discusses the evolution of reading curricula and reading instruction approaches, from the use of small discussion groups to guided reading groups. It points out the problem with assuming that there is one right approach to reading instruction. Finally, it touts a reading curriculum framework that focuses on engaging students simultaneously in learning language, learning about language and learning through language.

Rates of mental health problems and disorders in children and youth have been increasing for at least three decades, and these have escalated due to the pandemic and multiple other societal stressors. It is increasingly recognized that students and families frequently struggle to receive needed care through traditional locations such as specialty mental health centers. Upstream mental health promotion and prevention strategies are gaining support as a public health approach to supporting overall population well-being, better utilizing a limited specialty workforce, and reducing illness. Based on these recognitions, there has been a progressive and escalating movement toward the delivery of mental health support to children and youth "where they are," with a prominent and more ecologically valid environment being schools. This paper will provide a brief review of the escalating mental health needs of children and youth, advantages of school mental health (SMH) programs in better meeting these needs, example model SMH programs from the United States and Canada, and national and international SMH centers/networks. We conclude with strategies for further propelling the global advancement of the SMH field through interconnected practice, policy, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Critically ill pediatric patients frequently require hemoglobin monitoring. Accurate noninvasive Hb (SpHb) would allow practitioners to decrease anemia from repeated blood draws, traumatic blood draws, and a decreased number of laboratory Hb (LabHb) medical tests. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Masimo Pronto SpHb and associated Rainbow probes; however, its use in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is controversial. In this study, we define the degree of agreement between LabHb and SpHb using the Masimo Pronto SpHb Monitor and identify clinical and demographic conditions associated with decreased accuracy. Materials and methods We performed a prospective, observational study in a large PICU at an academic medical center. Fifty-three pediatric patients (30-d and 18-y-old), weighing >3 kg, admitted to the PICU from January-April 2013 were examined. SpHb levels measured at the time of LabHb blood draw were compared and analyzed. Results Only 83 SpHb readings were obtained in 118 attempts (70.3%) and 35 readings provided a result of "unable to obtain." The mean LabHb and SpHb were 11.1 g/dL and 11.2 g/dL, respectively. Bland-Altman analysis showed a mean difference of 0.07 g/dL with a standard deviation of ±2.59 g/dL. Pearson correlation is 0.55, with a 95% confidence interval between 0.38 and 0.68. Logistic regression showed that extreme LabHb values, increasing skin pigmentation, and increasing body mass index were predictors of poor agreement between SpHb and LabHb (P < 0.05). Separately, increasing body mass index, hypoxia, and hypothermia were predictors for undetectable readings (P < 0.05). Conclusions The Masimo Pronto SpHb Monitor provides adequate agreement for the trending of hemoglobin levels in critically ill pediatric patients. However, the degree of agreement is insufficient to be used as the sole indicator for transfusion decisions and should be used in context of other clinical parameters to determine the need for LabHb in critically ill pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools are sometimes slow to adopt evidence-based strategies for improving the mental health outcomes of students. This study used a discrete-choice conjoint experiment to model factors influencing the decision of educators to adopt strategies for improving children's mental health outcomes. A sample of 1,010 educators made choices between hypothetical mental health practice change strategies composed by systematically varying the four levels of 16 practice change attributes. Latent class analysis yielded two segments with different practice change preferences. Both segments preferred small-group workshops, conducted by engaging experts, teaching skills applicable to all students. Participants expressed little interest in Internet options. The support of colleagues, administrators, and unions exerted a strong influence on the practice change choices of both segments. The Change Ready segment, 77.1 % of the sample, was more intent on adopting new strategies to improve the mental health of students. They preferred that schools, rather than the provincial ministry of education, make practice change decisions, coaching was provided to all participants, and participants received post-training follow-up sessions. The Demand Sensitive segment (22.9 %) was less intent on practice change. They preferred that individual teachers make practice change decisions, recommended discretionary coaching, and chose no post-training follow-up support. This study emphasizes the complex social, organizational, and policy context within which educators make practice change decisions. Efforts to disseminate strategies to improve the mental health outcomes of students need to be informed by the preferences of segments of educators who are sensitive to different dimensions of the practice change process. In the absence of a broad consensus of educators, administrators, and unions, potentially successful practice changes are unlikely to be adopted.

There is solid evidence for strategies and programs that, if implemented with fidelity in schools, will enhance the mental health of children and youth. These practices are, however, inconsistently applied and rarely evaluated programmatically in every day practice. In recent years, implementation variables that influence uptake have received attention. An emerging area of interest is the role that research partnerships might play in narrowing the gap between science and practice. Drawing on the literature and practice examples, collaborators from the United States and Canada explore the role of partnerships in bringing the worlds of research and practice closer into alignment.

Background: An evidence-based teamwork system, Team-STEPPS, was implemented in an academic medical center's pediatric and surgical ICUs., Methods: A multidisciplinary change team of unit- and department-based leaders was formed to champion the initiative; develop a customized action plan for implementation; train frontline staff; and identify process, team outcome, and clinical outcome objectives for the intervention. The evaluation consisted of interviews with key staff, teamwork observations, staff surveys, and clinical outcome data., Results: All PICU, SICU, and respiratory therapy staff received TeamSTEPPS training. Staff reported improved experience of teamwork posttraining and evaluated the implementation as effective. Observed team performance significantly improved for all core areas of competency at 1 month postimplementation and remained significantly improved for most of the core areas of competency at 6 and 12 months postimplementation. Survey data indicated improvements in staff perceptions of teamwork and communication openness in both units. From pre- to posttraining, the average time for placing patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) decreased significantly. The average duration of adult surgery rapid response team events was 33% longer at postimplementation versus pre-implementation. The rate of nosocomial infections at postimplementation was below the upper control limit for seven out of eight months in both the PICU and the SICU., Conclusions: The implementation of a customized 2.5-hour version of the TeamSTEPPS training program in two areas--the PICU and SICU--that had demonstrated successful ability to innovate suggests that the training was successful.

Objective: To examine physician practice in, and the costs of, prescribing inhaled bronchodilators to mechanically ventilated patients who do not have obstructive lung disease., Methods: This was a prospective cohort study at 2 medical intensive care units at 2 tertiary-care academic medical centers, over a 6-month period. Included were the patients who required > or = 24 hours of mechanical ventilation but did not have obstructive lung disease. Excluded were patients who had obstructive lung disease and/or who had undergone > 24 hours of mechanical ventilation outside the study intensive care units., Results: Of the 206 patients included, 74 (36%) were prescribed inhaled bronchodilators without clear indication. Sixty-five of those 74 patients received both albuterol and ipratropium bromide, usually within the first 3 days of intubation (58 patients). Patients prescribed bronchodilators were more hypoxemic; their mean P(aO(2))/F(IO(2)) ratio was lower (188 mm Hg versus 238 mm Hg, p = 0.004), and they were more likely to have pneumonia (53% vs 33%, p = 0.007). The mean extra cost for bronchodilators was 449.35 dollars per patient. Between the group that did receive bronchodilators and the group that did not, there was no significant difference in the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, tracheostomy, or mortality. The incidence of tachyarrhythmias was similar (15% vs 22%, p = 0.25)., Conclusion: A substantial proportion of mechanically ventilated patients without obstructive lung disease received inhaled bronchodilators.