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Introduction: Narrative skills are crucial for academic success and social interaction. To date, few studies have looked at the specific impact of hearing loss on higher-level language skills, like narrative skills, especially in German-speaking children. This study is the first to analyze the narrative skills of German-speaking children who are hard of hearing. Method: Specifically, we assessed and compared the narrative skills of two groups of school-aged children – children who are hard of hearing (n = 22; Mage = 10;5) and children with typical hearing (n = 28; Mage = 9;0) – at the macro- and microstructural level using a standardized storytelling task. In addition, the relationship between spoken narrative skills, receptive vocabulary, and phonological working memory was investigated to determine which factors best predict oral narrative performance. Results: Children who are hard of hearing produced adequate narratives at the macrostructural level, but used less diverse vocabulary than their peers without hearing loss. Furthermore, children who are hard of hearing demonstrated lower receptive vocabulary and phonological working memory skills than children with typical hearing. Receptive vocabulary emerged as the most important factor in predicting narrative skills at the microstructural level. Discussion: The heterogeneity observed in the narratives of children who are hard of hearing emphasizes the need to investigate additional factors that may influence the development and expression of spoken narrative skills in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a six-center, prospective, randomized, open-label trial to assess whether an early standardized educational protocol provided from 42 to 48 months of age improved the progression of oral language and phonological development in children born preterm. A total of 552 children with phonological fragility were included in this study. The children were randomized to receive the educational protocol (guided arm, n = 87) or not (non-guided arm, n = 78). In the guided arm, the oral language development used a short "say and do" type educational protocol designed to maintain visual attention and train the developmental phonology/lexicon/morphosyntax structural links. In contrast, a conservative approach was used in the non-guided arm. A total of 70 guided and 73 non-guided children completed the study. After 6 months, the educated children showed a non-significant increase in their phonology score (p = 0.37), while the variations in the scores of the expressive lexicon (secondary endpoints) were significantly improved (p = 0.0008). We conclude that the short, standardized stimulation of the sensorimotor aspects of language in children born very preterm increased the expressive lexicon. This protocol improved the language of the premature children, especially those with minimal motor skills, with more significant improvement in the phonological scores. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01426659 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Resilience refers to an individual's ability to thrive despite adversity. Children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) face numerous challenges during school age due to speech and aesthetic differences compared to typically developing (TD) children. This study aims to compare the resilience levels between Malaysian children with CL/P and TD children, utilizing the Malay-translated Resilience Scale-10 (RS-10)© ([Wagnild, Resilience scale for children (RS10) user's guide 2015, n.d]). Results: A total of 121 Malaysian children comprising 52 CL/P and 69 TD children between the ages of 7 to 12 years participated in this study. Among the children with CL/P, 49 exhibited intelligible speech with mild to moderate differences, while three had severely reduced intelligibility. Participants completed the RS-10 online with parental assistance. The total mean scores of resilience for TD and CL/P were 30.80 ± 4.28 and 33.15 ± 6.01 respectively. The t-test results showed no significant differences in resilience scores between groups and across genders. The analysis of variance showed no significant difference between age groups. Regression analysis revealed that age and group were marginally significant predictors of resilience scores. Specifically, each additional year of age was associated with a 0.47-point reduction in RS-10 scores highlighting coping difficulties associated with CL/P in older children. Conclusions: The findings highlight the resilience of Malaysian children with CL/P, showing they can achieve resilience levels similar to their TD peers, particularly when speech outcomes are favourable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal autism screening is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics at 18 and 24 months. However, many children are not identified until after the age of 4 years, and some not until adulthood, either due to mild or no indication of symptoms early in development, or to co-occurring conditions which may overshadow autism symptoms. This indicates a need for universal autism screening measures for school-age children. This project adapts the widely used toddler autism screening tool, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised, with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F), for use in school-age children, called M-CHAT-School (M-CHAT-S). The study follows the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System guidelines for measure development to create parent- and teacher-report versions of the M-CHAT-S for 4- to 8-year-old children. Through expert consensus feedback via a Delphi pool and cognitive interviewing with stakeholders (i.e. parents and teachers), we developed two versions of the M-CHAT-S to be used for verbal and minimally verbal children. The M-CHAT-S poses several advantages to existing measures, including brevity, items updated based on current knowledge and conventions, and narrow age range to assure items are developmentally appropriate. Future steps include validation of the M-CHAT-S to determine its utility as an autism screener for young school-age children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends universal screening to identify children at higher likelihood for autism at 18- and 24-month well-child visits. There are many children, however, that are missed during this toddler age who do not get diagnosed until much later in development, delaying access to autism-specific interventions. Currently, brief measures for universal autism screening for school-age children, however, are lacking. In this project, we adapted a commonly used autism screener for toddlers, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised, with Follow-Up (M-CHAT-R/F), to be used for school-age children. This measure, called the M-CHAT-School (M-CHAT-S), is a parent- and teacher-report questionnaire to be used to screen for autism in school-age children aged 4 to 8 years of age. M-CHAT-S was developed through feedback from autism experts, as well as interviews with parents and teachers to provide input on the items. Two versions of M-CHAT-S were developed, one for verbally fluent and one for minimally verbal school-age children. M-CHAT-S is a brief measure, with updated items to reflect changes in the way experts think and talk about autism, making it a useful measure to use for autism screening in elementary aged children. The next steps include further testing to ensure that M-CHAT-S performs well in identifying children with increased likelihood of autism, after which it will be made available to parents, educators, and other professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background Resilience refers to an individual’s ability to thrive despite adversity. Children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) face numerous challenges during school age due to speech and aesthetic differences compared to typically developing (TD) children. This study aims to compare the resilience levels between Malaysian children with CL/P and TD children, utilizing the Malay-translated Resilience Scale-10 (RS-10)© ([Wagnild, Resilience scale for children (RS10) user’s guide 2015, n.d]). Results A total of 121 Malaysian children comprising 52 CL/P and 69 TD children between the ages of 7 to 12 years participated in this study. Among the children with CL/P, 49 exhibited intelligible speech with mild to moderate differences, while three had severely reduced intelligibility. Participants completed the RS-10 online with parental assistance. The total mean scores of resilience for TD and CL/P were 30.80 ± 4.28 and 33.15 ± 6.01 respectively. The t-test results showed no significant differences in resilience scores between groups and across genders. The analysis of variance showed no significant difference between age groups. Regression analysis revealed that age and group were marginally significant predictors of resilience scores. Specifically, each additional year of age was associated with a 0.47-point reduction in RS-10 scores highlighting coping difficulties associated with CL/P in older children. Conclusions The findings highlight the resilience of Malaysian children with CL/P, showing they can achieve resilience levels similar to their TD peers, particularly when speech outcomes are favourable.

Introduction: Premature birth may impair a sensitive, responsive, enjoyable, and regulating parenting style, potentially leading to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional deficits in children. Additionally, the emotional bond between the parent and infant may be disturbed due to the restrictions and difficulties at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), further negatively impacting child development. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) directly after birth is strongly recommended also for preterm or low birth weight infants since there is high-certainty evidence that SSC has positive effects on neonatal and maternal health as well as on the quality of the parent–child relationship. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of skin-to-skin contact immediately after childbirth on the development of emotional and behavioral problems in children born preterm entering school. Methods: This study is part of a randomized controlled delivery room skin-to-skin study (Deisy Study). A total of 33 children (aged 6–8 years) were assessed at school start. The German version of the CBCL/6-18R was used to evaluate the presence of behavior problems. Results: The perceived parental stress 6 months after discharge was the variable that most contributed to the variance explanation. SSC immediately after childbirth was not significant in the prediction of emotional and behavioral problems at school start. Limitations: The study was conducted in a small study group. Partners' variables were not included. Information regarding sociodemographic variables and bonding quality was collected 6 months (corrected age) after birth. The measurement of children's behavioral problems is not objective and corresponds to the parents' perception. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov, deisy study NCT01959737, deisy follow up NCT03366285. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The index of cardio-electrophysiological balance (iCEB) is a new non-invasive marker that can be used to predict malignant ventricular arrhythmias. Pediatric studies on iCEB are limited in number. Our study aimed to determine the range of its values in different age groups among school-age children. Material and Methods: The study included patients aged 5-17 admitted to Gülhane Training and Research Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Outpatient Clinic between March 2020 and March 2022 without a history of chronic disease, cardiac disease, arrhythmia, or cardiac surgery. Participants were categorised into ages 5-8, 9-12, and 13-17. The iCEB and iCEBc values were calculated and compared between groups. Results: The total number of 1303 cases were categorised into the 5-8 (n=270), 9-12 (n=389), and 13-17 (n=644) age groups. The mean iCEB and iCEBc values for all age groups were 4.39±0.53 and 5.16±0.53, respectively. Any difference was not detected among age groups of 5-8, 9-12, and 13-17 years in terms of iCEB and iCEBc values (4.42±0.56, 4.39±0.53 and 4.39±0.52 vs. 5.19±0.56, 5.15±0.55 and 5.16±0.52, respectively). However, a significant difference was found between male (n=699) and female (n=604) patients in terms of mean iCEB (4.23±0.52 vs. 4.59±0.47) and iCEBc (4.98±0.53 vs. 5.38±0.46) values (p <0.001). Conclusion: iCEB and iCEBc values in school-age children did not differ according to age groups. However, these values differed between boys and girls. This study is the first to reveal normal ranges of iCEB and iCEBc values in school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesChildhood functional constipation is a widespread condition with a global prevalence. Dietary interventions play a crucial role in the management of childhood constipation. Hence, the development and validation of a specialized food and nutrition literacy assessment tool for parents of school-aged children with functional constipation is of paramount significance.MethodsOn the basis of literature review, the first draft was formed, and the results of expert correspondence and pre survey were combined to delete and modify the first draft. In the second stage, 459 parents of school-age children with constipation were invited to fill out the questionnaire. Item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were then conducted to assess the questionnaire's reliability and validity.ResultsThe final scale comprises 4 dimensions and 25 items. Exploratory factor analysis extracted four common factors (nutrition knowledge, nutrition skills, nutrition interaction, nutrition evaluation), and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 64. 532%. The content validity index (I-CVI) of each item level is 0.86–1, the content validity index (S-CVI) at the scale level is 0.96. The overall Cronbach'sα coefficient was 0.85. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure derived from exploratory analysis, with all relevant fit indices meeting standard criteria.ConclusionsThe food and nutrition literacy questionnaire developed in our study had good validity and reliability, making it a useful tool for assessing the food and nutrition literacy among parents of school-aged children diagnosed with functional constipation.

IntroductionNarrative skills are crucial for academic success and social interaction. To date, few studies have looked at the specific impact of hearing loss on higher-level language skills, like narrative skills, especially in German-speaking children. This study is the first to analyze the narrative skills of German-speaking children who are hard of hearing.MethodSpecifically, we assessed and compared the narrative skills of two groups of school-aged children – children who are hard of hearing (n = 22; Mage = 10;5) and children with typical hearing (n = 28; Mage = 9;0) – at the macro- and microstructural level using a standardized storytelling task. In addition, the relationship between spoken narrative skills, receptive vocabulary, and phonological working memory was investigated to determine which factors best predict oral narrative performance.ResultsChildren who are hard of hearing produced adequate narratives at the macrostructural level, but used less diverse vocabulary than their peers without hearing loss. Furthermore, children who are hard of hearing demonstrated lower receptive vocabulary and phonological working memory skills than children with typical hearing. Receptive vocabulary emerged as the most important factor in predicting narrative skills at the microstructural level.DiscussionThe heterogeneity observed in the narratives of children who are hard of hearing emphasizes the need to investigate additional factors that may influence the development and expression of spoken narrative skills in this group.

We conducted a six-center, prospective, randomized, open-label trial to assess whether an early standardized educational protocol provided from 42 to 48 months of age improved the progression of oral language and phonological development in children born preterm. A total of 552 children with phonological fragility were included in this study. The children were randomized to receive the educational protocol (guided arm, n = 87) or not (non-guided arm, n = 78). In the guided arm, the oral language development used a short “say and do” type educational protocol designed to maintain visual attention and train the developmental phonology/lexicon/morphosyntax structural links. In contrast, a conservative approach was used in the non-guided arm. A total of 70 guided and 73 non-guided children completed the study. After 6 months, the educated children showed a non-significant increase in their phonology score (p = 0.37), while the variations in the scores of the expressive lexicon (secondary endpoints) were significantly improved (p = 0.0008). We conclude that the short, standardized stimulation of the sensorimotor aspects of language in children born very preterm increased the expressive lexicon. This protocol improved the language of the premature children, especially those with minimal motor skills, with more significant improvement in the phonological scores.Clinical trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT01426659

Abstract Background Providing children with the opportunity to learn about nutrition is critical in helping them establish a healthy lifestyle and eating behaviours that would remain with them till adulthood. We determined the effect of a school-based food and nutrition education (SFNE) intervention on the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, dietary habits, physical activity levels and the anthropometric indices (BMI-for-age z scores, %Body fat and waist circumference) of school-age children in northern Ghana. Methods Following a controlled before-and-after study design, we recruited school-age children in primary 4 and 5 from public and private schools and assigned them non-randomly to intervention and control groups (4 schools total). A SFNE intervention called ‘Eat Healthy, Grow Healthy (EHGH)’ was implemented in intervention schools. Components of the intervention included children, teachers, school officials, and the school environment. Nutrition education didactic sessions, active discussions, nutrition games, charades, art work, and physical activity sessions were among the teaching and learning activities implemented. At 0 and 6 months, primary (anthropometry) and secondary (fruit, vegetable, and breakfast consumption) outcomes were obtained. Results Mean BMI-for-age z-scores did not differ significantly between intervention and control groups (F1,261 = 0.45, P = 0.503, η2 = 0.01). However, significantly greater nutrition-related knowledge scores were recorded in the intervention group than in the control group at post-intervention (M = 6.07 SD = 2.17 vs. M = 5.22 SD = 1.92; p = 0.002). Mean number of days intervention children consumed fruits differed across time (F1, 263 = 33.04, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.04) but not between the control and intervention groups (F1, 263 = 0.28, p = 0.60, η2 = 0.00). Conclusions The EHGH intervention had positive effects on the nutrition-related knowledge and the consumption of fruits among children although it did not impact their anthropometric indices.

AbstractAlthough school-aged children often suffer from multiple several allergic diseases concurrently, most studies on stress coping have examined allergic diseases separately. Herein, semi-structured interviews were conducted to evaluate stress-coping patterns associated with allergic diseases among ten children aged 9–12 years, and obtained data were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. Characteristic word contents were grouped into categories to explore themes. After the analysis, e themes—objection, support, rescue, distraction, concealment, catharsis, conversion, and positive thoughts—and 13 categories were identified. Furthermore, a thematic map was used on the following three coping domains of coping: problem-focused and behavioral coping, emotion-focused and behavioral coping, and emotion-focused and cognitive coping. Behavioral coping could be easily implemented in children. This study revealed that it is critical for children with allergic diseases to have various coping methods and functional coping strategies should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sexuality education is essential for children and adolescents to make better choices regarding their sexual well‐being. Parents, teachers, and healthcare providers are not always comfortable talking to school‐age children about sex, making sexuality education a concept of interest to be explored. The purpose of this paper is to explain the concept of sexuality education in school‐aged children and adolescents. Design and Methods: This paper uses Walker and Avant's concept analysis to help clarify its meaning. The sexuality education concept is explored in this article in the views of educating school systems K‐12 with three types of sexuality education (abstinence‐only, abstinence‐plus, and comprehensive sexuality education). Literature from 1990 to 2023 was retrieved using PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. Results: A model case is used to demonstrate the importance of sexuality education. A borderline case and a related case are proposed to explain other uses of the concept. Defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents are explored. Antecedents of sexuality education are grouped into three categories: resources, political environment, and social beliefs. Practice Implications: A conceptual understanding of sexuality education can foster nurses' confidence in talking to their patients about this topic and encourage nurses to advocate for comprehensive sexuality education nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Auditory processing (AP) disorder is associated with learning difficulties and poses challenges to school-aged children in their daily activities. This scoping review identifies interventions and provides audiologists with protocol insights and outcome measures. (2) Methods: A systematic search of both peer-reviewed and grey literature (January 2006 to August 2023) covered ten databases. Studies included had the following characteristics: (i) published in French or English; (ii) participants were school-aged, and had a normal audiogram, AP difficulties or disorder, and no cognitive, developmental, congenital or neurological disorder (with the exception of learning, attention, and language disabilities); (iii) were intervention studies or systematic reviews. (3) Results: Forty-two studies were included, and they predominantly featured auditory training (AT), addressing spatial processing, dichotic listening, temporal processing and listening to speech in noise. Some interventions included cognitive or language training, assistive devices or hearing aids. Outcome measures listed included electrophysiological, AP, cognitive and language measures and questionnaires addressed to parents, teachers or the participants. (4) Conclusions: Most interventions focused on bottom-up approaches, particularly AT. A limited number of top-down approaches were observed. The compiled tools underscore the need for research on metric responsiveness and point to the inadequate consideration given to understanding how children perceive change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionPremature birth may impair a sensitive, responsive, enjoyable, and regulating parenting style, potentially leading to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional deficits in children. Additionally, the emotional bond between the parent and infant may be disturbed due to the restrictions and difficulties at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), further negatively impacting child development. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) directly after birth is strongly recommended also for preterm or low birth weight infants since there is high-certainty evidence that SSC has positive effects on neonatal and maternal health as well as on the quality of the parent–child relationship. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of skin-to-skin contact immediately after childbirth on the development of emotional and behavioral problems in children born preterm entering school.MethodsThis study is part of a randomized controlled delivery room skin-to-skin study (Deisy Study). A total of 33 children (aged 6–8 years) were assessed at school start. The German version of the CBCL/6-18R was used to evaluate the presence of behavior problems.ResultsThe perceived parental stress 6 months after discharge was the variable that most contributed to the variance explanation. SSC immediately after childbirth was not significant in the prediction of emotional and behavioral problems at school start.LimitationsThe study was conducted in a small study group. Partners' variables were not included. Information regarding sociodemographic variables and bonding quality was collected 6 months (corrected age) after birth. The measurement of children's behavioral problems is not objective and corresponds to the parents' perception.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov, deisy study NCT01959737, deisy follow up NCT03366285.

ObjectivesThis study examines the relationship between social engagement and loneliness in female and male autistic children and adolescents in school-based social settings. Secondary aims sought to explore the emergence of loneliness across different age groups and differences in social engagement and loneliness between genders.MethodsThis study conducted an analysis of previously collected data from two multi-site randomized control trials. This study included 58 autistic students (29 females, 29 males) between the ages 6 through 18 years. Female and male participants were matched on age and intelligence quotient. Concurrent mixed methods were used to examine participants' social engagement and loneliness.ResultsFindings revealed a significant relationship between joint engagement and loneliness, such that autistic students reported more loneliness when they were mutually engaged with social groups than when they were isolated or alone. Positive correlations between joint engage and loneliness were identified in elementary-age girls and secondary-age boys, suggesting that being mutually engaged with peers leads to increased loneliness. Negative correlations between parallel and loneliness identified in secondary-age boys suggested that boys in close proximity to peers felt less lonely than boys who were mutually engaged with peers. Qualitative analysis of social behaviors indicated that elementary girls and secondary boys were more likely to be mutually engaged or in close proximity to activities, but they had difficulty sustaining this engagement throughout the entire social period. Secondary girls and elementary boys, on the other hand, were more likely to be solitary and less likely to engage with peer groups.ConclusionStudy findings highlight the relationship between social engagement and loneliness in school-based autistic populations, and that more engagement itself can lead to more loneliness for younger girls and older boys. The influence of age and gender on engagement and loneliness highlights a need to tailor social interventions to leverage existing social strengths.

Background: Youth who face adversity are at a disproportionate risk for poor sleep health across the life course. Identifying whether the association between adversity and poor sleep varies based upon age and sex is needed. This study aims to explore sex and age as moderators between social risk and sleep in a sample of U.S. youth. Methods: This study analyzed data of 32,212 U.S. youth (6–17 years) whose primary caregiver participated in the 2017–2018 National Survey of Children's Health. A social cumulative risk index (SCRI) score was calculated from 10 parental, family, and community risk indicators. Nighttime sleep duration was the number of hours the child slept during the past week. Weeknight sleep irregularity was operationalized as whether the child sometimes/rarely/never went to bed at the same time. Generalized logistic regression models estimated associations between SCRI and sleep duration/irregularity, with age and sex as moderators. Results: Age moderated the association between SCRI and short sleep (OR = 1.12, p < 0.001), such that the magnitude of the SCRI-sleep relationship was 12% greater in school-age children. Sex was not a significant moderator. In stratified models by age group, age was positively associated with short sleep in both groups, with a greater magnitude in school-age children. Female school-age children were less likely to have short sleep than males. Conclusions: Younger children with greater social cumulative risk factors may be more vulnerable to short sleep duration. Further research into the mechanisms underlying the relationships between social risk and sleep health in school-age children is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear whether sensitization patterns differentiate children with severe recurrent wheeze (SRW)/severe asthma (SA) from those with non‐severe recurrent wheeze (NSRW)/non‐severe asthma (NSA). Our objective was to determine whether sensitization patterns can discriminate between children from the French COBRAPed cohort with NSRW/NSA and those with SRW/SA. Methods: IgE to 112 components (c‐sIgE) (ImmunoCAP® ISAC) were analyzed in 125 preschools (3–6 years) and 170 school‐age children (7–12 years). Supervised analyses and clustering methods were applied to identify patterns of sensitization among children with positive c‐sIgE. Results: We observed c‐sIgE sensitization in 51% of preschool and 75% of school‐age children. Sensitization to house dust mite (HDM) components was more frequent among NSRW than SRW (53% vs. 24%, p <.01). Sensitization to non‐specific lipid transfer protein (nsLTP) components was more frequent among SA than NSA (16% vs. 4%, p <.01) and associated with an FEV1/FVC < −1.64 z‐score. Among sensitized children, seven clusters with varying patterns were identified. The two broader clusters identified in each age group were characterized by "few sensitizations, mainly to HDM." One cluster (n = 4) with "multiple sensitizations, mainly to grass pollen, HDM, PR‐10, and nsLTP" was associated with SA in school‐age children. Conclusions: Although children with wheeze/asthma display frequent occurrences and high levels of sensitization, sensitization patterns did not provide strong signals to discriminate children with severe disease from those with milder disease. These results suggest that the severity of wheeze/asthma may depend on both IgE‐ and non‐IgE‐mediated mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language acquisition and Language Maintenance (LM) both depend on ample opportunity and motivation. Currently, many national language societies are undergoing Language Shift (LS) to English, impacting their acquisition as first (L1) and possibly even more as second (L2) language. This study interviewed 44 adolescents, including 24 L1 and 20 L2 speakers of Icelandic, on their views on the importance of Icelandic and English, whether Icelandic is hard to learn, and their future plans. Qualitative and quantitative results showed highly similar views and future plans across groups; both languages were considered important but for different purposes. However, L1 speakers were far more likely to think that Icelandic is hard to learn, and only L1 speakers attached cultural value to Icelandic. L1 speakers were more ambivalent than L2 speakers on whether immigrants should learn Icelandic. L2 students' ability to learn Icelandic appears impacted more by lack of opportunity than by lack of motivation. The study suggests that LS to English contributes to decreased opportunities to learn Icelandic as L2. It is further suggested that language policy in Iceland as well as international policy on which languages should be considered vulnerable due to a minority status need to be revisited in a globalised world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo investigate the caregiver burden of parents of school-age children with asthma and analyze the factors influencing their caregiver burden.MethodsA convenience sampling method was used to select 366 parents of school-age children with asthma who visited the outpatient departments of three tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, from January 2021 to July 2021. A general information questionnaire and the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) were used to assess the current caregiver burden and analyze the influencing factors.ResultsThe caregiver burden score of parents of school-age children with asthma was 27 (17, 39), with 40.43% of parents experiencing moderate to high levels of burden. Detailed results of univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences in caregiver burden scores based on parents’ gender, highest education level, number of children, occupation, family history of asthma, monthly family income, annual medical expenses for the child, child’s gender, whether the child had undergone lung function tests, number of emergency visits due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months, and whether the child had missed school due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months (p < 0.1). Detailed results of multivariate analysis showed that parents’ gender, occupation, family history of asthma, monthly family income, annual medical expenses for the child, number of emergency visits due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months, and whether the child had missed school due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months were independent risk factors for caregiver burden in parents of school-age children with asthma (p < 0.05).ConclusionParents of school-age children with asthma experience a certain level of caregiver burden, with over one-third of parents experiencing moderate to high levels of burden. Being a mother, being a worker, having no family history of asthma, having low monthly family income, having high annual medical expenses for the child, having frequent emergency visits due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months, and having missed school due to asthma exacerbation in the past 3 months are independent risk factors for caregiver burden in parents of school-age children with asthma, healthcare providers should develop feasible coping strategies, such as paying attention to caregivers’ psychological condition to reduce the burden of caring for parents of school-age children with asthma. The entire society should also make efforts in improving social support and strengthening healthcare coverage in order to achieve the aforementioned goals.

AbstractBackground: Endobronchial foreign bodies (EFBs) are rare in children over the age of three. Case presentation: Two school-age children had EFBs due to accidental inhalation of metal-containing foreign bodies in the mouth. In case 1, CT showed a needle-like foreign body at the entrance of the right upper lobe bronchus, and in case 2, it was found in the posterior basal segment of the right lower lobe. The EFB in case 1 was successfully removed by rigid bronchoscopy. In case 2, the EFB was not accessible via fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and the foreign body was accidentally pushed into the right main bronchus during the thoracotomy for foreign body removal; however, it was later removed by rigid bronchoscopy. Conclusion: In cases of special types of bronchial foreign bodies, the surgical approach should be selected based on the features of the foreign body to minimize patient injury as much as possible.

Background Neurodevelopment assessment tools for low-resource settings are urgently needed. However, most available tools were developed in high-income settings and may lack cross-cultural validity. Methods We piloted and adapted two subtests within the planning domain of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-2nd edition (KABC-II) for use in rural Zimbabwean children aged 7years. After initial assessments of face validity, we created 4 substitutions for the story completion subtest and 7 additions for the pattern reasoning subtest through a co-design process with fieldworkers and child development experts. To assess how successful the changes were, T-tests adjusting for unequal variances were used to compare scores between the original and adapted versions of the same subtest. ANOVA and pairwise analysis was performed to compare the performance of KABC-II subtests across domains. Intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to explore the variability between domains. Results Initial test scores on the planning domain were significantly lower than the other three domains of learning, sequential memory and simultaneous reasoning (P

Purpose: Executive functions (EF) play a fundamental role in planning and executing goal-driven behaviours. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate EF skills mastered by preschool/school-age cochlear implanted children (CIC) without morpho-functional abnormalities and to compare their outcomes with typically hearing children (THC). Methods: Bibliographic search for observational studies of any language/date up to 16 December 2022 was performed with the following electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. After removal of duplicates, 2442 records were subjected to a three-stage screening process and 83 potentially eligible articles were identified. A total of 15 studies was included in the final analysis: 9 articles directly meeting the eligibility criteria plus 6 more studies thanks to the authors sharing their data set, specifically for participants who met present inclusion criteria. Results: Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant difference only for verbal short-term memory, whereas group differences for visuospatial short-term memory and verbal/visuospatial working memory were not significant. For fluency skills, meta-analysis revealed statistical significance for the semantic fluency task but not for the rapid naming test. Qualitative analysis reflected group similarities in flexibility but CIC's difficulties in auditory attention/planning skills. Controversial findings for inhibitory control skills were observed. Conclusions: EF performance comparisons between CIC and THC show inter-skill and inter-test variances. Due to the paucity of existing studies, present findings should be interpreted with caution. Future research in this domain is strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Preterm birth is associated with adverse mental health outcomes, including internalizing problems, social difficulties and inattention. Interventions are needed beyond infancy and toddlerhood to support children and their families. We examined the feasibility and acceptability of the I‐InTERACT Preterm pilot study, an online parenting intervention for preterm children ages 3–8. Method: Families participated in a weekly intervention comprised of seven sessions with online modules followed by videoconference coaching sessions with a therapist. Following completion of the study, caregivers completed a survey to assess their satisfaction and were asked to participate in a voluntary semi‐structured interview to provide feedback. We anticipated greater than a 50% participation rate (enrollment feasibility) and 75% completion rate (adherence feasibility). We also hypothesized that at least 80% of participants would be satisfied with the intervention (acceptability). Results: Nineteen of 32 families (59%) enrolled in the study, suggesting adequate enrollment feasibility. Feasibility of programme completion (adherence) was lower than anticipated (59%). Regarding satisfaction, all caregivers agreed that the programme's information was relevant to them and their family. Nearly all participants (92%) indicated that they had a better understanding of the effects of preterm birth on behaviour, that they enjoyed the programme, that it met their expectations and that they recommend the programme to others. In qualitative interviews, caregivers expressed satisfaction with the content, skills they learned, and receiving direct coaching. Caregivers suggested improvements to increase intervention feasibility and skill implementation, including offering biweekly sessions and more hands‐on coaching. Conclusion: Our largely satisfactory acceptability rates suggest the value of and need for a parenting intervention for children born preterm past the initial period of early development. Future directions include modifying the intervention in response to caregiver feedback to improve recruitment, engagement and adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Little is known about the relationship between sentence production and phonological working memory in school-age children. To fill this gap, we examined how strongly these constructs correlate. We also compared diagnostic groups' working memory abilities to see if differences co-occurred with qualitative differences in their sentences. Method: We conducted Bayesian analyses on data from seven- to nine-year-old children (n = 165 typical language, n = 81 dyslexia-only, n = 43 comorbid dyslexia and developmental language disorder). We correlated sentence production and working memory scores and conducted t tests between groups' working memory scores and sentence length, lexical diversity, and complexity. Results: Correlations were positive but weak. The dyslexic and typical groups had dissimilar working memory and comparable sentence quality. The dyslexic and comorbid groups had comparable working memory but dissimilar sentence quality. Conclusion: Contrary to literature-based predictions, phonological working memory and sentence production are weakly related in school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endobronchial foreign bodies (EFBs) are rare in children over the age of three. Case presentation: Two school-age children had EFBs due to accidental inhalation of metal-containing foreign bodies in the mouth. In case 1, CT showed a needle-like foreign body at the entrance of the right upper lobe bronchus, and in case 2, it was found in the posterior basal segment of the right lower lobe. The EFB in case 1 was successfully removed by rigid bronchoscopy. In case 2, the EFB was not accessible via fiberoptic bronchoscopy, and the foreign body was accidentally pushed into the right main bronchus during the thoracotomy for foreign body removal; however, it was later removed by rigid bronchoscopy. Conclusion: In cases of special types of bronchial foreign bodies, the surgical approach should be selected based on the features of the foreign body to minimize patient injury as much as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has indicated the benefits of language sample analysis (LSA) as well as significant limitations to wide-scale, standardized implementation. The purpose of this project was to advance this line of inquiry by documenting how school-based speech–language pathologists' (SLPs) perception and use of one computerized LSA program was affected by an 8-month training program. In this descriptive qualitative study, participants completed rating scales before and after training. Data were triangulated with semi-structured interviews and field notes. A content analysis approach was used to develop codes, subthemes, and themes from interviews. Speech–language pathologists preferred their familiar protocols, though their perceptions of computerized LSA shifted by the end of the training. Ultimately, SLPs viewed the depth of information gained from LSA as a benefit for supporting their diagnostic decisions and communicating with the educational team. The primary implementation barrier was time. Results inform features to consider for future training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), who cease growing earlier than individuals without DS. These characteristics may be associated with increased obesity and subsequent SDB signs, such as snoring and apnoea or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Thus, we assessed the influence of growth on the association between obesity and SDB signs or EDS; we used questionnaires sent to young individuals with DS and their caregivers, in a cross‐sectional study. Methods: We sent out 2000 questionnaires to individuals with DS and their caregivers. The surveys included questions about SDB signs (witnessed snoring or apnoea), subjective sleeping time including witnessed midnight arousal, the Epworth sleepiness scale and witnessed napping as well as sex, age, body weight and body height. Results: Of the 1222 questionnaires we received, 660 were from young individuals and were included in the analysis. SDB signs were highly prevalent (77.1%), and frequency of SDB signs increased with growth (P‐trend: P = 0.02) in individuals with DS. Multivariate analyses showed that EDS (Epworth sleepiness scale > 10 points) was associated with body mass index Z‐score (Z‐BMI) in the 6–9 years age group (odds ratio [OR] 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.69 [1.09–2.62], P = 0.02). Conversely, SDB signs were associated with Z‐BMI in the 13–15 (OR [95% CI]: 1.99 [1.06–3.72], P = 0.03) and 16–18 years age groups (OR [95% CI]: 3.04 [1.22–7.59], P = 0.02). For the 19–21 years age group, SDB signs were associated with only male sex (OR [95% CI]: 7.28 [1.22–43.38], P = 0.03). Conclusions: This study showed that the association between Z‐BMI and SDB or EDS was age dependent. In early school‐age children with DS, high Z‐BMI could not accurately predict the presence of SDB, but it was associated with EDS. In the pubescent period (i.e. 13–18 years), high Z‐BMI was associated with SDB signs but not with EDS. Overall, obesity affected SDB signs and EDS differently based on age in young individuals with DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Contemporary clinical and empirical perspectives indicate that management of the psychosocial features of stuttering is fundamental for effective treatment. Interventions that improve psychosocial outcomes for school‐age children who stutter are, therefore, needed. Aims: This systematic review identifies what psychosocial outcomes have been explored in existing school‐age clinical research, the measures used and the potential treatment effects. This will provide guidance for developing interventions that reflect contemporary perspectives of stuttering management. Methods & Procedures: A total of 14 databases and three conference proceedings were searched for clinical reports of psychosocial outcomes of children aged 6–12 years. The review did not include pharmacological interventions. Psychosocial measures and outcomes were analysed in each study based on data recorded pre‐treatment, immediately post‐treatment and for any follow‐up assessments. Main Contributions: Of the 4051 studies identified from the databases, a total of 22 studies met criteria for inclusion in the review. From these 22 studies, the review identified four prominent psychosocial domains that have been explored in school‐age clinical research to date: Impact of stuttering, communication attitude, anxiety and speech satisfaction. These domains vary in measurement and effect sizes. Two behavioural treatments were associated with anxiety reduction, even though they did not contain anxiolytic procedures. No evidence of potential treatment effects emerged for communication attitudes. Quality of life—an important psychosocial domain pertinent to health economics—did not feature in school‐age clinical reports. Conclusions & Implications: The psychosocial features of stuttering need to be managed during the school years. Three psychosocial domains—impact of stuttering, anxiety and speech satisfaction—show evidence of potential treatment effects. This review provides direction for future clinical research so that speech–language pathologists can effectively and holistically manage school‐age children who stutter. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: Elevated levels of anxiety are apparent for children and adolescents who stutter. Therefore, the need to assess and manage psychosocial features of stuttering are expertly regarded as clinical priorities. Clinical trials of such psychosocial features of stuttering for children aged 6−12 years are not well advanced and, therefore, do not reflect current best practice management of this disorder. What this study adds to existing knowledge: This systematic review identifies four different psychosocial domains measured and reported in the literature for school‐age stuttering management. For three psychosocial domains, some evidence of potential treatment effects emerged with participant numbers greater than 10: Impact of stuttering, anxiety and speech satisfaction. Though treatment effect sizes varied, there is a suggestion that cognitive behaviour therapy can improve anxiety of school‐age children who stutter. There is also suggestion that two other behavioural treatments can improve anxiety of school‐age children who stutter. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Given the essential need for school‐age children who stutter to receive management of any speech‐related anxiety they may experience, it would be productive to discover in future clinical research what interventions could contribute to that goal—behavioural or psychosocial, or both. This review reveals that cognitive behaviour therapy, and other behavioural treatments, are associated with anxiety reductions. Such approaches should be considered for future clinical trial research to help advance the evidence base for managing school‐age stuttering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children born preterm are at risk of developing neurodevelopmental, cognitive and mental health needs. There is an inverse correlation between gestational age and those needs. Difficulties with communication and language, executive function, learning, coordination, behaviour, and mental health tend to become more obvious as the social and academic demand increases in later childhood. By school age, children born preterm without severe neurodisability have often been discharged from neonatal follow-up programmes and opportunities for early recognition are missed. Long term follow-up with enhanced developmental surveillance as well as raising awareness of the consequences of prematurity in school are essential in identifying the needs of children born preterm, so that timely interventions can be implemented. In this article, we draw attention to the school-age developmental needs of children born preterm and the implications for clinical care for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Enuresis and urination disorders are a common problem in school-age children. When untreated, they can persist into adolescence or even adulthood. Aims: This study aimed to determine the relationship between urination disorders and anxiety level in 5- to 12-year-old school children diagnosed as having enuresis. Methods: Data pertaining to 238 children with enuresis were collected using a sociodemographic form, the Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence Symptoms Score (DVISS) Questionnaire, and the Sources of Anxiety in School-Aged Children with Enuresis (SACE) Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: We determined that 71.4% of the children wet mostly at night and 63.4% had not received any previous treatment. The mean (SD) DVISS total score of the children was 13.41 (6.34) and the mean (SD) SACE total score was 59.28 (16.33). Scores in the SACE disease-related anxiety subscale positively correlated with DVISS total and symptom scores (P < .05). Conclusions: This study suggests that urination disorders may be associated with anxiety levels in 5- to 12-year-old school children diagnosed as having enuresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the physical and social living conditions of school-aged children in IDPs’ camps in Plateau State, Nigeria. Specifically, it determined socioeconomic/demographic characteristics of the children; their physical and social living conditions. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. The population comprised 948 6-12year-old children in the two IDPs’ camps in Plateau State. A random sample of 50 percent of the population (474) was selected. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Frequencies and percentages were used for data analysis. Findings on socio-economic characteristics of the children showed that there were more male children (55.30%) than female children (44.70%), and up to 85.90% of them had less than ₦10,000 as their household monthly income. The physical living conditions of the children showed that more than half (51.30%) of them lived in small-sized dwellings, 65.40 percent had inadequate room/tent ventilation and 81.40 percent of the children had 6-10 persons living in a room. There were no nets on the children’s dwelling doors and a greater percentage (60.50%) of the children had an average number of 4-6 clothes. Furthermore, the main source of water was well water (85.40%) and firewood (94.90%) was the main type of fuel for cooking. Findings on social living conditions of the children showed that majority of them lived near some basic social amenities such as health centers (82.30%), schools (99.20%) and markets (83.30%). In addition, a good number (77.40%) of the children obtained formal education. It was recommended that government at different levels should equip IDPs’ camps with adequate facilities to enable satisfactory conditions of hygiene and access to social amenities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handwriting is a critical functional skill that impacts academic participation and progress. Occupational therapists address components of grasp in their handwriting intervention as it is commonly assumed that grasp affects legibility, fluency, and endurance, yet research studies examining this relationship are limited. We used scoping review methodology to map existing research on grasp and handwriting performance in school-age children and to identify gaps in the literature. Thirteen articles met search criteria and were categorized by grasp patterns and handwriting performance, and grasp force and handwriting performance. Findings suggest an inefficient grasp can lead to decreased handwriting legibility and fatigue. The current literature is inconclusive and several gaps were identified. Additional studies should address research gaps through inclusion of children with special needs and interventions including lengthier handwriting tasks representative of a typical school day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Micronutrients are required by the body in minute quantities, and their absence can have highly negative effects. A food-based approach is needed to increase the consumption of an adequate amount of underutilized micronutrient-rich foods. Objectives: This study assessed the effect of consuming Sourdough excluded pearl millet snacks on the nutritional status of school-age children in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State. Materials and Methods: One hundred primary school age children were grouped into three study groups (sourdough pearl millet extruded snacks group, pearl millet extruded snack group, and ferrous supplement group) and monitored for eight weeks as part of the study's randomized block single-blind trial design. Blood samples from the subjects were taken at the start and end of the study, and hematological factors were examined (hemoglobin, packed cell volume, serum zinc). ANCOVA was used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Results revealed the average age of the children was 105.9± 27.2 months with 49.0% being female and 51.0% male. 54.9% of respondents were anaemic, while 11.4% tested low in zinc. Haemoglobin and packed cell volume at the endpoint had significantly improved in the three groups (p<0.05). Only the sourdough pearl millet extruded snacks, though, made a 10% improvement in the zinc status. Conclusion: Sourdough pearl millet extruded snacks improved the hemoglobin status of anemic children and zinc status of children with low zinc levels. This study has demonstrated that sourdough pearl millet extruded snacks is a safe option for the treatment of anaemia in children, particularly those who do not enjoy taking medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of various electronic products and digital equipment is becoming lower in age among Chinese children and adolescents. Prolonged use of smartphones, laptops, tablet computers, etc. for online learning, social networking, and entertainment significantly increases the duration of close-up work and occupies the time for normal social interactions, outdoor activities, and natural light exposure. Lacking parents’ or guardians’ supervision, children and adolescents can easily develop unhealthy habits and behaviors in screen time, which may negatively affect their physical, psychological, and refractive developments. In order to help school-age children and adolescents form healthy habits and behaviors in screen time, it is urgent and essential to develop a white paper on eye health management in screen time for school-age children and adolescents. This manuscript puts forward expert opinions on the key points of the white paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging the successful adaptation of young immigrant populations is clearly in the best interests of nations that accept immigrants. In the forthcoming decades, the fact that immigrants and their children will become irreplaceable forces in the economies of host societies and taking care of rapidly aging non-immigrant populations should not be overlooked. Therefore, the health and social adaptation of immigrant children is crucial. This review provides information on a comprehensive synthesis of research on immigrant student resilience in the contemporary literature. Three electronic databases (ERIC, Web of Science, and Scopus) were searched. Thirty-four peer-reviewed articles published between 2010–2021 were included in the review. The research reaffirms conceptual problems observed in previous resilience research. However, researchers focus on protective and risk factors. Parental behaviors tend to increase children's resilience. Different results were obtained according to the migration age variable. There are very few studies based on the evaluation of gender variables. In addition, recommendations were given to researchers for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate two new retelling tasks intended for clinical use in terms of language sample size, effects of picture support, and order of presentation. Forty Swedish-speaking children in grades 4–6 participated in the study, 31 children with typical language development (TLD, mean age 11;1), and nine children with developmental language disorder (DLD, mean age 11;5). Two oral retells, one with and one without picture support, were analyzed with regards to productivity, syntactic complexity, basic Story Grammar (SG) units, and Internal Responses (IR). Results showed no systematic order effects in the TLD group, although this needs to be investigated further, and good inter-rater reliability. Both tasks elicited sufficiently large language samples, except from one participant with DLD whose samples were excluded from subsequent comparisons. When appropriate, data were analyzed with ANOVA (productivity, mean length of C-unit/MLCU), otherwise t-tests (TLD-group) or non-parametric tests (DLD-group) were used. As expected, retells from participants with DLD were shorter, with shorter MLCU and fewer SG units compared to the TLD group. There were also task effects: in the task with picture support, all participants had longer MLCU, and participants with TLD also showed a higher proportion of subordinate clauses, indicating that pictures may function as a support for syntactic complexity. The task without picture support, on the other hand, elicited more C-units indicated by a significant main effect, and more SG units, which was a significant effect in the TLD group. >We conclude that both tasks might be useful for Swedish speech-language pathologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child routines have been recognized as positive contributors to children's development. However, in Portugal there is still a lack of instruments available to assess school-age child routines. The purpose of this study was to present the translation, adaptation, and validation studies of the Portuguese version of the Child Routines Questionnaire (CRQ), a parent self-report measure developed to assess school-age child routines. A total of 460 parents of children aged between 6 and 12 years-old participated in the study. Two studies were conducted to define the CRQ-PT factor structure. In Study 1 (n = 204 children from 6 to 12 years-old), findings from the exploratory factor analysis provided evidence for a four-factor structure (for 32 items), which explained 43.53% of the total variance. In Study 2 (n = 256 children from 6 to 9 years-old), results from confirmatory factor analysis showed good model fit indices (CFI = 0.84, RMSEA = 0.06). The total scale of the CRQ-PT (α = 0.89) and its subscales showed good internal consistency. Further evidence of construct validity was shown by weak to moderate correlations with measures of parental sense of competence and family mealtime routines. Relevant contributions of the study are underscored, namely the availability and usefulness of a reliable and valid assessment tool to evaluate the routines of Portuguese school-age children for clinical practice and research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of strict quarantine restrictions in many countries initiated a direction in science to study the behavioral characteristics of children and adolescents during the social isolation at the population level. We present our observations during the two lockdowns in Ukraine. The objective of this study was to determine: a) the level of light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity among school-age children, and b) the impact of the external and internal factors on their physical activity during the lockdown. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) as part of our questionnaire Q-RAPH was used. Parents of 1091 children 6–18 years old (54% boys) filled Q-RAPH at two measurement points in 2020 and 2021. After performing ANCOVA and logistic regression, we found a significant decrease in MVPA by 12.7% in 2021 compared to 2020 (p ​

More than 50% of children who survive prematurity have an atypical course of development at school age, as environmental demands become more demanding. This study examines the effects of preterm birth on the cognitive, behavioral and socioemotional development of 185 children at ages five and seven years. Weaknesses were found in attention, working memory, processing speed and the ability to correctly interpret emotions at both ages five and seven. Significant correlations were found in regression and moderation models. These findings suggest that school-age children who were preterm infants are at increased risk of exhibiting impairments in several developmental domains that may affect their overall quality of life.

Aim: The global incidence of obesity is rising, posing a substantial public health threat. This meta-analysis aim to estimate of the prevalence of obesity among school-aged children in Vietnam and to analyze the risk variables that have been linked to this problem. Method: MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus were used to identify articles published up to May 2022. According to peer-reviewed literature, studies reported the proportion of obesity among Vietnamese school-aged children. The Scales of Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment was used to evaluate the study quality for all qualifying research. The data was analyzed using R-Studio software, and the combined effects were estimated using a random-effects model. Cochran's Q-test and the I2 test were employed to examine heterogeneity. Egger's test was used to determine publication bias. Results: Eleven studies with 27,363 participants were suitable for inclusion in the final model after meeting the prerequisites. The proportion of obesity among Vietnamese school-aged children was 13.08% (95% CI, 7.04%–23.01%) with higher heterogeneity through the observed prevalence estimates (Q = 1,0339, p < 0.01, I2 = 99%). A higher prevalence was observed in boys (17.5%) than in girls (8.07%). Male gender of the children: 2.42 (95%CI: 1.43–4.09), mothers have less education: 2.63 (95% CI 1.52–4.55) have shown a positive association with the development of obesity among children. Conclusions: The recent pooled analysis of studies demonstrates that school-aged children in Vietnam have a high prevalence of obesity. The male gender and the low education status of the mother were found to be significantly associated with obesity. The findings provide evidence for prevention intervention strategies to reduce obesity in school-age children.

BackgroundVirtually all children with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11DS) experience language difficulties, next to other physical and psychological problems. However, the grammatical skills of children with 22q11DS are relatively unexplored, particularly in naturalistic settings. The present research filled this gap, including two studies with different age groups in which standardized assessment was complemented with spontaneous language analysis. In both studies, we compared children with 22q11DS to children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), for whom the origin of language difficulties is unknown.MethodsThe first study included 187 preschool children (n = 44 with 22q11DS, n = 65 with DLD, n = 78 typically developing; TD). Standardized assessment consisted of grammar and vocabulary measures in both expressive and receptive modality. Spontaneous language during a play session was analyzed for a matched subsample (n = 27 per group). The second study included 29 school-aged children (n = 14 with 22q11DS, n = 15 with DLD). We administered standardized tests of receptive vocabulary and expressive grammar, and elicited spontaneous language with a conversation and narrative task. In both studies, spontaneous language measures indexed grammatical accuracy and complexity.ResultsSpontaneous language analysis in both studies did not reveal significant differences between the children with 22q11DS and peers with DLD. The preschool study showed that these groups produced less complex and more erroneous utterances than TD children, who also outperformed both groups on the standardized measures, with the largest differences in expressive grammar. The children with 22q11DS scored lower on the receptive language tests than the children with DLD, but no differences emerged on the expressive language tests.DiscussionExpressive grammar is weak in both children with 22q11DS and children with DLD. Skills in this domain did not differ between the groups, despite clear differences in etiology and cognitive capacities. This was found irrespective of age and assessment method, and highlights the view that there are multiple routes to (impaired) grammar development. Future research should investigate if interventions targeting expressive grammar in DLD also benefit children with 22q11DS. Moreover, our findings indicate that the receptive language deficits in children with 22q11DS exceed those observed in DLD, and warrant special attention.

Clinically significant sleep problems affect up to 86% of the autistic population in school‐age. Sleep problems can have negative impacts on child cognition, behavior, and health. However, sex differences in the prevalence and types of sleep problems are not well understood in autism. To evaluate sex differences in sleep problems in the school‐age autistic population, we obtained parent‐report of sleep problems on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire and conducted direct assessments to establish diagnosis and intellectual ability in 6–12‐year‐old children (autism n = 250; typical development [TD] n = 114). Almost 85% of autistic females demonstrated sleep problems compared to 65.8% of autistic males, 44.8% of TD females, and 42.4% of TD males; a statistically significant increase for autistic females. Autistic females demonstrated increased bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, and sleepiness, and decreased sleep duration, but did not differ in sleep onset delay, night wakings, parasomnias, or disordered breathing compared with autistic males. Intellectual ability was not related to increased sleep problems. Higher anxiety scores were associated with more sleep problems for males but not females. In one of the first studies to evaluate sex differences in sleep in the school‐age, autistic population, autistic females demonstrated increased sleep problems compared to autistic males, TD females, and TD males. Current autism assessment and intervention practices may benefit from increased attention to sleep problems in autistic school‐age females and to anxiety in autistic males to enhance well‐being and behavioral and health outcomes. Lay Summary: Sleep problems are common in autism, but little is known about sex differences in sleep problems in autism. In one of the first studies to evaluate sex differences in sleep in school‐age (6‐ to 12‐year‐old) autistic children, we found that autistic girls demonstrated more sleep problems than autistic boys or typically developing (TD) girls and boys. Almost 85% of autistic girls demonstrated sleep problems compared to approximately 66% of autistic boys, 45% of TD girls, and 42% of TD boys. Autistic girls demonstrated different types of sleep problems than autistic males; specifically, more bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, and daytime sleepiness, and less sleep overall. Higher anxiety scores were associated with more sleep problems for boys but not girls. This information could help improve assessment and intervention by alerting practitioners to the importance of sleep problems and highlights the importance of research in this area to improve outcomes for school‐age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]