Intimate partner violence and breastfeeding practices: a systematic review of observational studies

Objective

To review the association between intimate partner violence and breastfeeding practices in the literature.

Abusive head trauma in children: a literature review

ObjectiveTo review the scientific literature on pediatric abusive head trauma as a form of physical abuse against infants and young children, highlighting the prevalence, signs and symptoms, consequences, risk factors for its occurrence, and prevention strategies.Data sourceThe MEDLINE, SciELO, LILACS, and Web of Science databases from 2001 to 2012 were reviewed, using the terms “shaken baby syndrome” and “abusive head trauma” in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.Data synthesisPediatric abusive head trauma is defined as injury to the skull or intracranial contents of a infant or child younger than 5 years due to intentional abrupt impact and/or violent shaking. It occurs mainly in infants and children under 1 year of age, and may result in severe consequences, from physical or mental disabilities to death. Although there are specific signs for this form of abuse, they can be mistaken for common illnesses in children or accidental head injury; thus, clinical training of professionals involved in the assessment of cases to attain the correct diagnosis is crucial. Prevention strategies should include early identification of cases, as well as parental education on child development, especially on the infant's crying pattern.ConclusionsConsidering the severity of abusive head trauma in children, it is critical that prevention strategies be implemented and evaluated in the Brazilian context. It is suggested that its incidence indicators be assessed at the national level.     

Intimate partner violence and infant feeding practices in India: a cross‐sectional study

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widespread; yet research is thin and equivocal regarding its potential adverse effects on infant feeding practices. With a national sample of 3552 mothers and infants aged 180 days or younger from the 2005–2006 National Family Health Survey for India, we used logistic regression to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted associations of maternal reported lifetime exposure to any IPV and to physical or sexual IPV with feeding practices at birth and in the prior 24 h. Compared with their unexposed counterparts, mothers exposed to any IPV and to any physical or sexual IPV had higher adjusted odds of giving their infant liquids [aOR 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.66; aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.08–1.75, respectively], and thus lower adjusted odds of exclusively breastfeeding their infant in the prior 24 h (aOR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62–0.98; aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.95). Mothers exposed to physical or sexual IPV also had higher adjusted odds of feeding their infant solids in the prior 24 h (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.01–2.23). Exposure to IPV was not significantly associated with breastfeeding immediately after birth or with bottle feeding in the prior 24 h. Perinatal screening for IPV, and addressing IPV and feeding practices in exposed mothers, may improve maternal health and infant nutrition in similar settings.     

Intimate partner violence and growth outcomes through infancy: A longitudinal investigation of multiple mediators in a South African birth cohort

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to poor fetal and infant growth. However, factors underlying this relationship are not well understood, particularly in the postnatal time period. In a South African cohort, we investigated (1) associations between IPV in pregnancy and growth at birth as well as postnatal IPV and child growth at 12 months and (2) whether maternal depression, tobacco or alcohol use or infant hospitalizations mediated IPV-growth relationships. Mothers were enrolled in pregnancy. Maternal IPV was measured during pregnancy and 10 weeks postpartum; depression, alcohol and tobacco use were measured during pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum. Child weight and length were measured at birth and 12 months and converted to z-scores for analysis. Linear regression and structural equation models investigated interrelationships between IPV and potential mediators of IPV-growth relationships. At birth, among 1,111 mother–infant pairs, maternal emotional and physical IPV were associated with reduced weight-for-age z-scores (WFAZ). Only physical IPV was associated with length-for-age z-scores (LFAZ) at birth. Antenatal maternal alcohol and tobacco use mediated IPV-growth relationships at birth. Postnatally, among 783 mother–infant pairs, emotional and physical IPV were associated with reduced WFAZ at 12 months. Only emotional IPV was associated with LFAZ at 12 months. Maternal tobacco use was a mediator postnatally. Findings highlight the role of physical and emotional IPV as risk factors for compromised fetal and infant growth. Findings underscore the importance of programmes to address interrelated risk factors for compromised infant growth, specifically IPV and substance use, which are prevalent in high-risk settings.     

Maternal intimate partner violence and behavioural problems among Pacific children living in New Zealand

Aims: To examine (1) the association between maternal intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration and victimisation and behavioural problems among two‐ and four‐year‐old Pacific children, and (2) the socio‐demographic and parenting factors that may impact on this association. Design: Mothers of the Pacific Islands Families (PIF) cohort of Pacific infants born in New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when the children were two and four years of age. This data set was based on mothers who were cohabiting in married or de‐facto partnerships (N = 920) and who completed measures of IPV at the two‐year assessment point and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) at the two‐or four‐year assessment points. Of these, 709 mothers completed the CBCL at both assessment points. Results: There were no significant associations between IPV and the prevalence rates of clinically relevant cases of behavioural problems in the two‐year‐old child cohort. However, the prevalence rates of clinically relevant internalising, externalising and total problem cases were significantly higher among four‐year‐old children of mothers who reported severe perpetration of IPV. The odds of being in clinical range of internalising were 2.16 times higher for children of mothers who were perpetrators of severe physical violence than for those children of mothers who were not, and for externalising and total problems they were 2.38 and 2.36 times higher respectively. Socio‐demographic and parenting factors did not significantly influence the association between IPV and child behaviour problems. Conclusion: These findings contribute to the complex picture of the consequences that exposure to parental violence may have on the behaviour of young children. The effectiveness of preventative strategies may be maximised if implemented in these early years before such problems become entrenched and lead on to future behavioural problems and impaired family relationships.     

新型冠状病毒肺炎流行期间儿童和青少年的心理行为问题:Scoping综述北大核心CSCD

目的探讨新型冠状病毒肺炎(coronavirus disease 2019,COVID-19)流行期间儿童和青少年的心理行为问题及影响因素,为相关问题的防治提供参考依据。方法检索中国知网、万方知识数据服务平台、PubMed和Web of Science数据库,采用主题检索方式,检索时间为建库至2022年3月31日,提取相关文献数据进行Scoping综述。结果共检索到文献3951篇,最终纳入35篇,来自12个国家,多数文献来源于儿科学、精神病学、心理学及流行病学相关主题期刊,研究方法大多数采用横断面调查研究。儿童和青少年的心理行为问题主要包括抑郁/焦虑/压力、睡眠问题、网络行为问题、创伤后应激障碍和自伤/自杀5种。影响因素分别从社会人口学特征、生活方式的改变和COVID-19的应对方式3个方面进行分析。结论COVID-19流行期间,国内外儿童和青少年的心理行为问题形势严峻,未来可以通过相关影响因素进一步开展调查研究来改善相关心理行为问题。     

Insulin resistance in obese children and adolescents

ObjectiveTo evaluate the presence of insulin resistance and its association with other metabolic abnormalities in obese children and adolescents.MethodsRetrospective study of 220 children and adolescents aged 5-14 years. Anthropometric measurements were performed (weight, height, and waist circumference) and clinical (gender, age, pubertal stage, and degree of obesity) and biochemical (glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, and fractions, triglycerides) data were analyzed. Insulin resistance was identified by the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index. The analysis of the differences between the variables of interest and the HOMA-IR quartiles was performed by ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests.ResultsInsulin resistance was diagnosed in 33.20% of the sample. It was associated with low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; p = 0.044), waist circumference measurement (p = 0.030), and the set of clinical and metabolic (p = 0.000) alterations. Insulin-resistant individuals had higher mean age (p = 0.000), body mass index (BMI; p = 0.000), abdominal circumference (p = 0.000), median triglycerides (p = 0.001), total cholesterol (p ≤ 0.042), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL–C; p ≤ 0.027); and lower HDL-C levels (p = 0.005). There was an increase in mean BMI (p = 0.000), abdominal circumference (p = 0.000), and median triglycerides (p = 0.002) as the values of HOMA -IR increased, with the exception of HDL-C, which decreased (p = 0.001). Those with the highest number of simultaneous alterations were between the second and third quartiles of the HOMA–IR index (p = 0.000).ConclusionThe results confirmed that insulin resistance is present in many obese children and adolescents, and that this condition is associated with alterations that represent an increased risk for developing metabolic disorders in adulthood.     

First report on simplified diagnostic criteria for pre-hypertension and hypertension in a national sample of adolescents from the Middle East and North Africa: the CASPIAN-III study

Objectivethis study aimed to simplify the diagnostic criteria of pre-hypertension (pre-HTN) and hypertension (HTN) in the pediatric age group, and to determine the accuracy of these simple indexes in a nationally-representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents.Methodthe diagnostic accuracy of the indexes of systolic blood pressure-to-height ratio (SBPHR) and diastolic BPHR (DBPHR) to define pre-HTN and HTN was determined by the area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristic curves.Resultsthe study population consisted of 5,738 Iranian students (2,875 females) with mean (SD) age of 14.7 (2.4) years. The prevalences of pre-HTN and HTN were 6.9% and 5.6%. The optimal thresholds for defining pre-HTN were 0.73 in males and 0.71 in females for SBPHR, and 0.47 in males and 0.45 in females for DBPHR, respectively. The corresponding figures for HTN were 0.73, 0.71, 0.48, and 0.46, respectively. In both genders, the accuracies of SBPHR and DBPHR in diagnosing pre-HTN and HTN were approximately 80%.ConclusionsBPHR is a valid, simple, inexpensive, and accurate tool to diagnose pre-HTN and HTN in adolescents. The optimal thresholds of SBPHR and DBPHR were consistent with the corresponding figures in other populations of children and adolescents with different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Thus, it is suggested that the use of these indexes can be generalized in programs aiming to screen elevated blood pressure in the pediatric age group.     

Neuropsychological and psychosocial function in children with a history of snoring or behavioral sleep problems

OBJECTIVES: To compare neuropsychological and psychosocial function in children with a history of snoring, children with a history of behavioral sleep problems (BSP), children with both a history of snoring and BSP, and a group of control subjects. STUDY DESIGN: Families awaiting consultation for "sick" visits in 5 general practice clinics completed the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children. A subset of children were categorized into groups: Snorers (n = 11), BSP (n = 13), Snorers+BSP (n = 9), and controls (n = 31). Children underwent psychological (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Children's Memory Scale; Test of Everyday Attention and Auditory Continuous Performance Test) and psychosocial assessment (Child Behavior Checklist). RESULTS: With analysis of variance, it was revealed that, compared with children in the BSP and control groups, those in the Snorers+BSP and Snorers groups showed reduced intelligence and attention scores. By contrast, compared with children in the Snorers and control groups, children in the Snorers+BSP and BSP groups reported reduced social competency, increased problematic behavior, and reduced memory scores. Children in the combination of Snorers+BSP group showed more deficits than children in all other groups. CONCLUSION: In children, snoring and BSP, separately and together, are associated with impaired neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning. Furthermore, snoring and BSP are related to performance in disparate ways. Snoring was associated with intelligence and attention deficits, whereas BSP was associated with memory and behavioral deficits.     

Parental depressive and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and attention problems in children: a cross‐cohort consistency study

Background: Maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy have been associated with offspring‐attention deficit problems. Aim: We explored possible intrauterine effects by comparing maternal and paternal symptoms during pregnancy, by investigating cross‐cohort consistency, and by investigating whether parental symptoms in early childhood may explain any observed intrauterine effect. Methods: This study was conducted in two cohorts (Generation R, n = 2,280 and ALSPAC, n = 3,442). Pregnant women and their partners completed questionnaires to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety. Child attention problems were measured in Generation R at age 3 with the Child Behavior Checklist, and in ALSPAC at age 4 with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: In both cohorts, antenatal maternal symptoms of depression (Generation R: OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.05–1.43; ALSPAC: OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.19–1.48) and anxiety (Generation R: OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.06–1.46; ALSPAC: OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.19–1.47) were associated with a higher risk of child attention problems. In ALSPAC, paternal depression was also associated with a higher risk of child attention problems (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00–1.24). After adjusting for maternal symptoms after giving birth, antenatal maternal depression and anxiety were no longer associated with child attention problems in Generation R. Moreover, there was little statistical evidence that antenatal maternal and paternal depression and anxiety had a substantially different effect on attention problems of the child. Conclusions: The apparent intrauterine effect of maternal depression and anxiety on offspring‐behavioural problems may be partly explained by residual confounding. There was little evidence of a difference between the strength of associations of maternal and paternal symptoms during pregnancy with offspring‐attention problems. That maternal symptoms after childbirth were also associated with offspring‐behavioural problems may indicate a contribution of genetic influences to the association.     

Breastfeeding in children born small for gestational age and future nutritional and metabolic outcomes: a systematic review

ObjectiveTo systematically review evidence related to nutritional and cardiometabolic outcomes in children born at term and small for gestational age and the association with breastfeeding.Source of dataTwo independent reviewers searched the MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, and Embase databases without time or language restrictions. The PRISMA tool was used, and studies that evaluated infants born at term and small for gestational age, breastfed, and with an evaluation of cardiometabolic outcomes were included. Studies with preterm infants, those that did not have information on breastfeeding, and those with lack of evaluation of the outcome variables were excluded. Also excluded were review articles, editorials, and series of cases.Summary of dataOnly seven articles were found that met the abovementioned criteria. There was a great variability in the type of evaluation, as well as in the age of these children. It was demonstrated that breastfeeding promoted growth without body composition alteration and without increased insulin resistance in children with exclusive breastfeeding, when compared to children receiving a higher calorie formula, except for one article that observed an increase in fat mass in exclusively breastfed children.ConclusionBreastfeeding seems to be a safe feeding practice for infants born at term and small for gestational age, showing no association with deleterious short-term outcomes. Breastfeeding stimulation in these populations seems to be a way of preventing the health problems associated with the high risk of chronic noncommunicable diseases and obesity.     

晚期早产儿脐血维生素D水平及维生素D3补充对婴幼儿行为发育的前瞻性随机对照研究（英文翻译）

目的 探讨晚期早产儿25-羟维生素D［25-hydroxyvitamin D,25(OH)D］水平及维生素D₃补充对婴幼儿神经行为发育的影响。 方法 前瞻性选取2017年6月—2020年6月收治的晚期早产儿161例为研究对象,根据脐血25(OH)D水平分为充足组（52例）、不足组（53例）、缺乏组（56例）,每组按随机数字法分为A亚组（维生素D₃ 800 IU/d）、B亚组（个体化补充维生素D₃）。分析比较各组生后3个月25(OH)D水平、纠正胎龄10个月及纠正胎龄18个月25(OH)D水平及Gesell发育量表评分的差异。 结果 生后24 h内及3个月时,不足组、缺乏组25(OH)D水平低于充足组（P<0.05）,不足组25(OH)D水平高于缺乏组（P<0.05）;缺乏组生后3个月时B亚组25(OH)D水平高于A亚组（P<0.05）。不足组和缺乏组纠正胎龄10个月、纠正胎龄18个月时Gesell发育量表5个能区得分均低于充足组（P<0.05）;缺乏组纠正胎龄10个月时言语能、纠正胎龄18个月时粗大动作能得分低于不足组（P<0.05）。缺乏组B亚组纠正胎龄10个月时适应能、纠正胎龄18个月时适应能和应物能得分高于A亚组（P<0.05）。 结论 晚期早产儿脐血25(OH)D水平存在明显差异,个体化补充维生素D方案对于纠正维生素D缺乏更为有效。出生时及婴儿早期维生素D水平对神经行为发育有一定影响。