Hygienic significance of environmental factors in the learning process of 6-year-old children

Body functioning dependence on environmental factors was analyzed for 6-year children attending secondary schools. The schoolchildren attending schools with optimal conditions had the most favourable state of all functions. The most significant conditions were a degree of isolation of the group and also design characteristics satisfying necessary regimen requirements.     

Trends in height and BMI of 6-year-old children during the nutrition transition in Chile

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed trends in height and BMI and their interaction in 6-year-old Chilean children over the last 15 years. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We calculated height for age z-score (HAZ), BMI z-score, prevalence of obesity, underweight, and stunting from cross-sectional national school-based annual population surveys in 1987, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, and 2002. Using mixed model analysis, we determined the risk of obesity according to height over time as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval and the potential influence of height and year of study on BMI z-score. RESULTS: Over the study period, height increased by 2.8 cm in boys and 2.6 cm in girls, whereas stunting declined from 5% to 2% in both. Tallness increased by approximately 2%, BMI z-score increased from +0.3 to +0.65 in boys and to +0.62 in girls, and HAZ increased from -0.47 in boys and -0.45 in girls to 0 in 2002. Underweight declined from 4% to 3%, whereas obesity rose from 5% to approximately 14%. The probability of obesity among tall children was significantly greater than that for normal height children (OR, 2.3 to 3.5). The lowest obesity risk was observed between -2 and -1 HAZ. The OR for obesity in the stunted relative to normal height children was variable, ranging from 1.23 to 0.65, whereas it was significant and consistently positive (1.1 to 1.7) for boys and girls when it was compared with the lowest obesity risk according to height. DISCUSSION: Tallness is significantly associated with increased obesity risk in children, while stunting is also associated, but to a lesser degree.     

Sustained attention during learning activities: an observational study with pre-school children

The purpose of the present study was to analyse possible developmental trends in sustained attention through the pre-school period, as well as the influence of social and physical distractions. Three samples of children, one per each pre-school grade, were observed during learning activities required by the teacher. Children's behaviour was coded as sustained attention, and as social and non-social categories of disengagement. Sustained attention was observed to linearly increase with pre-school level, while the frequency of social interference of attention decreased. These findings are discussed within the context of studies on developmental trends of sustained attention in natural settings, the influence of social stimuli and the possible involvement of self-control abilities.     

海南省0～6岁孤独症、脑瘫、智力低下儿童康复情况分析

目的 调查海南省0～6岁儿童孤独症(ASD)、脑性瘫痪(CP)、智力低下(MR)流行特征及康复干预现状。方法 于2015年9月-2016年9月期间,在海南省采用分层整群随机抽样原则,抽取18个市县全体常住儿童作为调查对象,以问卷形式进行流行病学调查,疑似对象逐一诊断并对明确诊断者进行就诊史和接受康复训练情况的问卷调查,采用Epi Data 3.2建立数据库,选用SPSS 17.0进行统计学分析。结果 实际共调查了全省18个市县的38 267名儿童,诊断为ASD 235人,MR 229人,CP 80人,共计544人。曾接受康复训练的儿童236人(43.4%);ASD、MR、CP三类儿童接受康复训练的比率分别为58.30%、20.08%、66.25%;接受训练治疗患者中男生占48.06%,女生占28.79%。结论 海南省三类儿童接受康复训练重视程度为脑瘫及孤独症高于智力低下;发育异常儿童中男生在接受康复训练的比例上显著高于女生;城市接受康复训练的比例高于三类县;康复干预现状有待进一步改善,可作为进一步研究三类儿童防治工作的基础性资料。     

Compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy among 6-year-old children

There are no published data regarding compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy among children in Australia and limited published data worldwide. This study aimed to determine the compliance rate among 6-year-old children prescribed preventive therapy for tuberculosis infection. A prospective cohort study was conducted on 78, 6-year-old children prescribed anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy. Compliance was measured by compliance with prescribed preventive therapy as reported by parents who were administered questionnaires on completion of the course. In a subsample of 44 children, the proportion of children who complied with scheduled visits to the hospital, and pharmacy records of isoniazid dispensed were used as measures of compliance. Questionnaire data indicated a reported compliance rate for completion of the 6-month course of preventive therapy of 70.5% (55 children). For those 55 who reported completing the full course, 91% reported missing less than 1 tablet per week. In the subsample of 44 children, only 59% attended all follow-up clinic visits, and 54% collected all 6 months of isoniazid prescribed. Compliance with anti-tuberculosis preventive therapy is suboptimal. Improved methods to measure compliance and strategies to optimise compliance with preventive therapy is required.     

The Relationship between maternal education and mental retardation in 10-year-old children

We conducted a case-control study of mental retardation (MR) in which case children (aged 10 years) were identified from existing records at multiple sources, primarily the public school systems. Control children were drawn from a roster of public school students not receiving special education services. We found that maternal educational level at the time of delivery was strongly and inversely related to a form of MR not accompanied by other serious neurologic conditions. For this isolated form of MR, maternal educational level was by far the most important predictor from among seven sociodemographic variables examined. There was a significant race-education interaction that indicated a steeper gradient in risk among white mothers than among black mothers. Relative to children of white mothers with 12 years of education, all children of black mothers, except those whose mothers had 16 or more years of education, were at increased risk. The results may be useful as a guide for selecting high-risk groups as candidates for early childhood intervention programs.     

The impact of pre-school booster vaccination of 4--6-year-old children on pertussis in 0--1-year-old children

Pertussis in young children is severe and relatively prevalent in vaccinated populations. We estimated the impact of pre-school booster vaccination of 4-6-year-old children on pertussis in 0-1-year-old children. We conducted a population-based historical cohort study of all children born in Denmark, 1977-2001 (N=1,536,717) using information on place of residence to identify household members and vaccination history from nationwide registers. We estimated rate ratios (RRs) of pertussis hospitalisation among children in the cohort according to number, age, and vaccination status of their household members. This enabled, through population attributable risks, the estimation of the preventable proportion of hospitalisations among 0-1-year-old children according to age at booster vaccination (4-6 years), booster uptake, and the efficacy of the booster against transmission. The preventable proportion of pertussis hospitalisations among 0-1-year-old children ranged from 7% to 33% (most realistic scenario=18%), varying according to age at booster vaccination, uptake, and efficacy of booster against transmission. This relatively limited impact of a pre-school booster was partly a consequence of the actual number of 0-1-year-old children living with children of pre-school age or older and partly the result of significant exposure from children younger than pre-school age in the household. According to our model the effectiveness of pre-school booster vaccination as an intervention to prevent pertussis hospitalisation of 0-1-year-old children is modest.     

Associations between sport and screen-entertainment with mental health problems in 5-year-old children

Background  

Few studies have examined the benefits of regular physical activity, and risks of sedentary behaviour, in young children. This study investigated associations between participation in sports and screen-entertainment (as components of physical activity and sedentary behaviour), and emotional and behavioural problems in this population.     

Examining spatial variations in the prevalence of mental health problems among 5-year-old children in Canada

The purpose of this study is to examine spatial variations in the prevalence rates of the three most common behaviour problems among 5-year-old children in Canada, to establish the data's suitability for potential spatial analyses of factors contributing to the prevalence of such problems. Data on kindergarten children's outcomes are routinely collected for populations of children in Canada using the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a population-level, teacher completed questionnaire. These data have been previously used to estimate prevalence rates of aggression, anxiety, and hyperactivity. The current study geographically analyzed these estimates to examine their consistency in relation to gender differences at larger provincial geographies and smaller Census Subdivision (CSD) geographies. Multilevel analyses were completed to examine the variation in prevalence at both levels of geography. Data for over 150,000 5-year-olds in three Canadian provinces and 410 Census Subdivisions were available for analyses. Prevalence rates of behaviour problems estimated with the EDI showed consistent gender relationships at both levels of aggregation. Controlling for individuals' age and sex, there was significant variation at the CSD level in risk of behavioural problems, and for anxiety and aggression, this was not explained by the distribution of CSDs in different provinces. This suggests local variation in these aspects of children's behaviour, within provinces. These findings open up the opportunity to further explore the utility and variability of EDI-based spatial variation in children's mental health.     

聊城市农村0～5岁儿童营养状况调查

目的了解农村地区0～5岁儿童营养状况,为改善儿童营养状况提供依据。方法分层随机抽取聊城市东昌府区3个乡(镇),按不同年龄段以接近1∶1的年龄别比例随机抽取0～5岁儿童303名,使用中国疾病预防控制中心营养与食品安全所制定的统一问卷,由经过培训的调查员以入户访问和测量的方式进行调查。结果 0～5岁儿童低体重率、生长迟缓率分别为3.3%和3.0%,营养不良率为9.6%,消瘦率为3.3%;儿童贫血率为24.1%,其中男童为22.6%,女童为26.5%。结论聊城市农村0～5岁儿童营养状况较好,但个别年龄组的贫血率较高。     

Nutrition and mental development of 4–5-year-old children on macrobiotic diets

Mental development of 4–5-year old children on macrobiotic diets (almost devoid of animal foods and fat) with long-term growth deficits, was studied using the Snijders-Oomen Non-verbal Intelligence (SON) scale. In addition, food consumption and behavioural style of the children, and family and parent characteristics were assessed. Parents were highly educated: 69% of the fathers and 47% of the mothers had completed college or university education. The children's energy intake was only 70% and calcium intake 40% of that reported for children of similar age on conventional diets. Fifteen out of 44 children (33%) did not complete the SON-test, mainly due to difficulties in concentration. The non-completers tended to score lower on parts of the SON-test and the educational level of their fathers was slightly lower: no other differences were observed. Intelligence quotients (IQ) of the children who completed the test were high (IQ=126) compared to the reference population (IQ= 100 by definition). No significant relationship between IQ's and educational level of parents was observed, possibly due to lack of varation in educational level within the study population. Family size was inversely related with IQ. It was concluded that long-standing mild to moderate malnutrition may not affect mental development in pre-school children if the children grow up in a stimulating social environment.     

新型冠状病毒肺炎流行期间0～6岁居家儿童运动指导建议(第一版)

正2020年初,我国湖北省武汉市突发新型冠状病毒肺炎(简称新冠肺炎),疫情很快传播。2020年1月21日,国家卫生健康委员会将2019新型冠状病毒(novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV )感染的肺炎纳入乙类法定传染病,按照甲类传染病采取预防和控制措施[1]。WHO于2020年1月30日宣布将2019-nCoV疫情列为国际关注的突发公共卫生事件,并于2020年2月11日将该疾病命名为"coronavirus diseas     

The experience of hospital-related fears of 4- to 6-year-old children

Background There is little information available on a 4‐ to 6‐year‐old child's subjective experience of hospital‐related fears, even though the data collected from parents and hospital staff indicate that hospitalization is an anxiety‐producing experience for young children. Methods A qualitative method was chosen using a purposive sample of 90 children. The data were gathered via semi‐structured interview from 2004 to 2006. The data were analysed using the structure of Colaizzi's Method of Phenomenological Analysis. Results The essential fears were fears related to nursing interventions and pain, to the separation from parents and being left alone, to the lack of information, and to instruments and equipment. Children expressed their fears verbally or through their actions. The meaning of hospital‐related fear formed four main clusters: insecurity, injury, helplessness, and rejection. Conclusions For young children, an experience of hospital‐related might be so traumatic that it influences the well‐being of the child. The fear may damage the sense of security felt by the children, and weaken the child's willingness to trust health‐care professionals. The children often expressed their fear in a contradictory manner or denied it. Children need the help of adults to express their hospital‐related fears, including the objects of these fears.