Children-Basel

Broadening the -Associated Neurodevelopmental Phenotype
Pascolini G, Scaglione GL, Chandramouli B, Castiglia D, Di Zenzo G and Didona B
Monoallelic damaging variants in (MIM*612870), encoding the Pleckstrin Homology Domain Interacting Protein, have been associated with a novel neurodevelopmental disorder, also termed Chung-Jansen syndrome (CHUJANS, MIM#617991). Most of the described individuals show developmental delay (DD)/intellectual disability (ID), obesity/overweight, and variable congenital anomalies, so the condition can be considered as an ID-overweight syndrome.
Incidence of and Risk Factors for Central Venous Catheter Thrombosis: Results from a Single-Center Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Azzam M, AlTalhi YM, Alsawadi H, Humoodi M, Alzahrani A, Shehzad Hayat A, Bakhsh M and Osman S
Central Venous Catheter (CVC) is a necessary and important tool in managing acutely ill children and those needing complex care. CVC enables infusing venous medication, fluids, blood products, chemotherapy, total parental nutrition, and painless withdrawal of blood for laboratory testing when needed.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Infantile Hemangioma from the Primary Care Paediatricians to the Specialist: A Narrative Review
Bellinato F, Marocchi M, Pecoraro L, Zaffanello M, Del Giglio M, Girolomoni G, Piacentini G and Rigotti E
Infantile haemangiomas (IHs) affect 3-10% of infants, 10% of whom need topical or systemic beta-blocker therapy. Propranolol is the first choice for IHs with a high risk of complications. Since more than half of IHs leave a permanent mark, to reduce outcomes, it is essential to start oral propranolol (2-3 mg/kg/day in 2 doses/day) within the 5th month of life (i.e., during the proliferative phase) and to complete the therapy cycle for at least 6 months. This review aims to summarise the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of IHs and to highlight the importance of proper referral to specialised hub centres. Patients with vascular anomalies, particularly those suspected of having IH, should be referred to a specialised centre for accurate diagnosis, management by a multidisciplinary team, and timely treatment. IHs may pose life-threatening, functional, and aesthetic risks or may ulcerate. Segmental infantile haemangioma of the face/neck and the lumbosacral regions can be associated with various malformations. To ensure timely specialist evaluation and treatment to reduce the potential risk of complications, it is essential to identify high-risk IHs rapidly. The Infantile Haemangioma Referral Score (IHReS) scale is an important tool to assist primary care paediatricians and general dermatologists.
Voices of Hope: Leveraging Think-Aloud Cognitive Interviews to Develop a Hope Assessment Tool for Young People Living with Chronic Health Conditions
von Scheven E, Braun M, Nahal B, Perito ER, Brakeman P, Soulsby WD, Quill L, Cuneo A and Franck LS
Hope is a universal, multidimensional, and nuanced concept that may have specific meaning for young people living with chronic health conditions anticipated to last into adulthood. We previously identified definitions of hope for youth living with chronic health conditions derived from young people's and their caregivers' own words. Here, we aimed to develop a hope assessment tool to facilitate the future evaluation of interventions to support wellness and health for young people growing up with chronic health conditions; Methods: We developed Likert-type scale questions using the young people's and caregivers' definitions of hope and applied the think-aloud cognitive interview method to assess understanding and to inform sequential iteration. Interviews were recorded and insights from participant interviews were analyzed thematically.
Hasn't Child Abuse Been Overlooked? An Evaluation of Abused Children Who Visited the Emergency Department with Sentinel Injuries
Kim HB and Noh H
Effective child abuse intervention requires understanding its prevalence. While obtaining a comprehensive national estimate of child abuse cases is challenging, sentinel injuries-minor yet unusual injuries like bruises or wounds in pre-cruising-age children-can provide an indicative measure. Using the National Emergency Department Information System (NEDIS) data, this study aimed to gauge the prevalence of sentinel injuries using diagnostic codes in children under 12 months who visited emergency centers in South Korea and to evaluate the extent of child abuse screening in these cases.
Media Device Use and Vision Disorders in the Pediatric Age: The State of the Art
Bozzola E, Irrera M, Hellmann R, Crugliano S and Fortunato M
Evidence is consistent with increased screen viewing time among children and adolescents, and anticipation at the age at which children interact with media devices. Incorrect use of technology, as well as overuse, may lead to serious consequences. This study aims to revise scientific international literature and to describe the potential eye risks correlated to screen viewing time in the pediatric age.
Perspectives and Challenges of Telemedicine and Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Dermatology
Zama D, Borghesi A, Ranieri A, Manieri E, Pierantoni L, Andreozzi L, Dondi A, Neri I, Lanari M and Calegari R
Pediatric dermatology represents one of the most underserved subspecialties in pediatrics. Artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine have become considerable in dermatology, reaching diagnostic accuracy comparable to or exceeding that of in-person visits. This work aims to review the current state of telemedicine and AI in pediatric dermatology, suggesting potential ways to address existing issues and challenges.
Nursing Students' Volunteer Experiences of Interacting with Children Receiving Pediatric Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study
Jin E and Kang H
Pediatric palliative care refers to active, holistic care that provides support not only for families but also for the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of pediatric patients with severe life-threatening diseases. Nursing students' volunteer work for pediatric patients requiring palliative care is a unique and special experience with which to understand them as prospective medical personnel and that allows them to directly experience and feel the needs and reality related to emotional support. This study aimed to explore the experiences of nursing students who volunteer in pediatric in palliative care settings.
Physical Activity and Lifestyle Behaviors in Children and Adolescents
de Almeida AA and Noll M
A sedentary lifestyle, unfavorable body composition, and low muscle strength are strong predictors of morbidity and mortality and an independent determinant contributing to the development of many chronic diseases [...].
Survival Analysis of Prefabricated Zirconia Crowns with and Without Pulpotomy in Primary Teeth: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Alrashdi M
Prefabricated Zirconia Crowns (PZCs) are increasingly preferred for restoring primary teeth due to their esthetic appeal and retention. However, their rigid, unmodifiable design requires precise tooth preparation, often leading to aggressive reduction and potential pulp exposure. Pulpotomy, a standard treatment for reversible pulpitis and mechanical pulp exposure, is sometimes employed before PZCs. While pulpotomy is not routinely performed, its use raises important considerations about the interplay between restorative procedures and pulp therapy in pediatric dentistry, particularly regarding the long-term restoration outcomes of PZCs.
Aquatic Therapy in Children and Adolescents with Disabilities: A Scoping Review
Ogonowska-Slodownik A, Jakobowicz O, Alexander L, Marinho-Buzelli AR, Devion C and Morgulec-Adamowicz N
Globally, around 1 in 10 children aged 0-17 years have moderate-to-severe disabilities. The aquatic environment provides hydrostatic and hydrodynamic characteristics that make exercise and therapy feasible for children and adolescents with disabilities. The objective of this scoping review is to understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to the use of aquatic therapy in children and adolescents with disabilities. The eligibility criteria were as follows: participants-children and/or adolescents with disabilities aged from 6 to 18 years old; concept-aquatic therapy interventions; context-any available setting. The databases searched included MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, Eric, Scopus, Web of Science, Epistemonikos, and one register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. In total, 52 reports met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies included children/adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; 46.7%)-442 participants in 21 studies in total. The majority of interventions were based on aquatic exercise (35%). Most often, interventions were conducted for 8 weeks, with 2 sessions a week lasting 60 min. The most common type of intervention for children and adolescents with ASD and Down syndrome was swimming. Participants with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, neuromuscular disorders, and cerebral palsy were more often treated with aquatic exercises. This scoping review could guide practitioners, clinicians, and researchers on what type, setting, and content of aquatic therapy interventions, including exercise types, intervention duration, number of sessions, frequency, facility, and provider, are used with children and adolescents with disabilities.
Management of Hirschsprung's Disease: A Survey with Brazilian Pediatric Surgeons
Penaloza CSQ, Barreto AC, Ortolan EVP, Zani A and Lourenção PLTA
Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital malformation of the enteric nervous system clinically manifested by intestinal obstruction in the neonatal period or severe constipation in childhood. Several surveys on HD have been conducted to evaluate experiences in its management around the world. For the first time in Brazil, we analyze and report the management patterns of HD among pediatric surgeons in Brazil.
Affective Touch in Preterm Infant Development: Neurobiological Mechanisms and Implications for Child-Caregiver Attachment and Neonatal Care
La Rosa VL, Geraci A, Iacono A and Commodari E
Affective touch is crucial in infant development, particularly in regulating emotional, cognitive, and physiological processes. Preterm infants are often deprived of essential tactile stimulation owing to their early exposure to the external environment, which may affect long-term developmental outcomes. This review aimed to examine the neurobiological mechanisms of affective touch and highlight effective interventions, such as skin-to-skin contact (SSC) and kangaroo care (KC), to promote development in preterm infants.
Night Sleep, Parental Bedtime Practices and Language Development in Low-Risk Preterm and Full-Term Late Talkers: A Longitudinal Study in the Third Year of Life
Zuccarini M, Riva M, Aceti A, Corvaglia L, Scher A, Guarini A and Sansavini A
: Studies on night sleep and parental bedtime practices and their associations with language development in populations at risk of language delay and neonatal conditions, such as late talkers and preterm children, are scarce. : Our objective was to longitudinally examine the development of night sleep (total night sleep difficulties, settling, night waking, and co-sleeping), parental bedtime practices (total parental bedtime practices, active physical comforting, encouraging autonomy, and leaving to cry), and expressive language (word and sentence production), and their associations in low-risk preterm and full-term late talkers from 31 to 37 months of age. : Parents of 38 late talkers, 19 low-risk preterm and 19 full-term children, completed the Italian versions of the Infant Sleep Questionnaire, the Parental Interactive Bedtime Behavior Scale, and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory Words and Sentences Long Form. : Late talkers' night sleep difficulties, such as settling to sleep and night waking, decreased over time, with low-risk preterm late talkers experiencing more night waking and co-sleeping than full-term peers. Parents reported that instances of active physical comforting and leaving to cry also decreased, with parents of low-risk preterm late talkers reporting higher active physical comforting scores than parents of full-term peers. Improvements in parental practices of encouraging autonomy were significantly associated with increased sentence production from 31 to 37 months. : Findings highlight the importance of monitoring night sleep in preterm and full-term late talkers. They also suggest that populations vulnerable to sleep and language delays may particularly benefit from targeted interventions promoting autonomy in their bedtime routines, which, in turn, could support their language development trajectories.
A Nutrition Education Intervention Positively Affects the Diet-Health-Related Practices and Nutritional Status of Mothers and Children in a Pulse-Growing Community in Halaba, South Ethiopia
Lombamo GE, J Henry C and A Zello G
We conducted a six-month nutrition education intervention focused on the consumption of pulses and other foods to assess the effect on knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) as well as the nutritional status of children and mothers from two pulse-growing communities in Halaba, south Ethiopia.
Reimagining Kangaroo Care for Preterm Infants: A Novel Garment for Safe and Comfortable Bonding
McMillin A, Presser Aiden A, Sherman JP, Crystal RA and Rhine WD
Kangaroo Care (KC) has been proven to enhance physiological stability, growth, and bonding in preterm, low-birthweight infants. Despite its benefits, KC is underutilized in Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) due to challenges in managing medical equipment. This study introduces the Kangarobe™, a novel garment designed to facilitate safe, comfortable, and efficient KC for medically fragile infants in high-acuity NICUs.
Investigation of the Etiology of Molar Incisor Hypomineralization in Children Residing in Konya Province and Surrounding Areas, Türkiye
Seloğlu A and Kahvecioğlu F
According to the literature, hypomineralization of molars and incisors is a multifactorial condition that depends on both genetic and environmental factors. This study aims to diagnose Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) cases with a new index that better defines the defect and to contribute to the literature by identifying possible etiological factors.
Identifying Facilitators and Barriers to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Visitation in Mothers of Low Socioeconomic Status: A Qualitative Investigation
McCarty DB, Ferrari RM, Golden S, Zvara BJ, Wilson WD and Shanahan ME
The experience of parenting in a highly medicalized, unnatural environment can result in impaired mother-infant bonding, but increased maternal presence at the infant's bedside has been associated with improved infant and maternal outcomes. The primary objective of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators during the NICU Experience in regard to maternal presence in an NICU.
Executive Functions and Special Educational Needs and Their Relationship with School-Age Learning Difficulties
Núñez JM, Soto-Rubio A and Pérez-Marín M
The relationship between executive functions, special educational needs (SEN), and learning difficulties in school-aged children is critical for developing effective educational interventions. This study explores the connection between executive functions and SEN in primary school students, examining differences in executive function profiles between those with and without SEN and their impact on learning difficulties.
Pain-Associated Diagnoses in Childhood Before the Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Based Study
Merzon E, Magen E, Levy Y, Ashkenazi S, Manor I, Weizman A, Krone B, Faraone SV, Green I, Golan-Cohen A, Vinker S and Israel A
Pediatric pain significantly affects children's lives, leading to school absenteeism, impaired social interactions, and psychological distress. The perception of sensory signals as pain is influenced by the brain's noradrenergic system, and recent evidence suggests that chronic pain may impact cognitive functioning and emotional regulation. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with alterations in the dopaminergic/noradrenergic systems, which could affect pain perception. Pain-associated conditions and frequent analgesic use in childhood may be linked to ADHD development and could serve as early indicators, yet data on this potential association remain limited. This population-based case-control study in Israel aimed to assess the prevalence of pain-related diagnoses prior to ADHD diagnosis in children aged 5 to 18. The study included children registered with Leumit Health Services (LHS) between 1 January 2006, and 30 June 2021. Children diagnosed with ADHD were compared to matched controls, selected based on age, gender, socioeconomic status, and other sociodemographic factors, who were never diagnosed with ADHD during the study period. : Children with ADHD ( = 18,756) and controls ( = 37,512) were precisely matched for sociodemographic characteristics. Individuals with ADHD exhibited significantly higher frequencies of diverse pain conditions, including those associated with illness [headache, earaches, and throat pain (odds ratios [OR] = 1.156 [95%CI 1.085, 1.232], 1.295 [95%CI 1.217, 1.377], and 1.080 [95%CI 1.019, 1.145], respectively; < 0.01)] and injury [sprains and strains (OR = 1.233 [95% CI 1.104,1.376)]. Analgesics were more frequently purchased by individuals with ADHD, particularly paracetamol (OR = 1.194 [95%CI 1.152, 1.237], < 0.001) and ibuprofen (OR = 1.366 [95%CI 1.318, 1.416], = 0.001). This study highlights a potential connection between ADHD and pediatric pain. The elevated rates of pain diagnoses and analgesic usage among children with ADHD underscore the need for further research.
Correction: Asonitou, K.; Koutsouki, D. PASS Theory and Movement Disorders: Methodology for Assessment and Intervention. 2024, , 1192
Asonitou K and Koutsouki D
In the original publication [...].