Search Results (2,776)

Background: Children are particularly susceptible to the consequences of inappropriate medication use. The practice of parental administration of medicines to children could lead to negative consequences for the child’s health. This study aimed to evaluate parental attitudes in Jordan toward the administration of medicines to children and its associated factors. Methods: This is an online, cross-sectional survey study that was conducted in Jordan between November and December 2025 using the Google Forms online tool. The questionnaire tool examined parental attitudes toward the administration of medicines to children. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify demographic factors associated with a more positive parental attitude score toward the administration of medicines to children. Results: A total of 1175 parents were involved in this study. Most respondents were female (71.2%) and married (83.5%), with the largest age group being 35–44 years (34.2%). A bachelor’s degree was the most common educational level (40.6%), and nearly half of the participants were employed (43.3%). A total of 55.4% of the parents had a positive attitude toward the administration of medicines to children. The parental attitude scores were significantly associated with female sex, higher income, and having a child aged 3–5 years. Male parents had significantly lower attitude scores toward the administration of medicines to children compared to female participants (B = −2.060, β = −0.075, 95% CI: −3.684 to −0.436, p = 0.013). Higher income was significantly associated with more positive attitude scores toward the administration of medicines to children (B = 1.521, β = 0.097, 95% CI: 0.441–2.600, p = 0.006). Furthermore, participants with children aged 3–5 years had significantly higher attitude scores toward the administration of medicines to children (B = 1.821, β = 0.066, 95% CI: 0.023–3.618, p = 0.047). Conclusions: The current study demonstrated a moderate parental attitude toward the administration of medicines to children. Despite positive perceptions regarding the necessity and effectiveness of medications for children, concerns about side effects, drug–drug interactions, and long-term effects were reported. Full article

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Specific Learning Disorder (SLD), as well as neuromuscular conditions such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), are frequently associated with emotional and behavioral difficulties that may affect children’s functioning and family well-being. However, direct comparisons across these heterogeneous clinical populations remain limited. This study aimed to compare emotional and behavioral profiles across children and adolescents with ASD, ADHD, SLD, and DMD using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/6–18). Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 197 children and adolescents (ASD: 47; SLD: 50; ADHD: 50; DMD: 50) assessed at the Clinical Psychology Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS (Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2024. Emotional and behavioral functioning was evaluated using the parent-report CBCL/6–18. Group differences were examined using one-way ANOVA or Welch’s ANOVA, as appropriate, followed by Tukey’s HSD or Games–Howell post hoc comparisons. Results: Significant group differences emerged for Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Total Problems (all p < 0.001). ADHD showed the highest overall emotional and behavioral burden, with 76% of participants scoring in the clinical range for both Internalizing and Total Problems and 60% for Externalizing Problems. Elevated internalizing difficulties characterized ASD and SLD, whereas children with DMD showed generally lower CBCL scores, although 26% fell within the clinical range for Internalizing Problems. Effect sizes were moderate to large (η² = 0.168–0.273), supporting the presence of both shared and disorder-specific emotional and behavioral patterns across heterogeneous developmental conditions. Conclusions: The findings highlight the heterogeneity of emotional–behavioral profiles across neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular conditions. The use of a common standardized assessment framework enabled the identification of both shared and disorder-specific patterns, supporting the potential value of a transdiagnostic approach to individualized assessment. Future longitudinal and multi-informant studies are warranted to clarify developmental trajectories and improve the identification of clinically meaningful emotional and behavioral needs across heterogeneous pediatric populations. Full article

Foster care placements involve various role players from the child’s entry into the system through the child’s exit. Positive role fulfilment implies acting in accordance with the respective role expectations while also being dynamic in nature. Key participants in the foster care system include social workers, foster parents, and foster children. These role players all have roles necessary for the foster care placement to be positive. Using role and identity theory, with an underlying Africentric philosophy, as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study sought to describe social workers’ perspectives on positive role fulfilment among role players within the foster child’s care circle in supporting well-being. Data were collected from twelve participants, comprising ten foster care social workers and two social work supervisors, through a focus group discussion and one-on-one interviews. In addition, two foster care policy developers were consulted as key stakeholders to provide contextual insight into the legislative and policy environment. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings showed that social workers face structural challenges, including high caseloads, a shortage of social workers and uncertainty regarding roles, which sometimes make it difficult to fulfil their roles as expected. With that said, they believed that positive role fulfilment influenced the positive nature of foster care placements. When roles are known and met, the care circle enhances the well-being of the foster child. The study concludes that social workers know what they are required to do for the child’s well-being. The recommendation is that an Africentric foster care supervision and monitoring framework be developed to sensitise the role players of their roles and responsibilities in the foster care system. Full article

This study utilized an experimental single-case design to evaluate a professional development package to support educators’ implementation of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)-supported, play-based naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention (NDBI), which we called naturalistic AAC intervention (N-AAC). Participants were three minimally speaking students with autism (4–8 years of age), each paired with one of their educators (i.e., speech-language pathologist, pre-service special education teacher, early childhood assistant teacher). The primary aim was to examine the effects of professional development on educator implementation of N-AAC. We also descriptively examined changes in students’ communication and language use during educator–child play and generalization to peer interactions. The findings showed that professional development was effective at teaching educators to implement N-AAC with fidelity. Student communication outcomes showed descriptive improvements following educator training and coaching and N-AAC implementation. However, as expected, gains did not generalize to peer interactions. The findings suggest that professional development improves educator implementation of AAC-supported NDBI strategies during play and that their increased implementation fidelity is accompanied by promising descriptive changes in student communication. Future research is needed to further examine the impact on student communication, promote generalization to peer interactions, and evaluate the potential for larger-scale implementation. Full article

Early childhood education (ECE) professionals’ reflections on mental states have been associated with staff–child interaction quality and child development. However, experimental evidence from mentalization training in ECE teacher education is limited. Fifteen Finnish student teachers with a caregiver background, enrolled in a higher education program, participated in a Video Enhanced Reflective Practice (VERP) intervention. The training was integrated in two blended learning study modules, where the focus was to support children’s language, cognitive, and social–emotional development. The student teachers’ observed mental state talk increased during trainer-guided peer discussions as well as student-guided discussions with two children during picture book reading interactions. The student teachers’ self-reported general interaction skills also improved. In the pilot study, growth was observed in mentalization and interaction skills, following a higher education program that combined VERP with evidence-based content. The preliminary data suggest that future interventions should focus on the transfer of training and on improving ECE student teachers’ talk about emotional states during interactions with children. Full article

Parents play a central role in the development of preschoolers’ literacy skills. Prior parent-focused literacy interventions have promoted preschoolers’ literacy skills through either dialogic reading or elaborative reminiscing, but rarely have these approaches been combined. This is a pilot study of Cuéntame Cuentos, a 6-week app-based intervention for Latino families, which included digital storybooks with embedded conversational prompts promoting dialogic reading and elaborative reminiscing. Associations between conversational prompt engagement during app use and gains in preschoolers’ literacy skills from pre- to post-intervention were examined. Participants were 40 Latino parents and their preschoolers living in the U.S. (child M age = 55.12 months; 52.5% girls). Positive quadratic associations between conversational prompt engagement and one measure of children’s story retelling skills (story memory) were observed. At moderate levels of conversational prompt engagement, the associations with gains in story memory were positive. However, at higher levels of conversational prompt engagement, the associations became negative, suggesting unproductive cognitive effort. No associations with other literacy skills were found. While preliminary, these findings underscore the importance of considering not only whether parents and children engage with app-based conversational prompts but also their level of engagement. Implications for the design of digital family literacy interventions are discussed. Full article

The impact of particulate matter (PM) on pediatric sleep has been documented, yet the roles of particle size and particulate constituents remain poorly understood. This study aims to evaluate the associations between early-life exposure to different sizes of PM and specific chemical constituents of PM_2.5 and sleep in toddlers. In this birth cohort in Guangzhou, China, 514 mother–child pairs with follow-ups at age two between 2017 and 2018 were eligible for participation. Using high-resolution ground-level grid data, we estimated PM exposure (PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀) and major chemical constituents of PM_2.5 during the early-life period. The sleep of two-year-old toddlers was assessed using the Chinese version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. We used multivariable linear and logistic regression models to analyze the associations between PM exposure and sleep. Quantile g-computation was applied to assess the joint exposure effects of PM_2.5 chemical constituents on sleep. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM₁, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀ exposure during early life was associated with reduced nighttime sleep duration (β = −0.18; 95%CI: −0.32, −0.04; β = −0.23; 95%CI: −0.38, −0.08; β = −0.21; 95%CI: −0.35, −0.07). Combined early-life exposure to PM_2.5 constituents correlated with reduced nighttime sleep duration, with SO₄²⁻ being a major contributor. Regardless of particle size and PM_2.5 constituents, we identified consistent findings during pregnancy. We found positive associations between prenatal PM exposure and reduced nighttime sleep in two-year-old toddlers. The PM_2.5 constituent SO₄²⁻ appears to be the major contributor to these associations. Full article

In the last several years, reading comprehension has declined during elementary school in the U.S. Are cell phones to blame? There is a dearth of evidence concerning the cell phone impact on reading comprehension at the elementary school level. Our primary question was whether acquisition of a phone would be negatively related to the reading comprehension performance of third- and sixth-grade children. More specifically, would notifications or the mere presence of a phone reduce the concentration required for an optimal reading comprehension performance? Among 106 children, we studied 55 children in a sixth-grade group and 51 children in a third-grade group. The sample was linguistically diverse: English was the home language for 42%, Arabic for 30%, and Spanish for 28%. The experimental procedure used a repeated-measures design: Participants who brought phones to school the day of the study took a grade-appropriate reading comprehension test from the DIBELS 8th edition with their phone next to them and a different test from the same battery without their phone nearby or in sight. Participants who did not have a phone with them also took two reading comprehension tests from the DIBELS 8th edition; they were the same tests taken by participants in the experimental portion of the study who had phones with them. All participants completed a short survey about phone ownership and use, along with demographic questions. There was no effect of the experimental conditions on reading comprehension: Whether or not a child had their phone in sight made no difference to their reading comprehension performance. Nor did reading comprehension differ for students with or without phones at school the day of the study. This absence of short-term effects contrasted with the presence of long-term relationships: Possessing a personal cell phone was significantly associated with lower reading comprehension scores across the whole sample. However, for participants from non-English-speaking homes who had their own phones, reading comprehension was significantly better the earlier a child began texting and had access to games on their phone. For children from English-speaking homes who had their own phones, neither early mobile game access nor earlier initiation of texting was associated with better reading comprehension. Full article

Background: Perceived characteristics of the food environment may influence individuals’ dietary practices and health outcomes. This study analyzed associations between social and housing conditions, food environment perception, and food security, and their associations with maternal and child nutritional status. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted between 2022 and 2023 with 314 participants in Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, Brazil. Socioeconomic variables, housing conditions, perceptions of domestic and community food environments, food security, and anthropometric indicators were assessed using generalized structural equation modeling (GSEM, p < 0.05). Results: Better social and housing conditions were associated with a more favorable perception of the domestic food environment (β = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.23–1.34) and lower food insecurity severity (β = −1.05; 95% CI: −1.62 to −0.48). No significant associations were observed between the domestic food environment and food insecurity, nor between the community food environment and the remaining model variables. No significant indirect associations were identified, indicating no mediation through food environment perceptions. Greater food insecurity severity was positively associated with maternal BMI (β = 0.19 95% CI: 0.002–0.37), and maternal BMI was positively associated with child BMI-for-age (β = 0.25 95% CI: 0.09–0.39). Conclusions: Social and housing conditions play a central role in shaping food security and nutritional outcomes, while food environment perception showed limited relevance. These findings reinforce the need for intersectoral public policies addressing social inequalities and promoting healthy eating. Full article

This pilot study examined the effects of parent-delivered training and coaching in the Speak, Play and Listen intervention, implemented with neurotypical (NT) siblings to support the social communication development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three families, each consisting of a parent, an NT child, and a child with ASD aged 5–12 years, participated in the study. A single-case multiple-probe design was employed to evaluate changes in sibling social interactions. Results showed increases in positive social communication behaviors across all three sibling dyads. Semi-structured interviews indicated that family members perceived the intervention goals, procedures, and outcomes as acceptable, feasible, and socially meaningful. The study highlights the importance of considering family-wide participation, implementation fidelity, and family capacity when designing and delivering interventions for children with ASD. Full article

Background/Objectives: In phenylketonuria (PKU), adherence to protein substitute (PS) is frequently suboptimal due to poor palatability, high volume, and sensory fatigue. A novel phenylalanine (Phe)-free L-amino acid microtablet PS has been developed to address these barriers. The microtablets incorporate a cellulose-based taste-masking coating and a sodium-alginate inner matrix intended to enable controlled amino acid release over approximately three hours. This study evaluated their short-term tolerability, acceptability, and adherence in children with PKU, with extended follow-up in a subgroup. Methods: A 7-day observational study was conducted in participants with PKU aged ≥3 years on a low-Phe diet in a single centre. The test product provided protein equivalent (PE) 54 g/100 g. Participants replaced at least one daily dose of their usual PS with the test product, providing 10 g or 20 g/day PE, with one child receiving 80 g/day. Daily gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, PS intake, and adherence were recorded. Acceptability was assessed using structured ratings of palatability, ease of use, and overall preference. Longer-term tolerability and acceptability were then assessed in four adolescents who elected to continue the test product for an additional 28 days. Results: Ten participants completed the 7-day study. Adherence to the test product was high (80%), exceeding adherence to participants’ usual PS (70%). At baseline, nine participants reported none/mild GI symptoms, most commonly flatulence. One participant reported moderate/severe symptoms including constipation, flatulence, diarrhoea, bloating, burping, and abdominal discomfort. By day 7, all participants reported no or mild symptoms, with complete resolution in the child with moderate/severe baseline symptoms. Acceptability ratings were comparable between the test product and usual PS, and nine children (90%) reported no difficulty taking the test product. During the 28-day extension, adherence remained high, GI tolerance was maintained, and improved preference was noted, particularly due to reduced aftertaste. Conclusions: This novel slow-release PS microtablet was well tolerated, acceptable, and associated with high adherence. Its taste-masked, low-volume format offered practical advantages that may support sustained dietary adherence. Longer-term controlled studies are necessary to confirm these findings. Full article

Background: Previous research has documented generational differences in life satisfaction and work-related attitudes, but less is known about how work and life satisfaction differ within parent–child dyads. This preregistered study examined work satisfaction, life satisfaction, core self-evaluations, personal values, and financial situation among working young adults and their working parents in Poland. Methods: The study used a preregistered, cross-sectional, observational parent–child dyadic design. The final analytic sample consisted of 87 complete dyads, corresponding to 174 individual participants. Parent–child responses were linked using anonymised self-generated codes. Group differences in work satisfaction, life satisfaction, and core self-evaluations were tested using paired Yuen’s trimmed t-tests. Preregistered predictors of work satisfaction and life satisfaction were tested using linear mixed-effects models with dyads as a random intercept. Results: Parents reported higher work satisfaction and higher core self-evaluations than their young-adult children, whereas the expected group difference in life satisfaction was not supported. Core self-evaluations positively predicted work satisfaction, whereas the preregistered financial situation composite and achievement value did not. A supplementary component-level analysis showed heterogeneous associations among the individual financial indicators. Work satisfaction was positively associated with life satisfaction, whereas the preregistered Schwartz values were not significantly associated with life satisfaction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that parent–child differences in satisfaction-related outcomes are more visible in work satisfaction and core self-evaluations than in global life satisfaction. Core self-evaluations emerged as the most consistent psychological predictor of work satisfaction. The value-based hypotheses were not supported, although these null findings warrant caution because several brief PVQ scales had low reliability. Full article

Children whose primary caregivers experience mental illness and adverse psychosocial complexity are at increased risk of experiencing mental, physical, and relational challenges. Perinatal mental health services have commonly focused on treating the parental mental health problem; however, emerging evidence shows that parental mental health interventions alone are not sufficient to address the complex needs of both caregivers and their children. To address this gap in services, a new, highly specialised program—the Nurturing Connections Program—was implemented across three Australian local health districts within the State of New South Wales. The program is targeted to caregivers of young children referred to mental health services and aims to improve caregiver mental health and psychosocial adversity, child developmental outcomes, and the child–caregiver relationship. This study evaluated caregivers’ experiences with, and views of, the program. Twelve caregivers participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. A reflexive thematic analysis approach guided data interpretation. Four themes and three subthemes emerged from the data: (1) motivation for attending the program; (2) program components received; (3) post-program outcomes (subthemes: Caregiver-related outcomes, Child-related outcomes, and interpersonal outcomes); and (4) areas for program improvement. This study’s findings highlight program benefits, program facilitators and areas for improvement. Full article

Background: Disease-modifying therapies have profoundly changed the natural history of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type I, shifting rehabilitation priorities beyond survival and motor function toward participation, autonomy, and quality of life. However, rehabilitation models have not evolved at the same pace, and the role of early powered mobility in this new clinical scenario remains insufficiently conceptualized. Methods: This narrative review integrates current evidence on early powered mobility in children with severe motor disabilities with contemporary rehabilitation frameworks, including the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), participation-based therapy, family-centered care, and the concept of on-time mobility. Evidence from the AMEsobreRuedas research program is incorporated to develop a conceptual framework for early powered mobility in children with SMA type I receiving disease-modifying therapies. Results: Current evidence suggests that early powered mobility should be understood as a developmental rehabilitation intervention rather than solely as an assistive technology for transportation. Independent mobility facilitates exploration, play, social interaction, autonomy, and participation, while positively influencing family experiences and expectations. Findings from the AMEsobreRuedas program further indicate that the benefits of powered mobility extend beyond driving skill acquisition, supporting participation, quality of life, and family well-being when implemented within meaningful daily contexts. Based on this evidence, a conceptual framework is proposed in which independent mobility acts as an early facilitator of developmental opportunities, with participation emerging through the interaction between the child, family, and environment. Conclusions: In the era of disease-modifying therapies, rehabilitation in SMA should move from a motor-centered approach toward a participation-oriented model. Early powered mobility represents a key intervention for promoting developmental opportunities and meaningful participation rather than simply compensating for motor impairment. The proposed conceptual framework may support clinical decision making and provide a foundation for future rehabilitation research in pediatric neuromuscular disorders. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cleft lip and palate are among the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies and require careful postoperative care after surgical repair. Mothers, as primary caregivers, are expected to manage feeding, wound care, oral hygiene, and the early recognition of complications; however, gaps in postoperative care knowledge may limit safe home care. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effect of an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported video-based educational intervention on mothers’ knowledge of postoperative care after cleft lip and/or palate surgery. Methods: This single-group quasi-experimental pre–post pilot study was conducted between April and December 2025 in the Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery Clinic of a tertiary hospital in Istanbul. Thirty mothers of children aged 0–18 years who underwent cleft lip and/or palate surgery were included. Data were collected using a Demographic Information Form and a Nutrition and Care Knowledge Questionnaire. Mothers completed the questionnaire before and immediately after watching a standardized AI-supported educational video developed by the researchers. Pre- and post-intervention knowledge scores were compared using nonparametric statistical tests. Results: A total of 30 mothers participated in the study. Child-related sociodemographic and clinical variables were recorded to describe the children’s profile. Among the children, 56.7% were female, and 56.7% were aged 0–3 years. Post-intervention knowledge scores increased in the total score and in all subdomains, including postoperative care, feeding, and complication monitoring. The greatest improvement was observed in complication monitoring, which had the lowest baseline scores. Knowledge gains were observed across participant subgroups. Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that AI-supported video-based education may improve mothers’ short-term knowledge of postoperative care after cleft lip and/or palate surgery. However, because of the single-group design, small sample size, and immediate post-test assessment, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary. Larger controlled studies with longer follow-up are needed to examine knowledge retention and the potential effects of this approach on caregiving practices. Full article