Search Results (239)

Automatic gesture and movement recognition techniques are mainly used with adults for various purposes in public, clinical, and laboratory settings. Growing interest in this field has led to the increasing application of these methods in child behavioural analysis to serve different societal and educational functions. However, manual human annotation of behaviours remains the predominant method, and only a limited number of studies have explored the use of automatic recognition for children. This review aims to evaluate the rapidly developing techniques of automatic gesture and movement recognition that focus on child behaviour analysis across different settings and for different purposes. More specifically, it analyzes their purposes, target groups, settings, accuracy, and limitations, as well as the ethical issues and data privacy frameworks that should be considered in child-centred AI. Using a systematic review approach following the PRISMA guidelines, this study examines research published between 2021 and 2025 in four databases: Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore. From a total of 27 included studies, the findings reveal that automatic gesture and movement recognition is being applied across multiple fields, with consideration of children’s developmental needs. However, a critical gap in technical reporting was identified: fewer than half of the included studies (44%) provided accuracy metrics or clinical validity. Furthermore, evidence of robust ethical safeguards remains limited. To support children’s well-being, future studies must bridge the lab-to-field gap, prioritize natural research settings and enforce ethical and data protection measures. Full article

Urban soil contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a recognized health concern in densely populated urban environments. Through a systematic meta-analysis of 91 peer-reviewed studies (2000–2025) reporting 12,174 sampling sites in capital and core cities, we characterized regional patterns in the spatiotemporal dynamics and health risks of eight PTEs across two well-represented continental subsets (Asia, k = 18–36 per element; Europe, k = 11–23 per element) with comparative reference to the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. Given the uneven geographic distribution of qualifying primary studies, continental comparisons should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating: Asia (k = 18–36 per element) and Europe (k = 11–23 per element) provide the statistically robust core of the synthesis, while results for the Americas (k = 3–7 for several elements), Africa (k = 4–15), and Oceania (k = 2) are presented as illustrative rather than statistically representative. Pooled concentrations followed Zn (138.59) > Pb (56.97) > Cr (54.26) > Cu (47.00) > Ni (31.94) > As (8.56) > Hg (3.13) > Cd (1.23) mg·kg⁻¹. Within the well-represented Asian and European subsets, Asian cities showed the most severe enrichment of As, Cd, Cr, and Hg (I_geo > 4 in hotspots such as Kathmandu I_geo (Cd) = 7.06 and Jinan I_geo (Hg) = 5.27), whereas European centres exhibited substantial legacy Pb accumulation (pooled mean 87.69 mg·kg⁻¹). A reproducible pollution gradient was identified across functional zones: industrial > transportation ≥ residential > commercial > agricultural > urban green areas. The deterministic non-carcinogenic Hazard Index (HI = 1.49) for children in Asia exceeded the safe threshold (HI > 1), driven primarily by As and Cr exposure via incidental soil-and-dust ingestion. Monte Carlo probabilistic assessment (N = 10,000) confirmed elevated cumulative non-carcinogenic risk at the median of the exposure distribution for children in the data-rich Asian (P50 = 1.55; P(HI > 1) = 81.9%) and European (P50 = 1.28; P(HI > 1) = 69.8%) subsets, with adults in both subsets remaining well below the safety threshold (P(HI > 1) = 0.0%). Temporal analysis revealed a decoupling between economic growth and PTE accumulation in long-established cities, together with an inverse Ni–population correlation indicative of strategic resource allocation. For Asian capital and core cities, where the evidence base is strongest (k = 18–36 per element), the present synthesis supports further investigation of risk-based, child-centric soil management as a public-health priority. For European cities (k = 11–23 per element), the same direction of risk is indicated but should be confirmed in regionally focused syntheses. Policy considerations for under-represented regions should await expansion of the primary monitoring base. Full article

Kindergarten toilet design influences children’s autonomy, hygiene behaviours, and psychological well-being. Yet systematic architectural evaluations in conflict-affected and developing regions remain scarce. This study conducts a comparative architectural audit of toilet facilities in ten kindergartens in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, assessing design features associated with child-centred principles. A literature-derived framework comprising four domains (Autonomy and Functionality, Health and Hygiene, Safety and Comfort, Aesthetics and Sustainability) was operationalised through 14 architectural indicators and assessed via a five-point rubric. Data sources included architectural drawings and systematic on-site observations. Overall design feature scores ranged from 3.1 to 4.3 (scale 1–5). While basic safety requirements were universally met, significant deficiencies emerged in inclusive design (accessible fixtures present in 3/10 facilities, 30%), advanced hygiene technologies (sensor-activated fixtures in 2/10, 20%), and aesthetic-environmental quality (mean score 2.4/5). Higher-scoring facilities demonstrated closer classroom-toilet proximity (≤6 m vs. >15 m) and distributed rather than centralised layouts. This study does not measure child outcomes or user experiences; it provides an architectural baseline. Current kindergarten toilet design in Erbil achieves functional adequacy but consistently fails to deliver inclusivity, technological innovation, and spatial quality. Policy revision beyond minimum compliance toward child-centred design standards is warranted, with priority given to accessible fixtures and classroom-adjacent layouts. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rare diseases have a substantial impact not only on affected individuals but also on their families, particularly parents who assume primary caregiving roles. Despite increasing attention to rare conditions, parents’ experiences remain fragmented across the literature. This integrative review aimed to synthesise existing evidence on the experiences and multidimensional impact of caring for a child with a rare disease on parents. Methods: An integrative review was conducted following Whittemore and Knafl’s methodology and reported according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A systematic search was performed across MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Scopus from 1 November 2025 to 31 January 2026. Twenty-two studies (qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and reviews) were included. Data were analysed using thematic synthesis. Results: Three interrelated themes were identified: (1) the diagnostic journey, characterised by prolonged uncertainty, fragmented care, and the pivotal role of communication; (2) multidimensional caregiving burden, encompassing emotional, social, economic, and physical impacts, with notable gender differences; and (3) adaptive trajectories, involving dynamic coping processes, parental upskilling, and meaning-making. Across studies, caregiving burden emerged as a cumulative and system-influenced phenomenon, while adaptation was found to coexist with ongoing uncertainty rather than representing a linear resolution. Conclusions: Caring for a child with a rare disease profoundly affects parents across multiple domains. The findings highlight the need for integrated, family-centred care models, improved diagnostic communication, and sustained psychosocial support. Implications for nursing practice: Nurses play a key role in recognising caregiver burden, supporting adaptive processes, and promoting effective communication throughout the diagnostic and care trajectory. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study explored parents’ perspectives regarding digital media use in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) and examined how these views vary according to family and clinical characteristics. Methods: Data were collected from an Italian survey involving 352 families. Items assessed the perceived effects of digital devices on child development and parenting, awareness of screen time guidelines, and use of time- and content-limiting tools. Quantitative analyses were complemented by a reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses describing how digital media influenced parenting. Results: Parents expressed divergent attitudes towards digital media, with broadly similar proportions reporting positive, neutral, and negative views regarding both child development and parenting. More favourable views were associated with greater perceived benefits for children and were more frequent among parents of children with more severe functional disabilities. About half had discussed screen use with health professionals, and most were aware of existing guidelines. Thematic analysis identified six themes related to digital parenting: educational means (digital devices as tools for communication, learning, and socialisation), entertainment (screens as a source of leisure or behavioural management), reward (digital media used as reinforcement), screen time as a “necessity” (technology as an integral and sometimes rehabilitative part of daily life), negative effects on the child (concerns about detachment, reduced social interaction, and mood dysregulation), and parental behaviour and attitudes (reflecting the emotional burden of regulation and broader beliefs about digital media). Conclusions: Parents of children with NDs navigate digital media use through a complex balance of perceived risks and benefits. Findings highlight the need for family-centred guidance and assistive technology approaches that promote digital inclusion while addressing parental stress and regulatory challenges. Full article

Large-scale cultural complexes serve significant numbers of child users, yet existing spatial assessment approaches are predominantly developed from adult perspectives and rarely consider child-height environmental exposure conditions at children’s own eye level. To address this gap, this study introdus a novel dual-height proxy assessment framework that integrates semantic segmentation with explainable machine learning, enabling scalable proxy-based spatial diagnosis without requiring direct child participation. This study proposes a proxy-based assessment framework combining dual-height street-view imagery (adult: 1.6 m; child: 1.2 m), semantic segmentation (DeepLabV3+ and PSPNet), GIS analysis, literature-informed proxy perceptual indices, and explainable machine learning (XGBoost with SHAP) applied across 480 sampling locations at the Longgang Cultural Centre, Shenzhen. The results reveal substantial differences in environmental exposure characteristics between adult-height and child-height viewpoints, with child-height imagery exhibiting 34% lower signage visibility and 30% higher spatial enclosure. Exploratory associations between environmental features and proxy perceptual indices yielded R²values ranging from 0.14 to 0.39, with walking distance, openness, and visual complexity emerging as the most influential variables within the proxy models. SHAP analysis identified non-linear relationships between environmental characteristics and proxy perception-related outcomes, and spatial mismatch mapping identified 120 locations warranting design attention. The study proposes a scalable and data-driven spatial proxy assessment framework to support child-friendly environmental screening and spatial diagnosis. The proposed proxy indices are grounded in developmental psychology literature and are not intended to substitute for children’s direct perceptual responses; rather, they are intended to characterise comparative child-height environmental exposure patterns within large-scale cultural environments. Validation using child-reported perception data, behavioural observation, participatory methods, and experimental wayfinding studies remains an important direction for future research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Advances in paediatric care have increased the survival of children with severe neurological impairment, often accompanied by complex disability, multimorbidity, and a substantial treatment burden. Determining whether interventions provide meaningful benefit to the child is ethically challenging, particularly when decision-making is shared between parents and clinicians, while the child has limited capacity to participate directly in decision-making. This paper examines the guiding question “what’s in it for the kid?” as a means of strengthening child-centred ethical deliberation alongside established frameworks. Methods: We undertook a conceptual bioethical analysis informed by clinical experience in an inner city tertiary public hospital. The analysis focuses on children with severe neurological impairment and medical complexity. The paper critically examines how the guiding question aligns with and extends key ethical constructs, including shared decision-making, the Zone of Parental Discretion, the Best Interests Standard, and care ethics. Clinical scenarios are used illustratively to demonstrate application in practice. Results: Existing ethical frameworks form an important foundational structure for complex decision-making. The question “what’s in it for the kid” translates ethical principles into a practical moral prompt that centres the child as the subject of decision-making. It facilitates clearer consideration of risks, benefits meaningful to the child and lived experience and helps to distinguish the child’s interests from those of parents and clinicians. Its simplicity enhances accessibility and supports consistent use in complex, high-stakes decisions. Conclusions: “What’s in it for the kid?” is a pragmatic and accessible ethical prompt that complements established frameworks by translating them into clinically usable practice. It promotes explicit, child-focused deliberation and supports a more transparent and child-centred evaluation of benefit and burden, particularly in contexts of uncertainty and medical complexity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Foreign-body aspiration (FBA) is a common and largely preventable pediatric emergency, yet current safety standards and risk assessments rely predominantly on object size and on anecdotal descriptions and bronchoscopy findings. We propose a clinically oriented proof-of-concept workflow that combines high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) scanning and calibrated two-dimensional (2D) imaging of retrieved objects with radiomic shape descriptors and large language model (LLM) reasoning to support aspiration risk assessment and guide prevention. Methods: Objects were obtained from the Susy Safe registry and historical series from the University Clinical Centre Tuzla. Each object was digitized with 3D scanning and photographed with a ruler. Morphometric descriptors—including volume, surface area, sphericity, elongation, flatness, curvature and convexity—were computed from stereolithography (STL) meshes; silhouette area, perimeter and Feret diameters were extracted from 2D photographs. Normative airway dimensions from radiographic and computed tomography (CT) studies provided anatomical context. A sharp, irregular metallic object recovered from a child’s laryngo-tracheal tract served as an illustrative case. Results: The object’s major axis approximated the anteroposterior glottic diameter, suggesting potential traversal when longitudinally oriented, whereas its irregular shape increased the likelihood of mucosal laceration and lodging. LLM-based synthesis provided a structured narrative interpretation consistent with a high-risk profile and highlighted preventive implications. Conclusions: Combining 2D/3D morphometry with LLM reasoning provides objective assessment of FBA hazards and may support safer product design, injury-prevention policies, and caregiver education. Full article

Background: Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse is a longstanding global issue, increasingly amplified by digital technologies, mobile devices, and internet access. This shift has intensified Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (COSEA). WeProtect 2020, a Global Alliance Intelligence brief report, indicated a 200% rise in online abuse forums. Existing studies focus on child protection, grooming, and survey-based analyses and draw inferences regarding grooming tactics and thematic analysis. Social issues such as underreporting, limited threat intelligence sharing, and low cyber awareness persist, leading to vulnerabilities and various exploitations. Further, a lack of social engagement and support persists, posing serious challenges for victims and law enforcement. Multiple studies have used the term Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) that focus on a technology-centric approach. However, the paper considers Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (COSEA) child-centric approach as we explore challenges of a child accessing the internet and engaging in online activities. Methods: This study analyses COSEA using the MITRE tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) framework to examine perpetrator behavior, motives, and potential attribution, considering the evolving threat landscape. Results: TTP-based analysis enables the identification of adversary intent, methods, and opportunities. The study contributions are threefold: (1) we explore COSEA and its manifestations; (2) we apply the MITRE TTP framework with subjective expert judgment to analyze perpetrator behavior and the victim; for instance, what leads victims to become complicit in wrong acts; and (3) propose mitigation strategies and stakeholder roles. Conclusion: By integrating technical, social, and behavioral perspectives, it highlights the roles of economic, societal, and deterrence factors and recommends policy, education, and collaborative threat-intelligence sharing to enhance child online safety. Full article

Background/Objectives: Siblings of children with the life-limiting disease Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD) are growing up witnessing rapid disease progression and death, affecting development and psychological wellbeing. Family-centred palliative care should include sibling support, but research on sibling needs is scarce. This semi-structured interview study aims to describe parents’ perceptions of siblings’ behavioural adaptation, emotional reactions, and support needs. Methods: Seven parents recruited from a national resource centre for rare disorders participated in semi-structured interviews that were audiotaped and transcribed. Content analysis was used to identify recurrent themes. Results: Siblings were described as more mature, patient, caring, appreciative, and sociable than other children due to life with the ill child. Expressions of love and concern, fear, sadness and sorrow, anger, and hope were described. Parents described how sibling support implies strengthening close family relations and providing resources at home, external support, and information. Conclusion: This study shows that sibling support involves all instances surrounding the family and ill child, and that a family-centred, trauma-sensitive approach is needed. Full article

Children are some of the most vulnerable members of society who must be protected at all costs. Zimbabwe has a long history of disjointed formal and indigenous social protection systems, which have resulted in the exclusion of many children, leading to high levels of child abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence. In policy and practice, there is a strong bias towards the ineffective statist formal system, yet the indigenous social protection system is the mainstay for the protection of most children. The study aimed to explore how asset-based community development can be used as a strategy to integrate the fragmented formal and indigenous social protection systems for sustainable child protection. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design was employed, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from 76 participants. The study findings indicate that asset-based community development by positioning the indigenous social protection system at the centre of the social protection framework provides a blueprint for a community-led and integrated social protection system, which can translate into effective child protection. This system, which utilises a wider network of community and external resources, can counteract the limits of fragmented social protection and sustainably promote child protection among impoverished households in Zimbabwe and similar contexts. The recommendation is that asset-based community development should be promoted as a strategy towards integrated social protection and sustainable child protection. Full article

This study explores how pre-service early childhood educators imagine and anticipate their upcoming practicum experience before entering the classroom, focusing on how schooling is both remembered and reimagined in advance of practice. Drawing on qualitative data from open-ended prompts in a Google Forms survey with undergraduate teacher education students, the study examines expectations regarding childhood, schooling, the teacher’s role, and practicum challenges. Using thematic analysis, the findings reveal persistent tensions in how participants conceptualize teaching and learning. While students frequently articulate child-centred and democratic ideals—emphasizing care, participation, and experiential learning—their responses simultaneously reproduce elements of the schoolized mind, through which schooling is imagined as structured by control, transmission, evaluation, and teacher authority. Practicum is anticipated both as a learning opportunity and as a moment of exposure requiring competence, classroom management, and error avoidance. The findings suggest that pre-service teachers approach practicum through already sedimented and socially shaped imaginaries of schooling. These anticipatory frameworks highlight the need for teacher education to critically engage with how schooling is imagined, in order to better shape future pedagogical practice. Full article

Children’s everyday routes to school are increasingly recognised as important environments shaping physical and mental well-being. Yet, their emotional dimension remains insufficiently integrated into health-oriented urban design research, particularly in cities without formalised School Street policies. This study examines how children in Belgrade perceive and emotionally experience their everyday school routes and how such evidence can inform context-sensitive urban design. A mixed-method, child-centred participatory approach was applied with primary school pupils, combining participatory evaluation boards, cognitive route mapping, photo documentation, and facilitated classroom discussion. The material was analysed through qualitative coding, triangulation, and a health-oriented reinterpretation of the SCORELINE framework (h_SCORELINE). The findings reveal recurring stress nodes associated with traffic-dominated streets, complex crossings, obstructed sidewalks, and poorly legible route segments, which children linked to fear, discomfort, and insecurity. By contrast, greenery, recognisable landmarks, visually calm environments, and wider pedestrian spaces emerged as joy nodes associated with comfort, enjoyment, and emotional ease. These patterns suggest that children’s emotional-spatial evidence can enrich the assessment of school-route environments beyond conventional traffic indicators alone. By linking children’s lived experiences with health-oriented urban design, the study provides evidence-based support for the gradual introduction of School Streets in Belgrade. It offers a transferable framework for integrating child-centred experiential knowledge into healthier street design. Full article

Children are largely absent from circular economy and bioeconomy research, limiting opportunities for early development of systems thinking, sustainability competencies, and inclusive knowledge production. This paper presents a qualitative case study of the Horizon 2020 AgroCycle project (2016–2019), examining how primary school children were engaged as co-researchers through a transdisciplinary, participatory model. Analysis draws on project deliverables, educational resources, workshop records, internal reports, and dissemination materials. The study shows how children and adult co-researchers explored waste valorisation, bioresource transformation, and biobased material innovation in Irish schools. Valorisation in the context of the bioeconomy is the process of converting residues from farming, food, forestry and marine sources into high-value products such as biofertilisers, biofuels and biochemicals. It situates AgroCycle within European sustainability policy, highlighting its influence on subsequent initiatives, including Horizon Europe BioBeo and BiOrbic, Research Ireland’s Centre for Bioeconomy. By combining qualitative case study methodology with reflective practitioner analysis, the paper demonstrates how child-centred, transdisciplinary research can enhance sustainability education, support SDG-aligned competencies, and promote inclusive approaches to circular economy and bioeconomy transitions. Full article

Background: A paediatric cancer diagnosis is a profound stressor for the entire family system. Although coping strategies are well-studied, their link to the quality of the parent–child attachment relationship remains less explored. In this study, we investigated whether dyadic attachment dynamics—specifically closeness and conflict between parent and child—are associated with the use of adaptive or maladaptive coping strategies in caregivers of children undergoing active treatment for oncohaematological diseases. Methods: We conducted a multicentre, cross-sectional study across three Italian paediatric oncohaematology centres. A total of 165 caregivers of 91 paediatric patients aged 3–17 years completed self-report measures assessing parent–child relationship quality (Child–Parent Relationship Scale-CPRS), coping strategies (COPE-NVI), perceived social support (MSPSS), and resilience (RS-14). We tested whether the quality of the parent–child attachment relationship is associated with caregivers’ coping strategies. We hypothesised that Attachment Closeness would be associated with adaptive coping (Positive Attitude, Social Support, Problem Orientation), whereas Attachment Conflict would be associated with maladaptive coping (Avoidance). We conducted multiple linear regression models, adjusted for key covariates and with robust standard errors clustered at the family level, to test these hypotheses. Results: Higher levels of emotional closeness (CPRS) were significantly associated with greater use of adaptive coping strategies, specifically Positive Attitude (β = 0.20, p = 0.049) and Problem Orientation (β = 0.26, p = 0.002), even after controlling for sociodemographic factors, social support, and resilience. Conversely, higher levels of relational conflict were significantly associated with greater use of the maladaptive Avoidance strategy (β = 0.14, p = 0.015). The hypothesis linking closeness to Social Support seeking was not supported. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the parent–child attachment relationship is a significant correlate of caregiver coping strategies in caregivers of children with cancer. Interventions aimed at supporting the caregiver–child dyad by fostering emotional closeness and reducing conflict may promote more adaptive parental coping mechanisms, thereby enhancing family resilience and psychological adjustment throughout the treatment journey. Full article