Search Results (1,746)

Background/Objectives: Interprofessional training wards (ITWs) are effective in fostering interprofessional collaboration during undergraduate medical training. Ensuring safety is particularly crucial for vulnerable patient groups. We developed a safety concept for the pediatric cardiology ITW, enabling nursing trainees and final-year medical students to independently care for children with congenital heart defects (CHDs). This study aims to evaluate whether our safety concept allows the inclusion of patients with CHDs in the care provided by our ITW. It also seeks to evaluate patient feedback, including their perception of safety, and to investigate whether there is a correlation between the input and the severity of the heart defect. Methods: From 2020 to 2023, 16 ITW blocks were evaluated, each lasting 3–4 weeks. The three-stage safety concept includes patient selection, emergency prevention and emergency training. CHD severity in treated patients was recorded, and experiences were assessed via parent/patient questionnaires. Results: Between August 2020 and November 2023, 183 patients with mild (n = 52), moderate (n = 28), and severe (n = 103) CHDs were treated. The severity of CHDs was generally higher compared to other pediatric cardiology wards in Germany. There was no significant difference between the severity of CHDs of the patient treated by the ITW and those treated on the regular ward. Of 140 completed questionnaires, 99% of respondents would recommend the program. Overall impressions ranged from “very good” (81%) to “good” (19%), with a high sense of safety reported. Positive free-text comments highlighted the team’s competence and friendliness. Conclusions: The safety concept enabled the successful treatment of patients across all CHD severities, providing a transferable model for safe, interprofessional care in ITWs. Full article

Background: Late preterm delivery accounts for approximately 5% of all births. Although there is a growing body of literature recognizing that children born late preterm are at risk for mild neurodevelopmental issues, these children are often excluded from follow-up programs. From a preventive perspective, it could be useful to promote protective factors for child development. Among these, human milk feeding is highly recommended due to its advantages for child health and development. However, there is limited research on the complex interactions between late preterm birth, human milk feeding, and subsequent cognitive and emotional development. This paper aims to explore these interactions. Methods: This study focuses on late preterm children aged 8 to 12 years who are attending school. A trained psychologist conducted assessments of cognitive development using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III). Additionally, the family pediatrician gathered neonatal and current growth data, while parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist 6–18 (CBCL) regarding their child’s emotional and behavioral profile. Results: A significant impact of early nutrition on children’s cognitive development was observed, with those fed human or formula milk scoring higher than those in the mixed milk group. Additionally, early feeding, high maternal and low paternal perception of externalizing difficulties significantly predicted children’s cognitive development. Conclusions: The study suggests the potential role of early nutrition and externalizing difficulties in the cognitive development of late preterm children at school age. Therefore, the inclusion of protective factors such as breastfeeding should be encouraged in future research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Eating disorders (EDs) in adolescents are increasingly prevalent. In South Tyrol, a bilingual region in Northern Italy, not only actual gender and age prevalences can be compared to screening rates, but even the comparability of screening tools across languages can be examined. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis integrated clinical registry data with representative, online school-recruited adolescents (11 to 17) self-reports. 166 clinically diagnosed cases and 1465 screened adolescents (1246 German, 219 Italian), were examined. The SCOFF questionnaire (cutoff ≥ 2 for German and ≥3 for Italian), body mass index, body image perception, psychosocial and lifestyle indicators in proxy and self-reports were examined using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: The clinical dataset for 2024 has a prevalence rate of 0.4%. The SCOFF screening tool identified symptomatic cases in 10.6%, and an age-increasing trend among females. The overall SCOFF-prevalence did not differ between language versions, although responses to individual items varied significantly. Predictors of ED included body image, psychosomatic complaints, problematic social media use, and low social support, with differences between genders. Parents tended to underestimate their children’s perception of being “too thick.” Conclusions: In early adolescence, preventive strategies are needed and targeted interventions in late adolescence. For early detection and intervention, gender-sensitive prevention and active parental involvement is needed. The SCOFF questionnaire demonstrates utility across both languages, but bilingual comparison highlights the need for culturally adapted tools and cross-language validation. Full article

The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend seasonal influenza vaccination for all individuals aged 6 months and older. Despite high national immunization rates, the influenza vaccination coverage among Saudi children remains unclear. Parental knowledge and attitudes significantly impact children’s vaccination rates. Purpose: This study aims to evaluate parental knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding influenza vaccination and identify barriers to vaccination uptake among children in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The population includes parents having children aged 6 months to 14 years. A cross-sectional survey utilizing a 33-item validated questionnaire was conducted to evaluate parental awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward the influenza vaccine. Inferential statistics were employed to evaluate demographic factors influencing parental knowledge and attitudes toward vaccination. Results: This study surveyed 407 parents from Al-Madinah, focusing on their awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards seasonal influenza vaccination. The sample was primarily Saudi (86.7%), with a mean age of 34 years. Most parents (95.6%) were aware of the vaccine, primarily through media and campaigns. Despite this, only 44.5% had vaccinated themselves or their children, citing perceptions of influenza as mild, vaccine ineffectiveness, and availability issues as primary reasons for non-vaccination. Knowledge about influenza varied, with most parents aware of its contagiousness (64.4%) and symptoms, but misconceptions persisted, such as believing the vaccine could cause the flu. Parental attitudes towards vaccination were mostly positive, with high trust in health information sources and a mean attitude score of 22.48 out of 35. Positive attitudes were correlated with better knowledge and more frequent infection control practices. Age, education, and medical profession status significantly influenced knowledge, while vaccine attitudes were most favorable among those vaccinated (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Most parents in Al-Madinah recognize the importance of vaccination; however, misconceptions about vaccine safety, perceived low need, and barriers such as vaccine availability persist. Sociodemographic factors, including education, income, and profession, are linked to better knowledge and more positive attitudes toward vaccination. Full article

Historical records and tomb inscriptions have provided foundational insights into the lives of elite women in the Tang Dynasty. However, our understanding of their beliefs—particularly their modes of participation and how they negotiated the tensions between faith and familial responsibilities—remains limited. Most existing scholarship has concentrated on their relationships with parents and children, exploring how they balanced personal spiritual obligations with filial piety and filial duties. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to how they managed their relationships with their husbands. This gap in research is partly attributable to the prevailing assumption that women involved in religious ordination were unmarried, either divorced or widowed. This study examines tomb inscriptions of two prominent elite women—Madame Li and Lady Liu—to investigate how they negotiated their faith within the context of their familial and marital relationships. I argue that, owing to their social status, women in the Tang Dynasty, particularly those from the noble and elite classes, engaged in religious activities through a variety of modes that reflect their multifaceted participation in religious life. This broader participation not only challenges conventional perceptions of women’s religious involvement but also reveals the complex ways in which gender, social status, and religious expression intersected during this period. Full article

Background: Child and adolescent obesity represent an increasing public health concern due to their physical consequences and impact on mental health. Recent studies have shown a significant association between obesity and depressive disorders during childhood and adolescence. The primary aim of this review was to analyze scientific evidence on the relationship between obesity and mental health in children and adolescents, with a particular focus on depressive symptoms and the use of anthropometric indicators. Secondary objectives included identifying the most common assessment tools, describing treatment approaches, and exploring mediating factors. Methods: A scoping literature review was conducted. The PubMed, Cochrane, and SciELO databases were searched for records published between 2015 and 2025 that met the inclusion criteria. Results: The 24 studies identified revealed a significant association between obesity and depressive symptoms, although considerable methodological heterogeneity was noted. Some studies reported a direct relationship with BMI, whereas others emphasized mediating factors such as body image perception and self-esteem. Cognitive–behavioral interventions and integrated programs showed both physical and psychological benefits. Conclusions: The relationship between child and adolescent obesity and mental health is complex and multifactorial. Findings support the development of multidisciplinary interventions that simultaneously address nutritional and psychological aspects. Full article

Background: Adolescents spend much of their leisure time using technological devices, especially mobile phones and video games, making their use susceptible to becoming problematic. Objectives: This study aims to examine the relationship between social anxiety and risk perception in problematic mobile phone use (PMU) and problematic video game use (PVGU) among adolescents aged 10 to 16, considering potential gender differences. Methods: A total of 757 participants completed the Spanish version of the Cuestionario de uso problemático de nuevas tecnologías (UPNT), the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale for Adolescents (MPPUSA), and the Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised (SASC-R). Results: Boys reported higher PVGU scores, and significant differences were observed between genders in perceptions of risks associated with both PMU and PVGU. No differences emerged in overall social anxiety or its subfactors. Within each gender, positive associations were observed between PMU, PVGU, and social anxiety. Predictive models explained up to 63% of the variance, identifying different risk and protective factors for boys and girls. Conclusions: Both PMU and PVGU should be analyzed from a gender perspective. Although there are similarities between genders, relevant differences highlight the need for tailored preventive strategies. Full article

Categorical liaison—defined as the obligatory pronunciation of a latent word in the form of a final consonant when followed by a vowel as the initial word or a word beginning with a silent “h” (e.g., des‿ours [dezuʁs])—is a robust phonological phenomenon in French and an informative window into morphophonological development. This exploratory behavioral study investigates the dissociation between perception and production of categorical liaisons among 24 French-speaking children aged 6–10 years diagnosed with expressive Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). A battery of nine ad hoc tasks assessed perception and production across words, pseudowords, noun phrases, and sentences. Results showed that children with DLD performed comparably to typically developing peers in perceiving unrealized categorical liaisons but exhibited significantly more omissions in production, regardless of context or age. Production deficits correlated with reduced working memory and inhibitory control. These preliminary findings provide descriptive data that can inform the development of standardized assessment tools and generate hypotheses about the cognitive mechanisms underlying categorical liaison difficulties in DLD. Full article

Background/Objectives: Public health emergencies disrupt school routines and child development, elevating psychosocial risk. The long-term influence of school-based participatory arts, particularly drama pedagogy, has not been sufficiently explored. This study examined teachers’ retrospective perceptions of the four-year effects of a large-scale, remotely delivered drama-based intervention on children’s psychosocial well-being and school community resilience. Methods: We conducted a retrospective interpretative phenomenological study with 23 primary-school teachers who implemented a seven-week, drama-based program with children aged 10–12 during a public health emergency. Semi-structured interviews were conducted four years post-implementation and analyzed following the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, using the Community Resilience Framework as a sensitizing theoretical lens. Results: According to teachers’ retrospective accounts, participatory arts were perceived to function as a complementary public-health-oriented practice, helping maintain children’s connection to school, and were associated with strengthening trust, creativity, and solidarity, as well as supporting communication, emotional expression, adaptability, and collaborative skills. Teachers reported that stable rituals and drama-based practices appeared to foster a sense of safety amid disruption; over time, some of these practices were reported as becoming part of everyday school routines, which teachers associated with continuity and collective resilience. Conclusions: Integrating drama-based interventions into school health and psychosocial crisis-readiness may strengthen pediatric public health strategies and may help education systems to respond to future emergencies. These findings reflect teachers’ perceptions of sustained influence and suggest the perceived value of arts-based methods in developmental/behavioral support and school community resilience. By addressing emotional regulation, peer connection, and psychosocial adaptation within school settings, the intervention reflects the preventive and promotive dimensions of pediatric public health, emphasizing the school’s role as an environment that supports children’s overall mental and developmental health. Full article

Table tennis (TT) is recognized for its accessibility, adaptability, and health benefits, making it suitable for physical education (PE). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of TT implementation in primary school PE classes and explored associations with teacher characteristics and perceptions regarding injury risk, safety, inclusivity for students with disabilities or special educational needs, student engagement, and the educational value in PE curricula. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 393 Spanish primary school PE teachers who completed the validated Racket Sports Attitude Scale (RSAS). Associations between teacher characteristics and TT use were tested using Pearson’s Chi-square, with effect sizes reported as Cramer’s V, Phi, and Somers’ D for ordinal variables. Additional analyses examined links between TT adoption and perceptions of injury risk, inclusivity, safety for pupils, ability to enhance engagement, and its educational value in PE. Only 11.7% of teachers reported using TT in PE classes. Implementation rates were not significantly different by sex but were associated with age (χ² = 27.2, p < 0.001, Somers’ D = 0.071) and teaching experience (χ² = 30.0, p < 0.001, Somers’ D = 0.099). TT use showed strong associations with perceptions of lower injury risk (Cramer’s V = 0.707), suitability for students with disabilities (0.712), special educational needs (0.715), safety (0.707), engagement (0.712), and educational value (0.716) (p < 0.001). Despite positive perceptions, TT is underutilized in PE curricula. Full article

The paper presents the issue of acquired and secondary auditory processing disorder (APD) in children and adolescents in the Polish population. The authors analyzed a group of individuals with APD and younger children who were at risk based on a detailed interview with parents. A comparison of developmental factors showed several similarities between the risk and diagnosed APD groups, including abnormal muscle tone (64.29% vs. 33.33%), ear diseases (42.86% vs. 57.58%), and complicated delivery (32.14% vs. 39.39%). In terms of school factors, the most significant difficulties were associated with poor concentration (78.57% vs. 54.55%), irregularities in mastering phonology related to writing (67.86% vs. 75.76%), and reading (64.29% vs. 78.79%), as well as problems with understanding speech-in-noise perception (60.71% vs. 57.58%). A comparison of children at risk of APD and those with a confirmed diagnosis revealed multiple similarities. The results were visualized using Pareto charts to highlight the most influential factors. The results indicate the need to disseminate screening that could show the APD risk group. Therefore, the diagnostic process could be performed more quickly in such individuals. Based on recurring developmental factors, the Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ) was developed as a non-clinical screening tool to identify children potentially at risk of APD. The RAQ demonstrated a moderate discriminative potential (AUC = 0.68; sensitivity = 75%; specificity = 68%) and may support early referral for diagnostic evaluation. The results highlight the value of systematic screening to accelerate diagnosis and intervention, especially in populations where access to formal assessment is limited. Full article

Background/Objectives: Time is a valuable and limited source that must be managed to participate in life domains efficiently. Time perception is an essential skill for managing the time, based on executive functions. This study examined the effects of animation therapy on time perception and daily routines in 7–10-year-old children through executive functions. Methods: Sixty-three typically developing children were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received 10 weeks of animation therapy, while the control group followed daily routines. Time perception was assessed using Duration Discrimination and Reproduction tasks, and daily routines with the Executive Functions and Occupational Routines Scale (EFORTS). Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in Duration Discrimination (500 ms: p = 0.02; 800 ms: p = 0.01), Duration Reproduction (800 ms: p = 0.05), and EFORTS subscales (p = 0.00), except Morning and Evening Routines (p > 0.05). Medium to large effect sizes were observed for time perception (r = −0.34 to −0.61) and small to large for EFORTS (r = −0.28 to −0.75). The control group showed no to small effects in time perception (r = −0.02 to −0.14) and no to medium effects in EFORTS (r = −0.07 to −0.45). Conclusions: Animation therapy may enhance children’s synchronization of time perception with physical time, benefiting social, leisure, and play routines through executive functions. Thus, it could be a valuable addition to occupational therapy interventions. Full article

As urbanization accelerates, the growing needs of children have led to a significant imbalance between supply and demand in urban spaces. Creating child-friendly environments is crucial for enhancing urban resilience and promoting sustainable development. However, there is currently a lack of sufficient quantitative methods to assess child-friendliness and analyze the complex interactions between children’s perceptions and spatial factors. This study uses the central area of Xiamen as a case study to explore how different street environment characteristics influence perceptions of child-friendliness. This study integrates empathy-based stories (MEBS), street scene image analysis, XGBoost machine learning, and GeoSHapley spatial analysis to explore children’s perceptions of urban spaces. The study reveals that: (1) The child-friendly resources in the central urban area of Xiamen are concentrated in the northeastern and Huli districts, while a supply–demand mismatch exists in Siming District, which has a higher population density; (2) Greenness and pavement coverage are critical in shaping child-friendliness, with greenness having the greatest positive impact; (3) Some areas with child-friendly renovations have a lower child-friendliness index, whereas regions like Guanyinshan, which did not undergo renovations, scored higher; (4) The interaction between greenness and openness positively influences perceptions, while enclosure and visual complexity have a negative effect. Building on the need for child-friendly environments, this study develops a spatial analysis framework to quantify the alignment of child-friendly supply and demand in Xiamen’s central urban area, identify regions with mismatched supply and demand, and offer spatial decision support to improve urban environmental quality and promote sustainable development. Full article

Background: Corporal punishment (CP) remains a common disciplinary practice in many countries, despite evidence of its negative consequences for children’s development. Objective: This study examined the effectiveness of a culturally adapted intervention aimed at reducing parents’ use of CP. Method: Using a 12-month quasi-experimental longitudinal design, the study included an intervention group (n = 21) and a control group (n = 17). We administered standardized instruments at pretest and posttest to assess changes in parenting behavior, emotional regulation, and perceptions of child behavior. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to model nonlinear relationships and classify group membership. Results: The intervention group showed significant improvements in parenting practices and emotion regulation. The ANN model classified participants with 74.6% accuracy. Key predictive variables included emotional suppression, physical punishment, and parental support and acceptance. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of the SERES program in reducing harmful parenting behaviors and promoting positive practices. Additionally, the use of AI models proved to be valuable for understanding complex behavioral changes, offering a promising approach for optimizing future interventions aimed at strengthening parenting and preventing family violence. Full article

Children remain underrepresented in environmental health studies, and evidence on how climate-related exposures affect pediatric health and school absenteeism is limited. This pilot cross-sectional study reports pediatric symptoms, school attendance, and perceptions of climate change among 300 Bangladeshi children ages 6–12 years old in three sites: Barhatta, Galachipa, and Sarankhola. Health status, climate-related perception, and educational disruption were assessed with validated questionnaires. Clinical staff measured peak expiratory flow rate, hemoglobin, and blood lead concentrations. Rash (48%), asthma (21%), and positive screening for epilepsy (17%) were most prevalent in Sarankhola. Mean hemoglobin was lower in Sarankhola (11.0 g/dL) than in the other sites. Awareness of climate change was 100% in Galachipa and Sarankhola, while 32% in Barhatta, with television and health workers being the common sources of information. Almost one in every three children missed at least three days of school in the last month with illness, climate-related emergencies, and unexpected school closures being frequent causes. These findings indicate that Bangladeshi children, especially those living in coastal areas, face the health and educational risks related to climate change, and that longitudinal and environmental monitoring studies are needed. Full article