Design of a garment for data collection of toddler language and physical activity

Design process phases of development, evaluation and implementation were used to create a garment to simultaneously collect reliable data of speech production and intensity of movement of toddlers (18-36 months). A series of prototypes were developed and evaluated that housed accelerometer-based motion sensors and a digital transmitter with microphone. The approved test garment was a top constructed from loop-faced fabric with interior pockets to house devices. Extended side panels allowed for sizing. In total, 56 toddlers (28 male; 28 female; 16-36 months of age) participated in the study providing pilot and baseline data. The test garment was effective in collecting data as evaluated for accuracy and reliability using ANOVA for accelerometer data, transcription of video for type of movement, and number and length of utterances for speech production. The data collection garment has been implemented in various studies across disciplines.

Maternal concern about her toddler undereating and becoming underweight and use of feeding practices - analysis of the NOURISH and SAIDI cohorts using structural equation modeling

The chubby baby who eats well is desirable in our culture. Perceived low weight gains and feeding concerns are common reasons mothers seek advice in the early years. In contrast, childhood obesity is a global public health concern. Use of coercive feeding practices, prompted by maternal concern about weight, may disrupt a child’s innate self regulation of energy intake, promoting overeating and overweight. This study describes predictors of maternal concern about her child undereating/becoming underweight and feeding practices. Mothers in the control group of the NOURISH and South Australian Infants Dietary Intake studies (n = 332) completed a self-administered questionnaire when the child was aged 12–16 months. Weight-for-age z-score (WAZ)was derived from weight measured by study staff. Mean age (SD) was 13.8 (1.3) months, mean WAZ (SD), 0.58 (0.86) and 49% were male. WAZ and two questions describing food refusal were combined in a structural equation model with four items from the Infant feeding Questionnaire (IFQ) to form the factor ‘Concern about undereating/weight’. Structural relationships were drawn between concern and IFQ factors ‘awareness of infant’s hunger and satiety cues’, ‘use of food to calm infant’s fussiness’ and ‘feeding infant on a schedule’, resulting in a model of acceptable fit. Lower WAZ and higher frequency of food refusal predicted higher maternal concern. Higher maternal concern was associated with lower awareness of infant cues (r = −.17, p = .01) and greater use of food to calm (r = .13, p = .03). In a cohort of healthy children, maternal concern about undereating and underweight was associated with practices that have the potential to disrupt self-regulation.

The nutritional profile of baby and toddler food products sold in Australian supermarkets

Background/Aims To examine the nutritional profile of baby and toddler foods sold in Australia. Methods Nutrient information for baby and toddler foods available at Australian supermarkets was collected between August and December 2013. Levels of declared energy, total fat, saturated fat, total sugar, sodium and estimated added sugar were examined, as well as the presence of additional micronutrients on the label. The Health Star Rating (HSR) system was used to determine nutritional quality. The range of products on offer was also examined by product type and by the age category for which the product was marketed. Results Of the 309 products included, 29 % were fortified. On a per 100 g basis, these 309 products provided a mean (±SD) of 476 ± 486 kJ, 1.6 ± 2.4 g total fat, 10.7 ± 12.2 g total sugar, 2.7 ± 7.4 g added sugar, and 33.5 ± 66.5 mg sodium. Fruit-based products or products with fruit listed as an ingredient (58 %) were the predominant product type. On the nutrition label, 42 % displayed at least one additional micronutrient while 37 % did not display saturated fat. The most common HSR was four stars (45 %) and 6? months was the most commonly identified targeted age group (36 %). Conclusions The majority of baby and toddler foods sold in Australian supermarkets are ready-made fruit-based products aimed at children under 12 months of age. Baby and toddler foods are overlooked in public policy discussions pertaining to population nutrient intake but their relatively high sugar content deriving from fruits requires close attention to ensure these foods do not replace other more nutrient dense foods, given children have an innate preference for sweet tastes.

Olga Schnitzler with toddler girl (Paula Beer-Hofmann or Henni Schnitzler?) Portraits Groups

Handwritten dedication: Der sehr geliebten Paula! Herzlichst Olga

Olga Schnitzler with toddler girl (Paula Beer-Hofmann or Henni Schnitzler?) Portraits Groups

Handwritten dedication: Der sehr geliebten Paula! Herzlichst Olga

Photograph - Toddler in Winter Attire

A photograph of a toddler in winter attire in an outdoors setting.

Usefulness of the Bayley scales of infant and toddler development, third edition, in the early diagnosis of language disorder

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Toddler techies: a study of young children`s interaction with computers

This article describes an ethnographic study of children's behavioural interaction with multimedia within a familiar context. The rationale for such a study was to provide data and evaluation of the capabilities of young children in an expressly modified multimedia environment and to determine the usefulness of employing technology as an adjunct to young children's play. However, hermeneutic and interpretativist concerns for the study of human action and social practice in the use of technology also informs both the structural, procedural, and evaluative management of the study. Using customised children's software, observation focused on time spent using the computer, the attitude toward the computer, the reaction to the interface, their use and adaptation of the mouse, and adult interventions. Significantly, the results differ appreciably from previous research and possible grounds for this variation is explored.

Mother and toddler activity in the zone of proximal development for pretend play as a predictor of higher child IQ

This study investigated the pretend play of mother—toddler dyads in relation to later child IQ. Twenty-one toddlers were videotaped in monthly play sessions with their mothers, from age 8 to 17 months, and later assessed at 5 years of age on the Stanford-Binet IV. Children's and mothers' pretend play levels and frequencies were measured using Brown's (1997) Pretend Play Observation Scale. Dyadic play activity was analyzed using the conceptual frameworks of scaffolding and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Toddlers later assessed as having higher IQ demonstrated more rapid learning in the ZPD for pretend play and experienced earlier maternal transfer of responsibility for play. These findings support other evidence on the differential early development of high ability or gifted children and the role of caregiver interactions in that development.

Putting the Research to Use: This study provides evidence that gifted children show differential development, in this case more rapid learning, from the first year of life. It also demonstrates how responsive parental interactions can support this advanced development. For family and professional caregivers, the findings imply that optimum caregiving for the young gifted child involves interactions that are both responsive to individual potential and appropriately challenging. In regard to the methodological challenges of researching early giftedness, the study demonstrated that the constructs of the ZPD and scaffolding were useful frameworks for investigating early gifted development and caregiver influences on that development. Pretend play activity was also shown to be an effective measure and a useful context for the study of gifted development in infants and toddlers. It would be valuable for future researchers in this area to utilize similar approaches that are grounded in the unique developmental characteristics of young children, and that aim to account for the interactive contexts that are so important in children's lives. The field of gifted education, in general, would also benefit from an increased awareness and exploration of the role of play in the development of intellect, imagination and creativity.

Problematic placement : pathways pre-service teachers’ perspectives on their infant/toddler placement

The inclusion of an infant/toddler placement in a ‘pathways’ early childhood teaching degree, where students already have qualifications and experience in working with young children, can be problematic. This pilot study investigated student teachers’ views on their infant/toddler (birth-to-two-years) placement. Sixty-six students completing their early childhood education degree at an Australian university responded to a survey seeking their perspectives on the effectiveness of the placement in developing teacher confidence, knowledge and skills, and the quality of the supervision they received. The participants had entered their degree with a two-year Diploma of Children’s Services. Responses indicated significant dissatisfaction with the quality of supervision, the absence of teacher-mentors, and the lack of opportunities to practise new approaches. Participants commented that they ‘already knew’ how to work with this age group, and that they aspired to work with older children. The results align with other findings on factors associated with positive placements, and raise questions about the effectiveness of the infant/toddler placement in its current form.

Do toddlers need iron-fortified toddler foods to ensure their dietary iron requirements are met?

Adequate nutrition during toddlerhood is essential for optimal growth and development, yet biochemical data suggest that 12-24-month-old children are at risk of iron deficiency. Mathematical modelling combined with experimental interventions can provide strong evidence regarding the types of foods required to improve toddler iron status.

Scaffolding, analysis and materials: contributing factors in an unexpected finding of advanced infant/toddler pretend play?

As part of a longitudinal study, infant/toddler pretend play development and maternal play modelling were investigated in dyadic context. A total of 21 children were videotaped in monthly play sessions with their mothers, from age 8 to 17 months. Child and mother pretend play frequencies and levels were measured using Brown’s Pretend Play Observation Scale. Child IQ assessments at 5 years (Stanford–Binet IV) indicated average to high ability levels (M = 122.62). Descriptive analyses showed that children’s levels of pretend development were markedly in advance of age-typical expectations. With a previous analysis showing no specific associations between play levels and IQ, intensive maternal scaffolding, data analysis approaches and use of abstract play materials are proposed as possible contributory factors to the children’s advanced pretend play development.