What parents want: Parent preference regarding sleep for their preschool child when attending Early Care and Education

Background While most children cease napping between the ages of 2 and 5 years, across a range of international settings the allocation of a mandatory naptime is a common feature of the daily routine in Early Care and Education (ECE) programs for children of this age. Evidence regarding the developmental effects of napping is limited but, beyond age 2, is consistently associated with delayed night sleep onset and increased number of awakenings. Objectives The present study examined parent preferences towards napping in ECE. Methods Participants were 750 parents of preschool-aged children attending a representative sample of Australian ECE programs across metropolitan, regional and rural sites in 2011. We analysed quantitative and open-ended questionnaire data from a large, longitudinal study of the effectiveness of Australian early education programs (E4Kids). Statistical analyses examined prevalence of parent preference for sleep and demographic correlates. Thematic analyses were employed to identify parents' rationale for this preference. Results The majority of parents (78.7%) preferred that their children did not regularly sleep while attending ECE. The dominant explanation provided by parents was that regular naps were no longer appropriate and adversely impacted their children's health and development. Parents of younger children were more likely to support regular naps. Conclusions The results highlight a disjuncture between parent preferences and current sleep policy and practices in ECE. Further research is needed to establish evidence-based guidelines to support healthy sleep-rest practices in ECE. Such evidence will guide appropriate practice and support parent-educator communication regarding sleep and rest.

Long-term ambient air pollution exposure and self-reported morbidity in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health: A cross-sectional study

- Objective We sought to assess the effect of long-term exposure to ambient air pollution on the prevalence of self-reported health outcomes in Australian women. - Design Cross-sectional study - Setting and participants The geocoded residential addresses of 26 991 women across 3 age cohorts in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health between 2006 and 2011 were linked to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure estimates from a land-use regression model. Annual average NO2 concentrations and residential proximity to roads were used as proxies of exposure to ambient air pollution. - Outcome measures Self-reported disease presence for diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and self-reported symptoms of allergies, breathing difficulties, chest pain and palpitations. - Methods Disease prevalence was modelled by population-averaged Poisson regression models estimated by generalised estimating equations. Associations between symptoms and ambient air pollution were modelled by multilevel mixed logistic regression. Spatial clustering was accounted for at the postcode level. - Results No associations were observed between any of the outcome and exposure variables considered at the 1% significance level after adjusting for known risk factors and confounders. - Conclusions Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution was not associated with self-reported disease prevalence in Australian women. The observed results may have been due to exposure and outcome misclassification, lack of power to detect weak associations or an actual absence of associations with self-reported outcomes at the relatively low annual average air pollution exposure levels across Australia.

Exterior view of Schoenbeck residence; Stadtoldendorf, Germany.

Photo owned by Annette Rochaix, Belmont Switz. Deposited: Archiv Cantonales, Remens, Switz. Copy by T. Krakauer

Reproduction of painted portrait of Marcus Elias Marcus, age 76. Portraits Men

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Portrait of Louis Gottschalk, Julia Rothschild, Henriette Rothschild und Jenny Rothschild looking at photo album.

From left to right: Julia Rothschild, Henriette Rothschild, Jenny Rothschild; Louis Gottschalk stanting

Portrait of Elly Goldschmidt and her children Ilse and Robert. Portraits Family

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Portrait of Joseph and his sister Elly Schoenbeck; Cologne, Germany. Portraits family

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Portrait of Fanny Goldschmidt. portraits women

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Portrait of Hirsch Lucas Goldschmidt Portraits men

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Ilse and Robert Goldschmidt with their parents Albert Goldschmidt and Elly nee Schoenbeck grandfather Albert Schoenbeck and great grandmother Sophie Schoenbeck nee Mahler. Portraits Family

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Portrait of Sophie Schoenbeck nee Mahler; Detmold, Germany. Portraits women

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Portrait of Joseph Rothschild and his wife Rosalie nee Stern; Bad Ems, Germany. Portraits Couples

Handwritten on verso of original photograph: Joseph u Rosalie Rothschild

Portrait of Albert Schoenbeck and Julie nee Rothschild; Cologne Portraits Couples

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Portrait of the engineer and geneologist Robert Goldschmidt Portraits Men

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Reproduction of painted portrait of Marcus Elias Marcus, age 76 Portraits Men

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