OECD Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Ireland - Information Note

Thematic reviews of early childhood policy originated in response to a significant change in Western societies in the latter part of the 20th century. In effect, the care and education of young children in the industrialised world had shifted from the private to the public sphere, to become a shared responsibility of families and the state. Not only was the provision of equal access to women to the labour market an important goal in this development, but also the issue of giving every child a fair start in life and at school.

Healthy child, healthy future - Speech and language therapy: Factsheet for parents 3. Talk to your child in your own language

This factsheet encourages non-English speaking parents to talk to their children in their own language.

Attaining the minimum target of resolution WHA 54.19 for schistosomiasis control in the Rainforest Zone of the state of Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil

Resolution 19 of the 54th World Health Assembly (WHA-54.19) urged member nations to promote preventive measures, ensure treatment and mobilize resources for control of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH). The minimum target is to attend 75% of all school-age children at risk by year 2010. The Brazilian Ministry of Health (MoH) recommends biennial surveys of whole communities and treatment of the positives through the Schistosomiasis Control Program within the Unified Health System (PCE-SUS). However, by 2004 the PCE-SUS had covered only 8.4% of the 1.2 million residents in the Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco (ZMP). Six of the 43 municipalities still remained unattended. Only three of the municipalities already surveyed reached coverage of 25% or more. At least 154 thousand children in the 7-14 years old range have to be examined (and treated if positive) within the next five years to attend the minimum target of the WHA 54.19 for the ZMP. To make this target feasible, it is suggested that from 2006 to 2010 the PCE-SUS actions should be complemented with school-based diagnosis and treatment, involving health and educational organs as well as community associations to include both children in schools and non-enrolled school-age children.

Rotavirus and adenovirus in Rondônia

Acute gastroenteritis is one of the most common diseases in humans worldwide. Viral gastroenteritis is a global problem in infants and young children. In this study the incidence of diarrhea was assessed in 877 hospitalized children under five years old, over a period of 24 months and distributed in 470 cases of diarrhea and 407 age-matched group with other pathologies, as control group. Two antigen detection techniques based on enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and latex particles were used for detection of rotavirus and adenovirus. Rotavirus A was a major cause of gastroenteritis with 23.6% of cases, being 90% of these cases in young children. Adenovirus infections was detected by EIA with frequency of 6.4%. Rotavirus and adenovirus were detected in 10.1 and 1.7% of stools from control group, respectively. Interestingly, the frequency of the youngest children in the control group excreting Rotavirus A was comparable to that detected in stools from diarrheic children. We cannot rule out the existence of other enteric viruses because the etiology of 171 cases of diarrhea was not determined and active search for astrovirus and calicivirus was not done. This is the first study that shows the presence of enteric viruses in the infantile population from Western Brazilian Amazonia and it was important to help physicians in the treatment of viral gastroenteritis.

Congenital toxoplasmosis and DALYs in the Netherlands

The calculation of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) enables public health policy makers to compare the burden of disease of a specific disease with that of other (infectious) diseases. The incidence of a disease is important for the calculation of DALYs. To estimate the incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis (CT), a random sample of 10,008 dried blood spot filter paper cards from babies born in 2006 in the Netherlands were tested for Toxoplasma gondii-specific IgM antibodies. Eighteen samples were confirmed as positive for IgM, resulting in an observed birth incidence of CT of 1.8 cases per 1,000 live-born children in 2006 and an adjusted incidence of 2.0 cases per 1,000. This means that 388 infected children were born in 2006. The most likely burden of disease is estimated to be 2,300 DALYs (range 820-6,710 DALYs). In the previous calculations, using data from a regional study from 1987, this estimate was 620 DALYs (range 220-1,900 DALYs). The incidence of CT in the Netherlands is much higher than previously reported; it is 10 times higher than in Denmark and 20 times higher than in Ireland, based on estimates obtained using the same methods. There is no screening program in the Netherlands; most children will be born asymptomatic and therefore will not be detected or treated.

Sexueller Missbrauch bei Kindern und Jugendlichen- Aufdeckung, Untersuchung und Erstbetreuung [Sexual abuse of female children and adolescents--detection, examination and primary care].

Epidemiological studies show a prevalence of sexual abuse experience among girls from 14-33%. Although indicators of abuse are unspecific, the combination of several findings may be indicative: Somatic signs may be sexually transmitted diseases, vulvovaginal complaints. Psychosocial nonsexual indicators are abrupt behavioural changes, running away from home, eating disorders. Psychosexual signs are hypersexualisation of the language and behaviour, disturbed body image and gender identity. Indirect evidence of abuse is given not only in cases of old vaginal and anal lesions but also in situations, where deep tears of the hymen in the typical localization at the posterior part can be found. The workup and care for children in whom there is suspicion of abuse but no clear evidence asks for highly competent professionals in a multidisciplinary cooperation including pediatric gynecologists, child psychiatrists, children-protection groups and other specialists to avoid on one hand unjustified destabilisation or even destruction of familial structures but to assure on the other hand, that the child victims are treated and followed after in a short and long term comprehensive medical and psychosocial care.

Total antioxidant capacity of plasma in asymptomatic carrier state of Neisseria meningitidis

Reduction of the antioxidant capacity of plasma has been linked with the impairment of an effective immune response and so we hypothesized that the carriage rate of Neisseria meningitidis in asymptomatic subjects might correlate with the levels of antioxidants in plasma. To this end we took pharyngeal swabs from 339 children in Marquesado Basic Health Zone, Granada, Spain and in addition determined the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma samples from these subjects. The overall prevalence of N. meningitidis carriage was 5.9% (mean age 7.1 years) with rates of 10.3% in children aged 3 < or =years, 3.9% between 4 and 7 years and 2.4% in older subjects. Plasma TAC for the < or =3-year-olds was 0.13 for carriers and 1.10 for non-carrier controls (P=0.04), 0.13 for carriers aged 4-7 years (controls 0.63) and 0.28 for carriers aged >7 years (controls 0.52). We analysed the association between TAC in plasma (<0.37 - 2 S.D.) and the carrier state of N. meningitidis. In the carrier state, the odds ratio for this association (TAC in plasma <0.25) was 8.44 (95% CI 1.5-48.9). These findings may suggest a reduced immune response in the host favourable to nasopharyngeal persistence of meningococci.

Parvovirus B19 antibodies and correlates of infection in pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in central Nigeria

Human parvovirus B19 infection is associated with spontaneous abortion, hydrops foetalis, intrauterine foetal death, erythema infectiosum (5th disease), aplastic crisis and acute symmetric polyarthropathy. However, data concerning Nigerian patients with B19 infection have not been published yet. The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of B19 IgG and IgM antibodies, including correlates of infection, among pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in Nigeria. Subsequent to clearance from an ethical committee, blood samples were collected between August-November 2008 from 273 pregnant women between the ages of 15-40 years who have given their informed consent and completed self-administered questionnaires. Recombinant IgG and IgM enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kits (Demeditec Diagnostics, Germany) were used for the assays. Out of the 273 participants, 111 (40.7%) had either IgG or IgM antibodies. Out of these, 75 (27.5%) had IgG antibodies whereas 36 (13.2%) had IgM antibodies, and those aged 36-40 years had the highest prevalence of IgG antibodies. Significant determinants of infection (p < 0.05) included the receipt of a blood transfusion, occupation and the presence of a large number of children in the household. Our findings have important implications for transfusion and foeto-maternal health policy in Nigeria. Routine screening for B19 IgM antibodies and accompanying clinical management of positive cases should be made mandatory for all Nigerian blood donors and women of childbearing age.

Art i Baix Ter : artistes actuals i paisatge

Aquest projecte de recerca proposa un estudi emmarcat en la realitat actual de lazona geogràfica del Baix Ter enfocat des d’un prisma transversal que col·labori a feraflorar noves reflexions sobre el territori i el paisatge a partir d’algunes de les aportacionsque s’estan produint des de les arts plàstiques.La investigació pretén omplir un buit historiogràfic existent pel que fa alpatrimoni d’art contemporani de la zona, tenint en compte la notorietat de la sevariquesa cultural i artística. Es proposa analitzar algunes de les figures artístiques mésrellevants que hi treballen i seleccionar d’aquelles que treballin més directament sobre elterritori, el paisatge i la formació de nous valors al seu entorn

Genetic variability in G2 and F2 region between biological clones of human respiratory syncytial virus with or without host immune selection pressure

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is an important respiratory pathogens among children between zero-five years old. Host immunity and viral genetic variability are important factors that can make vaccine production difficult. In this work, differences between biological clones of HRSV were detected in clinical samples in the absence and presence of serum collected from children in the convalescent phase of the illness and from their biological mothers. Viral clones were selected by plaque assay in the absence and presence of serum and nucleotide sequences of the G2 and F2 genes of HRSV biological clones were compared. One non-synonymous mutation was found in the F gene (Ile5Asn) in one clone of an HRSV-B sample and one non-synonymous mutation was found in the G gene (Ser291Pro) in four clones of the same HRSV-B sample. Only one of these clones was obtained after treatment with the child's serum. In addition, some synonymous mutations were determined in two clones of the HRSV-A samples. In conclusion, it is possible that minor sequences could be selected by host antibodies contributing to the HRSV evolutionary process, hampering the development of an effective vaccine, since we verify the same codon alteration in absence and presence of human sera in individual clones of BR-85 sample.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses in adult patients with Chagas disease treated with a new formulation of benznidazole

Pharmacological treatment of Chagas disease with benznidazole (BNZ) is effective in children in all stages, but it is controversial in chronically infected adults. We report the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in six adult patients with Chagas disease treated with the new BNZ formulation (ABARAX®) in doses between 2.5-5.5 mg/Kg/day. All but one patient had plasmatic BNZ concentrations within the expected range. All patients finalised treatment with nondetectable Trypanosoma cruziquantitative polymerase chain reaction, which remained nondetectable at the six month follow-up. Our data suggests parasitological responses with the new BNZ and supports the hypothesis that treatment protocols with lower BNZ doses may be effective.

Information technologies and communication between parents and children

This is an exploratory study that aims, on the one hand, to examine in more detail how children between 12 and 16 years of age use different audiovisual technologies, what they feel and think when using them, and whom they like to speak to about such experiences. On the other hand, we look more deeply into the interactions between adults and children, particularly between parents and their children, in relation to these technologies when children use them at home or in other places. We analysed responses to questionnaires with several common items, administered separately to parents and children. Children’s responses reflect an important level of dissatisfaction when talking with different adults about media activities. Our findings support the thesis that more and more children socialise through new information and communication technologies with little or no recourse to adult criteria, giving rise to the emergence of specific children’s cultures. Crossing of the responses of parents and those of their own children shows us which aspects of media reality adults overestimate or underestimate in comparison to children, and to what degree certain judgements coincide and differ between generations. The results can be applied to the improvement of relations between adults and adolescents, taking advantage of adolescents’ strong motivation to engage in activities using audiovisual media

Emotional and neuroendocrine regulation in very preterm and full-term infants at six months of age

Emotional and neuroendocrine regulation have been shown to be associated. However, results are inconsistent. This paper explores the functioning and relationships between these two systems in 54 healthy preterm and 25 full-term born infants at six months of age. Results showed significant differences between very preterm and full-term children in emotional intensity and regulation, as well as in neuroendocrine regulation. No evidence of an association between neuroendocrine and emotional regulations was found. Results suggest a possible delay in the maturation of the neuroendocrine system as well as in emotional regulation in very preterm infants.

Home visitors and child health in England: advances and challenges

There is increasing interest in the early years as a focus for reducing health inequalities as well as one that is important for the children themselves. This paper describes the introduction in England of Sure Start Local Programmes, which included home visiting within a community development approach, and an intensive home visiting programme, the Nurse-Family partnership, for disadvantaged teenage mothers. It reflects on changes and challenges in service provision to mothers and their pre-school children in England, explaining that a long tradition of home visiting was, paradoxically, reduced as attention focused on the newer initiatives. This is now being addressed, with attention to a range of evidence based programmes and a specific focus on heath visitor provision.

Research priorities for nursing care of infants, children and adolescents: a West Australian Delphi study.

This paper describes a study that aimed to identify research priorities for the care of infants, children and adolescents at the sole tertiary referral hospital for children in Western Australia. The secondary aim was to stimulate nurses to explore clinical problems that would require further inquiry. Background. Planning for research is an essential stage of research development; involving clinicians in this exercise is likely to foster research partnerships that are pertinent to clinical practice. Nursing research priorities for the paediatric population have not previously been reported in Australia. Design. Delphi study. Method. Over 12 months in 2005-2006, a three-round questionnaire, using the Delphi technique, was sent to a randomly selected sample of registered nurses. This method was used to identify and prioritise nursing research topics relevant to the patient and the family. Content analysis was used to analyse Round I data and descriptive statistics for Round II and III data. Results. In Round I, 280 statements were identified and reduced to 37 research priorities. Analysis of data in subsequent rounds identified the top two priority research areas as (1) identification of strategies to reduce medication incidents (Mean = 6 center dot 47; SD 0 center dot 88) and (2) improvement in pain assessment and management (Mean = 6; SD 1 center dot 38). Additional comments indicated few nurses access the scientific literature or use research findings because of a lack of time or electronic access. Conclusions. Thirty-seven research priorities were identified. The identification of research priorities by nurses provided research direction for the health service and potentially other similar health institutions for children and adolescents in Australia and internationally. Relevance to clinical practice. The nurse participants showed concern about the safety of care and the well-being of children and their families. This study also enabled the identification of potential collaborative research and development of pain management improvement initiatives.