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Paediatrics research

Everything we have read on paediatrics. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,466 PAPERS · PAGE 13 OF 50 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPPilot2020GEARing smart environments for pediatric motor rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThree young children completed eight sessions in a new playground environment with body-weight support and robots. All children looked at and moved toward the robots, and all completed climbing tasks while following them. This shows the setup works for testing, not that it improves motor skills.
• PTOTCase-Control2020Assessment of bilateral motor skills and visuospatial attention in children with perinatal stroke using a robotic object hitting task.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with perinatal stroke hit fewer balls than peers with both hands, especially after arterial ischemic stroke. The unaffected hand also showed fewer hits, and attention test scores related to performance.
• OTCohort2020Auditory event-related potentials and associations with sensory patterns in children with autism spectrum disorder, developmental delay, and typical development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism showed smaller brain responses to unexpected sounds than children with developmental delay or typical development. Weaker responses were linked to sensory under-response and seeking, not over-response.
• OTCohort2020Brief report: Follow-up outcomes of multisystemic therapy for adolescents with an intellectual disability and the relation with parental intellectual disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAfter accounting for missing follow-up data, gains at treatment end in living at home, school or work and no police contact were not maintained at 18 months. Parents reported less rule-breaking than at start, but no control group limits claims.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Deviation from normative brain development is associated with symptom severity in autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismChildren and young adults with autism whose brain scans predicted an older age than their actual age had milder symptoms. Those with a younger predicted brain age had more severe symptoms. This links brain development speed to symptom severity, not IQ.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2020Learning of skilled movements via imitation in ASD.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism imitated novel gestures less accurately than peers. Their learning curves were flatter early on, catching up by the fourth repetition. This specific pattern of slow initial learning predicted worse motor planning skills and higher autism symptom severity.
• PTOTCohort2020Neurosensory Screening and Symptom Provocation in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationChildren about one week after mild head injury had higher symptom ratings and more symptom increase during neurosensory tests than healthy peers. But test scores did not reliably identify individual injured children; they improved prediction of persistent symptoms at four months.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Disparities in Documented Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Demographic, Individual, and Service Factors.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research25.2% of children whose records showed enough ASD symptoms to meet surveillance criteria had no documented ASD diagnosis. They were more likely to be non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, or other non-Hispanic race, evaluated after age 3, have no intellectual disability, or need fewer supports.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Female adolescents demonstrate greater oculomotor and vestibular dysfunction than male adolescents following concussion.Physical therapy in sport : official journal of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports MedicineFemale adolescents tested within three weeks of a sports concussion were more likely to fail near point of convergence and tandem gait tests than males. No sex differences were found on static balance or gaze stability. These specific deficits may guide early vestibular rehab referral.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Cranial Ultrasound and Minor Motor Abnormalities at 2 Years in Extremely Low Gestational Age Infants.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPMinor motor issues like stiff posture or poor hand control were more common in infants with severe ultrasound findings, but not low-grade ones. Children with any minor motor abnormality used more therapy and feeding supports than peers with normal exams.
• OTSLPOther2019Development of the Stanford Social Dimensions Scale: initial validation in autism spectrum disorder and in neurotypicals.Molecular autismThe Stanford Social Dimensions Scale separates social motivation, affiliation, communication, recognition, and unusual approach into five distinct scores. It reliably measures these traits in children with autism and neurotypical peers, offering a clearer profile of social strengths and weaknesses than existing diagnostic tools.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2019Neuropsychiatric decompensation in adolescents and adults with Phelan-McDermid syndrome: a systematic review of the literature.Molecular autismAdolescents and adults with Phelan-McDermid syndrome show a high risk of sudden neuropsychiatric decompensation, including bipolar disorder and catatonia. Peak onset is between 16 and 20 years. Antipsychotics were often ineffective or poorly tolerated, while lithium and divalproex sodium showed more consistent benefit.
• OTSLPOther2020Development of the Behavioral Inflexibility Scale for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchA new parent-rated scale measures how much a child's rigidity disrupts daily family life, not just the behavior itself. It is reliable and stable over time, helping therapists identify which children need intervention for inflexibility and track if that help works.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2020Instrumented assessment of motor function in dyskinetic cerebral palsy: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA systematic review of 49 studies found that while sensors and motion capture can measure movement in dyskinetic cerebral palsy, most methods require the child to understand instructions and move voluntarily. This excludes the 70-80% who are non-ambulatory and severely impaired, leaving no validated tools for them.
• OTPilot2020Feasibility of using acceleration-derived jerk to quantify bimanual arm use.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA jerk ratio from wrist accelerometers tracked relative arm use in children with cerebral palsy while the dominant arm was cast and occupational therapy was given, and matched existing activity-count measures. It is a possible open-source monitoring tool, not proof that this treatment improves function.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2020Parent preferences for neurodevelopmental screening in the neonatal intensive care unit.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost NICU parents wanted neurodevelopmental screening to plan for the future, but they insisted on autonomy to refuse. They asked for clear explanations of test accuracy and emotional support before results. Parents prioritized cognitive and independence outcomes over motor skills.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Estimated prevalence of disability and developmental delay among preschool children in rural Malawi: Findings from "Tikule Limodzi," a cross-sectional survey.Child: care, health and development10.7% of preschool children in rural Malawi had disability, and 3.5% had severe disability. 11.7% had language or social delay. Older children were seven times more likely to have disability.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Brief Report: Assessment Experiences of Children with Neurogenetic Syndromes: Caregivers' Perceptions and Suggestions for Improvement.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of children with neurogenetic syndromes reported mixed assessment experiences. They valued understanding scores but disliked generic feedback and inappropriate testing materials. Dissatisfaction increased with child age. Examiners should individualize testing, ask about interests first, and provide actionable, strengths-based recommendations.
• PTOTCohort2020Evaluating hand performance and strength in children with high rates of smartphone usage: an observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceChildren with high smartphone addiction scores had much weaker grip and pinch strength in their dominant hand than those with low scores. Their dominant-hand grip averaged 19.6 kg versus 58.9 kg in the low-use group. Hand function scores were also worse in the high-use group.
• OTSLPCohort2020Autism Heterogeneity in a Densely Sampled U.S. Population: Results From the First 1,000 Participants in the RI-CART Study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism presentations in this population were highly heterogeneous. Many participants had co-occurring medical, psychiatric, or neurological conditions, and girls were diagnosed later than boys, with verbal status linked to earlier diagnosis in boys.
• OTOther2020Effect of Maternal Distress on Perceptions of Infant Behavior May Differ in Chinese-American and European-American Mothers and Infants.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPEuropean American mothers with more distress reported infants as harder to soothe and more distressed. Chinese American mothers' distress was not linked to these reports. Observed infant negativity was linked to distress reports in both groups.
• OTCohort2020Wandering Among Preschool Children with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPIn preschoolers, 60.4% of children classified as autism spectrum disorder were reported to wander, compared with 12.4% of population comparison children. Wandering was also linked to affective, anxiety, ADHD, and oppositional problems. The study was observational, so it shows links, not causes.
• OTSurvey2020Self-care in caregivers of children with FASD: How do caregivers care for themselves, and what are the benefits and obstacles for doing so?Research in developmental disabilitiesCaregivers who felt more confident in their self-care reported greater satisfaction, lower parental distress, and more family needs met. How often they did self-care did not show the same pattern. Time, resources, and child-care were common obstacles.
• OTSLPCohort2020Sluggish cognitive tempo: An examination of clinical correlates for adults with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn young adults with autism, sluggish cognitive tempo symptoms strongly predicted depression but not anxiety. These symptoms were distinct from ADHD hyperactivity but linked to ADHD inattention. Sluggishness predicted poorer performance on complex executive function tasks requiring verbal explanation, but not simpler sorting tasks.
• OTCohort2020Does the child's health influence the caregiver's health using the EQ-5D instruments?The South African journal of physiotherapyCaregivers’ own health ratings did not improve over 3 days, but caregiver-reported child health improved, and the two ratings were closely related on each day.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Trajectories of Change in the Behavioral and Health Phenotype of Adolescents and Adults with Fragile X Syndrome and Intellectual Disability: Longitudinal Trends Over a Decade.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDaily living skills improved through adolescence but plateaued or declined in the 30s. Behavior problems decreased overall but remained clinically significant for many. BMI and health conditions increased steadily over the decade. Higher autism symptoms predicted worse starting independence and behavior.
• OTCase-Control2020Brain activation patterns underlying upper limb bilateral motor coordination in unilateral cerebral palsy: an fNIRS study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyDuring asymmetric squeezing, people with unilateral cerebral palsy showed broader, stronger brain activity and more synchronized wrist muscle activity. More activity toward the non-lesioned side related to better daily function. No treatment was tested.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Predictors of cognitive development in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas show widening gaps in math, writing, and executive function over time. Those with parents who also have NF1 or lower parental education decline fastest. Regular school-based assessments and targeted support are critical.
• OTQualitative2020Focus on autonomy: Using 'Skills for Growing Up' in pediatric rehabilitation care.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYouth with disabilities and parents found the Dutch Skills for Growing Up checklist useful for choosing personal goals and discussing future autonomy. The study reported experiences, not proof that autonomy or life skills improved.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Early Development of Infants with Turner Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPInfants with Turner Syndrome generally scored in the average range for cognition and behavior, but a disproportionate number showed risks in language and motor skills. Gross motor scores were significantly lower than typical peers, and some visual-motor skills appeared to slow between 12 and 24 months.
• OTOther2020Sensory Processing Patterns and Fusiform Activity During Face Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdults with autism who avoided sensory input more showed stronger activity in a face-processing brain area during a face-memory task. Controls did not show this pattern. It is a small observational link, not evidence that treatment changes face processing.
• PTOTCohort2020Motor Function in School-Aged Children With Positional Plagiocephaly or Brachycephaly.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationSchool-aged children who had moderate to severe positional skull deformation as infants scored lower on motor tasks, especially strength and agility. Those with mild deformation did not differ consistently from controls.
• PTOTNarrative Review2020Coaching approaches in early intervention and paediatric rehabilitation.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCoaching in early intervention is not one method. The review argues the word should mean collaborative, family-centred coaching, not parent training, and says therapists need more than 4 days of supported education to change how they work.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2020Effect of neonatal therapy on the motor, cognitive, and behavioral development of infants born preterm: a systematic review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyTherapist-designed programs where parents actively engage preterm infants in daily motor practice showed moderate-to-large short-term gains in motor and cognitive skills. Interventions delivered only by therapists or started late showed little to no long-term benefit.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Neurodevelopmental Characterization of Young Children Diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C1.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP22 of 29 young children with NPC1 had delays qualifying them for early intervention, yet only 10 received services before age 3. Motor and language delays were common.
• OTSLPOther2020Revised scored Sensory Perception Quotient reveals sensory hypersensitivity in women with autism.Molecular autismFemales with autism reported significantly more sensory hypersensitivity across all five senses compared to control females, but showed no difference in hyposensitivity. Mothers of children with autism did not report elevated sensory sensitivity compared to controls.
• OTOther2020Felt but not seen: Observed restricted repetitive behaviors are associated with self-report-but not parent-report-obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in youth with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceYouth with autism who reported more obsessive-compulsive symptoms had more clinician-observed repetitive behaviors. Parent-reported OCD symptoms did not track these observed behaviors, so parent report alone may miss distress reported by the child.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Facilitating sensorimotor integration via blocked practice underpins imitation learning of atypical biological kinematics in autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults who struggled to imitate a novel, atypical movement learned it when they practised that single movement repeatedly in a block, rather than mixing it with typical movements. Blocked practice allowed them to encode the unusual timing, a skill that transferred to random testing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Driving after pediatric traumatic brain injury: Impact of distraction and executive functioning.Rehabilitation psychologyA history of pediatric TBI did not independently worsen simulated driving. Instead, executive functioning deficits drove poor vehicle control and speed variability. Texting impaired driving for all participants, while hands-free conversation did not.
• OTSLPOther2020Observed emotional reactivity in response to frustration tasks in psychiatrically hospitalized youth with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceHospitalized autistic youth showed more intense and longer negative reactions during frustration tasks than before them, then generally returned to baseline during recovery. Youth with little or no speech and lower adaptive skills reacted more strongly.
• OTSLPCohort2020Trajectories of emotional and behavioral problems from childhood to early adult life.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEmotional, conduct and ADHD symptoms declined modestly from childhood to early adulthood in autistic people, but many still scored high on screening questions. Better everyday adaptive function was associated with faster declines in conduct and ADHD symptoms.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Structural validity of the mealtime behaviour questionnaire for children with autism spectrum disorder in Japan.Journal of physical therapy scienceA new 42-item questionnaire accurately groups mealtime problems in autistic children into five distinct areas: selective eating, manners, concentration, oral motor skills, and overeating. This structure helps therapists pinpoint specific causes of feeding difficulties rather than treating them as one single issue.
• PTOTRCT2020Gait improvements by assisting hip movements with the robot in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive minutes of hip-assistive robot training improved hip movement symmetry and push-off force in children with cerebral palsy, but did not increase walking speed. The benefits were temporary and seen only after the robot was removed.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Electronic participation-focused care planning support for families: a pilot study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregivers of children in early intervention used a web-based care-planning tool over two weeks. Most finished it independently in under 13 minutes. Feedback was neutral to favorable, but many found it burdensome. It is feasible for future trials but not yet a tested treatment.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Number of trials necessary to achieve performance stability in a reaching kinematics movement analysis game.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsHealthy children and adults needed 6 practice trials to stabilize arm movement in a VR game. The study suggests therapists should collect multiple trials before assessing performance, as even simple reaching requires repetition to be reliable.
• OTOther2020The Infant Toddler Activity Card Sort: A Caregiver Report Measure of Children's Occupational Engagement in Family Activities and Routines.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthCaregivers of infants and toddlers helped build a picture card set for talking about daily family activities. Occupational therapists are the intended users, but the measure has not yet been tested in outcome studies.
• PTOTOther2020Validity and reliability of an accelerometer-based assessgame to quantify upper limb selective voluntary motor control.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAn accelerometer game separated children with upper motor neuron lesions from healthy peers and agreed with therapist notes, but it is not yet reliable enough to track small changes after therapy.
• PTOTOther2020Normative database of spatiotemporal gait parameters using inertial sensors in typically developing children and young adults.Gait & postureGait does not fully mature until ages 9 to 21, not age 4. Stride length variability is highest in children aged 5 to 6 and normalizes by age 9. Absolute stride length and speed increase with age, but normalized values remain stable.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Robotic assessment of rapid motor decision making in children with perinatal stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with hemiparetic cerebral palsy made more errors on a robotic task requiring rapid decisions to hit targets and avoid distractors. They hit fewer targets and more distractors than typically developing peers, showing impairments in both motor skills and inhibitory control.
• OTRCT2020Effects of bumetanide on neurodevelopmental impairments in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex: an open-label pilot study.Molecular autismChildren with tuberous sclerosis complex taking bumetanide showed reduced irritability and improved social behavior. However, this was a small open-label study with no placebo control, so the improvement may reflect expectation or natural variation rather than a proven drug effect.