TOPIC

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 14 OF 50 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2019State Variability in Diagnosed Conditions for IDEA Part C Eligibility.Infants and young childrenState lists for IDEA Part C eligibility vary wildly, from zero to 167 conditions. Hearing impairment and FAS are most common. Most listed conditions are rare, and no clear policy defines which diagnoses qualify a child for early intervention.
• OTRCT2019Effect of Motorized Elephant-Assisted Therapy Program on Balance Control of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with autism who added motorized elephant play to standard therapy showed better balance on stable floors. No gains appeared on unstable foam surfaces. Parents reported improved daily control, but the small group and lack of randomization limit certainty.
• OTSurvey2019The Child Evaluation Checklist (CHECK): A Screening Questionnaire for Detecting Daily Functional "Red Flags" of Underrecognized Neurodevelopmental Disorders among Preschool Children.Occupational therapy internationalParent ratings on CHECK were consistent, related to an existing executive function questionnaire, and differed between preschool children with suspected invisible neurodevelopmental disorders and typical peers. It may help flag daily functional red flags, not diagnose.
• OTOther2020Impact of Family-Centered Early Intervention in Infants with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single-Subject Design.Occupational therapy internationalIn three infants with suspected autism spectrum disorder, a family-centered home intervention increased looking and gesturing during free play. Speech improved in two infants, not the third. With only three infants and no control group, this cannot show the intervention works.
• PTOTOther2020The Seated Postural & Reaching Control Test in Cerebral Palsy: A Validation Study.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsTrained raters scored the seated postural and reaching test consistently, and its scores lined up with other cerebral palsy measures. The 5-second static sitting test detected only 31% of children with static control deficits.
• OTSLPCohort2020Developmental Trajectories of Adaptive Behavior From Toddlerhood to Middle Childhood in Autism Spectrum Disorder.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesChildren with autism showed gains in communication, daily living, and socialization skills from toddlerhood to middle childhood. Higher mental age at age two predicted faster skill growth. More perseverative errors on a cognitive flexibility task predicted slower growth in socialization skills.
• OTOther2019Psychometric Properties of Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist (SPSRC).Occupational therapy internationalThe Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist reliably distinguishes children with autism from their peers. It identifies four self-regulation factors and four sensory processing factors, offering a structured way to assess both sensory and regulatory difficulties in daily life.
• OTSLPOther2020Effectiveness of a modified group cognitive behavioral therapy program for anxiety in children with ASD delivered in a community context.Molecular autismCommunity-delivered CBT for anxiety in children with autism worked as well as hospital-based care. Parent-reported anxiety scores dropped significantly, and 90% of enrolled children finished the program. The study found no specific child characteristics predicted who improved.
• PTOTOther2020Relationship between Mastery Motivation and Sensory Processing Difficulties in South Korean Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.Occupational therapy internationalSouth Korean children with DCD showed definite sensory processing difficulties and low mastery motivation. Higher negative reactions to failure and lower perceived competence predicted worse sensory processing scores. Clinicians should assess motivation and confidence when planning sensory interventions.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020An Exploration of Health Behaviors in a Mind-Body Resilience Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPParents of children with autism showed large reductions in fatigue despite minimal sleep increase, while parents of children with learning disabilities improved physical activity more. Both groups made small gains in healthy eating. The intervention helped fatigue and activity but did not significantly change sleep duration or diet.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Prevalence and cumulative incidence of autism spectrum disorders and the patterns of co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders in a total population sample of 5-year-old children.Molecular autismIn a total population sample of 5-year-olds in Japan, autism prevalence was 3.22% and incidence was stable over four years. Critically, 88.5% of diagnosed children had co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders, and 30% had received no prior services.
• OTOther2019Construct validity of the Persian version of the Child Occupational Self-Assessment in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Iran.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTThe Persian COSA works for Iranian children with ADHD, but only after removing specific items. Items about buying things alone and moving around independently failed to fit, likely due to cultural restrictions. Clinicians should use the modified 23-item competence and 21-item value scales.
• OTSLPCohort2020Associations between autism symptom severity and mealtime behaviors in young children presented with an unfamiliar food.Research in developmental disabilitiesChildren with more severe autism symptoms took fewer bites of unfamiliar foods and requested less food, but showed less disruptive talk and table leaving. Parents gave more ineffective commands and fed them more. Parent-reported mealtime problems did not match clinician-rated autism severity.
• OTOther2020Daily Performance of Adolescents with Executive Function Deficits: An Empirical Study Using a Complex-Cooking Task.Occupational therapy internationalAdolescents with executive function deficits made more errors, took longer, and needed more adult help than typical peers while preparing two recipes in a therapeutic kitchen. The cooking task distinguished groups, but did not test treatment.
• OTOther2019Differences between preschool children using tablets and non-tablets in visual perception and fine motor skills.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTPreschoolers who used tablets scored lower on visual perception and fine motor skills than non-users. Tablet use time correlated negatively with motor precision. However, the study design cannot prove tablets caused these deficits, as other factors like lack of siblings may explain the differences.
• OTOther2020The Development and Psychometric Properties of the Visuospatial Working Memory Assessment (VWMA) for Children.Occupational therapy internationalA new visuospatial working memory test for children was rated as relevant by experts and gave stable scores when repeated, but it separated children with ADHD from other children on some tasks and not all.
• OTSurvey2020A Survey of Occupational Therapists on a New Tool for Sensory Processing.Occupational therapy internationalAll 20 occupational therapists surveyed said they would use The Sensory Form in practice, finding it helpful for linking sensory issues to participation. However, responses were mixed on whether parents or teachers could use it effectively, with many noting it requires professional training.
• OTOther2020Physical activity level of kindergarten staff working with toddlers and older children in Norway.Work (Reading, Mass.)Most kindergarten staff met daily physical activity guidelines. Staff working with older children moved more overall and during leisure time. Staff working with toddlers moved more during work hours but were less active outside of work, relying on their job to meet guidelines.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Self-management and independence guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineStart building self-management and independence in infancy through small daily choices, chores, and condition-care tasks, increasing gradually with family support. These spina bifida guidelines offer practical steps, not proof that any single approach works.
• OTOther2020Bowel function and care: Guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineConsensus guidelines recommend a stepwise approach to bowel management in spina bifida, starting with diet and fluids before moving to medications or surgery. The goal is social continence without constipation, tailored to the patient's age and abilities.
• OTSLPCase-Control2020Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.Molecular autismAutistic boys made significantly worse first impressions than autistic girls, who were rated similarly to typically developing peers. Clinician ratings of social impairment correlated with first impressions in boys but not girls, suggesting girls may camouflage symptoms during brief interactions.
• OTSurvey2020The Mediating Effects of Attachment Styles on the Relationship between Sensory Processing Styles and Interpersonal Problems in Healthy University Students.Occupational therapy internationalIn healthy university students, sensory processing styles linked to interpersonal problems only through attachment. Low sensory registration predicted interpersonal issues via anxious attachment. Sensory avoidance predicted interpersonal issues via avoidant attachment. Sensation seeking showed no link to interpersonal problems.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2020A Strength-Based Intervention to Increase Participation in Leisure Activities in Children with Neuropsychiatric Disabilities: A Pilot Study.Occupational therapy internationalTwo boys with autism and ADHD set their own leisure goals. They reached these goals and rated their own ability higher. However, the intervention was time-consuming for staff, and the small number of participants means we cannot know if this works for others.
• OTSLPOther2020Defining clusters of young autistic and typically developing children based on loudness-dependent auditory electrophysiological responses.Molecular autismBrain responses to sound loudness clustered 213 children into four groups. Autistic children with hyper-responsive brains to loud sounds had more caregiver-reported distractibility. However, clusters overlapped heavily with typically developing peers, so neural patterns do not clearly separate diagnoses.
• PTOTOther2020Family functioning guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineExpert consensus guidelines recommend assessing family dynamics, stress, and barriers to medical self-management across spina bifida age groups. They suggest referring to OT and PT for self-care. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• OTSystematic Review2020The Usefulness of the Pressure Algometer in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Orofacial Pain Patients: A Systematic Review.Occupational therapy internationalPressure algometry should not be used alone to diagnose orofacial pain. Across the included studies, results were too inconsistent and often unreliable, so clinicians should combine it with other assessment.
• OTCohort2020Neurogenic bowel treatments and continence outcomes in children and adults with myelomeningocele.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAntegrade enemas were associated with the highest reported continence in this registry study, but the work did not show cause. Overall continence was modest, and independent bowel care was uncommon.
• OTOther2020Effects of a Cognitive-Functional Intervention Method on Improving Executive Function and Self-Directed Learning in School-Aged Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Single-Subject Design Study.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with ADHD improved on executive function tests and homework reports after an occupational therapy programme teaching stop, plan, and review. With no comparison group, this shows possible change, not proof of effectiveness.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Nutrition, metabolic syndrome, and obesity: Guidelines for the care of people with spina bifida.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineExpert consensus guidelines for nutrition in spina bifida advise against using standard BMI charts due to altered body composition. Clinicians should monitor growth trajectories instead and focus on bowel health and strengths-based weight conversations rather than weight loss alone.
• OTSurvey2020Examining the Specificity of Forms and Functions of Aggressive Behavior in Boys With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesCaregivers reported aggression in adolescent boys with fragile X syndrome and other developmental disabilities was mostly linked to gaining attention or items, or escaping tasks. Scratching and biting were more common in fragile X syndrome, but functions were not syndrome-specific.
• OTSystematic Review2020A Systematic Review on Clinimetric Properties of Play Instruments for Occupational Therapy Practice.Occupational therapy internationalMost play instruments used in occupational therapy have limited evidence for their accuracy and are not commercially available. The Revised Knox Preschool Play Scale is the most established tool, but it only measures observable skills, not the child's internal enjoyment or motivation.
• OTSystematic Review2020Occupational Therapy Research in Schools: A Mapping Review.Occupational therapy internationalMost school-based occupational therapy research focuses on children with disabilities and uses individual, rather than collective, interventions. Handwriting and motor rehabilitation dominate the field, particularly in the US, leaving gaps in addressing broader social inclusion and diverse student needs.
• OTSLPOther2020Does decreased visual attention to faces underlie difficulties interpreting eye gaze cues in autism?Molecular autismAdolescents with autism struggled to identify what others were looking at, but not because they looked less at faces. Time spent looking at faces did not predict accuracy. Interventions targeting increased face looking may not improve understanding of gaze cues.
• PTOTCohort2020Musculoskeletal Pain Outcomes Pre- and Post Intrathecal Baclofen Pump Implant in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Prospective Cohort Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 32 children with cerebral palsy, parent-reported musculoskeletal pain duration and constant pain decreased after baclofen pump implant. Pain intensity, episode frequency, interference, and spasticity did not change.
• OTSLPOther2020Dissecting the phenotypic heterogeneity in sensory features in autism spectrum disorder: a factor mixture modelling approach.Molecular autismAutistic children and adults grouped into three sensory severity levels rather than distinct sensory patterns. The severe group had more social-communication, repetitive behaviour and adaptive functioning difficulties.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Adapting the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to Identify and Quantify Development Among Children With Evidence of Zika Infection.Infants and young childrenA modified screening protocol allowed clinicians to quantify severe developmental delays in infants with congenital Zika infection. Children with microcephaly showed profound delays, with median developmental ages far below their biological ages, while those without microcephaly scored closer to peers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Behavior Problems Following Childhood TBI: The Role of Sex, Age, and Time Since Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationLow family income predicted behavior problems more strongly than injury severity did. Girls injured in adolescence showed higher attention and externalizing symptoms than boys. Social competence improved as time passed, but early deficits were common.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2020Health behaviors and disordered eating in adolescents and young adults with spina bifida: results from a national survey.Disability and rehabilitationAdolescents and young adults with spina bifida reported higher rates of purging and restricting than typically developing peers. This risk extended to males and those with lower body mass index, meaning weight-based screening alone misses those already underweight or healthy.
• OTSLPCohort2021Memory Support System training in mild cognitive impairment: Predictors of learning and adherence.Neuropsychological rehabilitationPatients with mild cognitive impairment who learned the Memory Support System better at the end of a 10-day program were more likely to keep using it at 6, 12, and 18 months. Baseline global cognition predicted how well they learned the system.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Participation in Physical Activity at Time of Presentation to a Specialty Concussion Clinic Is Associated With Shorter Time to Recovery.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationChildren referred to a concussion clinic who were already doing moderate or heavy activity recovered 21 days sooner than those doing none or light activity. This association held after adjusting for symptoms and demographics, suggesting early non-contact activity is safe and linked to faster recovery.
• PTOTOther2021Navigator Role for Promoting Adaptive Sports and Recreation Participation in Individuals With Disabilities.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAdults with disabilities and parents wanted adaptive sports support from a person active in adaptive sports, not an app. They valued social connection, mental health, and accessible facilities, but cited cost and limited knowledge as barriers.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021A systematic review of head-up tilt to improve consciousness in people with a prolonged disorder of consciousness.Clinical rehabilitationThere is insufficient high-quality evidence to support using head-up tilt to improve consciousness in adults with prolonged disorders of consciousness. While the Erigo device reduces treatment interruptions from low blood pressure compared to standard tilt-tables, neither device has been proven to enhance alertness.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Emerging health challenges for children with physical disabilities and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic: The ECHO French survey.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicineDuring lockdown, rehabilitation services were massively interrupted, leaving parents to deliver therapy at home. This caused a heavy mental load for families and led to negative effects on children's morale, behavior, and physical activity levels.
• PTOTOther2021Cognitive-Motor Interference Heightens the Prefrontal Cortical Activation and Deteriorates the Task Performance in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationChildren with hemiplegic cerebral palsy showed more prefrontal activation and poorer shape matching when doing the task on a therapy ball than while sitting. The dual task also slowed their reaction time.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020The relative influence of intellectual disabilities and autism on sensory impairments and physical disability: A whole-country cohort of 5.3 million children and adults.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDIntellectual disabilities were associated with much higher odds of sight loss, hearing loss and physical disability than autism alone. Autism was also independently linked to these impairments, but to a lesser extent. Both conditions require heightened vigilance for sensory and physical health issues.
• OTCohort2020Sleep Problems and Trajectories of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism or developmental delay who had more parent-reported sleep problems at age 4 showed higher sameness, ritual, and compulsive behavior trajectories through early childhood. This was a link, not proof that poor sleep caused the behaviors.
• OTOther2020Sensory Overresponsivity as a Predictor of Amplitude Discrimination Performance in Youth with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with autism, higher parent-reported sensory overresponsivity predicted worse performance on a tactile test involving adaptation. This link was not found in typically developing children. The study suggests sensory issues may underlie specific tactile processing differences in autism.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Age of First Walking and Associations with Symptom Severity in Children with Suspected or Diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism walked independently later than peers, and later walking linked to more severe autistic symptoms. This association held after adjusting for IQ and other factors. Delayed walking is not specific to autism, but warrants considering autism as a possible diagnosis, especially in girls.
• OTQualitative2021How children and their parents value using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) with children themselves.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with a mental age of at least 8 years and their parents valued using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure to set goals. Children felt capable of rating their own performance and satisfaction. Parents prioritized the child's wishes over their own in most cases.
• PTOTRCT2020Immersive Virtual Environments and Wearable Haptic Devices in rehabilitation of children with neuromotor impairments: a single-blind randomized controlled crossover pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn children with cerebral palsy or developmental dyspraxia, immersive virtual reality with haptic feedback did not show better hand-function test results than conventional therapy. Some movement smoothness measures favoured virtual reality, but the trial was very small.