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 45 OF 50 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTSLPCohort2025Exclusion and Truancy of Autistic Adolescents in a UK Population Representative Sample.Child: care, health and developmentIn this UK sample, 25% of autistic 14-year-olds had been excluded from school and 15% reported truanting. Higher externalising behaviour scores were strongly linked to both exclusion and truancy, while other factors showed weaker or unexpected associations.
• OTSLPRCT2025Effects of Metformin on children with Fragile X Syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Molecular autismMetformin did not significantly improve overall behavior compared to placebo, which was the main goal. However, it did significantly reduce hyperactivity and improve sleep problems in boys with Fragile X Syndrome. Safety was similar to placebo, with no serious side effects reported over six months.
• PTOTQualitative2026Mothers' Perspectives on Physical Activity Co-Participation With Young Children: Examining Thoughts and Racial Differences.Child: care, health and developmentMothers described being tired before playing with their children but energized and happy afterward. They identified compromising with the child's mood and managing transitions as unique barriers. Planning ahead and involving other family members helped them engage in physical activity together.
• OTCase-Control2026Anomalous Pattern of Left Hemisphere Visual Connectivity in Children With Autism: Association With Impaired Praxis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism showed a left-hemisphere visual-motor connectivity pattern: weaker links between visual and motor cortex, stronger links to prefrontal cortex. Weaker visual-motor links were linked to more skilled movement errors in autism, but not in typically developing children.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Building Your Best Day: Disseminating the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth via an Interactive Website.Child: care, health and developmentYouth reported better understanding of the 24-hour movement guidelines after using the website, but parents did not. Both groups liked the guidelines but felt they were hard to follow daily due to time constraints. The site helped clarify goals but did not change intention to adopt.
• OTPilot2026Feasibility study of the assessment of upper limb function in children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy using an end-effector robotic device.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA robotic upper limb assessment was feasible in 28 children with unilateral cerebral palsy: all completed it, and children and clinicians rated it acceptable. The robot gave movement data linked to hand function, but it is not yet a clinical measure.
• OTCohort2026Young People With and Without Intellectual Disability Accessing Mental Health Services: Evaluating Psychosocial Functioning Outcomes Using Electronic Health Records.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRYoung people with intellectual disability in mental health services often remained impaired at discharge: 80% were still impaired, versus 45% of matched peers. Their lower starting functioning and comorbidities were linked to outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2026Can You See Us Play? Observing Inclusive Outdoor Play Behaviour Among Children With and Without Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Study.Child: care, health and developmentBoys and children with disabilities scored lower for playfulness during inclusive outdoor play sessions. Observations showed children with disabilities often used non-verbal cues, while their invitations to play were more often rejected.
• PTOTOther2025Tummy Time Tracking: Concurrent-Validity of Wearable Sensors in Home Settings for Term and Preterm Infants.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationTwo wearable sensors accurately tracked tummy time at home in infants, including those born preterm. The GENEActiv sensor was more precise and had far less data loss than the MonBaby, which struggled with Bluetooth disconnections and timing errors during longer recordings.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Augmented feedback as a therapeutic approach for gait rehabilitation in patients with cerebral palsy: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAugmented feedback improved walking speed and ankle function in people with mild spastic cerebral palsy. Results for other gait measures like step length were inconsistent. The evidence is limited by small studies and a lack of long-term follow-up.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Atypical GNAO1 variants in severe childhood speech disorders: clinical, genetic, and molecular insights.Molecular autismTwo children with severe speech disorders and intellectual disability carried rare GNAO1 mutations without epilepsy. Laboratory tests showed these variants disrupt protein signaling in ways that respond to zinc, suggesting a potential treatment target and a reason to test GNAO1 in speech-only cases.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Screen Use and Child and Adolescent Health in Canada: Triangulation of Evidence Assessing the State of the Effort.Child: care, health and developmentCanadian parents and adults overwhelmingly believe schools, governments, and tech companies must help children use screens safely. However, the effort is fragmented: policies are inconsistent, sectors rarely collaborate, and federal leadership is largely absent despite growing media concern.
• OTSLPCase Series2026Appropriateness and Impact of a Vocal Cord Vibration Switch for Children with Complex Communication Needs: Case Series.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesThree children with complex communication needs used a vocal cord vibration switch for two years. Mothers and teachers reported lower effort and higher satisfaction compared to previous devices, and all three children continued using the switch after the main study period.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Bringing the Computer-Based Instrument for Low Motor Language Testing to Canada: A Survey of Caregiver and Clinician Perspectives.International journal of language & communication disordersCanadian caregivers and clinicians say current language comprehension assessments for children with cerebral palsy lack accuracy, creating a critical gap. Both groups view the new C-BiLLT-CAN tool as highly promising, but flag that it currently lacks the response methods, like auditory access and specific switches, that many children need to actually complete the test.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026A Scoping Review to Map Health Outcomes in Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction.International journal of language & communication disordersAcross 49 studies on inducible laryngeal obstruction, outcome measures varied widely with no standard set. Patient-reported questionnaires dominated, but few captured environmental or personal factors. Current tools miss key life impacts, so results cannot be reliably compared across studies.
• OTOther2025The Effects of a SWELE Program on Mental Wellbeing Among Children and Adolescents With Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: A Quasi-Experimental Study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDChildren and adolescents with special educational needs had higher mood, lower anxiety, better self-regulation, social skills and playfulness after a school-based outdoor free play and mindfulness program. Without a control group, this cannot prove the program caused the changes.
• OTQualitative2026"It Changed My Perspective": Embedding Occupational Therapy Within an Early Childhood Education Centre Provides Inclusive Developmental Support and Access to Early Intervention.Child: care, health and developmentTeachers and parents described embedded occupational therapy as removing the wait for help and the shame of pulling children out. They valued immediate classroom-based problem solving over traditional referral pathways, though this pilot reports their perceptions rather than child outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Responsiveness of the "PROM Pediatric Physical Therapy" in Dutch Pediatric Physical Therapy Practices.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationThe PROM-ppt questionnaire tracks progress well for children with motor problems but fails to reflect change for those with pain-related issues. Therapists should use it to monitor goal attainment in motor cases, but rely on other measures when pain is the primary complaint.
• OTSLPCohort2025Understanding Risk Factors for Otitis Media in Rural Alaska Native Children: A Cohort Study.Ear and hearingHalf of Alaska Native children had otitis media within six months. Lack of running water, smoking, crowding, or no breastfeeding showed no clear association with this high rate. CPT1A gene status trended toward increased risk but did not reach statistical significance.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025What Are the Factors That Can Challenge and Promote Resilience in Parents of Children With Intellectual Disabilities? A Systematic Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDResilience in parents of children with intellectual disabilities is linked to problem-solving, social support, hope, and positive perceptions of the child's disability. Financial strain, child behaviour problems, and lack of support challenge this adaptation. The evidence is observational, so these factors are associated with resilience, not proven causes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026What Motor Skills Do Children Perceive as Important? A Child-Centred Exploration Using the Motor Coordination Questionnaire.Child: care, health and developmentChildren in Ghana and South Africa consistently rated self-care, writing neatly, and household chores as very important. However, boys valued kicking a ball and team sports more, while girls valued dancing more. Children with motor difficulties rated many activities as less important.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Scoping review: Facilitators, barriers, and cultural adaptations in the caregiver skills training program for children with developmental concerns.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregiver training for autism works best when adapted locally. Using community partners, simplifying materials for low literacy, and offering telehealth or childcare support helps families engage. These changes address barriers like stigma and travel, but do not prove the program improves child outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Surveying the Professional Experience of Special Educational Needs Provision in England.Child: care, health and developmentMost SEND professionals feel confident identifying children, but only a third believe inter-agency communication is effective. They report lacking the time and resources to provide sufficient support, citing funding and waiting lists as primary barriers to good provision.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Developmental coordination disorder and executive function deficits: Implications for emotional, mental, and overall well-being.Brazilian journal of physical therapyHalf of adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder also have executive function deficits. Those with these co-occurring deficits reported significantly lower self-esteem, higher distress, and lower life satisfaction than those with motor difficulties alone.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Trends Over Time in the Prevalence of Autism by Adaptive and Intellectual Functioning Levels.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism prevalence rose sharply in children with mild or no adaptive challenges, but stayed stable or fell in those with moderate to profound challenges. Clinicians should expect a growing caseload of autistic children who need support with daily living skills rather than intensive 24-hour care.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Instruments assessing mobility of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and decision map.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFor children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, the DCDQ, VABS, and PEDI-CAT had the strongest evidence for mobility assessment. Many direct motor tests had low or very low evidence, so results should be used cautiously when choosing an assessment.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Improving Equitable Access to Disability Services and Support for Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Service Provider and Decision-Maker Perspectives.Child: care, health and developmentService providers and decision-makers in British Columbia identified diagnosis-based funding as a major barrier, leaving children with functional needs but no eligible diagnosis without support. They recommended shifting to functional eligibility criteria and securing long-term case managers to navigate the fragmented system.
• PTOTOther2026Development of a set of core outcome measures for ambulant children with cerebral palsy after lower limb orthopaedic surgery.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA consensus panel recommended seven outcome measures to assess ambulant children with cerebral palsy after lower limb surgery. The Goal Outcome Assessment List was preferred across most domains, complemented by gait analysis and quality of life tools to capture both clinical and patient-reported impacts.
• OTSLPCohort2025Sensory Processing Modalities and Their Associations With Academic Achievement in Autism and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDirect auditory processing tests, not parent reports of sensory issues, linked to reading and math scores in autistic and ADHD children. Poor ability to hear speech in noise tracked with lower academic achievement. This suggests checking hearing-in-noise skills, not just asking parents about sensory habits.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Understanding Disease Aetiology and Related Needs Knowledge of Parents of Children With Spina Bifida.Child: care, health and developmentParents most often cited walking and toilet issues as primary concerns. Mothers linked spina bifida to folic acid deficiency, while many fathers were unsure of the cause. Both parents reported significant gaps in understanding the condition's origins.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effects of virtual reality and robot-assisted therapy on rehabilitation outcomes in cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRange of motion did not clearly improve, but gross motor function improved with VR or robot-assisted therapy compared with conventional rehab in children with cerebral palsy. Balance and daily-activity gains were small and may not matter clinically.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Profiles of parent-teacher discrepancy on autistic children's adaptive functioning.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParent and teacher ratings of autistic children's adaptive functioning often disagree. Teachers rated children with higher IQ and better executive function as more capable at school than parents did. Children with lower incomes showed the largest gaps, with parents reporting higher skills than teachers.
• OTSLPCase Report2026Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Disruptive Behavior in a Child With Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Failure to Thrive.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPManaging ADHD in a child with eosinophilic esophagitis and poor weight gain requires choosing medications that do not suppress appetite, such as alpha-2 agonists, and adapting feeding therapy to the family's specific food restrictions and stress levels.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Growing stronger: Nine decades of physical disability representation in children's media and implications for pediatric rehabilitation.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePositive portrayals of physical disability in children's media rose sharply after 2000, with 90% of post-2000 films and shows depicting disability positively compared to 63% before. Spinal cord injury is heavily overrepresented. Therapists can use media literacy to address internalized stigma and reinforce rehabilitation goals.
• PTOTOther2026Community-Based Interventions Improve the Quality of Life for Children Living With Disabilities, Zambia.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies in Lusaka reported better quality of life after joining a community support programme. Physiotherapy and disability registration linked to physical well-being, while play groups and home visits helped emotional support. No control group means we cannot confirm the programme caused these changes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Preliminary Evidence for Associations Between Emotion Dysregulation and Therapy Participation in Young Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMore therapy types linked to higher emotion dysregulation. Yet, specific speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy participation associated with lower dysphoria or reactivity scores. Direction unclear; association not causation.
• OTSLPCohort2026Clinical Diagnostics After Failed Hearing Screening in People With Intellectual Disabilities Do Not Often Take Place.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDROnly 37.5% of people with intellectual disabilities referred for external hearing diagnostics after failed on-site screening actually attended. Adults were least likely to follow up. Caregivers often did not attempt to book appointments, citing lack of necessity or competing health priorities.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Effects of 24-h Movement Behaviours on Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Chinese Preschoolers Using Compositional Data Analysis.Child: care, health and developmentSleeping more consistently predicted fewer emotional and behavioural problems in preschoolers. Replacing even one minute of activity or sedentary time with sleep improved scores. High physical activity was linked to more problems, not fewer, challenging the idea that more movement is always better.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Patient outcomes in KCNQ2 developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.Developmental medicine and child neurologySeizures in KCNQ2 DEE often begin early and may resolve, but tone, cognition, movement, motor, feeding, communication, behaviour and sleep problems were reported more often as children age.
• PTOTCohort2026Screen Time, Fatigue, Obesity and Physical Inactivity: Health Correlates of Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents.Child: care, health and developmentProblematic smartphone use affected 15.7% of adolescents, clustering with high screen time, severe fatigue, obesity, and low physical activity. Each additional year of structured sports participation was associated with lower odds of problematic use, severe fatigue, and obesity, with a stronger protective effect in females.
• OTOther2026Both Hands Assessment for children and adolescents with bilateral cerebral palsy: Content and construct validity.Developmental medicine and child neurologyThe Both Hands Assessment could measure bimanual hand use in children and adolescents with bilateral cerebral palsy, but it needed separate scoring for symmetric and asymmetric hand use. One item was revised to count stabilizing objects.
• OTSLPOther2026Optimizing Measurement of Communication in Autistic Children and Their Caregivers: Dependability of the Caregiver-Child Interaction.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchObserving autistic children during just one daily activity gives unreliable scores for their communication and their caregiver's support. To get dependable estimates, you need to watch them across multiple different activities or on several separate occasions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Ophthalmological outcomes, visual perception, fine motor precision, and visual-motor integration in children born very preterm.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren born very preterm showed poorer visual-motor integration, visual perception, and fine motor precision at age 12 compared to term-born peers. These deficits persisted despite best-corrected vision, linking early ophthalmological issues to long-term functional outcomes.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Community views on the assessment and diagnosis of autism: Principles to guide clinical practice.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCommunity members identified three principles for autism assessment: placing the person at the centre, understanding the whole person beyond just diagnosis, and improving quality and access. Practitioners are urged to address cultural bias, recognise masking, and ensure transparent communication about costs and waitlists.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Rehabilitation approaches used for children with spinal muscular atrophy: A scoping review based on the F-words framework.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineSMA rehabilitation heavily focuses on physical fitness and mobility, often ignoring self-care, communication, and social participation. The assumption that strengthening muscles automatically improves daily function is unproven. Therapists should explicitly target functional activities and child-chosen goals rather than relying solely on impairment-based exercises.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Sub-groups of spoken language and broader communication skills in a large heterogenous cohort of minimally verbal school-age children: evidence of discrepant profiles.Molecular autismA cluster analysis of 181 minimally verbal school-age children identified two groups with strong comprehension but weak speech production. These children use AAC more often. Their profile suggests a speech-motor barrier rather than a lack of understanding, so therapy should target speech sounds and support alternative communication.
• OTOther2026Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults With Severe or Moderate Intellectual Disability Using the Diagnostic Interview Trauma and Stressors-Severe Intellectual Disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRIn 97 Dutch adults with severe or moderate intellectual disability, the caregiver interview DITS-SID showed good to excellent agreement between independent raters and linked with trauma and behaviour scores, but PTSD symptoms did not show a clear link to major traumatic events.
• PTOTPilot2026Creating an engaging brain computer interface, electrical stimulation therapy for children with hemiparesis: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThree sessions of a social-media-linked brain-computer interface with electrical stimulation were safe and feasible for 12 children with hemiparesis. Participants reported feeling less clinical and more engaged, but technical lag caused frustration. No functional gains can be attributed to the system.
• OTOther2026Support Needs and Available Resources for School-Aged Siblings of Children With Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDSchool-aged siblings of children with disabilities want emotional support, practical solutions to sibling aggression, and peer contact, primarily from parents. They did not view teachers as support sources. Available online resources are fragmented, mostly generic, and rarely address these specific needs.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Eliciting the views of autistic adolescents attending specialist schools on what friendships mean to them.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adolescents with complex communication needs described friendships as connections driven by strong emotions, active play with chosen peers, and sometimes close ties to familiar adults. They also asked for space from friends in structured settings.