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 46 OF 50 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Psychosocial outcomes of medical specialty camps for children with physical disabilities.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAcross 33 studies, medical specialty camps for children with physical disabilities consistently improved self-esteem, social connection, and belonging. Qualitative data showed campers felt safe and accepted, though long-term effects often faded without follow-up programs or local resources.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Neurosurgery to restore function in cerebral palsy: current practice and emerging therapies.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThis review maps neurosurgical options for cerebral palsy movement disorders. It notes SDR helps spasticity but can unmask dystonia, while DBS and spinal cord stimulation remain investigational for children. Outcomes vary by phenotype, requiring individualized selection and intensive rehab.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Clinical characteristics, functional impact and caregivers' priorities in Malaysian children with dystonic cerebral palsy.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineCaregivers rated sitting, hygiene, and speech as top priorities even when impact was mild. Fine motor issues showed high impact and priority. Dystonia severity correlated with functional impact, but functional level alone did not predict priority.
• PTOTQualitative2026The concerns of mothers of female youth with physical disabilities in transitioning to adulthood: A qualitative study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineMothers of girls with physical disabilities worry most about independence, empowerment, relationships, health, and legal adulthood. They use patience and outside support for skills, but feel helpless against stigma and insurance barriers. This highlights needs for transition planning and social work support.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Factors Contributing to Screen Exposure in Preschool Children and Its Associated Outcomes: A Systematic Review.Child: care, health and developmentParents' own excessive screen use and lack of clear rules are the strongest predictors of high screen time in preschoolers. While most studies link high exposure to language and social delays, a few report benefits when use is interactive and educational. The evidence is observational, so causality is not proven.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Characteristics of unilateral cerebral palsy according to gestational age at birth: A retrospective study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost children with unilateral cerebral palsy were born at term. Premature birth did not predict later impairments, but focal brain injuries like stroke were linked to fewer cognitive and communication issues, yet higher rates of epilepsy, compared to white matter injuries.
• PTOTCohort2026Home-based exercise training in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A 12-month intervention study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineA one-year home exercise program was safe for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but did not significantly improve activity levels compared to standard care. Upper limb function declined, while lung function and endurance remained stable.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Transitioning to a Flexible, Tiered, Developmentally Informed Same-Day Screening Model for Preschoolers in Low-Resource Settings.Child: care, health and developmentSeparate visits, long English-only tests and age-based screening were reported to make preschool health checks hard to complete in South African ECD centres. The team proposed same-day visits, shorter sessions and readiness-based tools, but did not test whether this improves screening accuracy.
• PTOTOther2026Technology Utilisation and Engagement in Physical Activity of Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities: A Scoping Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDMost studies used technology to measure activity, not change it. Some small programmes in adolescents with intellectual disabilities added exergaming, video sessions, reminders, incentives, or parent support, and some reported more movement or enjoyment, but components were bundled.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Urban-Rural Differences and Sex-Specific Cognitive Effects on Autism Symptom Trajectories: A Longitudinal Study of Autistic Children in Taiwan.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchRural autistic children showed steeper increases in social communication difficulties over time than urban peers, despite similar starting points. Higher verbal IQ was linked to fewer social symptoms in girls but not boys. Restricted behaviors remained stable across all groups.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Clinician Perceptions Around Management of Sleep Problems in Children With Neurodisability.Child: care, health and developmentNon-sleep clinicians rarely use validated screening tools for sleep problems in children with neurodisability, relying instead on informal questions. Over half reported inadequate training to manage these issues. Families typically raise sleep concerns themselves, but clinicians struggle to identify causes or navigate referral pathways.
• OTOther2026A review of assistive product prices in 12 countries.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAcross 12 countries, assistive products were least affordable relative to national income in low-income countries, and self care and continence products were the most expensive domain.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) in etiologically diverse developmental conditions: A systematic review.Research in developmental disabilitiesCDIs reliably flag delayed expressive vocabulary in autism and Down syndrome, but standard scores often underestimate ability when children use signs or have low intelligibility. Use longitudinal tracking for progress, not single-timepoint screening, and adapt forms to include gesture.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Long-term neurological and psychiatric outcomes after paediatric arterial ischaemic stroke and cerebral sinovenous thrombosis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with first-time stroke face much higher long-term risks of paralysis, epilepsy, vision problems, and mental disorders than peers. Most survivors had at least one neurological or psychiatric diagnosis. This requires sustained multidisciplinary follow-up.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Cognitive Predictors of Adaptive Behaviour in Children With Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDExecutive functions, especially working memory and inhibitory control, strongly predict adaptive behaviour in children with Down syndrome. Targeting these cognitive skills, not just teaching daily tasks, may better support autonomy. Visual and IQ measures also contribute.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Perspectives of young people with neuromotor disabilities on shared digital portals in paediatric rehabilitation: A descriptive-interpretive qualitative study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyYoung people with disabilities described shared digital portals as tools to reduce repetitive care and support autonomy. They wanted control over who sees their data, practical home exercise guides, and peer connection, while warning against surveillance and pressure from unmet goals.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Interventions for children with developmental coordination disorder: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost interventions for children with coordination difficulties reported improved motor performance, but few measured real-life participation or social impact. Delivery in groups, schools, or one-to-one sessions all showed benefits, though diagnostic criteria were often poorly reported.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Supporting a 'good life' for autistic children: Autistic adults' and parents' perspectives.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults and parents identified four pillars for a 'good life' in autistic children: unconditional acceptance, pursuing personal interests, having autonomy over choices, and sensory-safe environments. They emphasized that social connection and happiness look different for each child, challenging neurotypical norms.
• PTOTCohort2026Treatment outcomes across curve patterns and severities in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with a pattern-specific CAD-CAM brace.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA custom 3D-scanned brace helped 91% of girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis avoid curve progression. Outcomes were similar across different spine curve patterns and severity levels. The study included only females aged 10 to 14 with moderate to severe curves.
• PTOTQualitative2026Clinical gait analysis use in management of children with cerebral palsy: Qualitative study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyClinicians and caregivers found gait analysis valuable for validating clinical impressions and guiding complex decisions, but resource limitations, lack of standardized protocols, and interpretation barriers prevented consistent access and timely follow-up.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Seizures in children with Dravet syndrome in extreme heat: A qualitative study of parental perspectives.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents described heat as a constant seizure trigger, noting children could not sweat or cool down. They avoided pools and sudden temperature shifts, kept children indoors, and gave fever medication when skin turned red, even without fever, to prevent seizures.
• PTOTCohort2026Effects of a Multimodal Neurorehabilitation Program on Gross Motor Function and Activity and Participation Performance in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A 9-Month Longitudinal Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyChildren in GMFCS levels I–III improved gross motor function, mobility and social function over nine months. Levels IV–V improved only in sitting, with no change in daily activity performance. Since all children received multiple therapies together, the specific contribution of any single treatment cannot be separated.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026How are School-aged Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Digital Media? A Qualitative Study of Families' Lived Experiences.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPFamilies described digital media as a double-edged sword. It offers relief, deep interest exploration, and social connection, but creates safety concerns and caregiver guilt. Rules must be highly individualized and flexible, as one-size-fits-all restrictions fail in diverse home and school settings.
• PTOTOther2026Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination for early detection of cerebral palsy in Ethiopia: A feasibility and knowledge translation study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn a low-resource hospital, training residents to use the HINE identified 36% of at-risk infants as having cerebral palsy or high probability, with referral at a mean age of 10.6 months.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Eye-Tracking Technologies for Cognitive Assessment After Acquired Brain Injury: Systematic Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesEye tracking may reveal gaze differences linked to attention and executive control after acquired brain injury, but small, varied studies do not show it routinely outperforms standard cognitive tests.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Socio-Ecological Factors of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents With Down Syndrome: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRPhysical activity barriers in children with Down syndrome are multi-level, not just individual. Parents cited overprotection and lack of time, while communities lacked trained coaches. Siblings and peers acted as key motivators. Interventions must address these social and structural gaps.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Barriers and Innovations Towards Accessing an Autism Diagnosis in Rural Northern Ontario: A Qualitative Study.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies and clinicians in rural Northern Ontario described autism diagnosis delays from low autism awareness, confusing referral systems, travel and technology limits, and staffing shortages. Shared information, community visits and culturally responsive assessment were described as facilitating access.
• OTOther2026Dyadic adjustment for younger individuals following stroke: A cross-sectional study.Rehabilitation psychologyOnly one outcome differed by age: care partners in older couples were more satisfied with their social roles. In younger couples, one partner's lower satisfaction went with worse mood in both people; in older couples, only within the care partner.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Good intentions are not enough: Autistic perspectives on structural ableism within the walls of our classrooms.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic students said what stopped them speaking up at school was not their own lack of skill but the system: autism erased from lessons, inflexible staff, punishment for being different, isolation, hidden rules and top-down authority. Teaching self-advocacy alone will not fix that.
• PTOTSurvey2026Pediatric Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy: Current Practices and Implementation Barriers.OTJR : occupation, participation and health75% of surveyed US paediatric providers said pCIMT was available in their region, but only 14% said every eligible child could actually get it. Cost, therapist and family availability were the top reported barriers, and academic programmes spend 0 to 1 hour on it.
• OTQualitative2026Exploring Shared Stress Experiences Among Teens With Chronic Health Conditions.Child: care, health and developmentTeens with long-term conditions described feeling set apart from their peers, carrying stressors their friends never face, and never being able to switch off. Several felt dismissed by healthcare providers for so long they started doubting their own symptoms. Safe places helped.
• OTQualitative2026Factors Influencing the Implementation of Transitional Care for Adolescents With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities: Experiences of Dutch Healthcare Professionals.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRDutch professionals rated their transition care for adolescents with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities 6.2 out of 10. Records do not talk to each other, adult teams lack expertise, funding will not pay for coordination, and parents carry the burden.
• OTCohort2026Early Head Start Services Buffer the Effects of Maternal Depression on Child Development.Infants and young childrenCaregivers who engaged more with Early Head Start had fewer depressive symptoms a year later, and children in more engaged families scored better on social-emotional competence by age 3. Depressive symptoms did not predict later engagement, so the link ran one way.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Involvement in daily life activities from the perspectives of children and young people with childhood-onset disabilities: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with disabilities describe involvement as how much of their mind is in the activity, from switched off to fully absorbed to exhausted. It also meant having a say, belonging and being noticed; watching instead of taking part did not count.
• OTPilot2026Emotional and Motor Improvements in Children With ADHD Following Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthChildren with ADHD scored better on mood, self-efficacy and a core stability test right after one 45-minute equine-assisted OT session. There was no control group and only 31 children, so this cannot show the programme works.
• OTSurvey2026Relationships Between Frequency of Attendance, Engagement and Independence in Everyday Activities Among Children and Youth With Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities: The Association With Comprehension Difficulties.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDChildren with disabilities who also struggled to understand things attended everyday activities less often, were less engaged and were less independent than children with disabilities but no comprehension difficulties. Gaps were widest in complex tasks like shopping, managing money and transport.
• OTCohort2026Autistic young people's psychological well-being in school.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic teenagers like school less and are unhappy there more often than non-autistic peers, but those gaps disappear once academic self-concept, bullying and peer problems are accounted for. How autistic students rate their own academic ability tracked most closely with how they felt at school.
• OTCohort2026Adverse Childhood Experiences in Autistic and Neurotypical Girls.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic girls had more parent-reported adverse childhood experiences than neurotypical girls, though not in any one category. In both groups, at least one ACE went with more anxiety and depression.
• PTOTCohort2026Relationships Among Activity, Motor Skill Performance and Executive Function in Preschool Children: Observational Report.Child: care, health and developmentPreschoolers who jumped further, balanced longer, gripped harder or ran faster in the supine timed up and go also did better on tests of holding back a response and remembering where things were. How much they moved, sat and slept showed no link to those scores.
• OTSurvey2025Exploring occupational therapists' use of movement guidelines for young children with disabilities.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapiePediatric OTs in Canada agreed the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines matter for preschoolers with disabilities and were open to using them, but most knew the guidelines only vaguely and half said no implementation tools came with them. Training and confidence were the gaps.
• OTCase Report2026Challenging Case: Health Care Professionals as Cultural Brokers for a Boy From Central America With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Trauma and Stressor-related Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPOne boy with ADHD, trauma and autism improved on stimulant and guanfacine treatment, but cost and language barriers blocked psychotherapy, and his mood later worsened. What helped was cultural brokering: staff attended his school meeting and helped the family with housing and prescriptions.
• PTOTCohort2026Medical complications in children with central nervous system injuries during inpatient rehabilitation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAlmost all the children (59 of 64, 92%) had at least one medical complication during inpatient rehabilitation after brain or spinal cord injury. Sleep problems, pain and constipation were most common, but treating physicians judged most complications to have no consequences for rehabilitation.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2026Systematic Review of Group-Based Emotion Regulation Interventions for Autistic Children's Socio-Emotional Competence.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthGroup programmes teaching autistic children to recognise and manage emotions may improve social skills, emotional competence and empathy. All 17 studies reported gains, but several had no comparison group and the studies were too varied to pool, so the effect is uncertain.
• OTSLPCohort2026Reciprocal Associations Between Parental Anxiety/Depression and Emotional/Behavioral Difficulties in Autistic Children Following Their Diagnosis.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchParents' anxiety and depression and autistic children's emotional and behavioural difficulties did not predict each other over the three years after diagnosis. At diagnosis 55.2% of mothers and 42.7% of fathers had clinically significant symptoms, and 61.3% of children were in the clinical range.
• OTSLPCohort2026Maternal And Paternal Differences in Parental Stress and Children's Autistic Features Among Parents of Preschool Autistic Children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChild behaviour problems went with higher stress for both mothers and fathers of autistic preschoolers. Mothers' stress also went with social communication, repetitive behaviour and adaptive difficulties; fathers' did not. Mothers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and more educated mothers, reported less stress.
• OTCohort2025Pediatric normative data for the Complete Minnesota Dexterity Test.Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand TherapistsChildren aged 7 to 18 now have age-based scores for all five parts of the Complete Minnesota Dexterity Test, covering one-handed and two-handed tasks, with times getting faster each year. The authors say one attempt per task is enough.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Lorazepam for post-operative pediatric cerebellar mutism syndrome: A case report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineOne 11-year-old boy with post-operative cerebellar mutism after medulloblastoma surgery gained 40 WeeFIM units the week after lorazepam was started, having gained 1 the week before, and lost ground when it was stopped. Four other drugs were on board as well.
• OTSLPSurvey2026Growing-up autistic: Sharing autistic children's experiences and insights.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMost of these 136 autistic children felt it was okay to be autistic at home (91%) but not around teachers (26.8%) or friends (40.2%). Only 4.5% felt they definitely had the words to describe being autistic, and 45.1% said they masked.
• PTOTOther2026Assessing and categorizing health-related quality of life outcomes in children and youth with acquired brain injury in outpatient rehabilitation.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYoung people referred to rehabilitation after acquired brain injury reported much lower quality of life than healthy Dutch peers, especially for school and work. Young adults fared worst. The authors propose cut-offs to make these scores quicker to interpret at intake.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026"No Words Needed": Results of a Survey on How Parents of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders Perceive (In)formal Peer Support.Child: care, health and developmentMost of the 225 Dutch parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (77.3%) said they needed peer support, mainly to hear others' experiences and to feel understood without judgement. Only 12.4% found it through a healthcare provider; most connected via Facebook groups.