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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.

1,906 PAPERS · PAGE 16 OF 39 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2022Executive function as measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2: children and adolescents with Williams syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with Williams syndrome show severe executive function deficits, particularly in cognitive regulation. Inhibit difficulties predict attention problems, while Shift difficulties predict anxiety. These parent-reported deficits are unrelated to intellectual ability but strongly linked to poor adaptive living skills.
• PTCohort2021Genetic testing in individuals with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyWhole-exome sequencing found no significant difference in genetic diagnosis rates between people with CP and known risk factors (10/122; 8.20%) and those without (4/28; 14.3%). Trio testing had a higher diagnostic yield.
• PTRCT2022Early, Intensive, Lower Extremity Rehabilitation Shows Preliminary Efficacy After Perinatal Stroke: Results of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChildren with perinatal stroke who started intensive lower extremity training right away improved gross motor function more than those who delayed training by 3 months. The gain averaged 3.4 GMFM-66 points after accounting for age.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Effectiveness of Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance intervention in improving motor skills of children with developmental coordination disorder: A randomized waitlist-control trial.Clinical rehabilitationChildren with developmental coordination disorder improved their self-rated motor performance and satisfaction, and these gains lasted three months. However, they did not show immediate improvement in general motor skills on standardized testing. Children with co-occurring ADHD did not show this delayed general transfer.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Social and non-social sensory responsivity in toddlers at high-risk for autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchToddlers who later developed autism showed higher sensory responsivity to both social and non-social stimuli at 12 months. These differences widened by 24 months, suggesting early sensory irregularities are generalized rather than limited to social contexts.
• PTOTRCT2022The effects of short bouts of ergometric exercise for severely burned children in intensive care: A randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationShort bouts of ergometric exercise in the burn ICU were safe and feasible but did not improve lean body mass, total weight, or walking distance compared to standard care alone. Both groups improved similarly. The study was small and underpowered, so a benefit cannot be ruled out.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Longitudinal Changes in the Sensorimotor Pathways of Very Preterm Infants During the First Year of Life With and Without Intervention: A Pilot Study.Developmental neurorehabilitationNon-sedated MRI scans in very preterm infants were feasible, with high retention and image quality. Brain white matter structure changed predictably over six months. Differences between intervention groups were inconsistent and could not determine if the therapy worked.
• PTOTQualitative2022Walking activities beyond gait training: Priorities in everyday life for parents and adolescents in pediatric neurorehabilitation.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineParents prioritized school group movement and obstacle navigation, while adolescents focused on independent public transport use. These distinct priorities suggest gait therapy goals should shift from normalizing movement patterns to practicing specific, meaningful daily activities for each age group.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Evidence-based position paper of the UEMS PRM on the role of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) physician in the management of children and adults with spinal dysraphism.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThis consensus statement defines the role of the rehabilitation physician in managing spinal dysraphism across the lifespan. It recommends interdisciplinary team care, ICF-based assessment, and lifelong follow-up, but provides no evidence on whether these interventions improve patient outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Risk factors for development of long-term mood and anxiety disorder after pediatric traumatic brain injury: a population-based, birth cohort analysis.Brain injuryChildren who sustained a traumatic brain injury at age 5 or older had a higher risk of developing anxiety or mood disorders by age 25 than those injured before age 5. Injury severity and other factors showed weaker or inconsistent associations.
• PTCohort2021Investigation of the perceptual and cognitive asymmetry in the auditory system in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.The South African journal of physiotherapyAdolescents with idiopathic scoliosis scored significantly lower on left-ear auditory tasks than healthy peers, both when listening freely and when instructed to focus on the left ear. Right-ear performance matched controls, and scoliosis curve type did not change these results.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Mortality in pediatric hydrocephalus.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn children with hydrocephalus, death is more often caused by other medical conditions than by the hydrocephalus itself. When hydrocephalus did cause death, half the cases involved catastrophic shunt failure, while others followed decisions to withhold surgery based on perceived poor neurodevelopmental outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Thirty-Second Single-Leg Stance Identifies Impaired Postural Control in Children After Concussion: A Preliminary Report.Journal of sport rehabilitationA 30-second single-leg stance test identified postural control deficits in children after concussion, even after clinical recovery. This static task was more sensitive than dynamic gait tests for detecting subtle, persistent balance issues in this preliminary study.
• PTOTOther2021Sex differences in sensory processing in children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchGirls with autism had higher parent-reported hearing and balance and motion sensory scores than boys with autism, while typically developing girls and boys did not differ.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Goal Attainment Scaling: An Idiographic Measure Sensitive to Parent and Teacher Report of IEP Goal Outcome Assessment for Students with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAn independent observer's goal attainment ratings correlated with parent and teacher reports of progress, but not with standardized behavior scales. This supports using individualized goal tracking for IEPs, while suggesting broad norm-referenced tests miss specific skill changes.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022A community-engaged approach to examining barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in Korean immigrant families.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceKorean immigrant parents described barriers to autism services including long waitlists, school dismissals, and stigma. They valued family-centered care, bilingual providers, and community organizations. These findings highlight specific communication and navigation needs for therapists working with this population.
• PTOTRCT2022Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCerebellar tDCS did not improve motor sequence learning speed in children with DCD. Accuracy showed only an unconfirmed improvement.
• PTOTOther2022Physical rehabilitation interventions in children with acquired brain injury: a scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyNine studies mapped physical rehab for children with acquired brain injury, but none reported intervention intensity. While all showed positive body-function gains, the evidence is too heterogeneous to prove which treatments work best or how much practice is needed.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Early childhood neurodevelopmental outcome after open prenatal spina bifida aperta repair.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAt 2 years, cognition was low-average at 95.15, still lower than the norm mean of 100. Language and motor were also lower, with motor composite 77.78 and only 50.8% walking with or without devices.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Sitting on the Sidelines: Disparities in Social, Recreational, and Community Participation Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with autism from lower-income households and those with caregivers having less education participate significantly less in sports, clubs, and paid work. Males with autism join fewer clubs and organized activities than females. These disparities are present during middle and high school.
• PTOTQualitative2022Research agenda setting with children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Lessons learned.Child: care, health and developmentChildren with juvenile arthritis prioritized research on how the condition affects their future schooling, work, and relationships, followed by fatigue, pain, medication administration, and safe sports participation. These priorities differed significantly from those of adults and clinicians.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Muscle strength and executive function in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism showed lower muscle strength and poorer executive function than healthy peers. Higher muscle strength predicted better executive function specifically in the autism group, but not in healthy children. BMI was unrelated to these outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Nutrient adequacy, dietary patterns and diet quality among children with and without intellectual disabilities.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with intellectual disabilities ate far fewer vegetables than typical peers, but overall diet quality was poor in both groups. Most children missed key nutrients like vitamin D and calcium regardless of disability status. Snack intake correlated with higher BMI in children with ID.
• PTCohort2022Use of the Physical Abilities and Mobility Scale (PAMS) in Children Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation for Spinal Cord Related Paralysis.Developmental neurorehabilitationThe PAMS tracked mobility changes in 146 children with spinal cord disease or injury during inpatient rehabilitation, including young children and chronic injuries. Scores improved from admission to discharge, but this does not prove a treatment works.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Content validation of common measures of functioning for young children against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and Code and Core Sets relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNo single standard assessment for young children with neurodevelopmental conditions covers enough of the ICF framework to be comprehensive on its own. Clinicians need to use a battery of measures alongside clinical reasoning to get a complete picture of a child's functioning.
• PTCohort2022Early motor outcomes in infants with critical congenital heart disease are related to neonatal brain development and brain injury.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAfter neonatal heart surgery, smaller cortical grey matter and cerebellum volumes were linked to poorer fine motor scores, and white matter injury to lower gross motor scores. Stroke affecting motor pathways showed early abnormalities, but only five infants.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Effects of ATLAS 2030 gait exoskeleton on strength and range of motion in children with spinal muscular atrophy II: a case series.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThree non-ambulatory children with SMA type II showed increased lower limb strength and range of motion after ten sessions with the ATLAS 2030 exoskeleton. Hip extension and knee flexion improved most. Without a control group, these gains cannot be separated from natural variation or concurrent stretching.
• PTOther2021Reliability of an Observational Biomechanical Analysis Tool in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers.International journal of sports physical therapyA 2D video tool for adolescent baseball pitchers gave consistent total scores among trained sports raters, but some individual mechanics items were less consistent. It does not yet show injury risk or replace 3D motion analysis.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Mechanisms of Aminoglycoside- and Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity.American journal of audiologyAminoglycosides and cisplatin enter inner ear hair cells through specific ion channels, causing permanent hearing and balance loss. Inflammation, noise exposure, and certain co-administered drugs significantly worsen this damage. Clinicians should monitor high-risk patients closely during and after treatment.
• PTCohort2021Comparison of OnBaseU Tests with Biomechanical Motion Analysis in Youth Baseball Pitchers.International journal of sports physical therapyMost OnBaseU tests did not match 3D motion capture data for youth pitchers. Only the side step walkout test correlated with stride length, and even then only at the extreme scores. The screen should not be used to assess pitching mechanics.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Effect of sex chromosome number variation on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, executive function, and processing speed.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with Turner syndrome showed broader deficits in attention, hyperactivity, and executive function than controls. Children with Klinefelter syndrome showed specific weaknesses in working memory and attention problems, but not hyperactivity. These distinct profiles suggest different clinical management strategies for each condition.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Teacher Characteristics, Knowledge and Use of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism Education in Ireland.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost Irish primary teachers have low knowledge of autism evidence-based practices, relying instead on traditional methods. Teachers with more training and frequent access to allied health support report higher knowledge and use of these practices.
• PTSurvey2021South African physiotherapists' perspectives on the competencies needed to work in special schools for learners with special needs.The South African journal of physiotherapyPhysiotherapists in South African special schools felt prepared clinically but less prepared for education policy, curriculum, legal duties, and school-based service planning. Training and departmental support were seen as uneven.
• PTOther2021Effect of Chêneau style braces on vertebral wedging amongst individuals with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.The South African journal of physiotherapyIn 27 girls with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, apical vertebral wedging decreased from 9.8° to 5.8° after Chêneau brace wear. The study was retrospective and assessors were not blinded, so this is not proof that the brace caused the change.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Capturing and Operationalizing Participation in Pediatric Re/Habilitation Research Using Artificial Intelligence: A Scoping Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesArtificial intelligence tools currently measure only observable behavior, failing to capture how children actually feel or think during therapy activities. These tools also rely on data from autistic boys, meaning they cannot yet assess the full experience of participation for all patients.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2021Relation of sensory processing and stomatognical system of oral respiratory children.CoDASMouth-breathing children showed significantly more sensory processing dysfunction than nasal-breathing peers, especially in balance and movement. This may contribute to head movements and food escape during eating. Screen for sensory issues in mouth-breathers who struggle with mealtimes.
• PTCase Report2022Improving the cervical lordosis relieves neck pain and chronic headaches in a pediatric: a Chiropractic Biophysics® (CBP®) case report with a 17-month follow-up.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 10-year-old boy reported his neck pain dropped from 9/10 to 0/10 and headaches became rare after chiropractic treatment. X-rays showed his neck curve changed from -2.3° to -25.2°. This describes one person, not a proven pattern.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022The diagnostic trajectory of developmental coordination disorder in the Netherlands: Experiences of mothers.Child: care, health and developmentMothers of children with DCD were mostly satisfied with the diagnosis, yet 40% found the process stressful and it took about three years. Satisfaction depended heavily on the diagnosing professional's manner and the support provided after the diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Intrauterine drug exposure as a risk factor for cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyInfants with intrauterine drug exposure had a 5.2% rate of cerebral palsy, ten times higher than the general population. Even after excluding very preterm infants, the rate remained significantly elevated. These children warrant high-risk developmental surveillance regardless of other medical complications.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and wellbeing of caregivers of autistic children and youth: A scoping review.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCaregivers of autistic children reported severe stress from lost therapies and school closures. Parents managed by creating new routines and connecting online. Telehealth helped some families but failed those with limited access or complex needs. The review found no evidence that these remote adaptations actually improved child or parent outcomes.
• PTCohort2022Performance on a Motor Control Test in an Asymptomatic Adolescent Population.International journal of sports physical therapyAdolescents performed worse on the supine double leg lowering test than adults, with females scoring lower than males. Sport participation did not affect scores. This suggests adult normative values are not appropriate for assessing motor control in healthy adolescents.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Early Intervention Referral Information, Transmission, and Sources-A Survey of State Part C Coordinators and Analysis of Referral Forms.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPState Early Intervention referral forms vary widely, with healthcare settings sending the most referrals but only 25% of forms explicitly targeting providers. Parents remain a major source, yet few forms are translated. Clinicians should verify local referral pathways, as electronic data exchange between health and education systems is rare.
• PTCohort2022Limb Dominance Does Not Affect Y-Balance Test Performance in Non-Athlete Adolescents.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 26 non-athlete adolescents, the Y-Balance Test showed no significant difference between dominant and non-dominant limbs. However, anterior reach reliability was poor, and many participants failed the task. Clinicians should not assume limb symmetry in this group and should avoid using anterior reach for injury prediction.
• PTPilot2021Prefrontal Cortex and Supplementary Motor Area Activation During Robot-Assisted Weight-Supported Over-Ground Walking in Young Neurological Patients: A Pilot fNIRS Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOnly a minority of children with neurological gait impairments showed the expected brain activation while walking in the Andago robot. The brain imaging setup took about half an hour to prepare and was generally accepted, but the authors state it is too early for clinical use.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Using ICF to Describe Problems With Functioning in Everyday Life for Children Who Completed Treatment for Brain Tumor: An Analysis Based on Professionals' Documentation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRecords for nine brain tumor survivors focused almost exclusively on body functions, ignoring how these problems link to school and social participation. Therapists should stop assuming medical charts capture daily life barriers and explicitly document activity limitations and environmental supports.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in a large, diverse metropolitan area: Variation by sociodemographic factors.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchActive surveillance found ASD in 36 per 1,000 public school children in four New Jersey counties. Prevalence varied widely by district and county. Hispanic children were identified less often than White peers. Mid-income districts showed higher rates than low or high-income ones.
• PTCohort2022Normalized Isometric Shoulder Strength as a Predictor of Ball Velocity in Youth Baseball Players.International journal of sports physical therapyNormalizing shoulder strength by ulnar length is the most reliable method for tracking changes in youth baseball players. This method, along with height normalization, shows that dominant shoulder strength predicts ball velocity, with scaption and external rotation at 0 degrees being the strongest predictors.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Analysis of the SPARK study COVID-19 parent survey: Early impact of the pandemic on access to services, child/parent mental health, and benefits of online services.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchFamilies of children with autism reported severe service disruptions, especially for speech, OT, and PT. Parents of younger children and those with greater impairments or language delays saw the least benefit from online services. Low-income families hoped for future online options.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Individuals with FOXP1 syndrome present with a complex neurobehavioral profile with high rates of ADHD, anxiety, repetitive behaviors, and sensory symptoms.Molecular autismMost patients with FOXP1 syndrome have ADHD and anxiety, but only 23% receive treatment. Autism scores on standard tests are high, yet clinical consensus diagnoses it in just 24%. Therapists should prioritize managing attention and anxiety symptoms over relying solely on autism screening tools.
• PTOTCohort2022Muscle synergy structure and gait patterns in children with spastic cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with cerebral palsy who walked with different gait patterns showed highly similar muscle synergy structures. While specific muscle weights varied, these differences were small and not clearly linked to the gait pattern or walking speed, suggesting individual motor control strategies rather than pattern-specific neural signatures.