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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 29 OF 39 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2024Deficits in recovery of postural stability after stepping are limb- and phase-specific in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.Gait & postureChildren with unilateral CP show significant postural instability when stepping, especially side-to-side movement with their more-affected leg. They recover stability more slowly and with less automaticity than peers. This specific dynamic weakness may increase fall risk during daily activities.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Comparative profiling of white matter development in the human and mouse brain reveals volumetric deficits and delayed myelination in Angelman syndrome.Molecular autismChildren with Angelman syndrome have significantly smaller brain volumes from age 1, with white matter reduced by 26.5% between ages 6 and 12. Mouse models show this is driven by a delay in myelination onset that normalizes later, suggesting a window for early intervention.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Childhood and Adulthood Predictors of Community Participation by Autistic Adults With and Without Intellectual Disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAutistic adults participated most in shopping and family outings, but half always needed a carer present. Living in supported accommodation was the strongest predictor of lower community participation frequency. Childhood autism symptoms predicted reduced adult participation, but only weakly.
• PTPilot2025Immersive virtual reality rehabilitation after lower limb surgery in paediatric patients.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren recovering from lower limb surgery used an immersive VR game to distract themselves while walking. Anxiety and pain scores dropped significantly after the first session, and patients reported walking further and faster than they thought possible. This is a small pilot study, so it does not prove the game works.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Prediction of cerebral palsy and cognitive delay among high-risk children in a developing nation: A successful early detection programme.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCombining video assessments of infant movements with a neurological exam detected 100% of cerebral palsy cases and 86% of cognitive delays in high-risk infants. This works without MRI scans, though it also flags many children who do not have these conditions.
• PTCohort2024Yearly motor function changes in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, including a COVID-19 behavioral restriction period.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 12 ambulatory children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a year including COVID restrictions saw slower 10-meter running and larger calf circumference. However, ankle flexibility unexpectedly improved by the year's end, likely due to resumed rehabilitation, rather than the decline seen immediately after restrictions.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025The process of adaptation: Parents' journey navigating their child's chronic health condition diagnosis.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineParents described adapting to their child's diagnosis through five interwoven elements: grief, anxiety, unknowing, responsibility, and positivity. These experiences cycled rather than followed linear stages, with time and experience helping parents move from persistent negative emotions toward intermittent ones.
• PTOTCohort2025Clinical utility of a patient-reported outcome for assessing spasticity in a pediatric population.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineThe Zorowitz scale does not match physical measures like muscle tone or GMFCS levels, meaning it tracks a separate aspect of spasticity impact. Caregiver-reported scores improved significantly after injections, suggesting the tool detects functional changes that standard clinical exams miss.
• PTSurvey2025Pediatric physical therapy during a pandemic: Assessing perceptions of providing services through telehealth.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePediatric PTs' perceptions of telehealth shifted from negative to positive after the pandemic. They valued parent coaching and home-based activity adaptation but cited poor engagement and technology access as major barriers. This reflects therapist opinion, not proven clinical effectiveness.
• PTOTCase Report2025Diagnosis, treatment, and functional outcomes for two adolescent female patients with lupus myelitis: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdolescent girls with lupus myelitis improved self-care and mobility during inpatient rehabilitation, but they received multiple immunomodulatory treatments and intensive therapy together.
• PTOTOther2025Rocking in a rocking chair activates trunk muscles in children with spinal cord injury and impaired trunk control.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineRocking in a custom chair significantly increased trunk muscle activity in children with spinal cord injury compared to quiet sitting. All eleven children with SCI could rock the chair independently, found it enjoyable, and experienced no injuries, suggesting it is a safe, accessible way to activate trunk muscles.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Atypical development of sequential manual motor planning and visuomotor integration in children with autism at early school-age: A longitudinal kinematic study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism showed less benefit from seeing the goal in advance. Their motor planning relied more on feedback than prediction. This atypical visuomotor integration became more pronounced as they aged from 7 to 10 years.
• PTOTCohort2025Improvement on the slopes: The impact of an adaptive snow sports program on children and young adults with disabilities.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren and young adults with disabilities in a 10-year adaptive ski program showed significant skill progression and improved social, emotional, physical, and independence scores, though cognitive trends were not significant.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Impact of Social Disadvantage on Medical and Functional Severity in Children With Cerebral Palsy.Child: care, health and developmentChildren with cerebral palsy in poorer neighbourhoods or with marginalized race or Hispanic ethnicity were more likely to have greater motor difficulties. Minority race was linked to more severe language impairment. When income and ethnicity were considered together, race still linked to gross motor impairment.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Parental Experiences of Quality of Life When Caring for Their Children With Intellectual Disability: A Meta-Aggregation Systematic Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDParents of children with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities described caregiving as relentless, causing isolation, financial strain, and health decline. Mothers bore the heaviest burden, often sacrificing careers and self-care. Support networks and respite were critical for quality of life.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Early Years Practitioners' and Public Health Consultants' Perspectives on the Use of Interactive Electronic Devices in Young Children: A Qualitative Study.Child: care, health and developmentPractitioners and consultants describe tablets replacing outdoor play, leading to poorer self-regulation and motor skills. They note children swipe at wooden blocks expecting a screen response. Both groups want adult-led use to support learning, not free play.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Interventions in subacute paediatric inpatient neurorehabilitation: an umbrella review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineNo systematic reviews met criteria for subacute paediatric inpatient neurorehabilitation interventions. The search found no high-quality evidence for this specific setting and phase. Clinicians should expect to rely on expert opinion and adult or outpatient data rather than robust trial evidence for these patients.
• PTOTOther2024Preventing deformities in paediatric cerebral palsy in poorly-resourced areas: A scoping review.The South African journal of physiotherapyWeak, conflicting evidence exists for preventing hip displacement, contractures and scoliosis in severe cerebral palsy. Supported standing, seating and sustained stretching showed some benefit in studies, but no tested home programmes for low-resource settings.
• PTOther2025The Performance of Ankle- and Waist-Based Accelerometry in Quantifying Physical Activity Intensity Among 6- to 24-Month-Year-Olds: A Semistructured Laboratory Study.Child: care, health and developmentAnkle and waist accelerometry could not reliably separate five activity levels in 38 infants and toddlers. Ankle devices matched video-coded activity as sedentary or not 77.6% of the time, and total counts estimated overall activity time.
• PTOTCase Report2025Case Report: Robot-assisted gait training with the wearable cyborg hybrid assistive limb 2S size in three children with cerebral palsy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThree children with cerebral palsy showed improved hip and knee extension angles and altered muscle activity after robot-assisted gait training. The wearable HAL device appeared to facilitate these biomechanical changes, but this small case series cannot prove the treatment works or compare it to standard therapy.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Contextual factors experienced by mothers of children with special needs.The South African journal of physiotherapyMothers of children with disabilities in South Africa described financial strain from unemployment, fear of marital abandonment, and stigma from family and community. They faced barriers accessing healthcare and education, often feeling isolated and unsupported by fathers.
• PTSystematic Review2025Exploration of the Evidence on Discharge From Hospital to Home for Children With Medical Complexity and Their Parents: A Review of the Literature.Child: care, health and developmentParents of medically complex children described discharge home as overwhelming and stressful. They needed early, phased preparation, hands-on practice, clear communication, care coordination, and emotional support before leaving hospital.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Gross Motor Development in Children With Autism: Longitudinal Trajectories From the Growing Up in New Zealand Study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchGross motor delays emerged between 9 and 24 months in children with autism, persisting to 54 months. Children with parent-reported autism concerns had similar motor delays to those with formal diagnoses, suggesting motor issues are an early marker regardless of diagnosis status.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Comparative Evaluation of Health Status of Syrian Refugee and Tur CCH_70042 kish Children, Alongside the Factors Influencing Sociocultural Adaptation of Syrian Children in Türkiye.Child: care, health and developmentSyrian refugee children in Türkiye reported higher social anxiety and resilience but lower self-esteem, grades, and worse oral health than Turkish peers. Across both groups, low socioeconomic status linked to poorer outcomes, while resilience showed no socioeconomic gap.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Adaptive functioning in children and young adults with monogenic neurodevelopmental disorders.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdaptive behaviour profiles in children with eight genetic neurodevelopmental disorders varied widely within each diagnosis. Communication was typically the weakest skill. Co-occurring autism, not ADHD, was linked to more severe impairment. This supports assessing individual needs rather than relying on the genetic label alone.
• PTOTPilot2025Virtual Reality Respiratory Biofeedback in an Outpatient Pediatric Pain Rehabilitation Program: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesNine adolescents in a 4-week pain program found VR breathing biofeedback feasible and acceptable, with seven of nine completing at least 80% of sessions. The program's functional gains cannot be credited to VR, and no session showed a confirmed blood pressure or heart-rate change.
• PTCohort2025Polymicrogyria in infants with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus at birth is associated with epilepsy: A retrospective, descriptive cohort study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn infants with congenital cytomegalovirus, polymicrogyria was associated with epilepsy: 6 of 18 infants with polymicrogyria developed epilepsy, compared with 1 of 72 without.
• PTNarrative Review2025Establishment of emerging practices and research priorities for telerehabilitation in solid organ transplantation: meeting report and narrative literature review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTransplant telerehabilitation priorities were hybrid delivery, in-person start, home safety checks, caregiver support, mental health, and accessible tools, while device access, monitoring, timing, and cost remain unresolved.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Developmental Scores and Prevalence of Functional Difficulty Among Preschool Children in Kenya.Child: care, health and developmentNearly one in five preschoolers in Homa Bay and one in twelve in Kakuma had functional difficulties. In Kakuma, these children scored lower on development tests, but in Homa Bay they did not. This shows disability is common in mainstream Kenyan preschools and needs teacher support.
• PTOTSLPOther2025School Satisfaction Predicts Quality of Life for Children With Severe Developmental Disabilities and Their Families.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDParents' satisfaction with their child's school predicted quality of life for both the child and the family. The specific classroom placement or the number of services provided did not predict wellbeing. It is how well the school meets the child's needs that matters.
• PTOTQualitative2025Resilience and adaptations-insights from Norwegian adolescents with pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdolescents with spinal cord injuries prioritized independence and social connection over physical recovery alone. They valued peers who treated them normally and schools that adapted activities rather than excusing them. They sought autonomy in daily choices, often preferring self-directed exercise to supervised therapy.
• PTOTNarrative Review2025Wearable sensors in paediatric neurology.Developmental medicine and child neurologyWearable sensors reliably track gait, activity, and physiological signs in children with neurological conditions, and one stride metric now guides Duchenne trials. Most other uses remain in feasibility testing. They supplement clinic assessments but do not yet replace them in routine care.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Healthcare professionals' knowledge and practices in managing ototoxicity in children with cancer.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsMost clinicians knew ototoxicity causes hearing loss, but nearly three-quarters did not know how long monitoring should continue after chemotherapy ends. Knowledge gaps persisted despite acknowledging the need for an audiologist's role, suggesting a disconnect between recognizing the problem and executing the protocol.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025'I Did Not Know We Could Exercise This Small Premature Baby': Challenges Experienced by Parents While Implementing Early Intervention for Their Preterm Infants-A Qualitative Perspective.Child: care, health and developmentParents of preterm infants described struggling to perform home exercises due to fear of handling fragile babies, lack of awareness of early intervention, infant stress signs, time constraints and traditional gender roles where fathers avoided limb exercises.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Exploring the Extent and Nature of Disordered Eating Among Canadian Adolescents and Young Adults With Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.Child: care, health and developmentMost adolescents and young adults with spina bifida and hydrocephalus in this survey felt pressure to lose weight. This pressure came from clinicians and parents, but also from managing bowel function and mobility. Restricting food was common even when the goal was functional, not cosmetic.
• PTOther2025A Scoping Review of Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy-Related Gait Abnormalities in Children With Cancer.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationChildren with cancer or chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy walked slower, took shorter steps, and had tighter ankles or less ankle dorsiflexion than controls. Across 3 small studies, the most consistent clue was ankle movement loss, not one universal gait pattern.
• PTOther2025Augmented Feedback Response Prediction by Peak Vertical Ground Reaction Force in Adolescent Female Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 147 adolescent female athletes, one augmented feedback session lowered landing impact force in 107. Baseline force alone missed 23 non-responders. One feedback session plus baseline helped separate responders from non-responders.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025'Like it's making my heart run': A strengths-based understanding of the play of autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children defined play by how it felt, not just what they did. They valued fun, social connection, and deep focus on interests. They also highlighted the need for autonomy, stating that play is only play if they can control what happens.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2025Pathogenic variants in chromatin-related genes: Linking immune dysregulation to neuroregression and acute neuropsychiatric disorders.Developmental medicine and child neurologyEight children with rare chromatin gene variants experienced sudden loss of skills after infections. Clinicians noted that antibiotics and immune treatments helped some children recover previous abilities, though this is not proof that these treatments work for other patients.
• PTOther2025Muscle weakness but also contractures contribute to the progressive gait pathology in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a simulation study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWeakness was the main driver of gait deviations in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, while stiffness and contractures added further deviations; foot arch collapse helped explain the flexion pattern.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025A Tele-Coaching Pilot Study: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Motor Skills in Adolescents With Down Syndrome.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDAdolescents with Down syndrome improved on one specific balance test and lowered their systolic blood pressure after 15 weeks of remote, game-based exercise. However, their overall motor coordination, walking distance, and cognitive scores did not change significantly. This is a small pilot without a control group, so these gains might just be practice or natural variation.
• PTOTQualitative2025Caregiver Experiences of a Peer Mentor Family Physical Activity Programme in England: A Qualitative Interview Study.Child: care, health and developmentCaregivers valued weekly volunteer contact for emotional support and accountability more than for activity plans alone. Teens often disengaged, so family-wide participation was inconsistent. Volunteers provided practical help and confidence building, filling gaps in parenting support during pandemic restrictions.
• PTOther2025Anticipatory and Compensatory Postural Adjustments in Sitting and Standing Positions During Functional Activities in Children With Cerebral Palsy.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyWhen children with CP caught a ball, their compensatory postural muscle activity was higher with a heavy ball than a light ball in sitting and standing. Anticipatory muscle activity did not differ by load, and GMFCS level I and II did not differ.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Mastication and electrical activation in the masseter and anterior temporalis muscles of children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta.CoDASChildren with moderate-to-severe osteogenesis imperfecta showed higher muscle activation at rest and during chewing than those with mild forms. The absence of canine-guided occlusion and the presence of occlusal interference were linked to increased electrical activity in the jaw muscles at rest.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Aetiopathogenesis of infantile epileptic spasms syndrome and mechanisms of action of adrenocorticotrophin hormone/corticosteroids in children: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAcross 124 studies, genetic testing identified a cause in 22% of all infantile spasms cases. No consistent biological mechanism explains why ACTH or steroids work, and current evidence is too limited to guide treatment choices.
• PTOTSLPOther2025A pediatric rehabilitation therapy audit study: A brief report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and West Virginia, 47.4% of simulated families had pediatric therapy appointment access problems. Hispanic and Black families got fewer appointments than White and Muslim families; insurance type did not predict access.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Relationship between visuospatial working memory and fine and gross motor skills in children with developmental disabilities: a preliminary study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 30 children with autism, visuospatial working memory correlated with fine motor skills but not gross motor skills. The study was underpowered, so these links are preliminary and do not prove that memory training improves motor function.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Concurrent validity in language and motor domains on the Vineland-3 and Mullen Scales of Early Learning in young children with Down syndrome.Research in developmental disabilitiesFor young children with Down syndrome, parent-reported Vineland-3 scores closely matched direct Mullen assessment scores in language and motor domains. This suggests remote parent interviews can effectively monitor developmental progress when in-person testing is difficult or impossible.
• PTOther2025The Reliability and Validity of Data Obtained With the Functional Gait Assessment Modified for Children.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationChildren with bilateral vestibular loss scored significantly lower on this modified gait test than those with normal function, supporting its use to identify severe balance deficits. However, the test performed poorly for unilateral loss and showed inconsistent results when repeated, limiting its reliability for tracking change.
• PTCohort2025Effects of Middle Ear Status on Rotary Chair Outcomes in Children.Ear and hearingIn young children, middle ear dysfunction did not clearly change rotary chair phase or symmetry. Some children with dysfunction had higher gain or phase leads, but severity did not explain them.