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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 34 OF 39 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2026Personalized care of paediatric drug-resistant epilepsy in Africa: A single-centre pilot study utilizing mobile health and genetic testing.Developmental medicine and child neurologyCaregivers reported far fewer seizures via an app than appeared in clinic records. Wearables revealed significantly lower physical activity and sleep quality than parents realized, though engagement dropped by half over six months.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Surgical and health outcomes of non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy and severe scoliosis: A population-based, longitudinal study.Developmental medicine and child neurologySpinal fusion in non-ambulatory children with severe cerebral palsy scoliosis corrected curves and improved seating and pain for most, but carried high complication and mortality risks. Caregivers of survivors reported high satisfaction, though non-surgical children were too frail for comparison.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Promoting agency and communication through powered mobility: a single-group, repeated measures intervention using the explorer mini in toddlers with motor disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTen toddlers with motor disabilities used a powered mobility device for 12 sessions. They showed significant gains in cognition and receptive language on standardized tests, and increased joyful vocalizations during play, though expressive language changes were mixed.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Trajectory of Irritability in Autistic and Typically Developing Youth From Early Childhood to Adolescence.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic girls kept high irritability from early childhood to late adolescence, unlike autistic boys and all typically developing peers who improved. Higher early cognitive ability and lower adolescent psychopathology predicted better outcomes. This suggests monitoring irritability specifically in autistic girls is critical.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025A Systematic Study on Prenatal Opioid Exposure: A Review of Neurodevelopmental Consequences.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPChildren with prenatal opioid exposure showed consistent delays in language, motor, and socioemotional skills. Sensory processing was the most affected domain. These findings suggest therapists should screen for neurosensory and communication delays in this population, regardless of age.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Quality of Life in Autistic Children: Discrepancies Between Self- and Caregiver-Proxy Reports and Associations With Individual Characteristics.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCaregivers and autistic children disagreed significantly on quality of life. Autism and ADHD features predicted caregiver ratings but not child self-reports. Sensory and sleep difficulties predicted both. Do not assume caregiver proxy scores reflect the child's own experience.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Deaf children's experiences of hearing in everyday life: a systematic review.Journal of deaf studies and deaf educationDeaf children's hearing experiences vary widely and are shaped by noise, device use, and social context. Listening fatigue and misperceptions about their abilities often limit participation in school and social activities. Ask each child directly what accommodations help them.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Exploring Clinicians' Suggestions for Addressing Discrimination Towards Children and Youth With Disabilities With Multiple Minoritized Identities.Child: care, health and developmentClinicians recommended specific anti-ableism training for youth, not just adults. They urged funding for transport and interpreters to remove access barriers. They emphasized co-designing services with disabled youth and ensuring resources reflect diverse cultural backgrounds to reduce discrimination.
• PTOTQualitative2026Fall experiences of ambulatory children and adults with cerebral palsy: A qualitative study using thematic content analysis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyPeople with cerebral palsy described embarrassment and anxiety as more worrying than physical injuries. They often avoid crowds or public spaces. Clinicians should ask about emotional impacts and teach safe falling techniques, as fear of falling limits independence.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Early Life Neurodevelopment of Infants Across a Wide Gestational Age Range.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPEach extra week in the womb linked to tiny gains in infant development. The effect was smallest for term babies but grew larger for preterm infants. Regular monitoring is advised for all preterm and early term babies.
• PTSLPCohort2025Development of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Young Infants With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preterm Birth, and Typical Development.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchInfants born preterm showed lower heart rate variability in the first 6 months, but this difference vanished when age was corrected for prematurity. Infants later diagnosed with autism showed higher variability from 9 to 24 months. These physiological differences were not explained by cognitive or language skills.
• PTOther2025Physical and cognitive characteristics of a group exercise program for children treated for brain tumors.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn children treated for brain tumors, a group exercise program mixed games and sports. Most active time was cardiovascular, with medium or high cognitive demand; high cognitive-demand sports had less continuous movement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025A longitudinal evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism reported gastrointestinal symptoms twice as often as typically developing peers, and these symptoms often persisted across childhood. The presence and number of these unexplained symptoms were linked to worse sleep, anxiety, and social communication scores.
• PTOTPilot2025Feasibility and usability of a wearable sensor system for gait assessment in children with neuromuscular diseases.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA wearable sensor system attached to shoelaces was feasible and highly usable for gait assessment in 12 ambulatory children with neuromuscular diseases. Device-based measurements agreed with standard manual tests, and all participants completed the protocol.
• PTOTCase-Control2025Adverse Childhood Experiences and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Adolescents With and Without Autism.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPAdolescents with autism or other developmental disabilities reported more adverse childhood experiences than typical peers. Household substance use linked to conduct problems in autism, while financial assistance linked to hyperactivity in other disabilities. Mental health issues in the home affected behavior across all groups.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Expressive language and social communication abilities in children with spinal muscular atrophy type 1.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with later-onset SMA type 1 said far more words than those with early onset. Four of 37 screened positive for autism traits, but many parents could not answer questions because motor impairments blocked the behaviours the test asks about.
• PTSLPSurvey2025Support Needs of Parents of Children With Congenital Anomalies Across Europe: A EUROlinkCAT Survey.Child: care, health and developmentAcross 10 European countries, parents of children with congenital anomalies reported unmet support needs, particularly for psychological help at diagnosis and guidance from general practitioners. Satisfaction with healthcare varied widely by country, but support from partners, family and peers remained consistently high.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Active upper-limb therapies for hand function, individual goal achievement, and self-care in children with cerebral palsy: A network meta-analysis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyModified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) and bimanual training (BiM) consistently improve hand function, goal achievement, and self-care in children with cerebral palsy. Action observation also improves bimanual hand function. No single therapy is clearly superior to the others for hand function, allowing choice based on child and family preference.
• PTRCT2026Effects of diaphragmatic breathing and manual diaphragm relaxation on respiratory muscle strength, chest expansion, pulmonary function, and sitting ability in children with diplegic cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAdding diaphragmatic breathing and manual relaxation to standard physiotherapy significantly improved inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and lower chest expansion in children with diplegic cerebral palsy. There were no additional benefits for lung function or sitting ability compared to standard therapy alone.
• PTOther2026Cluster-based muscle synergy analysis scheme for assessing crawling motor function in children with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with cerebral palsy showed significantly lower similarity in muscle coordination patterns during crawling compared to typical peers, despite matching their timing. This suggests the deficit lies in how muscles are grouped spatially, not when they fire.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Communication about sexuality for adolescents with cerebral palsy and complex communication needs: A scoping review with framework synthesis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdolescents with cerebral palsy who speak discuss sexuality with parents and peers, but those with complex communication needs are rarely asked directly. Support staff and parents report conversations focus on abuse prevention and personal care, missing broader topics like dating or consent.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Outcomes of selective dorsal rhizotomy in ambulatory children and young people with cerebral palsy: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost research on selective dorsal rhizotomy measures muscle tone and movement, ignoring patient goals and daily participation. Only four studies tracked individualized goals and two explored family perspectives, leaving a major gap in understanding what matters to patients.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Latent trajectories in autistic individuals: A systematic review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic development is not uniform. Most individuals show stable core traits, but repetitive behaviors often worsen while adaptive skills improve. Baseline cognition predicts these paths. Regularly assess multiple domains over time rather than assuming a single fixed trajectory.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Language, Speech, and Oral Motor Performance in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Systematic Review.International journal of language & communication disordersChildren with developmental coordination disorder often have subtle speech and oral motor deficits that standard articulation tests miss. Look for slower articulation and breakdowns during complex speech tasks, not just isolated sound errors.
• PTOTCohort2026Three-year outcomes of repeated botulinum neurotoxin A injections to the lower extremities in young children with spastic cerebral palsy in GMFCS levels I to III.Developmental medicine and child neurologyRepeated botulinum toxin injections did not improve gross motor function in young children with spastic cerebral palsy over three years. Range of motion outcomes slightly favoured the group that did not receive injections.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Epidemiology of progressive intellectual and neurological deterioration in UK children.Developmental medicine and child neurologyUK surveillance found that inborn errors of metabolism cause most progressive neurodegeneration in children, with genetic testing now driving diagnosis. Pakistani and Bangladeshi families had much higher rates of parental cousin marriage, linking this to inherited recessive diseases.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Parents' experiences of having a child who had a stroke: A systematic review and meta-ethnography.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParents describe childhood stroke as a sudden, shocking event worsened by low awareness among professionals. They report feeling abandoned after discharge, forcing them to self-educate. Support needs change over time, with fathers and siblings often overlooked.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Predicting neurodevelopmental outcomes in Australian First Nations infants: The transdiagnostic utility of early screening tools.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA combined trajectory of early movement scores (MOS-R) and neurological exams (HINE) predicted neurodevelopmental delays and autism at 12 months with 74% accuracy. This transdiagnostic utility allows therapists to identify high-risk First Nations infants earlier, even before a formal diagnosis is confirmed.
• PTCase-Control2026The relationship between lower limb proprioception and balance performance in children with cerebral palsy: a multisystem and multi-joint approach.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineTotal lower-limb joint position errors were not associated with overall balance scores, but hip joint position errors were associated with poorer balance in children with cerebral palsy, especially limits of stability, transitions, sensory orientation and gait.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Examining Transdiagnostic Patterns of Motor Differences: Preliminary Findings From the Consortium for Motor Behavior in Neurodivergence (COMBINE).Journal of autism and developmental disordersAcross 262 children with autism, ADHD, DCD or CAS, 77% scored in the clinical range for motor impairment. DCD predicted lower total scores, while ADHD predicted higher total and balance scores. Autistic children had lower aiming and catching scores, and girls had lower aiming scores.
• PTOTQualitative2025Play Together? Unveiling Facilitators and Barriers to Inclusive Outdoor Play for Dutch Children With and Without Disabilities: A Qualitative Study.Child: care, health and developmentChildren with disabilities, especially those in special schools, face the most barriers to outdoor play. Key obstacles include lack of nearby peers, inaccessible playgrounds, and pity from other children. Familiarity and growing up together were the strongest facilitators for inclusive play.
• PTOTRCT2026Lessons learned while exploring the impact of movement-tracking feedback on the experiences of children with neuromotor disorders taking part in interactive home exercise programs: a multi-case mixed methods study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMovement tracking feedback helped two of three children complete more prescribed exercises, but the system often failed to count movements accurately. Parents valued the feedback, while children found technical errors frustrating. The game was preferred over conventional home exercises, but the technology requires refinement before clinical use.
• PTOTOther2025'I feel trapped in my safe clothes': The impact of tactile hyper-sensitivity on autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described clothing textures like labels and seams as causing physical pain, anxiety, and barriers to work. While tactile sensitivity alone linked weakly to poor body image, it significantly lowered self-esteem in those already dissatisfied with their appearance. Comfort often forced a trade-off with self-expression.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Keeping Up With School During Hospitalization for Children With Chronic Illnesses, Siblings and Parents.Child: care, health and developmentFamilies staying at a Ronald McDonald House reported that teachers supported school continuity through flexible, reduced workloads and easy digital contact. Parents valued this but noted that homeschooling or prolonged absence cut off access to therapy services and peer socialization.
• PTOTPilot2026AI-based video analysis for the assessment of upper limb function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy: feasibility of remote monitoring.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAn AI model accurately classified upper limb impairment severity in children with unilateral cerebral palsy from routine handheld clinic videos. The tool achieved high discrimination across all four assessment indices, suggesting it could support remote monitoring and reduce clinician scoring burden.
• PTPilot2026Coping experiences in child and adolescent rehabilitation through a novel device: A multi-method feasibility study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren and adolescents in a rehabilitation programme could use a squeeze device to record coping experiences. Most found it easy and motivating, but it was added to the programme, so its separate benefit is unknown.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Transition From Children's to Adults' Healthcare for Youth With (Genetic) Intellectual Disabilities: An ERN-ITHACA Guideline.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRTransition planning for young people with intellectual disabilities should start at 13 or 14 years and use a named worker to coordinate care. These are expert recommendations, not evidence that they work.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Criterion Validity, Scalability and Stability of Scoring on the Bayley-III in Children With Angelman Syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRThe Bayley-III works well for tracking groups of children with Angelman syndrome but is unstable for individual patients. Scores often fluctuate due to attention and motor issues, meaning a single test result may not reflect true ability or change.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2026Motor skills and working memory capacity in preadolescents born very preterm.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren born very preterm had lower working memory capacity than term-born peers. This link was fully explained by their poorer motor skills, specifically balance and manual dexterity. Brain activity measures did not mediate this relationship, suggesting motor deficits are a key pathway to cognitive difficulties.
• PTRCT2026Acute effect of hippotherapy applied on different sitting surfaces in children with special needs.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineIn children with special needs, hippotherapy seating surfaces did not differ for sitting balance or walking speed. Only the bubble-wrap group improved walking speed during hippotherapy after one session, but the three surfaces did not differ.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Outcomes and standardized tools in telehealth physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy: A scoping review using the ICF framework.Developmental medicine and child neurologyTelehealth physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy is mostly assessed in person, not remotely. While some questionnaires and specific movement tests show promise for remote use, most standardized tools still require clinical settings, limiting the ability to track real-world functional changes.
• PTOTOther2026Psychometric properties of functional mobility outcome measures in children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFour mobility measures work well for children with arthrogryposis, but they do not agree on who is impaired. Use them together for a full picture. Parents reported worse mobility than children did, so ask both. Small changes of 1-2 levels on walking scales are meaningful.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Use of artificial intelligence for outcome assessment in pediatric rehabilitation: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost AI tools for pediatric outcome assessment are still experimental, focused on gait in children with cerebral palsy. High accuracy reported in these studies reflects technical testing, not clinical readiness for routine use.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Interventions supporting the empowerment of parent carers of children with neurodisability and other long-term health conditions: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost interventions for parent carers target the carer's own behaviour, not the health system. Few involve carers in design or report implementation details. Clinicians should look for existing programmes rather than creating new ones, but beware of poor descriptions.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Longitudinal Developmental Outcomes of Children With Prelingual Single-Sided Deafness With and Without a Cochlear Implant and Recommendations for Follow-Up.Ear and hearingEarly cochlear implantation in children with single-sided deafness improved speech perception in noise and sound localization compared to non-implanted peers. However, it did not significantly improve cognitive scores or balance skills over the non-implanted group, though both implanted and non-implanted groups showed poorer balance than hearing children.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Are we getting better at identifying and diagnosing neurodivergent girls and women? Insights into sex ratios and age of diagnosis from clinical population data in Scotland.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutism and ADHD sex ratios in Scotland have balanced since 2014, with more females diagnosed in adults. However, girls are still referred and diagnosed years later than boys. The delay begins before referral, suggesting parents and schools are missing early signs in females.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Implementation of a knowledge translation strategy to promote early evidence-based rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyA 15-week toolkit and training program did not significantly change how often therapists used evidence-based practices or their confidence. However, therapists found the toolkit acceptable and easy to use, and perceived better mentorship support at their sites.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Exome sequencing in severe non-syndromic specific learning and language disorders in a French cohort.Molecular autismExome sequencing found a genetic diagnosis in 11 of 82 children with severe learning disorders. It also flagged 38 uncertain variants. No patient profile predicted who would get a diagnosis, and the study was too small to confirm if sequencing beats standard chromosome testing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Long-Term Outcomes of Pediatric Cochlear Implantation for Single-Sided Deafness: A Western Australian Perspective.Ear and hearingLong-term cochlear implant use in children with single-sided deafness showed variable results. While some improved, the group saw no significant gain in localization or speech-in-noise scores. Earlier implantation was linked to better outcomes, but device use declined over time.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Families' and therapists' experience of a telehealth programme for children and adolescents with cerebral palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFamilies and therapists first feared remote care, then valued weekly video review of home goals and low-cost adaptations. They described stronger partnership and family confidence, while internet, devices, and caregiver strain remained challenges.