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.

1,906 PAPERS · PAGE 8 OF 39 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTRCT2018The physical environment in family childcare homes and children's physical activity.Child: care, health and developmentChildren averaged 4.7 minutes per hour of moderate to vigorous activity in family childcare homes. Only indoor space was associated with more activity; outdoor space, fixed play equipment, portable equipment, and landscape features were not.
• PTOTSLPPilot2018Effectiveness of a SCERTS Model-Based Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Hong Kong: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism in Hong Kong improved on communication, emotion and motor scores after a SCERTS-based programme delivered within usual centre care, but with no control group, maturation or other components cannot be separated.
• PTOTSurvey2018Leisure Participation Patterns for School Age Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Findings from the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSchool-age children with autism had lower participation in physical, skill, and jobs or chores activities, especially from age 11 to 17. Screen-based recreation was similar, but social participation was lower at age 16 to 17.
• PTCase Report2018Rehabilitation of an Adolescent Equestrian Athlete With a History of Multiple Concussions: A Case Report Describing an Adapted Return-to-Sport Protocol.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapyA 14-year-old equestrian athlete with a third concussion and symptoms for two weeks returned to competition eight weeks after injury following physical therapy and an adapted riding protocol. She reported no symptoms at discharge, but this describes one person, not proof the protocol works.
• PTOther2019Physical activity levels of children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe intellectual disability.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDOnly 47% of children and adolescents with moderate-to-severe intellectual disability met the 60-minute daily moderate-to-vigorous activity recommendation using intellectual disability-specific thresholds. Lower motor development was linked to lower activity. Motor skill support may be a practical focus.
• PTOther2018Correlation between the Gait Deviation Index and skeletal muscle mass in children with spastic cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn ambulatory children with spastic cerebral palsy, worse Gait Deviation Index scores were linked to lower limb muscle mass index and slower chair stand time. Grip strength and upper limb muscle mass index were not linked.
• PTRCT2018Dual-task training of children with neuromotor disorders during robot-assisted gait therapy: prerequisites of patients and influence on leg muscle activity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding arm pointing to a Lokomat walking game lowered game scores and made 5 of 20 children show compensatory walking. Leg muscle activity during stance fell. Use GMFCS, WeeFIM mobility or FAC, not body-function tests, to judge who can try it.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2019Austerity and families with disabled children: a European survey.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAcross Europe, families with disabled children and professionals reported services were worse than 3 years ago and needs were less well met than 10 years ago. Families in countries with spending cuts reported harder access to welfare support.
• PTOther2018Children With Cerebral Palsy Have Greater Stride-to-Stride Variability of Muscle Synergies During Gait Than Typically Developing Children: Implications for Motor Control Complexity.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChildren with cerebral palsy show greater stride-to-stride variability in muscle synergy patterns than typically developing peers. Their walking uses fewer total synergies but distributes them across more inconsistent structures, suggesting less stable motor control rather than just weaker muscles.
• PTPilot2019Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Coordination Disorder, and typical development differ in characteristics of dynamic postural control: A preliminary study.Gait & postureIn 10 children with ASD, 8 controls and 10 with DCD, children with ASD moved side-to-side more slowly than controls or children with DCD, while children with DCD had less fluid front-to-back movement. This is preliminary, not a tested treatment.
• PTCase Report2018Importance of long-term motor function evaluation after prednisolone treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn three boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, motor tests improved over long-term follow-up after prednisolone dose increases, except one rising-from-floor result. Because only treated cases were reported, prednisolone cannot be shown to have caused the improvement.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2018Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A 2018 Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline From the APTA Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationStart physical therapy within the first month of life for infants with congenital muscular torticollis. This guideline emphasizes that early intervention leads to faster resolution and reduces the need for surgery, while recommending a comprehensive approach that includes parent education and environmental adaptations.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2018Comparison of maternal beliefs about causes of autism spectrum disorder and association with utilization of services and treatments.Child: care, health and developmentMothers’ causal beliefs were linked to service use. Believing environmental, vaccine, or medication causes was linked to more complementary and alternative medicine, and not knowing a cause was linked to more conventional medication. Ask families what they believe.
• PTSLPRCT2018Prenatal nutrition, stimulation, and exposure to punishment are associated with early child motor, cognitive, language, and socioemotional development in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Child: care, health and developmentHigh caregiver stimulation was associated with higher reported cognitive/language scores, verbal and physical punishment with lower reported socioemotional scores, and prenatal vitamin A with lower reported motor scores in 198 Tanzanian children.
• PTRCT2018Effect of orange polarized light on post burn pediatric scar: a single blind randomized clinical trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceMedical color polarized light and orange filtered polarized light added to pulsed ultrasound, deep friction massage and range-of-motion exercises was reported to improve pediatric burn scar scores more than those treatments alone.
• PTOTSystematic Review2018Efficacy of high intensity laser therapy in the management of foot ulcers: a systematic review.Journal of physical therapy scienceHigh intensity laser therapy reduced wound size more than sham laser or standard care alone in three small trials. The evidence is weak because the studies were not blinded and varied widely in how they delivered the treatment.
• PTRCT2018Effects of an underwear-type hip abduction orthosis on sitting balance and sit-to-stand activities in children with spastic cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceWith eight children with spastic CP, wearing the hip orthosis improved dynamic sitting balance and sit-to-stand time, but static sitting balance was lower; total trunk impairment score was not significantly different. Small crossover trial, so not enough to change routine care.
• PTCase-Control2019Lower limb muscle fatigue during walking in children with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyDuring short walks, children with cerebral palsy showed larger fatigue signs in lower leg muscles than peers, especially the more affected leg. Upper leg muscles did not show fatigue. This is observational, not evidence strength training helps.
• PTOther2019Repeatability of electromyography recordings and muscle synergies during gait among children with cerebral palsy.Gait & postureMuscle activity and groups of muscles activated together during gait were repeatable across two visits in 20 children with bilateral cerebral palsy. Step-to-step variation was still common, so very small changes between visits should not be treated as real movement changes.
• PTOTCohort2019Long-term course of difficulty in participation of individuals with cerebral palsy aged 16 to 34 years: a prospective cohort study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyDifficulty in participation increased in young adults with cerebral palsy during their mid-to-late 20s. While average scores remained high, many individuals reported trouble in housing, relationships, education, employment, and recreation, suggesting a need for targeted support during this transition.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2019Effect of continuous intrathecal baclofen therapy in children: a systematic review.Developmental medicine and child neurologyMost evidence is low quality. Spasticity and dystonia likely improve, but functional gains are small. Complications are common. Goals must be defined carefully for each child.
• PTOTCohort2019Prematurity and cardiovascular risk at early adulthood.Child: care, health and developmentYoung adults born preterm had higher systolic blood pressure and lower weight than full-term peers, despite no significant differences in most other cardiovascular markers. High rates of pre-hypertension were observed in both preterm and full-term males, suggesting a broad risk in this age group.
• PTOTQualitative2019"Look, Your Muscles Are Firing!": A Qualitative Study of Clinician Perspectives on the Use of Surface Electromyography in Neurorehabilitation.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationClinicians rarely use surface EMG in neurorehabilitation, citing lack of time, training, and evidence. They want simple, waterproof, low-cost systems with intuitive apps that show patients early progress. Current tools fail to meet these needs, preventing routine clinical uptake.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2019Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Pediatric Motor Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationTranscranial direct current stimulation appears safe and tolerable for children with motor disorders. It improved some gait measures and reduced spasticity, but effects on balance, hand function, and daily activities were inconsistent or absent. Most studies were small and often combined tDCS with other therapies.
• PTSLPOther2018Trends in documented co-occurring conditions in children with autism spectrum disorder, 2002-2010.Research in developmental disabilitiesDocumented co-occurring conditions in children with ASD rose from 2002 to 2010, especially language disorder and motor developmental disability, while intellectual disability decreased. The authors say this may reflect more conditions being documented or diagnosed.
• PTSLPQualitative2019A support programme for caregivers of children with disabilities in Ghana: Understanding the impact on the wellbeing of caregivers.Child: care, health and developmentCaregivers of children with cerebral palsy in Ghana said group training, monthly home visits and facilitator support were linked with greater understanding, changes in positioning, feeding and communication, and less isolation. Poverty and stigma still limited what they could do.
• PTOTSystematic Review2018Assessment of upper limb use in children with typical development and neurodevelopmental disorders by inertial sensors: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWearable sensors on both wrists can objectively measure upper limb movement in children. They distinguish typical development from neurodevelopmental disorders and track asymmetry. Current evidence is too limited by small sample sizes and varied methods to recommend them as standard clinical tools yet.
• PTSurvey2018Evaluation of primary headache associated with temporomandibular dysfunction in adolescents from Santos, SP, Brazil: an observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceAmong 189 adolescents analysed, those with temporomandibular dysfunction were more likely to report headache, especially moderate headache. Gender did not differ. This is an association, not proof that jaw problems cause headache.
• PTOther2019Measuring change in gait performance of children with motor disorders: assessing the Functional Mobility Scale and the Gillette Functional Assessment Questionnaire walking scale.Developmental medicine and child neurologyIn children with motor disorders in inpatient rehabilitation, the Functional Mobility Scale and Gillette walking scale could detect meaningful gait change. A meaningful change was at least one Functional Mobility Scale level or two Gillette walking scale levels.
• PTOTOther2018Machine learning algorithms for activity recognition in ambulant children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMachine learning models accurately identified brisk walking and sedentary time in children with cerebral palsy using wrist or hip sensors. Combining both locations improved accuracy. Comfortable walking was often misclassified as brisk walking, so current models cannot reliably distinguish walking speeds.
• PTOTOther2018A Tablet-Based Interactive Movement Tool for Pediatric Rehabilitation: Development and Preliminary Usability Evaluation.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesSeven pediatric therapists found the prototype movement toy hard to operate: selecting games, configuring keys, and moving panels caused frequent failures. They liked its head, foot, and tactile options, but changes are needed before testing with children.
• PTRCT2018Stochastic resonance stimulation improves balance in children with cerebral palsy: a case control study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA very faint electrical noise at the ankles made standing steadier for children with cerebral palsy, but only when each child's best setting was found. It tested only quiet standing, not walking or daily function.
• PTCohort2019Pre-operative hamstring length and velocity do not explain the reduced effectiveness of repeat hamstring lengthening in children with cerebral palsy and crouch gait.Gait & posturePreoperative hamstring length and velocity did not differ between first and repeat hamstring lengthening. Both groups had short or slow hamstrings. Knee flexion improved in more limbs after first surgery than after repeat, but the preoperative muscle measures did not explain the difference.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Associations of Participation-Focused Strategies and Rehabilitation Service Use With Caregiver Stress After Pediatric Critical Illness.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAfter PICU discharge, caregivers whose children received PICU rehabilitation and reported home participation strategies had stress that declined over 6 months. Strategies alone were not shown to lower stress. This is not proof that rehabilitation caused the change.
• PTOTCase Report2019Impacts of early powered mobility provision on disability identity: A case study.Rehabilitation psychologyChildren with cerebral palsy experienced early powered mobility differently. Sam's wheelchair was tied to choice and play; Jamie's ride-on car was tied to school play, while his mother saw it as delaying a wheelchair.
• PTOTNarrative Review2018Transcranial direct current stimulation for promoting motor function in cerebral palsy: a review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationtDCS paired with training was linked to better walking speed, balance and mobility in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, but upper limb motor gains remain unclear.
• PTOTNarrative Review2018Why orthotic devices could be of help in the management of Movement Disorders in the young.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationUpper-limb orthoses for dyskinetic children have limited evidence. Small studies and reviews show mixed effects on hand and motor function. Customised, dynamic, low-force devices are proposed, not proven.
• PTCohort2019Physical activity in wheelchair-using youth with spina bifida: an observational study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWheelchair-using children with spina bifida spent 90% of school-day wear time sitting or lying, less active than peers, and only 19% met activity guidelines.
• PTOTOther2019PROMIS Physical and Emotional Health Scores Are Worse in Musculoskeletal Patients Presenting to Physiatrists than to Other Orthopedic Specialists.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients choosing physiatrists reported worse physical and emotional health than those seeing surgeons or other specialists. This holds true even after adjusting for age, sex, and race. Clinicians should expect higher baseline symptom burden and potential biopsychosocial complexity in this referral group.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2019Childhood neurodevelopment after prescription of maintenance methadone for opioid dependency in pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAt 6 months, mental and motor score differences were small and uncertain. By age 2, exposed children scored lower on those tests, and some had abnormal visual tests. This cannot prove methadone caused it; other drug exposure and other differences were common.
• PTCase Report2019Intensive physiotherapy with subsequent community-based rehabilitation: two cases of cerebral malaria in rural areas of Malawi.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 2 children with cerebral malaria, case 1 did not improve after 2 weeks of intensive physiotherapy and educational guidance, while case 2 gained slightly. Later, while mothers and community volunteers continued, some standing and crawling scores rose, but walking changed little.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2019Are Children Severely Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder Underrepresented in Treatment Studies? An Analysis of the Literature.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutism treatment studies increasingly exclude severely affected children. Communication ability is rarely reported, and when it is, dozens of different measures are used. This makes it difficult to know if published trials actually apply to non-verbal or intellectually disabled patients.
• PTOTRCT2019Evaluation of biomechanical gait parameters of patients with Cerebral Palsy at three different levels of gait assistance using the CPWalker.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWalking with the CPWalker robot slowed children down and shortened their stride compared to walking without it. The device restricted movement, reducing speed and pelvic motion during use, with no immediate carryover to unassisted walking.
• PTOTSLPPilot2019The effect of the Hambisela programme on stress levels and quality of life of primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study.The South African journal of physiotherapyCaregiver stress and total quality of life did not significantly change after Hambisela. Daily activities became more stressful. This underpowered pilot cannot show whether the programme helps.
• PTOTSLPOther2019Validation of the Simplified Chinese Psychoeducational Profile Third Edition in Mainland China.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAfter Mandarin and everyday-item changes, the Simplified Chinese PEP-3 gave stable scores and was related to other child-development measures, so it can help therapists profile strengths and weaknesses in Mandarin-speaking children with ASD in mainland China. It does not prove treatment works.
• PTSurvey2019Prevalence of cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, hearing loss, and blindness, National Health Interview Survey, 2009-2016.Disability and health journalNational parent-reported estimates show cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, moderate-to-severe hearing loss, and blindness in US children. Intellectual disability estimates changed after wording changed; other estimates were stable.
• PTProtocol2019Daily and Weekly Rehabilitation Delivery for Young Children With Gross Motor Delay: A Randomized Clinical Trial Protocol (the DRIVE Study).Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationNo participant outcomes are reported. This is a trial protocol for therapy frequency in infants with cerebral palsy or risk of cerebral palsy.
• PTOTSLPCohort2019Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Spinal Cord Injuries: A Population-Based Study.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMothers with spinal cord injury, paralysis, or spina bifida faced high risks of infection, blood clots, and preterm birth. Infants were often born early or small. However, these babies did not have higher rates of hospitalization or death in their first two years compared to other infants.
• PTOther2019Locomotion and cadence detection using a single trunk-fixed accelerometer: validity for children with cerebral palsy in daily life-like conditions.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA single accelerometer on the chest or lower back accurately detects walking and estimates cadence in children with cerebral palsy. Accuracy drops for GMFCS levels II-III, especially on the chest, and is most reliable for walking periods lasting at least 20 seconds.
• PTOTOther2019Actigraph assessment for measuring upper limb activity in unilateral cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWrist sensors used during play separated children with unilateral cerebral palsy from typically developing peers, and greater hand difficulty showed greater asymmetry. This supports actigraphy as an objective measure of arm use.