ABSTRACT
Abstract Objectives: the purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictors of low perceptual-motor skills in children at preschool age. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study nested in a birth cohort involving mother-child pairs. The children's perceptual-motor skills were assessed individually in their homes when they were 4-5 years old using the Pre-Literacy Skills and Knowledge Test (THCP®), a vali-dated Brazilian instrument. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between cognitive perceptual-motor skills and potential maternal and child risk factors. Results: of the 199 children included in the study, 53.8% were boys, 90.8% attended school, and 91.1% were enrolled in a public school. Among the children, 114 (57.3%), 41 (20.6%) and 44 (22.1%) had low, moderate and high perceptual-motor skills, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed greater odds of children at preschool age having low perceptual motor skills for boys (OR=2.10; CI95%= 1.14-3.88), children who did not attend school (OR=4.61; CI95%= 1.21-17.49), and those with a household income <5 minimum wages (MW) (OR=4.28; CI95%= 1.49-12.26). Conclusions: our study showed that male gender, not attending school and a monthly household income <5 MW were predictors of low perceptual-motor skills in children at 4-5 years of age.
Resumo Objetivos: avaliar os preditores da baixa habilidade percepto-motora em crianças em idade pré-escolar. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo transversal aninhado a uma coorte de nascimentos envol-vendo pares de mães-crianças. A habilidade percepto-motora das crianças foi avaliada indi-vidualmente em suas residências quando completaram 4-5 anos de idade, utilizando-se o Teste de Habilidades e Conhecimento Pré-Alfabetização (THCP®), um instrumento brasileiro validado. Análise de regressão logística foi utilizada para estimar a associação entre a baixa habilidade percepto-motora das crianças e potenciais fatores de risco materno-infantil. Resultados: das 199 crianças incluídas no estudo, 53,8% eram meninos, 90,8% frequen-tavam a escola, e 91,1% estudavam em escola pública. Entre as crianças, 114 (57,3%), 41 (20,6%) e 44 (22,1%) revelaram baixa, moderada e elevada habilidade percepto-motora, respectivamente. A análise de regressão logística ajustada revelou maior chance de crianças em idade pré-escolar apresentar baixa habilidade percepto-motora quando em meninos (OR=2,10; IC95%=1,14-3,88), crianças que não frequentavam a escola (OR=4,61; IC95%=1,21-17,49), e possuíam renda familiar <5 salários mínimos (SM) (OR=4,28; IC95%=1,49-12,26). Conclusões: nosso estudo revelou que sexo masculino, renda familiar <5 SM, e não frequentar a escola foram preditores significativos da baixa habilidade percepto-motora em crianças de 4-5 anos de idade.
Subject(s)
Humans , Child, Preschool , Perception , Risk Factors , Cognition Disorders , Academic Performance , Motor Skills , Cross-Sectional Studies , Mother-Child RelationsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the CYP3A activity and its characteristics of distribution in the pre-school children in Xiamen. METHODS: Using hydrocortisone as a noninvasive probe, urine concentrations of hydrocoritisone ydrocortisone and 6β-hydroxycortisol were determined by HPLC method. The urinary ratio of 6β-hydroxycortisol/hydrocortisone was used to quantify CYP3A activity. RESULTS: The CYP3A activity in the 287 healty children showed a skewed to the left distribution. The median value was 2.61 and the value of quartile range was 3.97. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in CYP3A activity in gender. With increasing of ages, the CYP3A activity shows the decreasing tendency. The results show a statistic correlation between the ages and CYP3A activity. The value of CYP3A activity in age 3 group is higher than age 4 group.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Whereas allergic disease has the high morbidity during preschool age, there have not been sufficient surveys among the children in that age group. Thus we evaluated the prevalence of allergic disease among pre-school age children and risk factors which could cause or aggravate the disease. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 593 kindergarten children, from 5 different kindergartens in Seoul between May and June, 2004. The standard for prevalence was whether one had been treated for allergic disease in past 12 months. Parents or guardians were surveyed to answer for each risk factor. RESULTS: For a question, "Have you been treated for allergic disease during past 12 months?", asthma showed 3.9% prevalence. For allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis were 11.1% and 20.1% respectively. Children with at least one of three diseases were 29.7%. Among children with asthma, risk factors were past history of bronchiolitis and paternal history of allergic disease. For allergic rhinitis, they were past history of bronchiolitis, mother's high education, and maternal history of allergic disease. For atopic dermatitis, risk factors were history of allergic disease of mother and father only. Other possible risk factors were statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION: Compared to the prevalence of primary school children (1995, 2000), asthma showed no difference but allergic rhinitis was lower and atopic dermatitis was higher. Among pre-school children, risk for allergic disease was higher with parental history of allergic disease. Especially the risk for respiratory allergy was even higher for those children with history of bronchiolitis.