Lord Armstrong of Ilminster

YouthTruth asked 104,000 school staff, students, and their families how they perceive the fairness of discipline at their schools. The results can help start conversations about discipline policy and leading by listening.

Until now desktop users had the option to opt-out of the 2017 interface redesign, but next month you'll be forced to use it (and may also need to upgrade to a new browser).

There are nearly 2 million homeschooled students in the United States, making homeschooling a small, but integral part of the K-12 education ecosystem.

Homeschooling isn't a decision to be taken on lightly, but COVID-19 just changed the calculus, writes Michael Q. McShane.

There's a new focus on getting more training to early-childhood educators, but there's a dearth of information about what constitutes a high-quality, teacher-preparation program.

Without rigorous research that accurately reflects the current population, early education won't deliver for all students, write two education researchers.

A new version of the federal research site allows users to find research related to specific school populations.

A textbook is no longer enough in many classrooms, writes Dan McDowell, but finding the right OER materials can be tricky.

The policy implications of the ESEA, and its most recent reauthorization, the No Child Left Behind Act, have been at the heart of an enduring public debate.

Teachers coming from alternative programs leave the profession at higher rates than their traditionally certified peers, and that gap is growing, a study finds.

During special Easter outreaches to women in red light areas, outreach workers go in the knowledge that Jesus is with them and His resurrection power gives hope, strength and life.

For years, Gustavo, an architect from Central America, felt drawn to working in the Arabian Peninsula. Then, on a short-term trip, he saw what it could be like to use his profession overseas.

Despite being aware of the need for discretion when talking about Jesus, Argentinian Cecilia felt no fear while she was in Central Asia.

A woman whose home was damaged by the tsunami accepts Christ after witnessing the lives and attitudes of the volunteers working in her house.

Through contemporary worship, the OM team seeks to create an atmosphere of worship in which the younger generation in Japan can experience God.

Several qualitative studies have revealed that caregivers use infant fussing as a cue for beginning complementary feeding (CF). Despite a higher prevalence of early CF among black infants, few studies have quantitatively examined the role of maternal perception of infant fussiness.

Results of this study show that in a cohort of low-income, black, first-time mothers, early CF was highly prevalent and that maternal perception of infant temperament, breastfeeding, and maternal obesity and depression were important factors related to early CF. (Read the full article)

For treatment of obesity in preadolescent children, approaches that focus on parents taking sole responsibility for implementing weight-management strategies may be most effective. However, the optimal content, intensity, and duration of programs for obese children remain unclear.

Targeting parents only, a 10% relative weight loss is achievable in moderately obese preadolescent children and can be maintained 2 years from baseline, which justifies an investment in treatment as a secondary obesity-prevention strategy. (Read the full article)

Predischarge serum or transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB) measurements are recommended as appropriate screening options for identifying infants at risk for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (NH). Visual inspection for jaundice is not reliable at identifying infants with NH in the community.

When compared with visual inspection alone, coordinated TcB screening for NH in acute-care and community settings is associated with significant improvements in laboratory utilization, patient care, convenience, and safety. (Read the full article)

Extreme preterm birth is associated with developmental shortcomings that may reduce exercise capacity and participation in physical activities in later life. The number of studies addressing these issues in adolescent populations is limited, test methods differ, and results are diverging.

Exercise capacity after preterm birth was in the same range as in term-born control subjects. Participation in physical activity was lower in preterm subjects compared with control subjects; however, the response to exercise in terms of increased aerobic capacity was similar. (Read the full article)

Upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are very common in children. Currently, there are no effective preventive measures for URI. There are no studies on the effect of montelukast for prevention of URI.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of preschool-aged children, 12-week prophylactic treatment with montelukast did not reduce the incidence of URI. (Read the full article)

Newborn screening (NBS) programs may store bloodspot samples and use them for secondary purposes, such as research. Recent public controversies and lawsuits over storage and secondary uses underscore the need to engage the public on these issues.

This public engagement study identifies values underlying citizens’ acceptance of and discomfort with research from NBS samples. Well-designed methods of public education and civic discourse on the risks and benefits of storage and secondary uses of NBS samples are required. (Read the full article)

The retention and use of residual bloodspots is a practice of many state newborn screening programs. This practice has become controversial, and little is known about public attitudes on the retention and research use of newborn residual bloodspots.

This study offers a detailed analysis of public attitudes regarding bloodspot retention and use for biomedical research. The results also offer insights on how education regarding this practice influences support for newborn screening and residual bloodspot use. (Read the full article)

The demographics of trials that use antenatal consent may not be representative of the populations that they are intended to study.

This study analyzes the difference in clinical outcomes between the enrolled and eligible but not enrolled populations of a trial that required antenatal consent. (Read the full article)

The survival of extremely low birth weight infants in resource-limited situations is dismal due to limited neonatal intensive care facilities. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure resulted in an increased survival of these infants, but many still require back-up ventilation.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure and intubation, surfactant, and extubation practiced in a neonatal high care ward with limited resources and limited back-up ventilatory facilities can improve the survival of extremely low birth weight infants. (Read the full article)

We know that many evidence-based treatments for acute asthma are underused, and adherence with treatment guidelines is poor; however, studies have focused on β₂ agonists and corticosteroids, but little is known about intravenous magnesium, which has substantial evidence of benefit.

Magnesium is used infrequently in Canadian pediatric emergency departments in hospitalized children with acute asthma, with variation across sites. More than half of this population does not receive frequent bronchodilators and timely corticosteroids. (Read the full article)

As a result of safety and environmental concerns about mercury, aneroid sphygmomanometers have replaced mercury-filled devices for blood pressure measurements. Despite this change, few studies have compared the 2 devices.

Little clinical variation exists between blood pressure measurements obtained from an aneroid or mercury device, suggesting that either device could be used in a research or clinical setting. (Read the full article)

Existing clinical research policy does not guarantee availability of results. Registration on the Web site ClinicalTrials.gov and the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act improved transparency in pediatric clinical research. Registration and publication remain voluntary for many trials involving children.

Only 29% of completed registered studies and 53% of National Institutes of Health–funded trials involving children were published. Numbers of studies are increasing. Registration and posting of results on ClinicalTrials.gov should be mandatory for all studies involving children. (Read the full article)

Information on infant safety after exposure to maternal antiretroviral regimens during pregnancy in international clinical trials is lacking. As antiretroviral drugs are released to populations in resource-limited settings through clinical trials, it becomes critical to collect pediatric outcome data.

The study demonstrates the feasibility of reporting infant outcomes following adult antiretroviral trials in developing countries, provides HIV-free infant survival and prospective growth data in association with maternal parameters, and details morbidity, mortality, and genetic defects following maternal antiretroviral exposure. (Read the full article)

Observation studies and short-term prospective intervention studies have shown that physical activity positively affects the accrual of bone mass and size during growth; however, fracture risk has not been evaluated.

This study reports the long-term results of a prospective intervention with increased physical activity at a population-based level and for the first time evaluated the clinical relevant end point, fracture risk. (Read the full article)

Children in foster care are at elevated risk for adverse outcomes. Placement instability and failure to achieve timely permanence exacerbate that risk. A handful of studies have found that parent-management training is effective in promoting placement stability and timely permanence.

Unlike parent-management training, youth focused interventions have not been systematically evaluated for their impact on placement and permanency outcomes. A mentoring and skills group intervention for preadolescents in foster care demonstrated better placement and permanency outcomes, especially for high-risk subgroups. (Read the full article)

Male circumcision reduces risk of HIV acquisition in men by 60% and is associated with other health benefits. Compared with adult circumcision, infant male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and represents a cost-saving intervention for HIV prevention in many settings.

IMC is little known in East Africa and is not routinely practiced. This is the first study to assess acceptability and uptake of IMC in East Africa among parents who were actually offered the procedure. (Read the full article)

Preterm infants from 33 gestational weeks can detect specific shape features (prism and cylinder) by touch (without visual control), and remember them; however, nothing is known about such abilities earlier in development.

The preterm infant, even when very immature (from 28 gestational weeks), is endowed with tactile sensory abilities: the exploration and memorization of an object by touch, the discrimination of a novel object, and the recognition of a familiar object after interference. (Read the full article)

Adolescent dating violence has been studied from the perpetrators' and survivors' perspectives. The risk and protective factors have been explored, and the strength of the association of these factors with adolescent dating violence has been adequately described.

This study assessed the perceptions and practices of school counselors on adolescent dating violence. Knowing school personnel’s practices and perceptions may help researchers and practitioners gain insights into possible ways to alleviate the problem of dating violence in adolescents. (Read the full article)

Sudden infant death syndrome remains the major cause of postneonatal death in developed countries. Although infant-parent bed-sharing following antenatal smoking or maternal consumption of alcohol on the bed-sharing night increases the risk of death, the mechanism is not known.

Bed-sharing infants experienced more oxygen desaturations and episodes of carbon dioxide rebreathing than cot-sleeping infants but showed appropriate behavioral and physiologic responses. A deficit in these responses in vulnerable infants could link to increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. (Read the full article)

Because most childhood tuberculosis cases are sputum smear-negative, diagnosis relies largely upon clinical presentation, tuberculin skin testing, and chest radiograph. Diagnostic limitations contribute to treatment delays and high mortality. However, childhood tuberculosis (TB) mortality risk factors are not well documented.

This study demonstrates that false-negative TST is common in children with active TB and is associated with increased risk of death. A negative TST should not delay anti-TB therapy. Improved diagnostic modalities are urgently needed in resource-limited settings. (Read the full article)

Percentile charts for birth weight are used to assess the somatic development of neonates (small, appropriate, or large for gestational age).

A systematic error was identified in the majority of birth weight percentile charts. As a consequence, small for gestational age rates are overestimated and large for gestational age rates are underestimated; ~5% of neonates are misclassified. (Read the full article)

Critics argue that pediatric research without the potential for clinical benefit treats children as mere means to benefit others. Yet, there are no data to assess whether adolescents who participate in research, or their parents, agree with this view.

Respondents felt that by participating in research the adolescents were making important contributions to help others, and the adolescents felt proud to be doing so. These findings support the view that nonbeneficial pediatric research involves a type of charitable activity. (Read the full article)

Changes in resident work hours are believed to have an impact on resident education and patient safety.

This study provides an understanding of the impact of changes in resident work hours on the staffing strategies of children’s hospitals. (Read the full article)

Recent investigations of pubertal onset in US girls suggest earlier maturation. The situation for US boys is unknown, and existing investigations are outdated and lack information on a key physical marker of male puberty: testicular enlargement.

US boys appear to be developing secondary sexual characteristics and achieving testicular enlargement 6 months to 2 years earlier than commonly used norms, with African American boys entering Tanner stages 2 to 4 earlier than white or Hispanic boys. (Read the full article)

Fever without an apparent source is common in children. Currently in the United States, serious bacterial infection is uncommonly the cause. Most cases are assumed to be viral, but the specific viral causes have not been delineated. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed.

By using polymerase chain reaction, we detected pathogenic viruses frequently in children with fever without an apparent source. Adenovirus, human herpesvirus-6, enterovirus, and parechovirus were predominant. Testing of blood had high yield. Better recognition of viral etiologies may help reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. (Read the full article)

Newborn screening is often seen as a fait accompli, even in programs that ostensibly proceed on the basis of informed choice and parental consent.

The study reports details of parental understanding, perceived ability to make an informed choice, and the availability of choice together with variables predictive of parental assessments of having made an informed choice. (Read the full article)

Foreign-born children and adolescents in the United States experience higher tuberculosis (TB) morbidity rates than US-born children and adolescents. Pediatric risk assessment should account for country of birth, contact with a known TB case, or travel to TB-endemic countries.

Our study reports national data on parental/guardian countries of origin and international residence of pediatric patients with TB. Two-thirds of US-born children with TB have international family connections, and many have lived in countries with increased risk for TB acquisition. (Read the full article)

Pediatric tuberculosis is significant for public health professionals because it is an indicator of the recent transmission of tuberculosis in the community. Data on incidence and clinical features of pediatric tuberculosis from China are scarce.

We conducted this study to describe the patient characteristics, clinical–epidemiological profile, and treatment outcomes for pediatric tuberculosis in a referral hospital setting in China. (Read the full article)

The prevalence of asthma and associated urgent medical visits vary dramatically across neighborhoods in New York City. Some, but not all, children with asthma wheeze when they exercise.

Exercise-induced wheeze was more common for asthmatic children living in neighborhoods with higher versus lower asthma prevalence. Because exercise-induced symptoms indicate a propensity for rapid-onset symptoms, this increased prevalence may contribute to the observed increase in urgent medical visits. (Read the full article)

When research involving children is determined to present greater than minimal risk but no potential for direct benefit, permission is required from both parents, unless one is not reasonably available. These requirements are variably understood and applied, and guidance is lacking.

In a study on newborn screening, a sizeable percentage of fathers were not reasonably available, reflecting complexities of parental status and family relations. Guidelines developed in this project may provide tools for researchers and institutions to apply in other contexts. (Read the full article)

Part C early intervention serves ~2.8% of US children who are younger than 3 years old; however, there is evidence that substantial numbers of infants and toddlers with developmental delays receive no early intervention services.

Broad eligibility criteria can classify children who have no delays or minimal delays as candidates for Part C services. Despite this, no jurisdiction provides Part C services to all children who have substantial delays. (Read the full article)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disruptor that can leach from polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, leading to widespread exposure. Fetal and early postnatal periods are particularly vulnerable to exposure to BPA.

This study identified medical devices as a potential source of exposure to BPA among premature infants in the NICU, even when efforts to reduce polycarbonate plastics were taken. (Read the full article)

Of more than 2 million children infected with HIV, almost 90% live in resource-limited settings where pediatric HIV care is often suboptimal. Implementing electronic health records with computerized decision support offers a potential tool for improving care.

This randomized, controlled trial demonstrates that computer-generated clinical reminders can significantly improve clinician compliance with HIV care guidelines for children in a resource-limited setting. This intervention is scalable as developing countries implement electronic health record systems. (Read the full article)