Background Breastfeeding is recognized as a crucial determinant of child health and development, yet its multifaceted effects remain underexplored in many contexts. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between breastfeeding practices and various health and developmental outcomes in infants and young children, focusing on exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, and formula feeding. Done at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Pakistan, the research aims to provide comprehensive insights into the nuanced impacts of breastfeeding on child well-being. Objectives This study aims to assess the association between breastfeeding duration and practices with the incidence of infectious diseases in infants and young children. It investigates the relationship between different breastfeeding practices: exclusive breastfeeding, partial breastfeeding, and formula feeding and cognitive development outcomes in early childhood. Additionally, the study evaluates the role of breastfeeding in the development of motor skills in infants and young children. Methodology A cohort of 390 participants, aged one month to three years, participated in the study. Data collection encompassed parental interviews, clinical assessments using standardized tools such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and reviews of medical records. Statistical analyses, including frequency analysis and chi-square tests, were conducted to elucidate the relationships between breastfeeding practices and health outcomes. Results Exclusive breastfeeding exhibited a significantly lower incidence of infectious diseases compared to partial breastfeeding and formula feeding. Specifically, among exclusively breastfed children, incidences of colds, pneumonia, and diarrhea were 32%, 39.7%, and 40%, respectively. These rates were notably higher in partially breastfed and formula-fed children. Cognitive development outcomes also varied significantly across feeding groups. Exclusively breastfed children demonstrated superior cognitive performance, with 34.2% rated above average, compared to only 6.5% in the formula-fed group. Additionally, the prevalence of developmental delays was lowest among exclusively breastfed children (14.1%), contrasting with 62.8% in the partial breastfeeding group and 77.0% in the formula-feeding group. Conclusions The study underscores the pivotal role of exclusive breastfeeding in promoting optimal child health and development. Exclusive breastfeeding is associated with significantly reduced incidences of infectious diseases, superior cognitive development outcomes, and a lower prevalence of developmental delays. These findings highlight the importance of supportive interventions and policies aimed at encouraging exclusive breastfeeding practices, ultimately enhancing child well-being and developmental trajectories.

Developmental delay is a multifaceted condition that can hamper a child\'s ability to attain developmental benchmarks within expected timelines. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been identified as a potentially reversible causative factor and is critical to neurological function, influencing myelination and nerve conduction. Insufficiency during critical developmental stages can lead to motor, cognitive, and language delays. Physiotherapy interventions have been found effective in addressing motor delays associated with both developmental delay and B12 deficiency. Early intervention programs that focus on motor skill development, sensory integration, and adaptive equipment use are among the interventions that physiotherapists provide. Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams allows physiotherapists to manage B12 deficiency effectively and provide rehabilitative strategies aimed at maximizing motor function and overall development for long-term health. Early identification and intervention in children with developmental delays is crucial, especially in cases related to vitamin B12 deficiency. Physiotherapy is a critical aspect of addressing motor delays associated with developmental delay and B12 deficiency. By providing early interventions, physiotherapists can help children attain their full potential and attain developmental milestones. In conclusion, this highlights the significance of early identification and intervention in children with developmental delay, especially those with vitamin B12 deficiency, for optimal long-term health.

BACKGROUND: Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is a common brain injury in premature infants, and epilepsy remains a significant complication. One concerning electroencephalographic (EEG) pattern found is developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathy with spike-and-wave activation in sleep (DEE-SWAS). This pattern is associated with persistent neuropsychological and motor deficits, even without a diagnosis of epilepsy. The purpose of this study is to identify the relationships between various PVL grades and EEG patterns in this population on follow-up visits, especially the occurrence of DEE-SWAS pattern on EEG.
METHODS: This is a retrospective study of <36 weeks gestational age newborns who were followed in the neurodevelopmental clinic at Corewell Health East/Corewell Health Children\'s Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, between 2020 and 2022. Patients\' demographics along with prematurity complications, diagnostic head ultrasound (HUS), and EEG studies were reviewed and graded. EEG studies are usually ordered when seizures were suspected.
RESULTS: A total of 155 newborns met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-six patients had PVL. Nine patients had grade 2 to 3 PVL based on HUS review. EEG was performed on 15 patients with PVL at a mean age of 22 months. More severe PVL grades were significantly associated with worse EEG patterns (P = 0.005). Five patients had DEE-SWAS pattern on EEG, all of whom had grade 2 or 3 PVL. Epilepsy was eventually diagnosed in three infants with PVL.
CONCLUSIONS: EEG can help identify important abnormal electrographic patterns in premature infants with PVL early in life; this might give a window of opportunity to intervene early and improve long-term developmental outcomes in this population.

BACKGROUND: Developmental delays in children are assessed in four basic domains: gross motor, fine motor, social, and language. Early years of life are crucial in a child\'s development, so it is imperative that parents be aware of developmental milestones to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment in case of a developmental delay. This study assessed parental knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding children\'s developmental milestones and associated \"red flags\".
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi. 390 parents, who had at least one child under 5 years of age, with no diagnosed developmental delay, were interviewed during outpatient clinic visits. The questionnaire consisted of three components to assess parental knowledge, attitude, and practices.
RESULTS: 59% and 54% of parents had poor knowledge of gross and fine motor milestones respectively; In the social domain, 56% of the respondents had inadequate knowledge. 42% had inadequate knowledge of language milestones; 29% of parents strongly agreed that their pediatricians provide satisfactory information regarding red flags of developmental milestones. 60% of parents strongly agreed that their child\'s developmental delay would be a cause of concern for them. In the case of developmental delay, 55% of parents said they would consult a general pediatrician, 11% preferred a pediatric neurologist, 21% opted for a developmental pediatrician and 13% opted for a family physician. Residence and family systems were found to be associated with language-related milestones with significantly higher odds of knowledge among urban residents than rural ones and a significantly lower likelihood of language milestones knowledge among joint families than nuclear families. Female gender was found to be significantly associated with positive attitude.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of our respondents showed considerably poor knowledge regarding developmental milestones. This highlights the need to devise ways to educate parents on this subject to enable them to vigilantly monitor their child\'s developmental status and any associated abnormalities and ultimately facilitate the right course of action.

BACKGROUND: The effects of SARS-CoV-2 gestational exposure on child development remain inconclusive.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of SARS-CoV-2 gestational exposure on neurodevelopment until 12 months.
METHODS: Prospective cohort study conducted in five municipalities in Southeast Brazil from August 2021 to September 2022.
METHODS: Infants were recruited from a serological survey performed during neonatal screening and followed up to 12 months old. We included 224 infants exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and 225 non-exposed, according to the serology results of the newborn as well as their mothers and the maternal antenatal RT-PCR results.
METHODS: Developmental assessments were performed at 6 and 12 months using the Survey of Wellbeing of Young Children-Brazilian Version (SWYC-BR). Children with suspected developmental delay (SDD) at 6 and 12 months were considered at high risk for developmental delay (HRDD). Additionally, risk factors associated with SDD were examined.
RESULTS: There were 111 children identified with SDD and 52 with HRDD. SARS-CoV-2 gestational exposure was not associated with SDD. Exposure in the first gestational trimester increased SDD risk by 2.15 times compared to the third. Cesarean delivery predicted SDD (OR 1.56; 95%CI 1.01-2.42) and HRDD (OR 1.91; 95%CI 1.04-3.48). Additionally, suspected maternal depression predicted SDD (OR 1.76; 95%CI 1.01-3.10).
CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 gestational exposure did not increase the developmental delay risk. However, our findings suggest that the earlier the gestational exposure, the greater the developmental delay risk at 12 months. Cesarean delivery and suspected maternal depression increased the developmental delay risk, independent of virus exposure.

UNASSIGNED: Undernutrition has severe and lasting consequences on child development. Evidently, the interventions based on the biomedical model with food and direct supplementation have failed to produce the desired outcomes for decades. In light of the established positive effects of psychosocial stimulation on developmental outcomes, we propose that the observed failures relate to not including psychosocial stimulation within the interventions. Here we test whether psychosocial stimulation mediates the association between nutritional status and motor and mental development in a large cohort from Madhya Pradesh, India.
UNASSIGNED: Using a correlational design in children below 3 years of age (N = 275; Males = 148, Females = 127) nutritional status was measured through mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), psychosocial stimulation was assessed with the HOME-inventory, and motor and mental development were assessed with the Developmental Assessment Scales for Indian Infants (DASII). We assessed the effectiveness of 25-week intervention model incorporating psychosocial stimulation on 95 undernourished children in experimental group and 77 in control group.
UNASSIGNED: The study found that psychosocial stimulation fully mediated the relationship between nutritional status and the motor development [Effect = 1.03, 95% C.I. (0.19, 2.04), p = 0.05] and mental development [Effect = 0.49, 95% C.I. (0.09, 1.03), p = 0.05] in children under 3 years of age. Nutritional status significantly predicted the psychosocial stimulation to the child (R2 = 0.77). Analyzing the effectiveness of the intervention program revealed significant reduction in the developmental delays in both the motor [t(81) = 2.568, p = 0.012] and mental development [t(81) = 4.506, p = 0.001] of the undernourished children.
UNASSIGNED: Findings indicate that nutrition translates into positive developmental outcomes in a child only with the scaffolding effects of psychosocial stimulation primarily received from home. Integrating psychosocial stimulation activities like storytelling, play, art and crafts, puppets, travel etc. in the intervention programs designed to address undernutrition may yield rich dividends in bridging the developmental delays among undernourished children.

BACKGROUND: Although an association between maternal nutritional intake and developmental delays in children has been demonstrated, the association of the timing of meal intake and development delays remains unclear. We examined the association between breakfast intake frequency before and during pregnancy and developmental delay in children.
METHODS: Of the pregnant women who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Three-Generation Cohort Study, 7491 answered the required questions and were analyzed. The frequency of breakfast intake from pre- to early pregnancy and from early to mid-pregnancy was classified into four groups: daily, and 5-6, 3-4, and 0-2 times/week. Child developmental delays at age 2 and 3.5 years were assessed using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the association between breakfast intake frequency in pregnant women and developmental delays in children aged 2 and 3.5 years.
RESULTS: The proportion of pregnant women who had breakfast daily was 78.1% in pre- to early pregnancy, and 82.2% in early to mid-pregnancy. The proportion of children with developmental delays was 14.7% and 13.4% at age 2 and 3.5 years, respectively. Compared with the risk in children of women who had breakfast daily from pre- to early pregnancy, children of women who had breakfast 0-2 times/week had a higher risk of developmental delays at 2 years of age: odds ratio (OR) 1.30, (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.66). The risk of developmental delays at age 2 years increased in the children of women who had breakfast 0-2 times/week in early to mid- pregnancy: OR 1.75 (95% CI, 1.32-2.32). The risk of developmental delays at age 3.5 years did not increase in the children of women who had breakfast 0-2 times/week from pre- to early and early to mid-pregnancy: OR 1.06 (95% CI, 0.81-1.39 and OR 1.15 (95% CI 0.84-1.57), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: For women with a low frequency of breakfast intake from pre- to mid-pregnancy there was an association with developmental delays in their children at age 2, but not at 3.5 years.

This study examined whether children exposed to adversity would exhibit lower epigenetic age acceleration in the context of improved parenting. Children with developmental delays and externalizing behavior problems (N = 62; Mage = 36.26 months; 70.97% boys, 29.03% girls; 71% Latinx, 22.6% Black) were drawn from a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT), which randomized them to receive Internet-delivered parent-child interaction therapy (iPCIT; n = 30) or community referrals as usual (RAU; n = 32). Epigenetic age acceleration was estimated with the pediatric buccal epigenetic clock, using saliva. Adversity was assessed using parent, family, and neighborhood-level cumulative-risk indicators. Adversity interacted with Time 2 (T2) observations of positive and negative-parenting practices to predict epigenetic age acceleration 1.5 years later, regardless of treatment assignment. Children exposed to more adversity displayed lower epigenetic age acceleration when parents evidenced increased positive (b = -0.15, p = .001) and decreased negative (b = -0.12, p = .01) parenting practices.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in pregnant women during the third trimester can cause neurodevelopmental delays and cryptorchidism in children without microcephaly. However, the consequences of congenital ZIKV infection on fertility in these children remain unclear. Here, using an immunocompetent mouse model, we reveal that congenital ZIKV infection can cause hormonal disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, leading to reduced fertility and decreased sexual preference. Our study has for the first time linked the hypothalamus to the reproductive system and social behaviors after ZIKV infection. Although the extent to which these observations in mice translate to humans remains unclear, these findings did suggest that the reproductive health and hormone levels of ZIKV-exposed children should receive more attention to improve their living quality.

The first two years of life, including the period from conception to 2 years of age, are very important for a child\'s growth and development. This study sought to describe the developmental status and the environmental factors that influence it in children aged 6 months to 2 years in urban and rural areas. The research sites were purposively selected: specific health centres in the city of Bandung and West Bandung district were chosen and the study was conducted from November to December 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted with healthy children aged 6 months to 2 years and their parents, who agreed to participate in the study. Researchers performed developmental tests using the Developmental Pre-screening Questionnaire with classifications for normal developmental test results and developmental delays. During the study, 346 children met the inclusion criteria, resulting in a sample of 164 (47.4%) boys and 182 (52.6%) girls. There were no significant differences among children with developmental delays in urban and rural areas. The factors that influence the possibility of developmental delays in the two research areas were the child\'s age, exposure to screen time, stimulation, nutritional status, and the use of the mother-child handbook.