Learning to read and write are essential academic skills that children develop during their early years of primary school. These skills are supported by various predictive indices that emerge in early childhood. This review has three main goals: to identify which factors are closely examined as predictors for reading and writing, specifically decoding and encoding skills, in different populations and languages (Objective 1); to assess the longitudinal relationship between these predictors and reading and writing skills (Objective 2), considering difficulties or disorders in these areas (Objective 3), during school-age. Using the PRISMA methodology, 81 articles were reviewed. As a first result, there is a significant difference in the number of studies investigating the relationship between predictors and reading (n = 75) compared to writing (n = 18). The most extensively studied predictors for both skills are phonological awareness, language skills, executive functions, rapid automatized naming, and non-verbal cognitive skills. English is the most studied language. Results indicated variability in the relationship between predictors and reading/writing, possibly due to differences in the analyzed populations, chosen outcome measures, and statistical analyses. Additionally, few studies explored the long-term connection between predictors and learning difficulties. In summary, recognizing the multifaceted nature of predictive factors for reading and writing is crucial, and early screening is important for tailored preventive interventions in case of early deficiencies. Future research should delve into writing, conduct cross-cultural studies with diverse languages, and explore the role of predictive factors in understanding reading and writing difficulties or disorders.

Many individual factors, such as early communicative skills, could play a role in explaining later linguistic outcomes. The detection of predictive variables is fundamental to identifying early the children who need intervention. The present study focuses on children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs), genetic conditions with an increased risk of developing language delays or impairments. The aims are to analyse their communicative skills at 18 months of age, and identify significant predictors of their later vocabulary size. Participants were 76 18-month-old children (38 with SCTs, and 38 typically-developing (TD) children). Their communicative skills were assessed during a parent-child play session, and parents filled in a report on their vocabulary development at 18 and 24 months. Children with SCTs showed significantly poorer linguistic skills at 18 months in both preverbal (babbling and gestures) and verbal abilities. A high percentage (nearly 70%) of toddlers with SCTs were late-talking children at 24 months, and those toddlers showed a lower frequency of babbling utterances at 18 months. Early lexical skills, children\'s developmental quotient, and being part of the group of toddlers with SCTs were significant predictors of children\'s vocabulary size six months later. These variables should be considered when assessing the linguistic competence of a child with SCTs to detect possible early risk factors of future language impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are nearly inevitable following Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) for biliary atresia (BA), though the formation of varices is not. We sought to assess the value of noninvasive indices of portal hypertension (PHT), in predicting significant esophageal varices, and to develop a novel prediction model through regression modeling.
METHODS: This is a retrospective, observational study with analysis of routine biochemical and ultrasound data. Five indices were examined: AST-to-platelet ratio index (APRi); hepatic artery resistance index (HARI); spleen size z score (SSAZ); platelet count-to-SSAZ ratio (P/SSAZ); and clinical prediction rule (CPR) [(0.75 × platelets)/(SSAZ+5)]+(2.5 × albumin), each at specific time points following KPE (6 months, 1 year and 2 years). Significant varices were defined as grade ≥ 2 at endoscopy (screening or following a gastrointestinal bleed). AUROC was calculated for all indices. Univariate analysis was used to assess variables\' suitability for inclusion in a subsequent multivariate logistic regression model to generate a predictive index. Data are quoted as median (range). P values ≤ 0.05 were regarded as significant.
RESULTS: 195 infants (median age at KPE of 55 days [11-216]) were analyzed. 42 (22%) had significant varices (median time to first presentation of varices of 1.20 [0.20-6.40] years). CPR and APRi (AUROCs ranging from 0.73-0.80 and 0.69-0.83 respectively) performed best overall. Multiple logistic regression modeling yielded a novel predictor at 6 months post-KPE: the Varices Prediction Rule (albumin × platelets/1000) (AUROC 0.75, sensitivity 86%, sensitivity 71%).
CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive indices such as CPR, APRi and now VPR can provide a tool for stratifying BA patients for elective endoscopy and possible preemptive intervention.