Assessment of school readiness and the importance of executive functions for learning / Avaliação da prontidão escolar e a importância das funções executivas para o aprendizado

ABSTRACT Objective: Considering the importance of the beginning of the academic trajectory for children to reach their full development, this work aims to evaluate the school readiness of preschool-age children and identify which factors influence these results, in order to contribute to the proposition of strategies that allow improving the teaching-learning process and child development. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study with 443 preschool children belonging to the West Region Cohort (ROC Cohort), from the public school system of the city of São Paulo. School readiness was assessed by the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) tool. Non-parametric techniques were used for the correlation analysis between IDELA scores and sociodemographic and socioeconomic conditions: Spearman's parametric correlation, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: The children's mean age was 69 months (standard deviation — SD=2.8; ranging from 55 to 72 months) and most of them came from families with low socioeconomic level. Most children showed adequate readiness in the overall score (65%) and in most domains, except for emergent literacy, in which most (56.9%) were classified as "emergent". The highest percentage of insufficiency was identified in executive functions (4.1%), which showed a correlation only with the caregiver's education. Conclusions: Children had adequate school readiness scores, except for emergent literacy, but the insufficiency in executive functions may compromise the future schooling of these children. Thus, pedagogical proposals should consider these aspects for learning and pediatricians need to reinforce the habit of reading and playing games to stimulate child development.

RESUMO Objetivo: Considerando-se a importância do início da trajetória acadêmica para as crianças alcançarem o seu pleno potencial de desenvolvimento, este trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar a prontidão escolar de crianças em idade pré-escolar e identificar que fatores influenciam esses resultados, com a finalidade de propor estratégias que possam melhorar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem e o desenvolvimento da criança. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo e analítico, com 443 pré-escolares pertencentes à Coorte da Região Oeste (Coorte ROC) da rede pública de ensino da cidade de São Paulo. A prontidão escolar foi avaliada pela ferramenta International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA). Técnicas não paramétricas foram utilizadas para a análise de correlação entre escores de IDELA e as condições sociodemográficas e socioeconômicas: correlação paramétrica de Spearman, testes de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados: A média de idade das crianças foi de 69 meses (desvio padrão — DP=2,8; variando de 55 a 72 meses) e maioria era proveniente de famílias com baixo nível socioeconômico. A maioria das crianças apresentou prontidão adequada na pontuação geral (65%) e na maior parte dos domínios, com exceção da pré-escrita, na qual as crianças foram predominantemente (56,9%) classificadas como "emergentes". O maior percentual de insuficiência foi identificado nas funções executivas (4,1%), apresentando correlação apenas com a formação do cuidador. Conclusões: As crianças apresentaram escores adequados de prontidão escolar, exceto para a pré-escrita, mas a insuficiência nas funções executivas pode comprometer a escolaridade futura dessas crianças. Assim, as propostas pedagógicas devem considerar esses aspectos para a aprendizagem, e os pediatras precisam reforçar o hábito de ler e dos jogos e brincadeiras para estimular o desenvolvimento infantil.

Assessment of school readiness and the importance of executive functions for learning.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the importance of the beginning of the academic trajectory for children to reach their full development, this work aims to evaluate the school readiness of preschool-age children and identify which factors influence these results, in order to contribute to the proposition of strategies that allow improving the teaching-learning process and child development. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study with 443 preschool children belonging to the West Region Cohort (ROC Cohort), from the public school system of the city of São Paulo. School readiness was assessed by the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) tool. Non-parametric techniques were used for the correlation analysis between IDELA scores and sociodemographic and socioeconomic conditions: Spearman's parametric correlation, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: The children's mean age was 69 months (standard deviation - SD=2.8; ranging from 55 to 72 months) and most of them came from families with low socioeconomic level. Most children showed adequate readiness in the overall score (65%) and in most domains, except for emergent literacy, in which most (56.9%) were classified as "emergent". The highest percentage of insufficiency was identified in executive functions (4.1%), which showed a correlation only with the caregiver's education. CONCLUSIONS: Children had adequate school readiness scores, except for emergent literacy, but the insufficiency in executive functions may compromise the future schooling of these children. Thus, pedagogical proposals should consider these aspects for learning and pediatricians need to reinforce the habit of reading and playing games to stimulate child development.

Use of budesonide associated with a pulmonary surfactant to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature newborns - A systematic review

Abstract Objective: Among the mechanisms proposed for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is the increase in the pulmonary inflammatory process and oxidative stress. Thus, the control of this process may result in improvements in bronchopulmonary dysplasia-related outcomes. This study aims to analyze the current scientific evidence regarding the use of budesonide, a potent anti-inflammatory drug, associated with a pulmonary surfactant to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed on the Embase and MEDLINE platforms, and studies that compared budesonide with pulmonary surfactant versus pulmonary surfactant for treating respiratory distress syndrome were included. The primary outcome was a reduction in bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death. Results: Four randomized clinical trials and two observational studies were included in this systematic review. Three of the randomized clinical trials found a reduction in bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death in the use of budesonide with the surfactant, all the other studies (1 clinical trial and 2 observational studies) found no statistical differences between the groups for the primary outcomes. The three main studies showed a reduction in the primary outcome; however, all studies showed great heterogeneity regarding the type of surfactant (poractant or beractant) and the method of administration. Conclusion: Robust clinical studies, in a heterogeneous population, using porcine surfactant associated with budesonide, with administration by a minimally invasive technique are necessary for there to be a recommendation based on scientific evidence for its widespread use.

Use of budesonide associated with a pulmonary surfactant to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature newborns - A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Among the mechanisms proposed for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is the increase in the pulmonary inflammatory process and oxidative stress. Thus, the control of this process may result in improvements in bronchopulmonary dysplasia-related outcomes. This study aims to analyze the current scientific evidence regarding the use of budesonide, a potent anti-inflammatory drug, associated with a pulmonary surfactant to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed on the Embase and MEDLINE platforms, and studies that compared budesonide with pulmonary surfactant versus pulmonary surfactant for treating respiratory distress syndrome were included. The primary outcome was a reduction in bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death. RESULTS: Four randomized clinical trials and two observational studies were included in this systematic review. Three of the randomized clinical trials found a reduction in bronchopulmonary dysplasia or death in the use of budesonide with the surfactant, all the other studies (1 clinical trial and 2 observational studies) found no statistical differences between the groups for the primary outcomes. The three main studies showed a reduction in the primary outcome; however, all studies showed great heterogeneity regarding the type of surfactant (poractant or beractant) and the method of administration. CONCLUSION: Robust clinical studies, in a heterogeneous population, using porcine surfactant associated with budesonide, with administration by a minimally invasive technique are necessary for there to be a recommendation based on scientific evidence for its widespread use.