EAP and ECPCP Statement Risks for Children's Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Call for Maintenance of Essential Pediatric Services.

The COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdown have had drastic socioeconomic and psychological effects on countries and people, respectively. There has been limited access to health care and education. These negative consequences have had a significant impact on the well-being of children and adolescents. Therefore, the EAP and the ECPCP are requesting state, health, and education authorities as well as European pediatric societies and the healthcare professionals that special attention be given to this population and the problems they face as a result of the pandemic.

Prevention and contrast of child abuse and neglect in the practice of European paediatricians: a multi-national pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Child abuse and neglect, or maltreatment, is a serious public health problem, which may cause long-term effects on children's health and wellbeing and expose them to further adulthood vulnerabilities. Studies on child maltreatment performed in Europe are scarce, and the number of participants enrolled relatively small. The aim of this multi-national European pilot study, was to evaluate the level of understanding and perception of the concepts of child abuse and neglect by European paediatricians working in different medical settings, and the attitude toward these forms of maltreatment in their practice. METHODS: The study was performed by a cross-sectional, descriptive, online survey, made available online to European paediatricians members of 50 national paediatric, who belonged to four different medical settings: hospital, family care, university centres and private practice. The questionnaire, designed as a multiple choice questions survey, with a single answer option consisted of 22 questions/statements. Frequency analyses were applied. Most of the data were described using univariate analysis and Chi-squared tests were used to compare the respondents and answers and a significance level of p ≤ 0.05 applied. RESULTS: Findings show that European paediatricians consider the training on child maltreatment currently provided by medical school curricula and paediatric residency courses to be largely insufficient and continuing education courses were considered of great importance to cover educational gaps. Physical violence was recognized by paediatricians mostly during occasional visits with a significant correlation between detecting abuse during an occasional visit and being a primary care paediatrician. Results also showed a reluctance by paediatricians to report cases of maltreatment to the competent judicial authorities. CONCLUSIONS: Data of this study may provide useful contribution to the current limited knowledge about the familiarity of European paediatricians with child maltreatment and their skills to recognize, manage and contrast abusive childhood experiences in their practice. Finally, they could provide local legislators and health authorities with information useful to further improve public health approaches and rules able to effectively address shared risk and protective factors, which could prevent child abuse and neglect from ever occurring.

Study on the nutritional status and feeding habits in school-children in Madrid City (Spain) during the economic crisis.

INTRODUCTION: the recent economic and financial crisis has affected most Western countries, especially families of low socioeconomic classes. We speculate that worsening of socioeconomic condition associated with the crisis would increase obesity, mainly in disadvantaged families. MATERIAL AND METHODS: cross-sectional study of the 290,111 children aged three to 12 years old attending public school during the term 2014-2015 in Madrid City, by means of a stratified weighted sample randomly chosen, taking into account age (grade), city district and schools. The questionnaire included weight and height (auto-reported), dietary report (weekly frequency of intake), as well as socioeconomic variables. RESULTS: 1,208 questionnaires were evaluated from 64 classes. Half of participants were boys; 42% were younger than five years old, 35% werebetween six and eight years old, and 23% older than eight. Undernutrition was present in 5.0%, and excess of weight (overweight + obesity) in 36.7%. Undernutrition was higher in children under the age of six (9.1%). No relationship was found between undernutrition and the characteristics of the families but was slightly higher in families where both parents were unemployed. Excess of weight was higher in children of non-Spaniard parents (44% vs 32%, p < 0.0001), as well as in those families with economic problems (41% vs 31%, p = 0.0005). Only for meat, grains and dairy, the weekly intake was close to the recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: children from lower income households were at a higher risk of being overweight compared with their peers. Participation in a school-based food aid program may reduce food insecurity for children and their families.

Study on the nutritional status and feeding habits in school-children in madrid city (Spain) during the economic crisis / Impacto de la crisis económica en el estado nutricional y en los hábitos alimentarios de escolares de Madrid (España)

Introduction: the recent economic and financial crisis has affected most Western countries, especially families of low socioeconomic classes. We speculate that worsening of socioeconomic condition associated with the crisis would increase obesity, mainly in disadvantaged families. Material and methods: cross-sectional study of the 290,111 children aged three to 12 years old attending public school during the term 2014-2015 in Madrid City, by means of a stratified weighted sample randomly chosen, taking into account age (grade), city district and schools. The questionnaire included weight and height (auto-reported), dietary report (weekly frequency of intake), as well as socioeconomic variables. Results: 1,208 questionnaires were evaluated from 64 classes. Half of participants were boys; 42% were younger than five years old, 35% were between six and eight years old, and 23% older than eight. Undernutrition was present in 5.0%, and excess of weight (overweight + obesity) in 36.7%. Undernutrition was higher in children under the age of six (9.1%). No relationship was found between undernutrition and the characteristics of the families but was slightly higher in families where both parents were unemployed. Excess of weight was higher in children of non-Spaniard parents (44% vs 32%, p < 0.0001), as well as in those families with economic problems (41% vs 31%, p = 0.0005). Only for meat, grains and dairy, the weekly intake was close to the recommendations. Conclusions: children from lower income households were at a higher risk of being overweight compared with their peers. Participation in a school-based food aid program may reduce food insecurity for children and their families

Introducción: la reciente crisis económica y financiera que ha afectado a los países occidentales ha sido especialmente más intensa en las familias con menos recursos económicos. Nos preguntamos si el empeoramiento de la situación económica se ha asociado a un aumento en la tasa de obesidad infantil. Material y métodos: estudio transversal de una muestra ponderada que representase a los 290.111 niños de tres a 12 años matriculados en las escuelas públicas de Madrid en el curso 2014-2015. Se utilizó un cuestionario que incluía peso y talla (autorreportados), ingesta dietética (frecuencia semanal de consumo) y variables socioeconómicas. Resultados: se evaluaron 1.208 cuestionarios de 64 clases, repartidos por igual entre niños y niñas. El 42% eran menores de cinco años, el 35% tenía entre seis y ocho años, y el 23% eran mayores de ocho años. Se presentó desnutrición en el 5,0% de la muestra, mientras que se halló exceso de peso (sobrepeso + obesidad) en el 36,7%. El bajo peso fue mayor en los niños < 6 años (9,1%), sin diferencias entre sexos. No se pudo encontrar ninguna correlación entre la desnutrición y las características de las familias, aunque fue ligeramente superior cuando ambos padres estaban en el paro. El exceso de peso fue mayor en hijos de padres no españoles (42% vs. 32%, p < 0,0001), así como en las familias con dificultades económicas (41% vs. 31%, p = 0,0005). La ingesta media semanal correcta solo se encontró en carne, cereales y lácteos. Conclusiones: los niños de familias con un nivel socioeconómico bajo tienen mayor riesgo de padecer un exceso de peso. La participación en comedores escolares podría disminuir la inseguridad alimentaria, especialmente en tiempos de dificultades económicas