Exploring the Relationship Between Age at Nap Cessation and Social-Emotional Functioning in Children.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine variations in age at nap cessation and identify whether there is an association with social-emotional functioning (SEF) as measured by internalizing/externalizing behavior, child temperament, and social skills in a sample of early childhood education and care-attending children. METHODS: The sample comprised 1117 children from the Australian Effectiveness Early Educational Experiences for Children longitudinal early childhood study. We used children's age at nap cessation as retrospectively recalled by caregivers in 2011 or 2013 when children were between ages 2 and 7 years. Each child's SEF was reported by a caregiver using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Short Temperament Scale for Children, and the Social Skills Inventory Scale. Associations between children's age of nap cessation and SEF were tested using linear regressions. RESULTS: The children's age at nap cessation ranged from 6 months to 6 years. For each additional year of napping, children's total , conduct , externalizing , and peer behavior problems decreased by 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.70 to -0.09), 0.11 (95% CI, -0.21 to -0.01), 0.11 (95% CI, -0.51 to -0.06), and 0.11 (95% CI, -0.20 to -0.02) units on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scale, respectively. No further significant associations were found. CONCLUSION: This is the first study reporting the age range of nap cessation and its associations with social-emotional functioning. Our findings demonstrate earlier cessation ages in Australian children attending Early Childhood Education and Care programs than previously reported and a small association with externalizing and peer problems.

Determinants of livelihood diversification in rural rain-fed region of Pakistan: evidence from fractional multinomial logit (FMLOGIT) estimation.

Sustainable livelihoods in less developed countries are threatened by human, natural, physical, social and financial factors. Pakistan is also facing severe negative impacts of these factors in the form of climate shocks, market imperfections and insufficient formal credit availability on rural livelihoods. This study explores rural Pakistani's adaptation to these threats by diversifying income sources and explores the determining factors for adopting specific livelihood diversification strategies. The study is based on a quantitative survey of 295 households in three districts of rain-fed rural regions of Pakistan's Punjab with differing annual rainfall. Results showed that households mitigated against threats to their livelihood by having a diversity of income sources (Simpson Diversity Index = 0.61). Moreover, fractional multinomial regression modelling revealed that greater education was associated with a more diversified livelihood strategy, where income was predominantly derived from off-farm and non-farm livelihood activities. On the other hand, households with older members, more livestock and larger farm size focused their livelihoods on their own farms, or primarily diversified into an off-farm strategy by working on other farms. These findings underscore the importance of improved access to education and infrastructure for livelihood diversification. A policy that focuses on reducing low literacy rates in rural Pakistan may also provide new avenues of livelihood diversifications with enhancement of rural literacy rate to mitigate the risks associated with livelihood strategies of smallholders.

Emotional quality of early education programs improves language learning: A within-child across context design.

Observational studies comparing child outcomes in early care and education classrooms of differing quality are often confounded by between-child differences. A within-child design, tracking children across contexts, can identify the effects of quality with less confounding. An analysis of Australian children (N = 1128, mean age 5 years, 48% female, 2.9% Indigenous, ethnicity data unavailable) tracked across pre-K, K, and year 1 (2010-2012) was conducted to assess how changes in observed quality (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) were associated with changes in cognitive development (Woodcock-Johnson III). Thresholds of quality were also investigated. Increases in Emotional Support were associated with improved language development (ß = 0.54, 95% CI [0.1-0.99], approximating 2.6 weeks development). Results highlight that emotional quality is an integral and potent component of early learning.

Many naps, one nap, none: A systematic review and meta-analysis of napping patterns in children 0-12 years.

The onset of monophasic sleep, in which napping ceases and sleep consolidates into a single night period, is a key developmental milestone of childhood. Yet to date, there is little consensus regarding the timing of cessation of napping in children. The aim of the current study is to examine global evidence regarding napping patterns in childhood, and, through meta-analysis, describe patterns of napping cessation and duration observed in children aged 0-12 y. A systematic search of all published, original research articles reporting children's napping patterns, by age, was conducted. The quality of studies was assessed, and meta-analysis of eligible studies undertaken. Risk of bias and heterogeneity of measurement was high. Current evidence indicates that less than 2.5% of children cease napping prior to age 2, while 94% cease napping by age 5. The preschool period (3-5 y; 36-60 mo) represents a particularly dynamic period in napping cessation, with large variation in rates of napping across studies evidencing potential ecological effects. Future studies should focus on understanding of the underlying mechanisms explaining individual variations in napping patterns and the extent to which patterns of napping may represent a marker of child development.

Asymmetry of planum temporale constrains interhemispheric language plasticity in children with focal epilepsy.

Reorganization of eloquent cortex enables rescue of language functions in patients who sustain brain injury. Individuals with left-sided, early-onset focal epilepsy often show atypical (i.e. bilateral or right-sided) language dominance. Surprisingly, many patients fail to show such interhemispheric shift of language despite having major epileptogenic lesions in close proximity to eloquent cortex. Although a number of epilepsy-related factors may promote interhemispheric plasticity, it has remained unexplored if neuroanatomical asymmetries linked to human language dominance modify the likelihood of atypical lateralization. Here we examined the asymmetry of the planum temporale, one of the most striking asymmetries in the human brain, in relation to language lateralization in children with left-sided focal epilepsy. Language functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 51 children with focal epilepsy and left-sided lesions and 36 healthy control subjects. We examined the association of language laterality with a range of potential clinical predictors and the asymmetry of the length of the planum temporale. Using voxel-based methods, we sought to determine the effect of lesion location (in the affected left hemisphere) and grey matter density (in the unaffected right hemisphere) on language laterality. Atypical language lateralization was observed in 19 patients (38%) and in four controls (11%). Language laterality was increasingly right-sided in patients who showed atypical handedness, a left perisylvian ictal electroencephalographic focus, and a lesion in left anterior superior temporal or inferior frontal regions. Most striking was the relationship between rightward asymmetry of the planum temporale and atypical language (R = 0.70, P < 0.0001); patients with a longer planum temporale in the right (unaffected) hemisphere were more likely to have atypical language dominance. Voxel-based regression analysis confirmed that increased grey matter density in the right temporo-parietal junction was correlated with right hemisphere lateralization of language. The length of the planum temporale in the right hemisphere was the main predictor of language lateralization in the epilepsy group, accounting for 48% of variance, with handedness accounting for only a further 5%. There was no correlation between language lateralization and planum temporale asymmetry in the control group. We conclude that asymmetry of the planum temporale may be unrelated to language lateralization in healthy individuals, but the size of the right, contra-lesional planum temporale region may reflect a 'reserve capacity' for interhemispheric language reorganization in the presence of a seizure focus and lesions within left perisylvian regions.