The Evidenced Effects of Early Childhood Interventions to Promote Mental Health and Parenting in the Nordic Countries: A Systematic Review

Thefirst years of life and the family context are key to the promotion and protection of children’s health and well-being,emphasizing the need for interventions aimed to support families with young children.This review aimed to explore the effectiveness of early childhood interventions developed for promoting mental health and parenting among families with young children in the Nordic countries.Six electronic databases were systematically searched,and 20 articles covering 16 studies applying various quantitative and qualitative methods met the study inclusion criteria.The studied interventions were assessed as universal health-promoting interventions and health-promoting interventions with elements of prevention.Outcomes of interest encompassed mental health,related risk and protective factors among the parents and/or the children,or child-parent interaction.The results from studies applying statistical methods show significant improvements in parents’self-efficacy,self-esteem,and parental satisfaction,while few improvements in parents’social support or parental relationship were identified.Improvements in social support and parental relationships were however reported in qualitative studies.Most quantitative studies reporting on parents’mental health problems and stress found a significant decrease,and qualitative studies highlighted experienced positive effects on mental health and well-being.The majority of stu-dies reporting on children’s mental health and/or development as well as strengths and difficulties indicated a statistically significant positive development.No significant changes were however found for existing behavioral problems.The majority of studies examining parenting strategies and/or parent-child interaction found signifi-cant positive changes after the interventions.In sum,althoughfindings are heterogeneous,early childhood inter-ventions show various positive effects on the parenting and mental health of both children and their parents.The fact that different types of initiatives have been developed and implemented can be seen as an advantage,con-sidering the varying needs and expectations of different families.

Salivary proteins and microbiota as biomarkers for early childhood caries risk assessment

Early childhood caries （ECC） is a term used to describe dental caries in children aged 6 years or younger. Oral streptococci, such as Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sorbrinus, are considered to be the main etiological agents of tooth decay in children. Other bacteria, such as Prevotella spp. and Lactobacillus spp., and fungus, that is, Candida albicans, are related to the development and progression of ECC. Biomolecules in saliva, mainly proteins, affect the survival of oral microorganisms by multiple innate defensive mechanisms, thus modulating the oral microflora. Therefore, the protein composition of saliva can be a sensitive indicator for dental health. Resistance or susceptibility to caries may be significantly correlated with alterations in salivary protein components. Some oral microorganisms and saliva proteins may serve as useful biomarkers in predicting the risk and prognosis of caries. Current research has generated abundant information that contributes to a better understanding of the roles of microorganisms and salivary proteins in ECC occurrence and prevention. This review summarizes the microorganisms that cause caries and tooth-protective salivary proteins with their potential as functional biomarkers for ECC risk assessment. The identification of biomarkers for children at high risk of ECC is not only critical for early diagnosis but also important for preventing and treating the disease.

Expert consensus on early childhood caries management

Early childhood caries(ECC)is a significant chronic disease of childhood and a rising public health burden worldwide.ECC may cause a higher risk of new caries lesions in both primary and permanent dentition,affecting lifelong oral health.The occurrence of ECC has been closely related to the core microbiome change in the oral cavity,which may be influenced by diet habits,oral health management,fluoride use,and dental manipulations.So,it is essential to improve parental oral health and awareness of health care,to establish a dental home at the early stage of childhood,and make an individualized caries management plan.Dental interventions according to the minimally invasive concept should be carried out to treat dental caries.This expert consensus mainly discusses the etiology of ECC,caries-risk assessment of children,prevention and treatment plan of ECC,aiming to achieve lifelong oral health.

Differences in carbon source usage by dental plaque in children with and without early childhood caries

Early childhood caries （ECC） is a considerable pediatric and public health problem worldwide. Preceding studies have focused primarily on bacterial diversity at the taxonomic level. Although these studies have provided significant information regarding the connection between dental caries and oral micmbiomes, further comprehension of this microbial community＇s ecological relevance is limited. This study identified the carbon source metabolic differences in dental plaque between children with and without ECC. We compared the microbial community functional diversity in 18 caries-free subjects with 18 severe ECC patients based on sole carbon source usage using a Biolog assay. The anaerobic microbial community in the ECC patients displayed greater metabolic activity than that of the control group. Specific carbon source metabolism differed significantly between the two groups. Subjects from the two groups were well distinguished by cluster and principal component analyses based on discriminative carbon sources. Our results implied that the microbial functional diversity between the ECC patients and healthy subjects differed significantly. In addition, the Biolog assay furthered our understanding of oral microbiomes as a composite of functional abilities, thus enabling us to identify the ecologically relevant functional differences among oral microbial communities.

Early Childhood Development (0 - 6 Years Old) from Healthy to Pathologic: A Review of the Literature

Early childhood development involves an appropriate global intervention concerning the different areas of development such as: physical, cognitive, language and socio-emotional [1]. Especially during the first six years of life in an adequate environment rich in exchange and interaction. We will present in this article a review of the literature concerning normal early childhood development, focus firstly in normal development’s steps, the importance of first experiences and first aid with a stable and caring attachment figure. second, we will describe the various developmental disorders, occurring during this age group which extends from birth to 6 years and based on the DSM5 classification, namely that developmental delay may concern only one aspect of development (e.g. language delay or motor delay specifically) or concern the different aspects of development (overall development delay). The dynamics of development is also important to clarify because schematically we contrast the pathologies fixed to progressive pathologies (where we find the concepts of stagnation or regression in the development of the child). We will discuss in the third chapter, the interest of early detection as well as the multiple clinical and psychometric diagnostic tools, which aim to detect any delay or disorder in order to initiate appropriate care and minimize the long-term consequences.

Characterizing Diversity of Lactobacilli Associated with Severe Early Childhood Caries: A Study Protocol

Lactobacilli have been consistently associated with dental caries for decades;however, knowledge of this group of bacteria in the etiology of the disease is limited to quantitative elucidation. Nowadays, explicit identification of oral Lactobacillus species is possible, despite their taxonomic complexity. Here we describe a combined approach involving both cultivation and genetic methods to ascertain and characterize the diversity and abundance of the Lactobacillus population in the oral cavities of children with severe early childhood caries (S-ECC). Eighty 3- to 6-year-old children (40 S-ECC and 40 caries free) who were seeking dental care at the Pediatric Dental Clinic of Bellevue Hospital in New York City were invited to participate in this study. Clinical data on sociodemographic information and oral health behavior were obtained from the primary caregiver. The data included a detailed dental examination, children’s medical history, and a questionnaire survey. Combined non-stimulated saliva and supragingival plaque samples were collected from each child and cultivated on selective media for quantitative measures of lactobacilli levels. The procedure for Lactobacillus species screening will include the random selection of 50 colonies per plate, ex- traction of DNA from each colony, and genotyping by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR). Each unique Lactobacillus AP-PCR genotype will be selected for taxonomic assessment by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Lactobacillus species will be identified by comparing the 16S rRNA sequences with the Ribosomal Database and the Human Oral Microbiome Database. Meanwhile, the same set of clinical samples will be independently subjected to genomic DNA isolation, 16S rRNA amplification with Lactobacillus genus-specific primers, sequencing, and taxonomic identification, both at genus and species levels with a customized pipeline. The distribution and phylogenetic differences of these Lactobacillus species will be compared between children with or without S-ECC. One of the main objectives of this study is to establish a study protocol for the identification and characterization of lactobacilli in the oral cavity. Future caries risk assessments can include lactobacilli counts (quantitative) and the presence/absence of specific cario- genic genetic signatures of a Lactobacillus species (qualitative) associated with S-ECC.

Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers’ Attitude Towards Mathematics: A Jamaican Inquiry

The purpose of the study was to evaluate Jamaican early childhood pre-service teachers’attitudes towards mathematics.The study is designed according to the quantitative survey model in the descriptive type.In this study,a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman mathematics attitude scale was used to measure the mathematics attitude of 144 early childhood pre-service teachers in four different categories of the attitude scale(mathematics usefulness,confidence in learning mathematics,mathematics anxiety,and mathematics motivation).The data were collected from participants in the five teachers’colleges that offer the early childhood education program in Jamaica.The findings revealed that Jamaican early childhood pre-service teachers generally have a more positive attitude towards mathematics.A comparison among the different year groups revealed that a significantly greater percentage of the Year two group of participants possessed a more positive mathematics attitude than the other year groups.A significantly higher percentage of the Year three group indicated that they do not want to teach the subject in the future.The findings have implications for the teaching and learning of mathematics in the early childhood education program in Jamaica and,by extension,the teaching and learning of mathematics at the early childhood level of the education system.

Pre-service Early Childhood Teachers’Attitude Towards Mathematics:A Jamaican Inquiry

The purpose of the study was to evaluate Jamaican early childhood pre-service teachers’attitudes towards mathematics.The study is designed according to the quantitative survey model in the descriptive type.In this study,a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman mathematics attitude scale was used to measure the mathematics attitude of 144 early childhood pre-service teachers in four different categories of the attitude scale(mathematics usefulness,confidence in learning mathematics,mathematics anxiety,and mathematics motivation).The data were collected from participants in the five teachers’colleges that offer the early childhood education program in Jamaica.The findings revealed that Jamaican early childhood pre-service teachers generally have a more positive attitude towards mathematics.A comparison among the different year groups revealed that a significantly greater percentage of the Year two group of participants possessed a more positive mathematics attitude than the other year groups.A significantly higher percentage of the Year three group indicated that they do not want to teach the subject in the future.The findings have implications for the teaching and learning of mathematics in the early childhood education program in Jamaica and,by extension,the teaching and learning of mathematics at the early childhood level of the education system.

Issues of Access, Equity, and Quality in Early Childhood Development Programmes in Zimbabwe

The paper sought to explore issues of access, equity, and quality in the early childhood development （ECD） sub-sector in Zimbabwe. The massive expansion of ECD services prompted the author to undertake the study. Data were collected using focus group discussions, individual interviews, document analysis, and observations. Information from literature, research reports, policies, and practices was also analyzed in order to establish the state of affairs in the provision of ECD. The data were analyzed using theme identification methods to solicit emerging issues. Generally, it was found that on issues of access, equity, and quality in ECD in Zimbabwe, there is a quality-quantity dilemma with qualitative progress less conspicuous than quantitative progress. The resultant specific challenges include： large teacher-child ratio; lack of parental involvement, lack of trained ECD specialists with expertise in using a play-based curriculum; and shortage of equipment, material resources, and age appropriate infrastructure. In most ECD settings, there were inadequate health and nutrition provisions. Water, sanitation and health （WASH） facilities were found to be insufficient in most centres. The study recommended that there is need for： equal access to quality early childhood education; provision of infrastructure, provision of ability and age appropriate resources; and health, sanitation, and nutrition services especially in rural settings. Overall, ECD programmes in Zimbabwe should strive to attain quality more than quantity services. The need to train more early childhood specialists who would drive the ECD sub-sector is emphasized.

Literature Review:Inclusive Education in Early Childhood

This literature review provides an overview of existing research and compares,and contrasts aims and definitions of Inclusive Education(IE)policies in China and Australia.It begins with the development of IE in each country;then it describes definition and concept of IE.The last section summarizes research in early childhood education in both countries.

Research on the Dynamic Relationships among Taiwan’s Early Childhood Education and Its Stakeholders: The System Dynamics Perspective

In Taiwan,the low birth rate has become one of the most critical problems faced by the government and educational institutions at all levels.The enrolling student number of kindergartens perhaps is the most directly affected by such trend.The purpose of this study aims at constructing a system dynamics model to depict the relationships between the preschool children and their stakeholders for deducing the evolutionary trends of,and the interactions of,governmental policies and the operations of the early childhood education institutions.Through the interpretation of policies and simulation analysis of the twenty-year growth trend related to the child population in Taiwan,this study found that governmental policies and the promotion of education and care services have a positive effect on the growth of all levels of kindergarten classes.Besides,the relationship between the education and care service staff and the kindergarten play a causal balancing role in our proposed model.We suggest that the system dynamics model proposed by this study can help to observe the dynamic relationships formed by the stakeholders in preschool education and care system based on the“joint responsibility”of Taiwan’s early childhood education.

Babycare's International Cooperation in Early Childhood English Teaching

Established in 1998, Babycare Consulting Co. Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Babycare) is a new-type enterprise offering early education to babies and children aged 0-6. In accordance with the law of physical and mental development of babies and children, the company develops courses such as healthy

Lessons from the British Early Childhood Education and Qualification Certification System for Early Childhood Education in China

This paper explores the early childhood education systems in the United Kingdom(UK)and China,providing valuable insights and lessons for improving early childhood education in China.It discusses key aspects of education philosophy,teacher training and professional development,qualification certification and standards,policy recommendations,and future prospects.The UK’s emphasis on child-centered education,the use of play-based learning methods,and the recognition of the importance of social and emotional development serve as valuable lessons for China’s early childhood education system.Additionally,the paper highlights the need for unified national standards and certification,higher entry requirements for teachers,ongoing professional development,practical experience for teachers,and diverse certification pathways.The future of early childhood education in China includes raising the social status of early childhood educators,integrating digital education and technology,promoting interdisciplinary education,enhancing collaboration between families and schools,and addressing the needs of special children.

Current Status and Trends of Fiscal Support for Early Childhood Education in China

Early childhood education is recognized globally as a critical stage in a child’s development,fostering cognitive,emotional,social,and physical growth.The quality and accessibility of early childhood education are of paramount importance for a nation’s future development.This paper explores the current status and trends of fiscal support for early childhood education in China.By analyzing the evolution of early childhood education policies,government funding,and international experiences,this study aims to provide insights into the impact of fiscal support on the quality and accessibility of early childhood education.It also addresses existing challenges and offers policy recommendations for the advancement of early childhood education in China.

A brain structural connectivity biomarker for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in early childhood

Background:Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)is associated with altered brain development,but it is unclear which specific structural changes may serve as potential diagnostic markers,particularly in young children at the age when symptoms become fully estab-lished.Furthermore,such brain markers need to meet the requirements of precision medicine and be accurate in aiding diagnosis at an individual rather than only a group level.Objective:This study aimed to identify and model brain-wide differences in structural connectivity using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI)in young ASD and typically developing(TD)children.Methods:A discovery cohort including 93 ASD and 26 TD children and two independent validation cohorts including 12 ASD and 9 TD children from three different cities in China were included.Brain-wide(294 regions)structural connectivity was measured using DTI(fractional anisotropy,FA)together with symptom severity and cognitive development.A connection matrix was constructed for each child for comparisons between ASD and TD groups.Pattern classification was performed on the discovery dataset and the resulting model was tested on the two independent validation datasets.Results:Thirty-three structural connections showed increased FA in ASD compared to TD children and associated with both autistic symptom severity and impaired general cognitive development.The majority(29/33)involved the frontal lobe and comprised five different networks with functional relevance to default mode,motor control,social recognition,language and reward.Overall,clas-sification achieved very high accuracy of 96.77%in the discovery dataset,and 91.67%and 88.89%in the two independent validation datasets.Conclusions:Identified structural connectivity differences primarily involving the frontal cortex can very accurately distinguish novel individual ASD from TD children and may therefore represent a robust early brain biomarker which can address the requirements of precision medicine.

A Critical Analysis of Education for Sustainability in Early Childhood Curriculum Documents in China and Norway

Purpose:This article examines how early childhood curriculum documents in two culturally different contexts are associated with current concepts of sustainability and principles of early childhood education for sustainability(ECEfS)in China and Norway.Design/Approach/Methods:Applying critical document analysis,the study explores a number of landmark curriculum documents from China and Norway,comparing the ways in which ECEfS is conceptualized,including the concept of sustainability,children as agents of change for sustainability,and sustainability in young children’s everyday lives.Findings:Corresponding to the analytical framework,China and Norway attach different importance to the three dimensions of sustainability-social-cultural,economic,and environmental.For example,Norway has a more autonomous view of children’s agency,while China gives more emphasis to teachers’support.The two countries also have different perspectives on how to work with families and communities based on significantly different traditions and institutions.The comparative document analysis argues that predominant cultural dimensions in each context,such as collectivist and individualistic factors,may shape the understandings of sustainability in each country’s early years’curriculum documents.Originality/Values:By broadening the focus on the social-cultural aspects of sustainability,this study extends the development of a culturally inclusive understanding of the concept of sustainability and contextualized/localized approaches to ECEfS across the globe.

Purposeful and Ethical Early Childhood Teacher:The Underlying Values Guiding Finnish Early Childhood Education

Purpose:The new Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care(2018)strongly highlights pedagogical knowledge and practice,demanding teachers to develop their pedagogical thinking,evaluation,judgment,and operating culture.Since ethics is viewed as vital characteristics of the teaching profession,our objective is to make these complex ethical issues more visible to be subject to democratic discussion and change.Design/Approach/Methods:The framework comprises a broad theory base of codes of ethics and professional codes of ethics of teaching.The research materials were national curricula of early childhood education and care(ECEC)-and pre-primary education.The eight-step qualitative analysis process was applied to identify and shed light on the codes of ethics laying the foundations forpurposeful and ethical earlychildhood education(ECE)teacher.Findings:The results indicate that through both theoretical lenses,the Finnish ECEC curricula comprise several ethical codes.For the future purposeful ECE teachers as ethical professionals,the results raise questions for further discussion.Particularly,issues related to the ethics of care,intellectual freedom,inquiry stance,and professional competence,and diversity may further enhance our ECEC curricula.

Curriculum Hybridization and Cultural Glocalization:A Scoping Review of International Research on Early Childhood Curriculum in China and Singapore

Purpose:This article presents a scoping review of the internationally published research on the early childhood curriculum(ECC)reforms,policies,measures,and effectiveness in China and Singapore,to explore the joint and interactive effects of globalization and localization in ECC in twodifferent contexts.Design/Approach/Methods:We reviewed and analyzed the chosen studies with a multilevel curriculum framework:formal curriculum,perceived curriculum,operational curriculum,and curriculum ideology.Findings:The synthesis of evidence indicated that in both China and Singapore(l)a constructivist orientation is relied upon to construct the formal curricula;(2)the perceived curricula have been heavily influenced by the indigenous values and contextual realities;and(3)the Western ideology embedded in the formal curricula has not been realized,as reflected in the operational curricula.Originality/Value:The phenomenon of curriculum hybridization has been scrutinized to explain these findings regarding curriculum ideologies and practices.As confirmed by the findings and theoretical explanations,the 3CAPs framework(culturally,contextually,and child-individually appropriate practices)can be employed to guide the development of ECC in policies and practices.

The Influenceof Cultureon Early Childhood Education Curriculum in the UAE

Purpose:This article provides an overview of how childhood curriculum in the United Arab Emirates(UAE)is designed to serve cultural values.Design/Approach/Methods:The framework of kindergarten curriculum adopts the uniqueness of children laying the foundation for their cultural identity.This paper provides a description of how this is achieved through a case study of the kindergarten curriculum in the UAE.Findings:The core elements of Emirati culture are delivered in the early childhood education(ECE)curriculum,which is influenced by global practices.Islamic studies is a key component in the Emirati kindergarten curriculum,which is designed to help children practice principles of religion,with the main Islamic values of gratitude and charity as aspects that are deeply embedded.Similarly,through social studies,children learn about Emirati heritage and culture.In addition to exposure to world communities,the learning experience engages children in authentic stories that relate to their personal lives,families,and community to build national awareness.Originality/Value:This paper sheds light on ECE in the UAE.Although the topic is of interest to UAE policymakers and educators and the global audience interested in UAE education,there is no study to the researcher's best knowledge that has examined the influence of the UAE culture on ECEcurriculum.

Early childhood severe scalds in a developing country: A 3-year retrospective study

The burns intensive care unit (BICU) staff observed an increasing number of pediatric scald burn admissions as a result of increase injuries associated with the scald burns. A retrospective study was conducted to identify scalds demographics, etiologies, and mortality risk factors. This descriptive study comprised a total of 166 patients aged 0-5 years, who were admitted to the BICU of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit (RPSBU) through the Accident and Emergency (A and E) Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) from May 1st 2009 to April 30th 2012. Source of information was the BICU Computerized Database System. Data extracted included demographics as well as treatment methods and outcomes. The study population was 166;92 (55.4%) males and 74 (44.6%) females. Scalds admissions were 141 (84.9%);13 (9.2%) of them died, 83 (58.9%) discharged, and 45 (31.9%) transferred-out to another burn ward and pediatric surgery ward in the hospital. Scald patients' demographics included 78 males (55.3%) and 63 females (44.7%);mean age was 2.18 years. Mortality risk factors identified were age <3 years (P = 0.044);scalds from hot water (P = 0.033), total burns surface area >30% (P = 0.017), and multiple body parts affected (P = 0.049). The current study showed age, hot water, and Total Burns Surface Area (TBSA) as risk factors of early childhood scalds. Education on scalds prevention targeting mothers/caregivers is needed to create awareness of the frequency, severity, and danger associated with pediatric scalds.