Is Birth Method Associated with Sensory Hyperreactivity in Children 3-4 Years in an Upper-Middle-Income Country?

Background: Research has shown that pressure in the vaginal birth process aids the infant's neurophysiological adaption to extrauterine life, including their ability to regulate their responses to diverse sensory stimuli. As pressure is absent in elective caesarean section births, we hypothesised that these children may be at higher risk for developing sensory hyperreactivity (SHR), a sensory modulation difficulty which negatively impacts on the child's engagement in their occupations. This paper reports on a study which investigated associations between birth method and SHR.

24 hour movement behaviours and the health and development of pre-school children from Zimbabwean settings: the SUNRISE pilot study.

Background: In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) released global guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for the early years. The International Study of Movement Behaviours in the Early Years, SUNRISE, aimed to assess the extent to which children aged three and four years meet the WHO global guidelines and its association with health and development.

Objectives: To assess movement behaviours in pre-school children from low-income settings in Zimbabwe and to establish associations between these movement behaviours and adiposity, motor skills and executive function.

Empowered to Play: A Case Study Describing the Impact of Powered Mobility on the Exploratory Play of Disabled Children.

Exploratory play is one of the most vital ways in which children learn about their environment and develop. It is well documented that limited mobility restricts a child's ability to engage in their environment through exploratory play. In this study, a qualitative, collective case study design explored the impact of powered mobility on the exploratory play of two children with physical disabilities.