Respiratory morbidity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic from birth to 18 months in a Swedish birth cohort.

Background: Respiratory infections in early life are an identified risk factor for asthma. We hypothesized that infection-prevention measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced the risk of respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in early childhood.

Objective: We compared respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in children born before and during the pandemic.

Adult Work Ability Following Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis in Childhood.

Importance: A diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in childhood can lead to permanent neurological disabilities. Few studies have examined long-term consequences for work ability in adulthood.

Objective: To compare earnings, work loss, and educational attainment between adults diagnosed with bacterial meningitis in childhood and population comparators.

Increased risk of bacterial pneumonia before and after respiratory syncytial virus infection in young children.

Aim: The burden of respiratory disease is great among children. This study aimed to examine the temporal relationship between hospitalisation for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and bacterial pneumonia.

Methods: A Swedish population-based cohort was created by combining data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register, the National Inpatient Register, the Cause of Death Register, the Total Population Register, and the Longitudinal Integration Database for Health Insurance and Labour Market Studies.

Vaccine response was higher in formula-fed infants compared to breastfed but not affected by lactoferrin or iron in a randomised controlled trial.

Aim: To examine how reduced iron content and added bovine lactoferrin in infant formula affect the antibody response following routine immunisation.

Methods: In this randomised controlled trial, 180 Swedish formula-fed infants received, from 6 weeks to 6 months of age, a 2 mg/L iron formula with (n = 72) or without (n = 72) bovine lactoferrin, or a control formula with 8 mg/L iron and no lactoferrin (n = 36). Another 72 infants were recruited as a breastfed reference.

The Multifaceted Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infections in Young Children on the Family: A European Study.

Introduction: Since the majority of hospitalisations due to RSV occur in young children, the illness profoundly influences the entire family. However, comprehensive evidence regarding its overall effects remains limited. The ResQ Family study aims to investigate the burden of RSV-induced pediatric hospitalisation on affected families.

Intersectional inequalities in paediatric infectious diseases: a national cohort study in Sweden.

Background: It is well known that socially deprived children are more likely to be hospitalised for infections. Less is known about how different social disadvantages interact. Therefore, we examine intersectional inequalities in overall, upper respiratory, lower respiratory, enteric and genitourinary infections in the first 5 years of life.

Socioeconomic circumstances, health-related behaviours and paediatric infections: a mediation analysis.

Objective: To examine how the effect of disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances on the risk of paediatric infections is mediated by pregnancy smoking, excess weight during pregnancy and breast feeding in children under 5 years of age.

Design: A population-level, retrospective cohort study. The Swedish Medical Birth Register was combined with the National Patient Register, the longitudinal integration database for health insurance and labour market studies, the Cause of Death Register and a local register held by the Child Health Care Unit in Uppsala Region.

Significant effects of childhood obesity treatment with a web-based component in a randomised controlled study (Web-COP).

Aim: We evaluated the effect on body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) of a combined treatment (Web-COP) for children with obesity, including a web-based component targeting their parents.

Methods: This randomised controlled trial recruited children 5-12 years of age with obesity (International Obesity Task Force BMI [IOTF-BMI] ≥30 kg/m ) from school health care and outpatient paediatric clinics in in Northern Sweden from 1 June 2019 to 21 June 2020. The children were randomised to Web-COP, an intervention with group sessions and a 12-week web-based component, or standard care.

Revised Swedish infant feeding guidelines are associated with earlier introduction of allergenic foods.

Background: Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that early introduction of allergenic foods, such as peanut and egg, can reduce food allergy in high-risk children. Many international guidelines recommend introduction of allergenic foods in the first year of life, and accordingly, the Swedish National Food agency released updated guidelines in June 2019.

Objective: Our aim was to examine whether the age at introduction and consumption frequency of allergenic foods have changed since release of the revised national guidelines on the introduction of solid foods in Sweden.

Clinical and economic burden of pneumococcal disease among adults in Sweden: A population-based register study.

Pneumococcal disease is a major cause of clinical and economic burden worldwide. This study investigated the burden of pneumococcal disease in Swedish adults. A retrospective population-based study was conducted using Swedish national registers, including all adults aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of pneumococcal disease (defined as pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, or septicemia) in inpatient or outpatient specialist care between 2015-2019.

Abnormal birth weights for gestational age in relation to maternal characteristics in Sweden: a five year cross-sectional study.

Background: Abnormal birth weight - small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) - are important indicators for newborn health. Due to changes in lifestyle in recent decades, it is essential to keep up-to-date with the latest information on maternal factors linked to abnormal birth weight. The aim of this study is to investigate SGA and LGA in relation to maternal individual, lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics.

Little All Children in Focus (Little ACF), evaluation of a parental support program for parents of children aged 1-2 years: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Child health and development can be promoted by strengthening and supporting parents. Research on parental support programs based on positive psychology and a health-promoting approach aimed at all parents, and in particular parents of infants is limited. All Children in Focus (ACF) is a parental support program that has been evaluated in a randomized trial in parents of children 3-12 years.

Multifaceted determinants of social-emotional problems in preschool children in Sweden: An ecological systems theory approach.

Social-emotional problems occurring early in life can place children at future risk of adverse health, social and economic outcomes. Determinants of social-emotional problems are multi-layered and originate from different contexts surrounding children, though few studies consider them simultaneously. We adopted a holistic approach by using Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time model as a structuring device.

Social inequalities in social-emotional problems among preschool children: a population-based study in Sweden.

Background: Social-emotional ability is important for overall health and wellbeing in early childhood. Recognizing preschool children in need of extra support, especially those living in unfavourable conditions, can have immediate positive effects on their health and benefit their wellbeing in the long-term.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are social inequalities in preschool children's social-emotional problems, and whether inequalities differ between boys and girls.

Swedish Child Health Services Register: a quality register for child health services and children's well-being.

Background: Swedish child health services (CHS) is a free-of-charge healthcare system that reaches almost all children under the age of 6. The aim for the CHS is to improve children's physical, psychological and social health by promoting health and development, preventing illness and detecting emerging problems early in the child's life. The services are defined in a national programme divided into three parts: universal interventions, targeted interventions and indicated interventions.

Associations between pre- and postnatal antibiotic exposures and early allergic outcomes: A population-based birth cohort study.

Background: Early life antibiotic treatment is one likely exposure influencing allergy risk. The objective was to investigate associations between pre- and postnatal antibiotic exposures and the development of allergic manifestations until age 18 months.

Methods: We included 1387 mother-child dyads from the prospective, population-based NorthPop birth cohort study.

Predictive scores failing at identifying psychiatric disabilities following childhood bacterial meningitis calls for revision of current follow-up guidelines.

Backgrounds: Psychiatric disabilities affect one in three survivors of bacterial meningitis. Since current guidelines do not recommend psychiatric follow-up in all children, disabilities are often detected late. Identifying children with elevated risk of psychiatric disabilities using predictive scores could be one strategy for detecting psychiatric disabilities without having to conduct psychiatric evaluations in all children.

The Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional-What Is the Optimal Cut-Off for 3-Year-Olds in the Swedish Setting?

Objective: Expressions of emotional and behavioral symptoms in preschool age can predict mental health problems in adolescence and adulthood. The Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE) has been successful in detecting social and emotional problems in young children in some countries but had not been tested in Sweden. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal cut-off for the ASQ:SE instrument when administered to 3-year-old children in a northern Swedish setting, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as the reference.

Waning infant pertussis during COVID-19 pandemic.

Measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have been associated with reduction in other respiratory infections. Results of a national Swedish cohort study of infant pertussis during April 2020-September 2021 were compared with those during January 2014-March 2020. The number of pertussis cases decreased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, from an average of 21 infant cases per quarter of a year before the pandemic to an average of 1 case per quarter during the pandemic.

Perinatal factors and hospitalisations for severe childhood infections: a population-based cohort study in Sweden.

Objective: To examine the association between perinatal factors and hospitalisations for sepsis and bacterial meningitis in early childhood (from 28 days to 2 years of age).

Design: A population-based cohort study. The Swedish Medical Birth Register was combined with the National Inpatient Register, the Cause of Death Register, the Total Population Register and the Longitudinal integration database for health insurance and labour market studies.

Randomised controlled trial showed long-term efficacy, immunogenicity and safety of varicella vaccines in Norwegian and Swedish children.

Aim: Several countries, such as Norway and Sweden, have not implemented universal varicella vaccination. We present data for Norway and Sweden that were generated by a paediatric multi-country Phase III study over a 10-year period. This assessed the efficacy, antibody persistence and safety of two varicella vaccines containing the same Oka strain.

Fruit Pouch Consumption and Dietary Patterns Related to BMIz at 18 Months of Age.

Concerns have been raised that an overconsumption of baby food fruit pouches among toddlers might increase the risk of childhood obesity. This study aimed to quantify the consumption of fruit pouches and other fruit containing food products and to explore potential correlations between the consumption of these products and body-mass index -score (BMIz) at 18 months, taking other predictive factors into consideration. The study was based on 1499 children and one-month-recall food frequency questionnaires from the Swedish population-based birth cohort NorthPop.