The aim of this study was to examine how providing functional information affects three year olds’ word learning. Previous work has demonstrated that children use perceptual or functional information about an object to aid in word learning. That is, they tend to base word meaning on the shape of the item (e.g., Jones, Smith, & Landau, 1991) or on its function (e.g., Kemler-Nelson et al, 2000). The authors asked whether there were additive effects of functional and perceptual cues on word learning and generalization,either immediately after training, or one to two days later. Thirteen typically developing children were taught four novel words in a play paradigm. They were provided with functional and perceptual information for two of the objects, and given perceptual information only for the other two. The children were exposed to multiple exemplars of each object taught, and allowed to manipulate the items. The children were tested for receptive and expressive knowledge of the words seven to eleven minutes after teaching, and one to two days later.Children did not perform better than chance levels on receptive tasks in any condition, nor did they perform above floor levels on expressive tasks. It is concluded that additional functional information does not enhance word learning for young children in this paradigm.

<p>How do infants learn word meanings? Research has established the impact of both parent and child behaviors on vocabulary development, however the processes and mechanisms underlying these relationships are still not fully understood. Much existing literature focuses on direct paths to word learning, demonstrating that parent speech and child gesture use are powerful predictors of later vocabulary. However, an additional body of research indicates that these relationships don’t always replicate, particularly when assessed in different populations, contexts, or developmental periods. </p><p>The current study examines the relationships between infant gesture, parent speech, and infant vocabulary over the course of the second year (10-22 months of age). Through the use of detailed coding of dyadic mother-child play interactions and a combination of quantitative and qualitative data analytic methods, the process of communicative development was explored. Findings reveal non-linear patterns of growth in both parent speech content and child gesture use. Analyses of contingency in dyadic interactions reveal that children are active contributors to communicative engagement through their use of gestures, shaping the type of input they receive from parents, which in turn influences child vocabulary acquisition. Recommendations for future studies and the use of nuanced methodologies to assess changes in the dynamic system of dyadic communication are discussed.</p> / Dissertation

MSc, Occupational Therapy, Faculty of the Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / This study investigated the sensory processing of premature infants between 7-12 months of age at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital using the standardised Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile. The design of research that was primarily utilised in this study was quantitative, cross sectional, descriptive research. Results indicated that 50% of all the premature infants were found to be low threshold infants, and tended to be over responsive to auditory, visual and tactile sensory stimuli. The Sensory Profiles of infants who underwent different methods of neonatal care including kangaroo mother care (KMC), where mothers were involved in a fulltime twenty-four hour KMC programme, and those who received mainly conventional care (CC) were compared. The only score that differed significantly between infants receiving different types of care was tactile processing, with the CC infants having more typical tactile processing scores. These findings were contrary to other KMC research, which may have been affected by the reliability of using this measure with this study sample and the small sample size of infants who received CC.

In my work I focused on the preventive group program Estimulación temprana, which is intended for children from 0 to 3 years old and their parents. Six case studies are presented to help analyze this program. Research has revealed that the program is working on children through coarse and fine motor, cognitive, speech and social development. The case reports indicate that the observed individuals did not deteriorate, on the contrary, there was a shift in the Brunet-Lezin scale. Activities take into account the developmental level of groups in which children are disaggregated by age, but the individual level of specific individuals reflects only to a small extent. The study also shows that Estimulación temprana leads parents to better orientation in education, targeted child care and out-of-school lessons and also helps them with effective ways of stimulating. From the subjective point of view of parents, the contribution of Estimulación Temprana lies above all in the possibility of sharing experiences, deregistering, establishing friendly relationships, and changing educational leadership. The results of this work provide a qualitative analysis in our not known program Estimulación temprana, whose specificity lies in the orientation to the whole of child development, thus being distinguished among...

<p><strong>Background </strong>During the child’s first year of life there is a continuous contact with the Child Health Services (CHS) and the parents feel confident and involved. After the first year, the visits to the CHS is reduced at the same time as the everyday life changes for the family as the child starts going to day-care and the parents often go back to work.</p><p><strong>Aim </strong>To examine what it is like being a parent to children aged one to five and what kind of parenting support parents of children aged one to five are in need of.</p><p><strong>Method</strong> Semi-structured interviews were used to interview 25 parents in 21 telephone interviews and one focus group with 4 parents. The recruiting of parents was done on site at one open day-care and with the help of CHS nurses in Sweden. There were 10 men and 15 women. The data was analysed thematically using Malterud’s model.</p><p><strong>Results</strong> The social network was seen as a vital part of the family life. Parents who had a small social network asked for more places for parents to meet other parents. The CHS was seen as a natural and self-evident partner during the child’s first year, but as the visits decreased the parents expressed a wish for the contact to continue. The open day-care was a much appreciated place of meeting where parents could meet other parents and exchange thoughts, ideas and experiences. The parents also saw the open day-care as a forum for continued parenting groups that focuses on the children’s different developmental stages. The parents asked for more freedom to choose for themselves and the possibility to influence their own situation in life and not being governed by the state as much.</p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong> Several parents asked for a continued contact with the CHS after the child’s first year. The parents wished that the open-day care be used both as a place of meeting for parents but also as an arena for continued parenting groups that focuses on the children’s developmental stages. Many parents ask for a greater flexibility and possibility for the family to decide for themselves the way they want to live.</p> / <p><strong>Bakgrund</strong> Fram till dess att ett barn fyller ett år finns en tät kontakt med barnhälsovården (BHV) där föräldrarna känner sig trygga och delaktiga. När barnet fyllt ett år avtar besöken samtidigt som vardagen för småbarnsfamiljen förändras; barnet börjar på dagis och föräldrarna återgår ofta i arbete.</p><p><strong>Syfte</strong> Att undersöka hur det är att vara förälder till barn i åldern ett till fem år och vilken typ av föräldrastödsinsatser föräldrar med barn i åldern ett till fem år känner behov av.</p><p><strong>Metod</strong> Tjugofem föräldrar med barn i åldern ett till fem år intervjuades i tjugoen telefonintervjuer och en fokusgrupp med fyra föräldrar. Det var tio män och femton kvinnor. Intervjuerna var semistrukturerade och analyserades tematiskt enligt Malteruds modell. Rekryteringen skedde med hjälp av BHV-sjuksköterskor runt om i Sverige samt på plats på en öppen förskola.</p><p><strong>Resultat</strong> Det sociala nätverkets betydelse för trygghet i föräldraskapet togs upp av många föräldrar, de föräldrar som hade ett litet socialt nät efterfrågade fler särskilda mötesplatser för föräldrar. Barnhälsovården var en självklar och naturlig partner under barnets första år, men när besöken avtog kände föräldrarna en saknad efter fortsatt kontakt. Öppna förskolan var en mycket uppskattad mötesplats där de kunde träffa andra föräldrar och utbyta tankar, idéer och erfarenheter. Föräldrarna såg även öppna förskolan som ett forum för fortsatta föräldragrupper som följer barnens olika utvecklingsfaser. Föräldrarna efterfrågade en större valfrihet och möjlighet att påverka sin egen livssituation, istället för att styras av staten.</p><p><strong>Slutsatser </strong>Flera föräldrar efterfrågar fortsatt kontakt med BHV även efter att barnet fyllt ett år.  De anser att öppna förskolan kunde användas både som en mötesplats och som arena för fortsatta föräldragrupper. Många föräldrar efterlyser också en större flexibilitet och möjlighet att som familj själva bestämma över sin livssituation.</p>

Background During the child’s first year of life there is a continuous contact with the Child Health Services (CHS) and the parents feel confident and involved. After the first year, the visits to the CHS is reduced at the same time as the everyday life changes for the family as the child starts going to day-care and the parents often go back to work. Aim To examine what it is like being a parent to children aged one to five and what kind of parenting support parents of children aged one to five are in need of. Method Semi-structured interviews were used to interview 25 parents in 21 telephone interviews and one focus group with 4 parents. The recruiting of parents was done on site at one open day-care and with the help of CHS nurses in Sweden. There were 10 men and 15 women. The data was analysed thematically using Malterud’s model. Results The social network was seen as a vital part of the family life. Parents who had a small social network asked for more places for parents to meet other parents. The CHS was seen as a natural and self-evident partner during the child’s first year, but as the visits decreased the parents expressed a wish for the contact to continue. The open day-care was a much appreciated place of meeting where parents could meet other parents and exchange thoughts, ideas and experiences. The parents also saw the open day-care as a forum for continued parenting groups that focuses on the children’s different developmental stages. The parents asked for more freedom to choose for themselves and the possibility to influence their own situation in life and not being governed by the state as much. Conclusion Several parents asked for a continued contact with the CHS after the child’s first year. The parents wished that the open-day care be used both as a place of meeting for parents but also as an arena for continued parenting groups that focuses on the children’s developmental stages. Many parents ask for a greater flexibility and possibility for the family to decide for themselves the way they want to live. / Bakgrund Fram till dess att ett barn fyller ett år finns en tät kontakt med barnhälsovården (BHV) där föräldrarna känner sig trygga och delaktiga. När barnet fyllt ett år avtar besöken samtidigt som vardagen för småbarnsfamiljen förändras; barnet börjar på dagis och föräldrarna återgår ofta i arbete. Syfte Att undersöka hur det är att vara förälder till barn i åldern ett till fem år och vilken typ av föräldrastödsinsatser föräldrar med barn i åldern ett till fem år känner behov av. Metod Tjugofem föräldrar med barn i åldern ett till fem år intervjuades i tjugoen telefonintervjuer och en fokusgrupp med fyra föräldrar. Det var tio män och femton kvinnor. Intervjuerna var semistrukturerade och analyserades tematiskt enligt Malteruds modell. Rekryteringen skedde med hjälp av BHV-sjuksköterskor runt om i Sverige samt på plats på en öppen förskola. Resultat Det sociala nätverkets betydelse för trygghet i föräldraskapet togs upp av många föräldrar, de föräldrar som hade ett litet socialt nät efterfrågade fler särskilda mötesplatser för föräldrar. Barnhälsovården var en självklar och naturlig partner under barnets första år, men när besöken avtog kände föräldrarna en saknad efter fortsatt kontakt. Öppna förskolan var en mycket uppskattad mötesplats där de kunde träffa andra föräldrar och utbyta tankar, idéer och erfarenheter. Föräldrarna såg även öppna förskolan som ett forum för fortsatta föräldragrupper som följer barnens olika utvecklingsfaser. Föräldrarna efterfrågade en större valfrihet och möjlighet att påverka sin egen livssituation, istället för att styras av staten. Slutsatser Flera föräldrar efterfrågar fortsatt kontakt med BHV även efter att barnet fyllt ett år.  De anser att öppna förskolan kunde användas både som en mötesplats och som arena för fortsatta föräldragrupper. Många föräldrar efterlyser också en större flexibilitet och möjlighet att som familj själva bestämma över sin livssituation.

Two experiments examined the role of various cues on children’s performance in a well-known object-displacement task. In this task, children observed a toy rolling down a ramp whose trajectory was occluded by an opaque screen with doors. A barrier was placed along the ramp, behind one of the doors, to stop the toy. The top portion of the barrier was visible above the screen. To search successfully, children had to retrieve the hidden toy by opening the correct door. Previous work had found that the barrier was an ineffective cue among children less than three years of age. According to a landmark-based account, this was because the barrier was only an indirect cue to object location. If a cue directly marked the location, then it would be more likely attended and utilized. This model underscores the spatial relation between cue and the target. Other cue properties are important in so far that they modify this spatial relation. In Experiment 1, a cue’s distance from the target object was manipulated (i.e., short vs. long), but the location marked by the cue was kept constant (i.e., correct door was directly below). The search performances of 24- and 30-month old children were compared under no cue, short-cue/short-door, and long-cue/long-door conditions. Both age groups performed equally well under both cued conditions. In Experiment 2, a cue’s movement (i.e., coincident with the car vs. not coincident with the car) down the ramp was manipulated. The performance of 24- and 30-month old children were compared under attached-direct cue and unattached-direct cue conditions. Both age groups performed well under both conditions. Collectively, the results provide support for the landmark-based account. The spatial relation between cue and target underlies toddlers’ search. Properties of the cue matter to the extent that they impact how well the cue marks its target.

Two experiments examined the role of various cues on children’s performance in a well-known object-displacement task. In this task, children observed a toy rolling down a ramp whose trajectory was occluded by an opaque screen with doors. A barrier was placed along the ramp, behind one of the doors, to stop the toy. The top portion of the barrier was visible above the screen. To search successfully, children had to retrieve the hidden toy by opening the correct door. Previous work had found that the barrier was an ineffective cue among children less than three years of age. According to a landmark-based account, this was because the barrier was only an indirect cue to object location. If a cue directly marked the location, then it would be more likely attended and utilized. This model underscores the spatial relation between cue and the target. Other cue properties are important in so far that they modify this spatial relation. In Experiment 1, a cue’s distance from the target object was manipulated (i.e., short vs. long), but the location marked by the cue was kept constant (i.e., correct door was directly below). The search performances of 24- and 30-month old children were compared under no cue, short-cue/short-door, and long-cue/long-door conditions. Both age groups performed equally well under both cued conditions. In Experiment 2, a cue’s movement (i.e., coincident with the car vs. not coincident with the car) down the ramp was manipulated. The performance of 24- and 30-month old children were compared under attached-direct cue and unattached-direct cue conditions. Both age groups performed well under both conditions. Collectively, the results provide support for the landmark-based account. The spatial relation between cue and target underlies toddlers’ search. Properties of the cue matter to the extent that they impact how well the cue marks its target.

Background: Research has shown that attachment has a powerful impact on the developing brain of a child (Lieberman, 2004). Prevention focusing on the earliest signs of mental illness has the greatest potential for decreasing the risk of mental issues in later life (Ammitzbell et al., 2016). Purpose: The purpose of this project was to train nurses working at the Easter Seals Blake Foundation Nurse Family Partnership Program on the Child Behavior Checklist. The study focused on identification of children who are at risk of mental health problems, largely based on attachment problems, and provide early interventions. Design: The initial step of this study consisted of training home visiting Nurses working at a Nurse Family Partnership Program site in Pima County on the Child Behavior Checklist. The Child Behavior Checklist was meant to be implemented into the program as a secondary mental health screening tool if a child who was 18- or 24-months old was found to be “at-risk” using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social and Emotional Tool. The Child Behavior Checklist, served as a more detailed screening tool if a child was found “at-risk.” Results: During this project, a training on the Child Behavior Checklist was performed. Seven nurses participated in the initial survey, which assessed their thoughts on the current protocols at the Nurse Family Partnership Program. Then their client charts were reviewed to determine if the Child Behavior Checklist was utilized. Lastly, a post survey was sent out to inquire about their thoughts and potential for implementing the Child Behavior Checklist. Implications: From the post survey, it was determined that most nurses thought the Child Behavior Checklist is a great, detailed tool to use if a child is found to be “at-risk.” However, most nurses also stated they did not need to use it due to lack of children having an “at-risk” score using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social and Emotional tool.

No description available.