1,721,134 research outputs found
Costruzione e comunicazione dei significati nei contesti interattivi nella prima infanzia
No full textL'articolo presenta studi recenti e dati di ricerca che hanno mostrato che nei primi anni di vita il sistema di costruzione
e comunicazione dei significati è multimodale e strettamente collegato ai contesti
sociali e fisici in cui il bambino fa esperienza. Sono presentate le fasi di sviluppo e le caratteristiche di azioni, gesti e parole compresi e prodotti dai bambini nei primi anni di vita nei contesti famigliari e educativi quotidiani. E' inoltre illustrato il ruolo delle modalità comunicative-linguistiche degli adulti che possono avere effetti sullo sviluppo infantile. Questi studi sono rilevanti per comprendere lo sviluppo mentale del bambino e costituiscono la base per proporre ai bambini esperienze educative che utilizzino tutti i canali sensoriali.e motori disponibili
Nascita pretermine e sviluppo neuropsicologico: programmi di ricerca, follow-up e interventi
No full textN.A
Sviluppo della comunicazione e del linguaggio nei contesti quotidiani
No full textI bambini imparano a comprendere e a produrre le parole nei primi anni di vita in modo non consapevole all’interno di contesti comunicativi significativi: percepiscono il linguaggio e sono sensibili alle modalità comunicative non verbali e verbali fin dalle primissime fasi dello sviluppo e gradualmente passano da una produzione non intenzionale a una produzione intenzionale di espressioni comunicative (si pensi al pianto, al sorriso e alle prime produzioni vocali). A partire dagli ultimi mesi del primo anno di vita, i bambini iniziano ad associare le espressioni (i significanti) ai contenuti (i significati), prima in comprensione poi in produzione, dapprima sulla base di contingenze temporali e spaziali (ad esempio, mediante gesti, quali indicare, mostrare e dare, per individuare oggetti/eventi nell’ambiente circostante) e di somiglianze (ad
esempio, mediante l’uso di onomatopee e gesti simbolici) fino ad arrivare, tra il secondo e il terzo anno di vita, all’uso di simboli convenzionali e arbitrari (parole) e alla loro combinazione in frasi. Inizialmente le parole riguardano persone, oggetti, azioni, caratteristiche e qualità dei contesti quotidiani in cui il bambino interagisce con gli adulti e con i pari. Progressivamente le parole diventano uno strumento per fare riferimento anche a eventi passati e futuri e a stati interni, quali percezioni, emozioni, credenze, propri e degli altri. Tra l’età prescolare e l’età scolare i bambini sviluppano inoltre competenze metacomunicative e metalinguistiche che permetteranno di raggiungere una comunicazione efficace variando l’uso delle modalità non verbali e verbali in funzione del contesto e della cultura di appartenenza.
Questo capitolo, partendo dalla definizione di linguaggio, delle sue componenti e delle sue funzioni, illustra lo sviluppo comunicativo-linguistico dai primi tempi di vita all’età scolare, evidenziando la continua interazione tra predisposizioni biologiche ed esperienza comunicativa-linguistica e le relazioni con gli altri domini evolutivi. Presenta inoltre alcuni esempi di sviluppo comunicativo-linguistico in popolazioni con sviluppo atipico, mettendo in evidenza l’ampia variabilità sia tra condizioni di sviluppo atipico sia interindividuale e le strategie per favorire lo sviluppo comunicativo-linguistico
L’approccio neurocostruttivista alla nascita pretermine
No full textIl presente capitolo introduce il lettore alla comprensione degli effetti della nascita pretermine sullo sviluppo alla luce dell’approccio neurocostruttivista, attraverso l’analisi dell’interazione tra i molteplici vincoli e le esperienze atipiche a cui i bambini nati pretermine sono esposti. Il capitolo descrive le traiettorie di sviluppo dei bambini nati pretermine, fornendo esempi di recenti ricerche che hanno analizzato la variabilità interindividuale, le relazioni tra domini e gli effetti a cascata nello sviluppo. La descrizione degli interventi proposti per la popolazione dei nati pretermine permette infine di riflettere sulla plasticità e sull’interazione tra fattori di rischio e di protezione nello sviluppo
Bambini invisibili ai tempi del Covid-19? La loro voce attraverso i racconti dei genitori.
No full textI bambini durante il lockdown, con la conseguente chiusura delle scuole e dei servizi educativi, sono stati in prima linea assieme alle loro famiglie nell’affrontare il nuovo modo di vivere che la pandemia ha imposto. I nostri bambini non sono stati quindi “invisibili” nell’affrontare questa pandemia, ma al contrario hanno combattuto con noi affrontando paure e preoccupazioni attraverso giochi, parole, narrazioni, musica e disegni. Il compito della comunità educante è quindi quello di rimanere unita nei prossimi mesi per continuare ad ascoltare e dare voce ai bambini, mettere in luce tutte le loro risorse, comunicare con loro e aiutarli nel comprendere il difficile momento che stiamo affrontando
Eye-Movements in a Text Reading Task: A Comparison of Preterm Children, Children with Dyslexia and Typical Readers
No full textPreterm birth is associated with weaknesses in reading skills that are usually less severe than those of children with dyslexia. To understand the characteristics of reading processes in preterm children, we adopted a cross-population and multi-modal approach comparing eye movements in reading tasks among three groups: children with preterm birth, children with a diagnosis of dyslexia, and children with typical development. The study involved 78 participants (10.5 years). Eye movements (number and duration of fixations, amplitude and number of saccades, number of regressions) were recorded during the silent reading of two texts; cognitive and reading standardized tasks were also administered. Children with dyslexia had more fixations and more frequent and smaller saccades compared to the preterm group and children with typical development. They also showed more regressions compared to the control group. Preterm children showed shorter fixations compared to the other groups. Cognitive and reading standardized tasks confirmed severe delays in reading in children with dyslexia and some weaknesses in text reading speed and comprehension in preterm children. These results are discussed with reference to candidate mechanisms that underlie reading processes in preterm children and considering possible implications for research
Predischarge cerebral oxygenation and psychomotor outcome in very preterm infants: is there an association?
Full text linkThis observational study aimed to investigate whether predischarge cerebral oxygenation (CrSO(2)), monitored by near-infrared spectroscopy, correlates with later psychomotor outcome in very preterm infants. Infants <32 weeks’ gestation or <1500 g without evidence of major brain lesions underwent a 3-h continuous CrSO(2) monitoring before hospital discharge. Psychomotor development was assessed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months using the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales. The developmental quotients (DQ) at each follow-up appointment were correlated with predischarge CrSO(2). Significant correlations were adjusted for possible confounders. Sixty-three infants were enrolled. A significant correlation between CrSO(2) and DQ was observed at 6 months ca (p=0.010), but not at later psychomotor assessments. This correlation was confirmed significant (b=0.274, p=0.038) even after the adjustment for relevant covariates. Conclusion: According to these preliminary findings, the association between predischarge CrSO(2) and psychomotor development over the first 24 months in preterm infants without major brain lesions is time-limited. Hence, this parameter may not represent an effective predictor for medium-term neurodevelopment
Early-life gut microbiota and neurodevelopment in preterm infants: a narrative review
Full text linkInfants born preterm are at a high risk of both gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis
and neurodevelopmental impairment. While the link between early dysbiosis
and short-term clinical outcomes is well established, the relationship with longterm infant health has only recently gained interest. Notably, there is a significant overlap in the developmental windows of GM and the nervous system in early life. The connection between GM and neurodevelopment was first described in animal models, but over the last decade a growing body of research has also identified GM features as one of the potential mediators for human neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the developing GM in early life and its prospective relationship with neurodevelopment, with a focus on preterm infants. Animal models have provided evidence for emerging pathways linking early-life GM with brain development. Furthermore, a relationship between both dynamic patterns and static features of the GM during preterm infants’ early life and brain maturation, as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes in early childhood, was documented.
Future human studies in larger cohorts, integrated with studies on animal models, may provide additional evidence and help to identify predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for healthy neurodevelopment in preterm infants
Noun and predicate comprehension/production and gestures in extremely preterm children at two years of age: Are they delayed?
No full textExtremely low gestational age (ELGA, GA. <. 28 weeks) preterm children are at high risk for linguistic impairments; however, their lexical comprehension and production as well as lexical categories in their early language acquisition have not been specifically examined via direct tools. Our study examines lexical comprehension and production as well as gestural production in ELGA children by focusing on noun and predicate acquisition. Forty monolingual ELGA children (mean GA of 26.7 weeks) and 40 full-term (FT) children were assessed at two years of corrected chronological age (CCA) using a test of noun and predicate comprehension and production (PiNG) and the Italian MB-CDI. Noun comprehension and production were delayed in ELGA compared with FT children, as documented by the low number of correct responses and the large number of errors, i.e., incorrect responses and no-response items, and by the types of incorrect responses, i.e., fewer semantically related responses, in noun production. Regarding predicate comprehension and production, a higher frequency of no responses was reported by ELGA children and these children also presented a lower frequency of bimodal spoken-gestural responses in predicate production than FT children. A delayed vocabulary size as demonstrated by the MB-CDI, was exhibited by one-fourth of the ELGA children, who were also unable to complete the predicate subtest. These findings highlight that noun comprehension and production are delayed in ELGA children at two years of CCA and are the most important indexes for the direct evaluation of their lexical abilities and delay. The types of incorrect responses and bimodal spoken-gestural responses were proven to be useful indexes for evaluating the noun and predicate level of acquisition and to plan early focused interventions. Learning outcomes: After reading this manuscript, the reader will understand (a) the differences in noun and predicate comprehension and production between ELGA and FT children and the indexes of lexical delays exhibited by ELGA children at 2;0 (CCA); (b) the relevance of evaluating errors (incorrect response and no response), the types of incorrect responses (semantically related and unrelated) and the modality of the responses (unimodal spoken and bimodal spoken-gestural) in noun and predicate production to understand the difficulties experienced by ELGA children in representing and expressing meanings; and (c) the need to plan specific interventions to support spoken and gestural modalities in lexical comprehension and production in ELGA children by focusing on noun and predicate acquisition
The profile of very preterm children on academic achievement. A cross-population comparison with children with specific learning disorders
No full textBackground: Very preterm (VPT) children showed delays in reading, spelling and maths, but their academic achievement profile is not clearly understood. Aims: VPT children were compared with children with specific learning disorders (SLD) and typically developing (TD) children on academic achievement, considering cognitive and linguistic phenotypic markers. A learning profile analysis was also performed. Methods: We included 170 10-year old monolingual Italian-speaking children (37 VPT, 28 SLD, 105 TD) assessing cognitive, linguistic and academic skills. Results: On academic achievements VPT children fell behind TD peers in some reading (text speed, comprehension), spelling (non-word), and math (number knowledge, written calculations and problem-solving) tasks. SLD children underperformed in all academic tasks with respect to VPT and TD peers. Concerning cognitive and linguistic phenotypic markers, compared to TD peers, VPT children showed lower scores in verbal IQ and phonological fluency, SLD children in phonological processing and rapid automatized naming. VPT children showed a higher rate of at-risk performance in reading compared to TD group, but a minor percentage of impaired profiles and comorbidity among learning areas compared to SLD group. Conclusions and implications: The academic achievement profile of VPT children shows persistent delays, but it differs to that of SLD children, since delays are less widespread and severe, and differences were found in phenotypic markers and comorbidity. Follow-up programs and effective interventions are needed for VPT children
- …
