• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.118-136
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• 2003

Objective: This study is to examine the neuropsychological and developmental characteristics of the Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test among normal children in elementary school. Methods: K-ABC, K-PIC, and Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test were performed to the 120 body of normal children(10 of each male and female) from June, 2002 to January, 2003. Those children had over the average of intelligence and passed the rule out criteria. One-way ANOVA and Bonferroni were used for statistical analysis. Results: In sampling of normal children in elementary school, the control of intelligence level and strict rule out criteria were applied. As a result, although 21.1% were excluded from of total participants, the children that passed the rule out criteria had over the average of intelligence and not differ in the intelligence level among the graders. Comparing Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test results among the graders, almost of variables had significant difference among the graders and especially between the 1st to 2nd and the 5th to 6th graders. In the attention tests, as rising the graders, the performance of tests were improved. In the short-term memory tests, the difference between forward and backward tests were same as the previous research result. The verbal auditory learning test composed of recall task and visual figure memory test composed of recognition task were same as the previous research result using the individual power or achievement test and also as rising the graders, the performance of those tests were improved. The higher cognitive function tests had the same results with other tests. Conclusion: The Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test devised for adult can be used of assessing child neuropsychological characteristics. For this objective, more strict sampling criteria, control of the intelligence and psychopathology were needed.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.12
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• pp.520-525
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• 2014

Purpose: Childhood obesity is an increasing public health issue worldwide. We examined dietary patterns among adolescents in a dormitory school, identified obese adolescents and tried to intervene to improve food habits and physical activity. Methods: We conducted an experimental prospective longitudinal study based on 36 obese (body mass index $[BMI]{\geq}95th$ percentile) adolescents (aged 12-18 years) compared with controls (healthy children: normal age-appropriate BMI ($BMI{\leq}85th$ percentile). Six months' intervention included lifestyle-modification counseling (once a week by a clinical dietician), and an exercise regimen twice a week, 60 minutes each time, instructed by a professional pediatric trainer). Both groups underwent baseline measurements at the beginning of the study and 6 months later (arterial stiffness, blood pressure, pulse, weight and height, hemoglobin, creatinine, liver enzymes, highly sensitive C-reactive protein and complete lipid profile). Results: Twenty-one participants completed the study. Low compliance from participants, school staff and parents was observed (participation in planned meetings; 71%-83%). BMI significantly decreased from $32.46{\pm}3.93kg/m^2$ to $30.32{\pm}3.4kg/m^2$ (P=0.002) in the study group. Arterial stiffness was not significantly different between the 2 groups and did not change significantly after 6 months' intervention (P=0.494). No significant changes in CRP and lipid profile were observed after the intervention. Conclusion: Making lifestyle modifications among adolescents in a dormitory school is a complex task. Active intervention indeed ameliorates BMI parameters. However, in order to maximize the beneficial effects, a multidisciplinary well-trained team is needed, with emphasis on integrating parents and the school environment.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.437-448
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze morphological characteristics of maxillary primary molar's root and root canal. 268 children aged 3 - 7 years (175 boys, 93 girls) who had CBCT (152 children) and 3D CT (116 children) taken in Seoul National University Dental Hospital from January 2006 to April 2020 were included. The number of roots and root canals were analyzed in 1002 teeth without any root resorption or periapical pathologies. Curvature, angulation, length of root and root canal, as well as cross-sectional shapes of the root canal were analyzed in 218 teeth. By using Mimics and 3-Matics software, volume, surface area, and volume ratio of root canal was analyzed in 48 teeth. More than half of maxillary primary molars have 3 roots and 3 root canals. The degree of symmetry of root canal type was about 0.63 (Cohen's kappa coefficient). The most frequent shape of roots and canals was linear in 1^st primary molars and curved in 2^nd primary molars. Angulation, length of root and root canals was the largest on palatal roots. Most teeth showed ovoid or round shapes at apex. The largest root canal volume, surface area, volume ratio was found in the palatal roots.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.373-384
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• 2023

This study aims to confirm the average chronologic age according to the developmental stages of the mandibular canine (L3), first and second premolars (L4, L5), and second and third molars (L7, L8) in children and adolescents, and to confirm the developmental stage of L3, L4, L5, and L7, which can estimate the development of L8. A total of 1,956 digital panoramic radiographs of healthy individuals aged between 6 and 15 years who visited Seoul National University Dental Hospital from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected. The developmental stages of L3, L4, L5, L7, and L8 on both sides were evaluated using the dental maturity scoring system proposed by Demirjian and Goldstein. The average age at which the follicle of L8 was first observed was around 9.34 ± 1.35 years and varied from 6 to 12 years. The possibility of agenesis of L8 was high when no traces of L8 were observed after the following stages: L3, L4, and L5 at the developmental stage F and L7 at the developmental stage E; the age was about 10 years. In estimating the development of L8, when only one tooth was considered, estimation accuracy with L5 was the highest, and there was no significant difference when all four teeth were included. This study showed the age distribution according to the developmental stages of L3, L4, L5, L7, and L8 in children and adolescents and confirmed the developmental stages of L3, L4, L5, and L7, which can be used to estimate the development of L8.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.79-89
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• 1998

Purpose: Though many antiviral or immunomodulatory agents have been used in patients with chronic HBV hepatitis, interferon is considered to be the only effective therapeutic agent so far. Among immunomodulatory agents, thymodulin, the oral form of thymosin, is currently in clinical trial. We compared the efficacy of alfa-interferon therapy alone with a combined therapy of alfa-interferon and thymodulin in children with chronic active hepatitis B. Method: Twenty three children aged 4.4~13.7 years who were known to be positive for HBsAg and HBeAg in serum for at least 6 months and who had biopsy-proven chronic active hepatitis were given either combined therapy of alfa-interferon and thymodulin or alfa-interferon alone, and all children were HBV DNA positive in their serum at the beginning. Follow-ups have been done for at least 1 year after a 6 month course of therapy and clearance of viral replication markers has been evaluated. Results: 1) During follow up period, 11 (48%) children were seroconverted to anti-HBe and were cleared of HBV DNA from their serum. However, 2 of them relapsed after discontinuance of interferon therapy. 2) Seroconversion occurred more frequently among those who had not been vertically transmitted, had elevated serum ALT levels and low HBV DNA levels before interferon therapy. 3) There was no significant advantage of the combined therapy with thymodulin compared to interferon therapy alone. Conclusion: Combined therapy of alfa-interferon and thymodulin failed to demonstrate synergistic effect. We think that combination therapies of alfa-interferon with other antiviral or immunomodulatory agents need to be studied in order to achieve better therapeutic responses.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.622-628
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of the booster immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Korean children. Methods : Thirty-nine children aged 12-23 months who visited Kangnam CHA Hospital between September 2006 and December 2006 were enrolled. The children were divided into primary and booster groups depending on their vaccination status for the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The anti-pneumococcal antibody levels of each serotype included in the vaccine (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F) were determined by third-generation ELISA. Results : The geometric mean titer (GMT) of antibodies to each pneumococcal serotype in the booster group was higher than in the primary group (P<.05). The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}0.35{\mu}g/mL$ was 90.5-100% for all serotypes in both the primary and booster groups. The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}1.0g/mL$ in the booster group was 94.4-100%, which was higher than the primary group except for serotypes 6B and 14 (P<.05). The percentage of subjects with pneumococcal antibodies ${\geq}5.0{\mu}g/mL$ in the booster group was 50.0-94.4% which was higher than the primary group for all serotypes (P<0.05). Conclusion : The immunogenicity of a booster dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Korean children was high and the immunogenicity of a primary series was also relatively high. To determine the feasibility of the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and the appropriate schedule for Korean children, further prospective investigation of the immunogenicity of the booster immunization is needed.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 1997

Purpose: The incidence of hepatitis A virus(HAV) infection has markedly decreased in the last 20 years due to industrialization and improvements in the standard of living and hygiene in Korea. The reduction in seroprevalence rates indicates infection potential for young adult population, and a need for vaccinations in high-risk adults and children groups has been suggested. In this study we evaluated the seroprevalence rates and natural infection rates of hepatitis A in children and adolescent to obtain the basic data for vaccination of hepatitis A. Methods: A total of 334 children and adolescent subjects below 20 years old in Kyonggi-do province were examined for HAV antibody and seroprevalence rates in each age group was investigated. In 584 elementary school students residing in Kyonggi-do province, serum samples collected in 1993 and 1996 from the same subjects for investigation of natural seroconversion rates. Method of testing antibody was enzyme immunoassay. Results: 1) The seropositive rate of HAV in 334 subjects aged below 20 years old was 5.4%. According to age, the seropositive rates were 27.3% in infant group, 0.0% in 1~4 year-old group, 0.0% in 5~9 year-old group, 2.9% in 10~14 year-old group and 15.0% in 15~19 year-old group. 2) In the study of 584 elementary school children, only one subject showed seropositive in 1993, and in 1996 three different subjects showed seropositive results(0.5%); the natural seroconversion rate during 3 years was 0.5%. 3) The seroprevalence rates of below 20 year-old subjects reported in previous studies were 63.8% in 1979 and 47.3% in 1989 while the present study showed the rate at 5.4%. Conclusion: Since natural antibody formation is rarely occurring, there is a high risk for apparent hepatitis A infection in adults. Therefore vaccination in high risk groups is essential at present, and in order to reduce the chance for hepatitis A infection in adults, vaccination in children may be needed.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.69-83
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• 2023

Objective : This study sought to systematically examine the intervention effect of social stories when applied in relation to children with sleep disorders. Methods : Studies available in the SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, PsycArticles, and PubMed databases that were published from 2001 to 2022 were searched. The keywords used for the search were as follows: ("social story" OR "social stories") AND ("sleep" OR "sleep disorders" OR "sleep wake disorder bedtimes" OR "sleep initiation and maintenance disorders" OR "sleep wake disorder" OR "sleep arousal disorders"). Based on the selection criteria, six experimental studies were selected and analyzed. Results : The selected studies were two randomized controlled trials, three individual trials, and one case study. The subjects were mostly children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who were school-aged or adolescent. The intervention types were often complex interventions, including social stories and other interventions, while the durations of the interventions varied from one day to more than 40 days. The interventions had a positive effect on the subjects' sleep quality, with night wakings, sleep onset delay, and sleep anxiety all being improved. As standardized assessment tools to evaluate the effectiveness of social stories, the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist were used in two papers each, and were the most commonly used. As non-standardized assessment tools, each of the four papers used turbulence and sleep diaries as assessment tools. Conclusion : The effect of social story mediation can be divided into sleep quality and sleep-related behavior. In terms of sleep quality, studies showing improvements in night wakings, sleep onset delay, and sleep anxiety accounted for a large proportion of the sample. The detailed effect area of sleep quality showed a significant improvement after the interventions in most studies, and in all six studies analyzed in the present study, the continuation of the effect after the intervention was confirmed via follow-up tests. Thus, the findings of this study are expected to be helpful when applying social stories in children with sleep disorders in clinical practice due to presenting the intervention effects, outcome evaluation tools, and intervention periods in children with sleep disorders in prior investigations involving social stories.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.2 s.46
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• pp.175-185
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• 1994

In order to anticipate disease pattern and health problems of Koreans in the 1st part of 21st century (by the year 2020), transition of population characteristics, mortality and morbidity data during the last 30 years Koreans have experienced were reviewed. On the actual basis of epidemiologic transition process that has undergone during last 30 years since 1960 along with socioeconomic development and successful implementation of selective national health policies (family planning, medical insurance and etc.), following changes can be expected in the 21st century in Korea, under the assumption that the current rate of progress is maintained. The population of South Korea alone will be doubled the population of 1960 by the year 2013 : aged Population older than 65 years will be increased from 3.3% in 1960 to 11.4% in 2020 with increased average age of the population from 23.6 year in 1970 to 39.2 year in 2020; urban population from 28% in 1960 to 83% in 2005. GNP/capita has increased tremendously from U.S. $120 in 1970 to $6,749 in 1992, and the government estimated it would be 519,350 in 2010 and $29,460 in 2020. Growth and developmental indices of children, educational achievement and social status of women also showed a remarkable improvement and anticipated to make futher progress. Leading causes of mortality and morbidity have shown a striking change during the last 30 years, from infectious diseases to chronic degenerative diseases and man-made injuries. Occurrence of communicable diseases may become minimal although viral hepatitis, venereal diseases Including AIDS, and well adapted herpes virus infections will maintain their endemic level. Newly evolving infectious agents, however, should be carefully monitored because of rapidly changing environments and human behaviours. Tuberculosis may increase up to the epidemic level when AIDS prevails. Ischemic heart diseases may increase steadily with increasing occurrence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus whereas cerebrovascular diseases may be decreased slowly. Musculaskeletal diseases which contribute a lot to the disability of aged people may be a major health problems due to increased aged population. Mental diseases, particularly that caused by alcohol and drug abuse, and senile dementia may become a prominent health problem. On the other hand injuries caused by traffic and industrial accidents that have shown most striking increase till now may be decreased considerably by intensive intervention. The health policies in the 21st century will be oriented to the health promotion for good quality life rather than life-savings.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-61
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• 2008

Objectives: This study examined to explain the practical health behaviour and health-related quality of life, and their influencing factors in high school students. Methods: Total of 718 high school students from 1 school in Seoul were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire regarding general characteristics, health related characteristics, obesity index(Height and weight calculated by using the relative weight law: obesity group>20%, overweight group $10{\sim}20%$, normal weight group $-10{\sim}10%$, under weight group <-10%), health behaviour in school-aged children(eating, exercise and weight control) and health-related quality of life(PedsQLTM4.0 Generic Core Scale: physical health, emotional functioning, social functioning, school functioning). Results: Major results were as follows. 1. The rate of obesity by obesity index was 5.3% of high school students. Obesity incidence in adolescents was mainly associated with gender and parents whether obesity. 2. Perceived health status was lower in obese adolescents than in normal adolescents. 3. The rate of miss a breakfast was 37.9%, and obesity group than normal weight group were fruits, vegetables and milk intake at least, a lot of fastfood intake. During the past week, followed by intense physical activity, and overweight consumed a lot of time for TV and the Internet. Overall, under weight group and normal weight group belong to the students evaluated fatter than themselves. Weight control for weight loss, gain and maintain was grater in obesity group than in normal weight group. Weight loss showed highest scores in overweight group which appeared significant difference. 4. Obese adolescents compared with other groups, reported lower total QOL score and all QOL in domain, and especially social functioning showed significant differences. 5. Factors influencing the adolescents's QOL were found to be gender, perceived health status and exercise. Conclusions: High school girls were aware of their bad health status and likely to improve the QOL by practicing health behaviour. But obese adolescents were likely to degrade the quality of life by reducing the practice of health behaviors. So further school-based education about proper practical health behaviors and obesity prevention is necessary.