• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.8
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• pp.408-414
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• 2021

Background: Complementary food in infancy is necessary for human growth, neurodevelopment, and health. However, the role of allergen consumption in early infancy and its effects on the development of food allergy or tolerance remain unclear. Purpose: To investigate the influence of age at the time of complementary food introduction on the development of asthma and atopic dermatitis in Korean children aged 1-3 years. Methods: We combined data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected from 2010 to 2014 and analyzed 1619 children aged 1-3 years who were included in the survey. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify associations among type of feeding, age at the time of complementary food introduction, and doctor-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and asthma. Results: Age at the time of complementary food introduction was not significantly associated with doctor-diagnosed atopic dermatitis and asthma in children aged 1-3 years. In the univariate analysis, children with asthma showed higher water and sodium intake levels than nonasthmatic children. However, this relationship was not significant in the multivariate regression analysis. Conclusion: The present study revealed no statistically significant relationship between age at the time of complementary food introduction and the risk of atopic dermatitis and asthma in young Korean children. A national prospective study is needed to clarify the influence of age at the time of complementary food introduction on the development of allergic diseases.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.329-354
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• 2015

The purpose of this qualitative study was to develop a social skills training program for improving early school-age children's social behaviors and to investigate its effectiveness by observing their experiences on the program with a qualitative method. Data were collected from 7 children using observer's descriptive notes and reflective notes, compliment notes by assistant leader, program leader's weekly journals, children's weekly journals, and video recordings. Four theme categories and 11 sub-lower categories emerged. Theme categories were (1) relationship building, (2) changes in emotional expressions, (3) changes in prosociality, and (4) changes in social skills. This study observed early school-age children's positive changes in social behaviors and emotional expressions through the social skills program.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 2014

This paper explores factors associated with multiple concurrent care and education arrangements in early childhood in South Korea. It draws on a subsample from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families. Results show that about one-fifth of the families utilized multiple arrangements for their first preschool child. The primary non-parental option in multiplicity was nurseries or kindergartens. Home care and education options such as home study materials were found to be most prevalent secondary non-parental option, followed by services at private institution as well as relative care. Children's age, care cost, non-parental care time and time constraints were found to be positively related to the incidence of multiplicity for the first preschool child while family income and cost constraints were negatively associated. As a secondary option in the multiplicity, services at private institutions increased with children's age, care cost and when the grandparents live far from the parents' house. Home care and education utilization was found more among mothers with low degree of time constraints. Utilization of relative support decreased with the children's age and meant lower care cost and increased with mother's employment, fathers' education, family income, cost constraints and when grandparents live nearby. This paper, based on the associated factors, suggests how issues of children enrichment and constraints might be related to the multiplicity.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases is a major cause of death and is responsible for 23.8% of deaths in Korea. Clinical symptoms manifest in adulthood, but susceptibility begins in utero. Elevated homocysteine levels and adiposity might be linked to a greater risk in children as well as adults. We hypothesized that those who have simultaneous risk for folate and adiposity would be affected with elevated homocysteine levels at 3 years of age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: From the ongoing birth cohort at Ewha Womans University Mok-Dong Hospital, we compared adiposity parameters, serum homocysteine, and folate levels in 238 children (118 boys and 120 girls) at three years of age. The relationship between birth outcome, current weight and body mass index (BMI), postnatal growth, and homocysteine level were assessed using correlation and general linear model. Additionally, we assessed the combined effect between blood folate status and adiposity on current homocysteine levels. RESULTS: Birth characteristics were not correlated with homocysteine. Current weight, BMI, upper-arm circumference, skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and hip circumference were positively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.05). Folate level was negatively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.0001). A relative high anthropometric measure which is compatible with adiposity and low folate level was associated with high homocysteine levels. CONCLUSION: We found a combined effect of adiposity and folate levels with homocysteine levels at three years of age. This implicates the beneficial role of folate supplementation in the high-risk population at an early age.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.294-298
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• 2009

Purpose: The pharyngeal flap is one of the popular surgical method to treat the problem of velopharyngeal dysfunction. This study evaluated speech outcomes of patients who underwent superiorly based pharyngeal flap surgery based on timing of surgery. Methods: A restrospective review of 50 patients who underwent pharyngeal flap surgery for velopharyngeal insufficiency between September 1996 and January 2008 was undertaken. Thirty patients with an available preoprative and postoperative speech assessments with at least 6 months of follow-up were included in this study. We checked out the significance of speech improvement after surgery analysing preoperative and postoperative scoring of speech assessment. We also investigated the direct relationship between the age at surgery and the degree of speech improvement, and the improvement score in different age groups. Results: The mean score of preoperative speech was $52.6{\pm}7.4points$ and postoperative speech was $58.6{\pm}6.5points$, which presented significant postoperative speech improvement with an average of 5.9 points(p<0.01). There was a significant inverse relationship between the age at operation and speech improvement degree(p<0.01, r = -0.54). Comparing the age groups, the age group of 4 to 5 years presented statistically significant speech improvement(p<0.01). Conclusion: we propose that all patients indicated should take pharyngeal flap irrespective of age. In this study, the younger the age at surgery, the higher degree of speech improvement, for which we suggest that surgical approach should be undertaken as early as possible, especially younger than age 5 years.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.784-794
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to prepare basic data about middle and high school students' school loss due to oral diseasea and to investigate the relevant factors. Methods : The survey is conducted for 575 middle school students in Busan and Gyeongnam. School loss was investigated based on the experiences of absences and leaving school early, which had happened from oral diseasea. The independent variables were oral health behaviors and sociopeconomic factors such as sex, age of their parents, educational level of their parents, family income. Factors related with school loss was analyzed by the multiple logistic regression method. Results : The experience ratio of leaving school early to the dental clinic or having difficulty in studying was higher in the case of high school student than in middle school student case. The parameters related with absence or leaving school early for oral disease were the education level, the distinction of sex, fear about medical examination and the standard of living. The reasons of absence or leaving early for visiting the dental clinic were related with education level, the distinction of sex, fear about medical examination, distrust of oral care and the satisfaction of oral health. The parameters having effect on school performance were education level, sex, fear about medical examination, distrust of oral care, cost burden, interests in oral health by the parents and school record. Conclusions : The oral health promotion should be developed to decrease school loss for students.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.1-19
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• 2016

The present study aimed at investigating the relations between the amount of child care experienced in the first three years of life and socioemotional development of children at age 4 indicated by problem behaviors and peer competence. Using the longitudinal data of the Panel Study of Korean Children(PSKC), the information of 1,699 children were analyzed. The results indicated that any child care experience, hours in child care, full-time child care and early entry to child care were significantly related to children's externalizing behavior problem and play disruption at age 4. Some significant relations were detected between child care experience and better peer competence as well. Interestingly, the patterns of relations were different for boys and girls. Being in child care, a greater amount of child care and early entry to child care tended to be related to externalizing problem behaviors of boys and whereas they were more related to peer competence of girls indicated by play interaction, play disruption and play disconnection. Child care hours at age 3 were relative stronger predictors of children's development compared to those at age 1 or at age 2. The findings imply that the amount of child care during the first 3 years of life does not have strong harmful effects on preschoolers' socioemotional development and that there are differences in the effects of child care on boys and girls.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-47
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of early entrance experiences of science gifted high school students. The subjects were 13 students who are attending science gifted high school in Seoul. The research data were collected through in-depth interviews. The qualitative study applied the phenomenological method of Giorgi. The early entrance experiences of science gifted high school students were clustered into 13 specific themes and 5 general structures. The results indicated that the early entrance students were surprised by their admissions from the school and they worry about their lack of readiness. However, they follow up their missed 1 year study after all. It took from a few weeks to 1~2 years depending on the student. At any rate, the environment of the school such as differentiated curricular, dormitory life, and studying atmospheres were helpful for the students to adopt easily. Even though they sometimes show a little deficiency, it won't be an issue, they just corporate each other and pursue their studies. As time goes on, they become friends even though they call other students 'big brother'. When the placement of gifted students take place, we do not need to hesitate because of their age, but need to consider the environment of school and characteristics of student.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.87-98
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• 2009

This study examines the socio-cultural readjustment of the Korean students returning from overseas study at an early age. For this study 259 returnee students from elementary through high school completed a questionnaire which covered aspects such as school adjustment and re-acculturative stress in relationship to gender, grade, number of parents accompanying the students overseas, length of overseas stay, age of return, length of stay in Korea, and the acculturative stress experienced in a host culture. The findings indicate that re-acculturative stress level of returnee students is higher than the level of the acculturative stress, and that the two are positively related. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses reveal the grade and acculturative stress of returnee students as a significant predictor of school adjustment. The length of overseas stay and acculturative stress significantly predicted the re-acculturative stress level. The acculturative stress significantly affected both school adjustment and re-acculturative stress of returnee students back in Korea.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2007

The associations between dietary, body composition and sexual maturation were investigated among Korean girls of pubertal age in this study. Dietary intakes were collected by 3 day food records, body compositions were measured by bio-impedence analyzer and sexual maturation stages were determined with a self-administrated questionnaire using Tanner stages in 1,114 girls 9-13 years of age. Girls were divided into early maturation (EM) and late maturation (LM), based on the comparative maturation stages of breast and pubic hair among the same age groups by months. Subjects were excluded if their stage of maturation could not be divided into early and late groups. EM and LM groups consisted of 42.8% and 38.9% of subjects by breast stage and 67.4% and 22.8% by pubic hair stage. Girls in LM group had significantly lower in height, weight and bone mineral contents (p < 0.05). When nutrient densities of average daily intake of the two groups were compared, folate density was significantly higher among the LM group of breast stages (p < 0.01), and Ca, P, K, Vit. $B_1$, Vit. $B_2$ and folate densities were significantly higher among the LM group of pubic hair stages (p < 0.05). These results show that intakes of some micronutrients differ between children with faster and slower sexual maturation velocities at early pubertal stages. More longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether such differences are consistent throughout the pubertal period.