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Biomedical subjects

D Harvey

Publications and source records attributed to D Harvey.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Research note: rating the home environment of school-age children; a comparison with general cognitive index and school progress.

A method of rating the home environment of primary school children is described. It was used in a study of 20 children whose cognitive abilities and school progress were also assessed. Aspects of home life which were found to be significantly correlated with the child's performance were parental encouragement for the child's achievement, activeness, creativity and verbal participation; a family interest in intellectual pursuits and education; family rules or control of the child. Some items were negatively correlated with children's performance.

Achievement↗
PubMed1982

Abilities of children who were small-for-gestational-age babies.

A follow-up study of 51 small-for-gestation-age babies, whose intrauterine growth was monitored by serial ultrasonic cephalometry, was carried out at a mean age of 5.1 years. The developmental abilities of the children were assessed by using the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and the results were compared with those of a group of matched control subjects. Children whose head growth began to slow before 26 weeks' gestation had significantly lower scores for the general cognitive index than control children. This did not occur in children whose head growth began to slow later in gestation. Scores for Perceptual-performance and Motor scales in the McCarthy scales were also lower for the children whose head growth slowed before 26 weeks' gestation, when compared with those of control children. There were no differences in the developmental scores of the children when they were divided into groups according to birth-weight percentiles. We conclude that prolonged slow growth in utero affects a child's later development and abilities, in particular, perceptual performance and motor ability.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1981

Electronic measurement of locomotion by means of pressure-sensitive floor mats.

This paper describes a method of adapting an observation room to record a child's position in the room and to give an index of the amount of locomotion. The adaptation consisted of under-carpet pressure mats, linked electronically to digital counters. This recording system showed a highly significant correlation with observational measurements of the same aspects of behaviour. It has potential as an aid in the diagnosis of abnormal behaviour states.

Child↗
PubMed1981

School achievement and behaviour of children who were small-for-dates at birth.

School-teachers were asked to assess the school achievement and behaviour of 45 children who had been small-for-dates (SFD) at birth, and of 19 control children who had had a normal birthweight. The SFD children were divided into groups according to the stage in gestation at which slow head-growth began. Those whose head growth had slowed before 26 weeks gestation achieved less well at school than those who had had no evidence of slow intra-uterine head-growth. Their teachers also thought they were less able to concentrate. Boys (but not girls) whose head growth had slowed between 27 and 34 weeks gestation also had problems at school. The authors conclude that school achievement and behaviour of children who were small-for-dates at birth is related to the severity of slow growth before birth, the sex of the child and the social class of the parents.

Achievement↗
PubMed1981

Effects of water supplementation on physiological jaundice in breast-fed babies.

The effect of water supplementation in normal, term, breast-fed babies with physiological jaundice was studied. Water supplementation was given to 120 babies and 55 received no extra fluids. There was no significant difference between the two groups when peak serum bilirubin levels and incidence of phototherapy were compared.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed1979

Mode of delivery and the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio.

Babies born by elective Caesarean section are more likely to develop the respiratory distress syndrome that babies born vaginally. We studied the amniotic fluid and pharyngeal lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios in three groups of babies born at term: 20 were delivered vaginally after elective induction of labour; 20 were delivered by elective Caesarean section; and 14 by Caesarean section after spontaneous onset of labour. Babies born after induction of labour had higher pharyngeal L/S ratios than babies born by elective Caesarean section. Those born by Caesarean section after spontaneous onset of labour had significantly higher pharyngeal L/S ratios than those in both of the elective delivery groups. There were no significant differences in the amniotic fluid L/S ratios of the two groups who underwent elective delivery. Regression analysis showed a significant relationship between length of labour and increase in the L/S ratio. These results indicate that, during labour, there is a release of fetal lung surfactant into the airways.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1978

Bubble clicking in pharyngeal aspirate compared with lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio.

Tracheal fluid flows into the pharynx, so surfactant can be measured in pharyngeal aspirate. The walls of bubbles in air-free water show rhythmic movements (bubble clicking) if they contain surfactant. Babies with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) have very little lung surfactant which can be shown by a low lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio. To investigate surfactant in newborn babies we analysed 125 pharyngeal aspirates for the L/S ratio and bubble clicking. Both tests became more positive towards term and were related to the incidence of RDS. Babies with birth asphyxia or mild respiratory difficulties had lower L/S ratios and less clicking than normal babies. Both investigations could be used to chart the course of RDS. The L/S ratio is a chemical measurement of surfactant. Bubble clicking, which takes only a few minutes, demonstrates surface tension effects.

Humans↗