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Research on imitation in infancy has primarily focused on what and when infants imitate. More recently, however, the question why infants imitate has received renewed attention, partly motivated by the finding that infants sometimes selectively imitate the actions of others and sometimes faithfully imitate, or overimitate, the actions of others. The present study evaluates the hypothesis that this varying imitative behavior is related to infants' social traits. To do so, we assessed faithful and selective imitation longitudinally at 12 and 15 months, and extraversion at 15 months. At both ages, selective imitation was dependent on the causal structure of the act. From 12 to 15 months, selective imitation decreased while faithful imitation increased. Furthermore, infants high in extraversion were more faithful imitators than infants low in extraversion. These results demonstrate that the onset of faithful imitation is earlier than previously thought, but later than the onset of selective imitation. The observed relation between extraversion and faithful imitation supports the hypothesis that faithful imitation is driven by the social motivations of the infant. We call this relation the King Louie Effect: like the orangutan King Louie in The Jungle Book, infants imitate faithfully due to a growing interest in the interpersonal nature of interactions., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In the present article, we introduce the continuous unified electronic (CUE) diary method, a longitudinal, event-based, electronic parent report method that allows real-time recording of infant and child behavior in natural contexts. Thirty-nine expectant mothers were trained to identify and record target behaviors into programmed handheld computers. From birth to 18 months, maternal reporters recorded the initial, second, and third occurrences of seven target motor behaviors: palmar grasp, rolls from side to back, reaching when sitting, pincer grip, crawling, walking, and climbing stairs. Compliance was assessed as two valid entries per behavior: 97 % of maternal reporters met compliance criteria. Reliability was assessed by comparing diary entries with researcher assessments for three of the motor behaviors: palmar grasp, pincer grip and walking. A total of 81 % of maternal reporters met reliability criteria. For those three target behaviors, age of emergence was compared across data from the CUE diary method and researcher assessments. The CUE diary method was found to detect behaviors earlier and with greater sensitivity to individual differences. The CUE diary method is shown to be a reliable methodological tool for studying processes of change in human development.

Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the structure and functions of the renal system • To recognise some of the renal conditions that may be seen in children and to understand how these are managed • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article, the 15th and last in a series on the biological basis of child health, focuses on the renal system, in particular the kidneys. It provides an overview of their role, function, anatomy and physiology, and embryological development. The renal system has a crucial role in homeostasis, so renal function impairment can have wide-ranging and potentially serious consequences for a child's overall health. The article describes some of the common renal conditions seen in children and how these are managed. It explains how to interpret the results of renal function tests and urine sampling conducted to assess renal function and to investigate acute and chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge of innate and acquired immunity and the different types of immune response • To reflect on the importance of immunisations and how to explain it to parents • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article, the 14th in a series on the biological basis of child health, focuses on the immune system. It provides an overview of pathogens to which the human body is susceptible, some of the milestones in the embryological development of the immune system, and some of the mechanisms of innate and acquired immunity. The article explains the importance of immunisations and provides examples of immune system dysfunctions and autoimmune conditions that children may experience. It is essential that children's nurses have an understanding of how the immune system develops, how it is structured and how it functions, since such knowledge will be relevant in the care of a range of conditions where nurses need to explain infection, inflammation and immune processes to children and parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the anatomy and pathophysiology of the endocrine system aimed to enhance the nurses' knowledge of this system, including its functioning and the conditions that young people are likely to experience when it malfunctions. Topics covered include the glands of the endocrine system and the hormones they secrete, the effects of hormones on normal functions of the human body, and the presentation and management of the most common endocrinopathies in children.

Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and development of the five senses • To increase your awareness of the common childhood conditions that can affect sensory function • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article, the 11th in the Biological basis of child health series, focuses on the senses. There are five basic senses in humans: hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste. Several congenital and acquired conditions can affect the senses and may have significant negative effects on a child's development and ability to communicate with others. This article explores each of the five senses, discussing their anatomy, physiology and embryological development, as well as common conditions affecting sensory function in children. It aims to provide children's nurses with an understanding of the role of the senses in supporting children to make sense of the world, and how knowledge of this can be linked to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the composition, functions and formation of blood and common blood disorders in children. It outlines the embryonic development of blood cells, occurrence of haemopoiesis and blood count values for different age groups. It explains signs and symptoms, causes and risks for and effects of low blood cell counts on children. Information is provided on blood groups, blood transfusions and disorders such as anaemia, sickle cell disease, clotting, haemophilia and blood cancer.

Temporal aspects of child and adolescent time allocation in diverse cultural settings have been difficult to model using conventional statistical techniques. A new statistical approach, Egocentric Relational Event Modelling (EREM), allows for the simultaneous modelling of activity frequency, duration, and sequencing. Here, EREM is applied to a focal follow dataset of Congolese BaYaka forager child and adolescent play and work activities. Results show that, as children age, they engage in less frequent and extended play bouts and more frequent and extended work bouts. Bout frequency and duration were a more sensitive measure for early sex differences than overall time allocation. Sequential patterns of work and play suggest that these activities have short-term energetic trade-offs. This article demonstrates that EREM can reveal stable and variable patterns in child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of the embryological development of the liver and clinical features of childhood liver disease. It outlines characteristics of the liver's anatomy and explains functions of the liver including synthesis of the bile and coagulation factors and glucose generation. Information is provided on liver function tests, liver disease in children such as jaundice, biliary atresia, pruritus and hepatic encephalopathy, and developments in children's liver transplantation.

Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge of the stages of growth and developmental milestones in childhood • To enable you to understand various conditions that can affect growth and development in children • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article is the seventh in a series on the biological basis of child health. It describes early developmental milestones, stages of growth, puberty and the development of the reproductive system. It also outlines the methods used to assess growth and development, and describes conditions that affect growth and development in infants, children and young people. Understanding childhood growth and development is crucial for children's nurses, who need to be able to identify potential deviations from the norm, since these often reveal underlying conditions that require treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the sixth in a series on the biological basis of child health. It provides an overview of the development of the skeletal system before and after birth, and outlines the potential congenital anomalies that may occur. The article explains the structure and function of the bones before describing the role of the joints, tendons and ligaments. It also outlines the presentation and management of some of the common orthopaedic conditions seen in infants and children, including fractures, osteogenesis imperfecta, scoliosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, developmental dysplasia of the hip and achondroplasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AUTH Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the development of the respiratory system before and after birth • To understand the causes and management of various common respiratory conditions that infants and children may present with • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article is the fifth in a series on the biological basis of child health. It describes the development of the respiratory system, which starts relatively late in the embryo and continues after birth until the age of seven to eight years. It explains what the developing anatomy of the respiratory system in infants and children means in terms of the conditions that may occur and the precautions required when assessing them. The article provides an overview of the elements of respiratory assessment in infants and children and describes some respiratory conditions seen in these patient groups. It also discusses some of the changes in the care of children with respiratory conditions, which has increasingly moved from hospital into the community and become nurse-led, multidisciplinary and holistic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AUTH Why you should read this article: • To enhance your knowledge of the stages of prenatal development • To increase your awareness of the types, causes and detection of congenital anomalies • To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers) • To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers) This article is the second in a series called the biological basis of child health. It considers the period of development from fertilisation to birth, outlining the three stages of prenatal development – the germinal, embryonic and fetal stages. The article details how tissues and organs typically develop at each stage, and explains how and when deviations in development and congenital anomalies are likely to occur. It also describes some of the common congenital anomalies, their potential effects and their detection before or after birth. Information is also provided about the delivery of full-term infants, including the stages of labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]