Quality of life and behavioural adjustment in childhood hydrocephalus.

The aim of the paper is to describe parent and teacher reported behavioural outcomes and quality of life in childhood hydrocephalus, and to consider the implications for future service planning. A community sample of 235 school-aged children with hydrocephalus (5-16 years) were identified via a database of service users, held by the Scottish Spina Bifida Association. Parent and teacher reports of behaviour on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and parent reports of quality of life on the Paediatric Quality-of-Life Generic Core (PedsQL Core) and Paediatric Quality-of-Life Fatigue (PedsQL Fatigue) were obtained, as were reports of service use and satisfaction.  In total, 35% (n = 76) of parents and 86% (n = 47) of teachers who were contacted participated in the study. Parents reported behavioural difficulties in 57% and teachers in 33% of children. Quality of life was significantly reduced in comparison to published norms. Children whose parents reported unmet needs had poorer psychosocial outcomes, but families rarely accessed appropriate specialist services. In conclusion, hydrocephalus is associated with high rates of behaviour problems and markedly reduced quality of life. It is important to increase professional awareness of psychological need in this chronic neurological condition, and to increase access to appropriate psychosocial services.

Sleep disturbances following mild traumatic brain injury in childhood.

OBJECTIVE: To examine objective and subjective reports of sleep disturbance in school-aged children who had sustained mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) at least 6 months prior to the study. METHODS: Eighteen children aged 7-12 years with a history of mild TBI (GCS 13-15. LOC < 15 min) were compared to 30 children with orthopedic injuries using actigraphy and parental and self-report sleep questionnaires. RESULTS: Parents reported greater sleep disturbance in the mild TBI group. No significant differences were found in parental ratings of daytime sleepiness, child-reported sleep difficulties, or objective (actigraph) sleep measures. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of greater parental reports of sleep disturbance following mild TBI 6 months after injury requires greater exploration and future research with a larger sample followed from the point of injury would seem appropriate.

Mind-reading difficulties in the siblings of people with Asperger's syndrome: evidence for a genetic influence in the abnormal development of a specific cognitive domain.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that the phenotype associated with Asperger's syndrome (AS) includes difficulties in understanding the mental states of others, leading to difficulties in social communication and social relationships. It has also been suggested that the first-degree relatives of those with AS can demonstrate similar difficulties, albeit to a lesser extent. This study examined 'theory of mind' (ToM) abilities in the siblings of children with AS relative to a matched control group. METHOD: 27 children who had a sibling with AS were administered the children's version of the 'Eyes Test' (Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Stone, & Rutherford, 1999). The control group consisted of 27 children matched for age, sex, and a measure of verbal comprehension, and who did not have a family history of AS/autism. RESULTS: A significant difference was found between the groups on the Eyes Test, the 'siblings' group showing a poorer performance on this measure of social cognition. The difference was more pronounced among female siblings. DISCUSSION: These results are discussed in terms of the familial distribution of a neuro-cognitive profile associated with AS, which confers varying degrees of social handicap amongst first-degree relatives. The implication of this finding with regard to the autism/AS phenotype is explored, with some discussion of why this neuro-cognitive profile (in combination with corresponding strengths) may have an evolutionary imperative.