Developmental, sensory and behavioral outcomes among infants and toddlers with prenatal alcohol exposure.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can disrupt children's neurodevelopment and exert lasting influences on overall child well-being and family functioning. A comprehensive exploration of developmental outcomes in infants/toddlers with PAE seen for a diagnosis on the fetal alcohol spectrum can inform early identification and intervention. AIMS: To describe the prevalence and patterns of neurodevelopment, sensory processing, and emotional and behavioral functioning in a clinical sample of infants/toddlers with PAE. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, clinical data from 125 infants/toddlers with PAE, aged 2-42 months, assessed at the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Diagnostic and Prevention Network clinic were analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy-four to 87% of infants/toddlers demonstrated delayed development in one or more domains of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (n = 125). Adverse developmental outcomes were significantly correlated with PAE and/or postnatal risk factors. All 93 infants/toddlers with a complete Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile obtained definite difference scores in at least one quadrant/section. Over half of infant/toddlers with a completed Child Behavior Checklist/1½- 5 had total problem scores in the borderline or clinical range. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that several domains of child functioning may be vulnerable to the teratogenic impact of PAE, and that these delays are evident in the first years of life. Early screening, ongoing monitoring and comprehensive assessment is needed to facilitate earlier identification and guide clinical intervention.

The influence of coping style of caregivers and family cohesion on emotional behavior of children with hematological tumor / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To explore the current situation of emotional and behavioral problems in children with hematological tumors, and the relationship with caregivers′ coping styles and family cohesion.Methods:Using cross-sectional study design and cluster sampling method, caregivers of children with hematological tumors hospitalized in hematology department of five third-class hospitals in Zhengzhou from November 2020 to January 2021 were selected as the respondents. The strengths and difficulties questionnaire (parent version), simple coping style questionnaire, family cohesion scale and self-made general information questionnaire were used for questionnaire survey. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 24.0 software using Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate Logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 237 questionnaires were distributed and 214 valid questionnaires were collected. The abnormal detection rates of total difficulty score, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer interaction problems and prosocial behavior were 17.8%, 22.9%, 10.7%, 8.4%, 39.7% and 13.6% respectively. The results of correlation analysis showed that caregivers′ positive coping was negatively correlated with the total score of difficulties, hyperactivity and peer interaction problems ( r=-0.186, -0.153, -0.174, all P<0.05), and positively correlated with the score of prosocial behavior ( r=0.214, P<0.05). Caregivers′ negative coping was positively correlated with the total score of difficulties, emotional symptoms and hyperactivity ( r=0.203, 0.204, 0.170, all P<0.05). Family cohesion was negatively correlated with the total score of difficulties, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer interaction problems ( r=-0.254, -0.225, -0.183, -0.137, -0.195, all P<0.05), and positively correlated with prosocial behavior ( r=0.235, P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that positive coping of caregivers was a protective factor of peer interaction in children ( β=-0.050, OR=0.951, 95% CI=0.907-0.996), while family intimacy was also a protective factor for children with prosocial behavior ( β=-0.045, OR=0.956, 95% CI=0.923-0.991). Conclusion:The emotional and behavior problems of children with hematological tumors are serious, and the positive coping of caregivers and family cohesion have certain predictive value for the occurrence of negative emotional behavior problems in children, so medical staff should take corresponding measures to reduce the occurrence of emotional and behavior problems in children.

Overlap Between Autism Spectrum Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Searching for Distinctive/Common Clinical Features.

Recent studies support several overlapping traits between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), assuming the existence of a combined phenotype. The aim of our study was to evaluate the common or distinctive clinical features between ASD and ADHD in order to identify possible different phenotypes that could have a clinical value. We enrolled 181 subjects divided into four diagnostic groups: ADHD group, ASD group, ASD+ADHD group (that met diagnostic criteria for both ASD and ADHD), and control group. Intelligent quotient (IQ), emotional and behavior problems, ADHD symptoms, ASD symptoms, and adaptive behaviors were investigated through the following test: Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence or Leiter International Performances Scale Revised, Child Behavior Checklist, Conners' Rating Scales-Revised, SNAP-IV Rating Scale, the Social Communication Questionnaire, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. The ASD+ADHD group differs from ADHD or ASD in some domains such as lower IQ mean level and a higher autistic symptoms severity. However, the ASD+ADHD group shares inattention and hyperactivity deficit and some emotional and behavior problems with the ADHD group, while it shares adaptive behavior impairment with ASD group. These findings provide a new understanding of clinical manifestation of ASD+ADHD phenotype, they may also inform a novel treatment target.