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Children
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Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Pediatrics: 2nd Edition
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Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Pediatrics: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Neurology & Neurodevelopmental Disorders".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2025 | Viewed by 2872

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marco Fiore

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Department of Sense Organs, University Sapienza of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, Rome, Italy
Interests: neurobiology; endocrinology; neurotrophins; oxidative stress; cancer; toxicology; addiction; antioxidants; polyphenols; alcohol use disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luigi Tarani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Pediatric Department, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: neurodevelopmental disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurodevelopmental diseases in children are disabilities associated mainly with the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Neurodevelopmental disorders can affect the child’s ability to think and function normally. Symptoms of behaviour or learning difficulties, autism, brain tumours, or other brain and developmental disorders can appear at birth or in later years. According to recent data, approximately 15% of children in Western countries aged 3 to 17 years are affected by neurodevelopmental disorders. Examples of neurodevelopmental disorders in children include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism including Asperger’s syndrome, developmental coordination disorders (dyspraxia), communication disorders, neurogenetic conditions and impairments in vision and hearing, intellectual disability, conduct disorders, cerebral palsy, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities may experience difficulties with learning, language and speech, behaviour, motor skills, memory, or other neurological functions. Though the symptoms and behaviours of neurodevelopmental disabilities often change or evolve as a kid grows older, some incapacities are permanent. The treatment and diagnosis of these diseases can be difficult; treatment often includes a combination of professional therapies, medications, and home- and school-based courses.

Dr. Marco Fiore
Dr. Luigi Tarani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurodevelopment
  • pediatrics
  • brain disorder
  • early disease development
  • therapy and treatment
  • adolescents
  • children
  • central nervous system
  • intellectual disability
  • memory and learning
  • motor skill

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 863 KB  
Article
Maternal Overweight and Obesity Alter Neurodevelopmental Trajectories During the First Year of Life: Findings from the OBESO Cohort
by Arturo Alejandro Canul-Euan, Jonatan Alejandro Mendoza-Ortega, Juan Mario Solis-Paredes, Héctor Borboa-Olivares, Sandra Martínez-Medina, Carmen Hernández-Chávez, Gabriela Gil-Martínez, Erika Osorio-Valencia, Mariana Torres-Calapiz, Blanca Vianey Suárez-Rico, Isabel González-Ludlow, Carolina Rodríguez-Hernández, Ameyalli Rodríguez-Cano, Enrique Reyes-Muñoz, Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo, Sonia L. Hernandez, Otilia Perichart-Perera and Guadalupe Estrada-Gutierrez
Children 2025, 12(10), 1385; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12101385 - 14 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Overweight and obesity during pregnancy are metabolic risk factors that may compromise offspring brain development. The first 1000 days of life represent a critical window in which neurodevelopmental trajectories are shaped by intrauterine and early-life exposures. The 6- and 12-month milestones are [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Overweight and obesity during pregnancy are metabolic risk factors that may compromise offspring brain development. The first 1000 days of life represent a critical window in which neurodevelopmental trajectories are shaped by intrauterine and early-life exposures. The 6- and 12-month milestones are key checkpoints where deviations may emerge, and interventions are most effective. This study evaluated the association between maternal pregestational weight status and infant neurodevelopment at 6 and 12 months of age. Methods: Mother and infant pairs from the OBESO perinatal cohort in Mexico City were included. Women in the first trimester of pregnancy were classified as normal weight and overweight/obesity according to their pregestational body mass index (pBMI), calculated from self-reported pre-pregnancy weight. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed at 6 and 12 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III, Third Edition (BSID-III). Descriptive, bivariate and multiple linear regression analyses with mixed effects correction were conducted. Results: Among 97 mother–infant pairs, infants of mothers with overweight/obesity had lower language and socio-emotional scores at 12 months. Higher maternal pBMI was correlated with lower motor scores at 6 and 12 months, and with lower language scores at 12 months. Longitudinal analysis showed that maternal overweight/obesity was associated with a significant decline in language development from 6 to 12 months. (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Maternal pregestational overweight or obesity may negatively influence early neurodevelopment, particularly affecting language and cognitive domains during the first year of life. These early deficits could reflect alterations in intrauterine programming associated with maternal metabolic status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Pediatrics: 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 333 KB  
Article
ADHD Children Take More Time to Inhibit Automatic Responses: A Comparison with Anxiety Disorders Using NEPSY-II
by Fabiola Panvino, Valerio Zaccaria, Michela Pica, Nunzia Amitrano, Francesco Pisani and Carlo Di Brina
Children 2025, 12(6), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12060798 - 18 Jun 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders (AD) are prevalent in childhood and adolescence, often presenting with overlapping symptoms. This study aimed to assess cognitive and executive functions—specifically attention, inhibition, and working memory—in children with ADHD, AD, and comorbid ADHD + [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders (AD) are prevalent in childhood and adolescence, often presenting with overlapping symptoms. This study aimed to assess cognitive and executive functions—specifically attention, inhibition, and working memory—in children with ADHD, AD, and comorbid ADHD + AD. It also sought to identify potential neuropsychological markers that differentiate ADHD from AD and ADHD + AD comorbidity. Methods: Cognitive and executive functions were assessed in a sample of 48 school-age children and adolescents (aged 8–15 years) using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and the NEPSY-II battery. The MASC 2 self-report questionnaire was also used to assess anxiety symptoms. The participants were divided into three groups based on clinical diagnoses: ADHD, AD, and ADHD + AD. Results: No significant group differences emerged in cognitive performance, attention, or working memory. Significant differences emerged in inhibition performance, with children in the AD group demonstrating more efficient inhibition compared to both the ADHD and ADHD + AD groups. Children with ADHD showed longer response times. Better performance on inhibition tasks was associated with more severe anxiety symptoms. Conclusions: These findings suggest that anxiety may modulate specific aspects of executive functioning during tasks requiring attentional and inhibitory control. However, the complex interaction between ADHD and anxiety requires further investigation. This study underscores the importance of distinguishing ADHD from AD based on cognitive and executive profiles, particularly inhibition. In this context, it supports the routine use of the NEPSY-II in combination with the MASC 2 questionnaire to facilitate differential diagnosis in clinical practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Pediatrics: 2nd Edition)
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