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Children
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Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (2nd Edition)
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Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (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: 5 November 2025 | Viewed by 552

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Carla Sogos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neuroscience, Section of Child Neuropsychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
Interests: autism spectrum disorder; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; neurodevelopmental disorders; child psychopathology; treatment in child psychiatry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Editorial Team of the journal Children, I am pleased to announce the launch of this Special Issue, “Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (2nd Edition)”, led by Dr. Carla Sogos (Sapienza University of Rome). As Guest Editor, I am particularly pleased to launch this Special Issue because it focuses on a crucial topic in child neuropsychiatry, and it highlights the importance of increasing knowledge about neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) as serious chronic conditions with a prevalence of 10–15% in children and adolescents. It is important to take into consideration the high level of heterogeneity and overlap in NDDs, also considering developmental change across a person’s lifetime.

There is much evidence in the literature showing that an early diagnosis in neurodevelopmental disorders allows patients to start personalized and intensive treatment, leading to a better prognosis. Hence, it is a relevant issue to expand the evidence on new diagnostic protocols that can prevent missed diagnoses and can allow us to detect and to treat comorbidities. Moreover, this Special Issue could deepen the impact of several therapeutic protocols (individual and group therapy) on the emotional–behavioral profile of children affected by NDDs, also considering innovative and technological tools.

Considering the success and popularity of the Special Issue “Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention” previously published in the journal Children (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/children/special_issues/1V4K519692), we now release a second edition that aims to invite original research and literature reviews that may have a significant impact on clinical presentation, diagnostic assessment, and novel therapeutic as well as intervention approaches in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Dr. Carla Sogos
Guest Editor

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

  • autism
  • attention deficit
  • hyperactivity disorders
  • early diagnosis
  • child psychiatry
  • treatment

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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19 pages, 631 KiB  
Article
Feeling the World Differently: Sensory and Emotional Profiles in Preschool Neurodevelopmental Disorders
by Federica Gigliotti, Maria Eugenia Martelli, Federica Giovannone and Carla Sogos
Children 2025, 12(7), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12070958 - 21 Jul 2025
Viewed by 192
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Atypical sensory processing is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic dimension of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with critical implications for emotional and behavioral regulation. This study aimed to identify distinct sensory profiles in preschool children with NDDs and to examine their associations with emotional–behavioral [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Atypical sensory processing is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic dimension of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), with critical implications for emotional and behavioral regulation. This study aimed to identify distinct sensory profiles in preschool children with NDDs and to examine their associations with emotional–behavioral and cognitive/developmental functioning. Methods: A total of 263 children (aged 21–71 months) diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), language disorder (LD), or other NDDs (ONDD) were recruited. Sensory processing was assessed using the SPM-P, emotional–behavioral functioning was assessed via the CBCL 1½–5, and cognitive/developmental levels were assessed through standardized instruments. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify sensory subtypes. Group comparisons and multinomial logistic regression were used to examine profile characteristics and predictors of profile membership. Results: Three sensory profiles emerged: (1) Multisystemic Sensory Dysfunction (20.1%), characterized by pervasive sensory and emotional difficulties, primarily observed in ASD; (2) Typical Sensory Processing (44.9%), showing normative sensory and emotional functioning, predominantly LD; and (3) Mixed Subclinical Sensory Processing (35%), with subclinical-range scores across multiple sensory and emotional domains, spanning all diagnoses. Higher cognitive functioning and fewer internalizing symptoms significantly predicted membership in the typical profile. A gradient of symptom severity was observed across profiles, with the Multisystemic group showing the most pronounced emotional–behavioral impairments. Conclusions: Distinct sensory–emotional phenotypes were identified across diagnostic categories, supporting a dimensional model of neurodevelopment. Sensory profiles were strongly associated with emotional functioning, independently of diagnostic status. Early sensory assessment may therefore offer clinically meaningful insights into emotional vulnerability and inform targeted interventions in preschool populations with NDDs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (2nd Edition))
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13 pages, 1184 KiB  
Case Report
Reconceptualizing Pediatric Strabismus as a Condition Rooted in Sensory Processing Disorder: A Novel Case-Based Hypothesis
by Mirjana Bjeloš, Ana Ćurić, Mladen Bušić, Katja Rončević and Adrian Elabjer
Children 2025, 12(7), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12070904 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 199
Abstract
Background/Objectives: A direct link between sensory processing disorder (SPD) and strabismus has not been systematically investigated, though prior studies suggest sensory modulation may influence visual behaviors. Traditional approaches view strabismus through a binary lens—either normal or pathological motor deviation. This report presents a [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: A direct link between sensory processing disorder (SPD) and strabismus has not been systematically investigated, though prior studies suggest sensory modulation may influence visual behaviors. Traditional approaches view strabismus through a binary lens—either normal or pathological motor deviation. This report presents a proof-of-concept case suggesting strabismus may represent a neurobehavioral manifestation of sensory processing imbalance, rooted within the broader framework of SPD. Methods: We report a pediatric case marked by episodic monocular eye closure triggered by environmental stimuli, without identifiable ophthalmologic or neurologic pathology. The child’s symptoms were most consistent with sensory over-responsivity (SOR), a subtype of SPD, manifesting as stimulus-bound monocular eye closure and secondary self-regulatory behaviors. Results: We propose the Fusion Dysregulation Hypothesis, suggesting that exotropia and esotropia represent opposing outcomes along a continuum of sensory connectivity: exotropia arising from neural underwiring (hyporesponsivity and fusion instability), and esotropia from overwiring (hyperresponsivity and excessive fusion drive). Our case, marked by sensory hyperresponsivity, showed frequent monocular eye closure that briefly disrupted but did not impair fusion. This suggests an “overwired” binocular system maintaining single vision despite sensory triggers. In early-onset esotropia, such overconnectivity may become maladaptive, leading to sustained convergence. Conversely, autism spectrum disorder, typically associated with hypoconnectivity, may predispose to exotropia through reduced fusion maintenance. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for interdisciplinary evaluation. We advocate for structured sensory profiling in children presenting with strabismus and, conversely, for ophthalmologic assessment in those diagnosed with SPD. While our findings remain preliminary, they support a bidirectional screening approach and suggest that sensory modulation may play a previously under-recognized role in the spectrum of pediatric strabismus presentations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Children with Specific Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Assessment and Intervention (2nd Edition))
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