Search Results (95)

Background/Objectives: Emotional interactions between mothers and children are essential for later developmental outcomes such as children’s health, social competence, and language skills. However, an observational assessment of such interactions cannot reveal how mothers perceive their relationships with their children. Therefore, in this study, we translated and validated the Japanese version of the Emotional Availability Self-Report (EA-SR-J) and examined its factor structure, reliability, and validity. Methods: The participants were 739 Japanese mothers with children aged from 1 month to 5 years and 11 months. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed 19 items and four factors (Affect Quality, Hostility, Mutual Attunement, and Child Involvement with Parent) for the EA-SR-J. However, Intrusiveness was removed, and some items were assigned to different factors compared with the original scale. Cronbach’s alpha of each subscale ranged from 0.81 to 0.88, indicating sufficient internal consistency. The convergent validity of the scale was confirmed with expected correlations with variables related to attachment and child-rearing style. Discriminant validity was confirmed by group differences in variables related to children’s autism spectrum disorder symptoms and mothers’ depression symptoms. Conclusions: Although the EA-SR-J contains fewer items than the original scale, with the Intrusiveness item removed, it remains a reliable and valid tool. Further studies using the Emotional Availability Scale based on observation are needed in the future. Full article

Narrative therapy generally avoids medical language and diagnostic labels, instead emphasizing collaborative dialogue centered on values and strengths. How does this approach apply to children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the most common neurodevelopmental condition? This study presents the first scoping review on this topic. A systematic search of five databases (APA PsycNET, PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, and Google Scholar) identified 24 records meeting the inclusion criteria. Four key insights emerged relating to the therapies: (1) philosophical foundations; (2) unique perspective on ADHD; (3) practical interventions (e.g., externalizing and separating the problem from the child, identifying ‘sparkling moments’); (4) reported effectiveness. Further research is recommended to evaluate the therapy’s empirical impact and explore its potential to empower children by co-creating a ‘health-side story’ that shifts focus from problems to strengths, relationships, and values. Full article

Background/Objectives: There is scientific evidence showing that body- and/or body weight-related blaming, guilting, and shaming continue to be both promoted and tolerated in many societal contexts, including schools and healthcare settings. A deeply ingrained belief still prevails among many individuals that inducing these negative emotions can serve as a motivator for children and adolescents to engage in obesity treatment. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to examine these emotions (blame, guilt, shame) in relation to body weight and their impact on psychological functioning within the pediatric population affected by overweight and obesity. Methods: Articles were searched up using PubMed and Web of Science in June 2023 and March 2025. The search was conducted without limiting the years of publication. The inclusion criteria included the following: (1) pediatric samples, (2) full text available, and (3) original research articles. Articles were excluded if they were editorials, letters, replies from authors, review articles, and articles without a full text. Results: The initial search returned 199 results. A total of 16 articles were included in the study. Analysis of the collected records revealed associations between body- or weight-related blame, guilt, and shame and various aspects of psychological functioning in the pediatric population such as (a) interpersonal context (e.g., social stigma, bullying, teasing history, social connectedness, weight-related language used by parents in conversations with children and adolescents; (b) intrapsychic context—relationship with eating and food (e.g., binge eating, dietary restraint, emotional eating, and the risk of developing eating disorders); (c) intrapsychic context—self-perception (e.g., self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, self-compassion, self-efficacy, perceived control); (d) intrapsychic context—emotional functioning (e.g., emotional distress, anxiety, depression, emotion regulation strategies); and (e) intrapsychic context—additional psychological factors (e.g., mindfulness, quality of life, willingness to seek help, and motivation for both help-seeking and sustaining successful lifestyle changes). Conclusions: Understanding the dynamics of body- and/or weight-related blame, guilt, and shame among children and adolescents with overweight and obesity is essential for developing effective support systems that enhance their well-being and psychological resilience in both the prevention and treatment of obesity. Further research is needed to explore the relationships between body- and weight-related blame, guilt, and shame and psychological functioning in pediatric populations with overweight and obesity, including the dynamics of child–parent–healthcare provider interactions, the context of parenting skills and attitudes that support the child during obesity treatment, the long-term consequences of body- and weight-related blame, guilt, and shame, the relationship between healthcare providers’ tendencies to engage in body- and weight-related shaming or blaming and their communication skills and mental well-being (e.g., levels of professional burnout, emotion regulation skills, and personality traits), as well as the influence of social media on body- and weight-related shame, guilt, and blame. Full article

Background: Griffiths III is a child-friendly and play-oriented direct gold-standard measure of a 0–6-year-old child’s developmental profile. It is a measure that helps practitioners in detecting the weaknesses in children who have an increased likelihood or a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders, e.g., autism. Objectives: Following the PICO protocol, two research questions addressed the current systematic search and review (Prospero registration: CRD42024554286): What is(are) the main developmental domain(s) evaluated by Griffiths III impaired in autism? (RQ1); Using Griffiths III, what is(are) the main developmental domain(s) improved after an autism-specific early intervention? (RQ2). Methods: Six studies have been reviewed: three case–control studies, a case report study, and two studies examining the effectiveness of early autism-specific interventions. According to the study design, the methodological quality was evaluated using three standardised protocols: STROBE; JBI; CEC. Results: The results highlighted that the Language and Communication and Personal–Social–Emotional domains are the most impaired in autistic children and in those with an increased likelihood (RQ1). The results outlined that early target intervention enhanced the same domains (RQ2). Conclusions: In conclusion, the findings highlight the importance of screening not only for autism traits but also for impairments in language, communication, and socio-emotional skills. The future direction of the results is discussed. Full article

Background/Objective: This retrospective observational study describes the social, health, and psychological conditions of children living in a disadvantaged and degraded suburb of Rome Metropolitan City during the COVID-19 pandemic as registered by the primary healthcare service of the Solidarity Medicine Institute, with the aim of fighting social exclusion and health disparities during lockdown and offering free health care to vulnerable families. Methods: The access to pediatric interventions was assessed from April 2020 to December 2022. For each child, biometric parameters were recorded, and the physical and psychological states of health were assessed. Furthermore, data regarding family socio-economic variables were collected. Results: From April 2020 to December 2022, 638 children, aged 0 to 18 years, had access to the healthcare system, which was provided by the Solidarity Medicine Institute, with a total of 2300 pediatric visits. Moreover, food supplements, drugs, and hygiene kits that were necessary for the containment of the COVID-19 infection were freely distributed at the center. The highest proportion of children included in this study were from African and Eastern European families (46% and 35.8%, respectively), and 41% of these children did not have a pediatrician from the public health service. Children aged 0 to 5 years comprised 50.81% of the entire population of this study. Nutritional status assessment indicated that among the 117 infants aged 0–12 months, 5.7% were below the 3rd weight percentile, while 28.9% exceeded the 85th weight percentile. BMI assessment for children aged 2 years and older (i.e., 521 children) indicated that 21.7% of these children were overweight, and 9.5% were obese. Sixty-nine cases of psychiatric disorders were also detected among these children, with a high frequency of cases of Specific Language Disorder (31.8%), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (21.7%), and Specific Learning Disorder (14.5%). Psychiatric and rehabilitative interventions were also offered. Conclusions: The Solidarity Medicine Institute responded to the request of the municipality of Rome to remain open and offer social and health assistance to the most vulnerable people during the pandemic. The Solidarity Medicine Institute has efficaciously served a fragile pediatric population, intercepting social, health, and psychological needs and overcoming social exclusion, health disparity, and the fragmentation of welfare services exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

Introduction: Dyslexia is a prevalent learning disorder that significantly affects the child population. It is often accompanied by deficits in language processes, cognition, and executive functioning, all of which are crucial for reading development. Children with dyslexia frequently exhibit difficulties in phonological processing, semantics, morphosyntax, and also in cognitive areas such as working memory, inhibition, planning, and attention. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to compare the linguistic, cognitive, and executive functioning abilities between children diagnosed with dyslexia and those with typical reading development. Methodology: A total of 120 children were selected and divided into two groups: the G-DYSLEXIA group (n = 60), consisting of children diagnosed with dyslexia, and the G-CONTROL group (n = 60), with typical reading development. Language, cognition, and executive functions were assessed using standardized tests: CELF-5, WISC-V, and ENFEN. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, and Chi-square tests to compare the performance between these two groups. Results: The study revealed significant differences between the two groups in all dimensions assessed. Specifically, children with dyslexia showed markedly lower performance in linguistic, cognitive, and executive functioning measures compared with their peers with typical development. Conclusion: Children with dyslexia present a distinct clinical profile characterized by significant difficulties in language processing, cognition, and executive functions. These challenges interfere with their reading acquisition and academic performance, limiting their integration into educational environments and impacting their overall quality of life. Full article

Objective: Despite the UK national guidance for Managing Emergencies in Eating Disorders (MEED) being widely used, little is known about how the guidance has been embedded into clinical practice or implemented across services. Methods: Clinicians (n = 13) working in community child and adolescent eating disorder services and medical wards were interviewed about their experience of using the MEED guidance in their clinical practice. Open-ended questions were used. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse interview data. Results: Reflexive thematic analysis of responses identified three main themes. These were the following: (1) a common language, (2) looking beneath the surface, and (3) refeeding syndrome—a rare event in youth. These themes evidenced the important role of the MEED guidance in child and adolescent eating disorders and highlighted both the benefits and limitations of the current guidance. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that MEED was most helpful as a tool to clearly communicate acuity of medical risks between services, aiding multi-agency working required to manage both physical and mental health risks of young people with AN. The absence of parameter risk stratification and the lack of consistency on refeeding guidance across adolescent and adult guidance were highlighted as areas that future research should focus on. Full article

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is currently classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder with increasing prevalence year by year. One of the key characteristics of this population is the persistent and variable difficulty they present in the development of functional language. For this reason, most individuals with ASD are candidates for linguistic treatment, especially during the early stages of development. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an individualized and intensive oral language and communication intervention. Method: This research was conducted through a case study of a 5-year-old Spanish-speaking child diagnosed with ASD. The child’s family sought intensive speech therapy to address articulation difficulties that were affecting speech intelligibility. However, a linguistic intervention program was proposed that would cover work in all areas of language. A comprehensive assessment of the child’s language and communication skills was carried out by a team of five professionals. Following this, an individualized intervention was implemented for 27 h per week over a period of 4 weeks. After this period, the child’s linguistic skills were reassessed. Results: The results show that the proposed intervention not only improved articulation skills. Conclusion: It is important to conduct a detailed analysis of each case and design individualized interventions that directly impact the effectiveness of treatments. Full article

Diversity is understood as a significant advantage for inclusive learning. However, the questions of whether linguistic and communicative diversity in the classroom is truly beneficial and whether mutually linguistic support is effective between students with and without language impairments have not yet been answered comprehensively. Therefore, within the research project ‘LINUS—Learners in Inclusive Settings’, interactions between children (n = 48; aged 6 y 7 m to 7 y 7 m) in dyads in primary school were videotaped and micro-sequentially analyzed. The pairs of children were engaged in a 15 min playful framework within a quasi-experimental design. Based on quantitative language corpus analyses, the occurrence of linguistic elements was compared between pairs of children with (a) typical age-appropriate language acquisition, (b) developmental language disorders, and (c) heterogeneous settings with respect to backgrounds of language acquisition. Additionally, quantitative coding was used to analyze how often linguistic elements were productively imitated from one child to the other in different peer settings. The results show that there is a higher potential for mutually motivated communication and more resources for linguistic support in mixed dyads. From this study, specific principles for teachers and students can be drawn to foster linguistic support between children in the context of diversity. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the initial clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with intentional head trauma (IHT) to obtain information about the long-term developmental, psychological, and psychosocial status of these children, to detect delayed sequelae, and to find out information about their judicial processes. Materials and Methods: Fourteen children who were followed up with the diagnosis of IHT in the Ankara Child Protection Unit between 2010 and 2021 were included in the study. These cases were evaluated in terms of physical, developmental, psychological, and visual findings. A complete physical examination was performed on the patients and their anthropometric measurements were taken. Anterior and posterior segment evaluations and visual field examinations were conducted in the visual assessment. The Expanded Guide for Monitoring Child Development and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale Third Edition was used in the developmental assessment. A psychiatric evaluation was performed using the Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory, Crowell observation, Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Form, and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Results: Of the patients diagnosed with IHT, 71.4% were male and the mean age was 8.39 ± 5.86 (1.27–22.30; IQR: 3.55–11.96) months. In the long-term follow-up, cerebral palsy was detected in three of the children, epilepsy in one, optic atrophy and deviation due to this in one, and deviation due to brain trauma in one. Motor delay was detected in 50.0% of the patients, language delay in 37.5%, cognitive delay in 37.5%, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in 25%. It was observed that the people who caused the injuries of two patients were punished. Conclusions: Children diagnosed with IHT should be monitored with transdisciplinary methods in terms of physical and mental health throughout childhood, starting from the first intervention. Awareness of IHT diagnosis should be increased with training in social service approaches and judicial authorities providing services for child neglect and abuse. Full article

Background/Objectives: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders marked by challenges in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. People with ASD may exhibit repetitive behaviors, unique ways of learning, and different ways of interacting with the world. The term “spectrum” reflects the wide variability in how ASD manifests in individuals, including differences in abilities, symptoms, and support needs, and conditions characterized by difficulties in social interactions, communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology, with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid. Previous studies with transcranial magnetic stimulation have shown promising results, suggesting nervous system susceptibility to electromagnetic fields, with evidence indicating that extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) treatment may modulate inflammatory responses through multiple pathways, including the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-α, and the enhancement of anti-inflammatory mediators. Methods: This pilot study included 20 children (ages 2–13) with a confirmed diagnosis of ASD. A 15-week protocol involved ELF-EMF treatments using the SEQEX device, with specific day and night programs. Assessment was conducted through standardized pre- and post-treatment tests: Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4, Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test-4, and Conner’s 3GI. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in receptive language (PPVT-4: from 74.07 to 90.40, p = 0.002) and expressive language (EOWPVT-4: from 84.17 to 90.50, p = 0.041). Notable reductions, with statistical significance, were found in externalizing problems across both age groups (1.5–5 years: p = 0.028; 6–18 years: p = 0.027), with particular improvement in attention and behavioral problems. The results were observed over a short period of 15 weeks, therefore excluding the possibility of coincidental age-related gains, that would typically occur during a normal developmental timeframe. Parent evaluations showed significant reduction in ASD symptoms, particularly in the 1.5–5 years group (p = 0.046). Conclusions: ELF-EMF treatment demonstrated a high safety profile and efficacy in mitigating ASD-related symptoms. The observed improvements suggest both direct effects on central and autonomic nervous systems and indirect effects through inflammatory response modulation. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results through broader demographics and randomized control designs. Full article

Background: Children with a developmental language disorder (DLD) frequently experience deficits in cognitive skills such as working memory (WM) and sustained attention (SA), which are closely related to language development. Yet, these cognitive deficits remain underexplored in early childhood, particularly during the preschool years. Objective: This study explores WM and SA in Chilean preschoolers with a DLD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers, using the nonverbal tasks “Torpo the Clumsy Mole” for WM and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT) “Duno and the Worms” for SA, both from the Child Neuropsychological Evaluation Test (TENI in Spanish). Method: Thirty DLD and 30 TLD peers (aged 4 to 4 years 11 months) participated. Accuracy and reaction times in both tasks were assessed. Results: The children with a DLD demonstrated significant deficits in working memory accuracy and poorer sustained attention accuracy despite exhibiting shorter reaction times in the sustained attention task compared to TLD children. Conclusions: The findings highlight the multifaceted nature of a DLD, particularly in relation to cognitive dimensions beyond language, such as working memory and sustained attention. Early identification of these differences emphasizes the important role of executive functions in DLDs. Full article

The association between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gender dysphoria (GD) has attracted a great deal of interest among child and adolescent psychiatrists in Japan. In clinical settings, it is common to hear complaints or concerns related to GD from adolescents with ASD. In the past few years, several review articles have been published on ASD and GD. The Initial Clinical Guidelines for co-occurring ASD and GD in adolescents were published in 2018, suggesting the increasing need of intervention for these conditions worldwide. Although a large amount of evidence has been accumulated regarding the co-occurrence of ASD and GD, all review articles were based solely on case reports and articles published in English. In this article, we performed a bilingual literature review using English- and Japanese-language literature databases. We found 13 case reports in English and 11 case reports in Japanese. The Japanese literature included articles on gender-related symptoms in ASD, but not limited to ASD with comorbid GD. Wattel and her colleagues proposed 15 theories on the link between ASD and GD. We classified the reported cases into one or more of the fifteen theories proposed by Wattel. These theories seemed useful in understanding the co-occurrence of ASD and GD, especially in AMAB cases. Wattel’s 15 theories are categorized into biological, psychological, and social factors, respectively. With regard to the social factors, we discussed Japanese school culture and psychological burden among gender-dysphoric students. Further studies are awaited. Full article

Background/Objective: Learning difficulties (LDs) are lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders with multifactorial causes, including perinatal factors like mode of delivery. This study aims to explore whether cesarean section (CS) delivery is linked to the occurrence of specific learning disabilities (SLDs), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or their comorbidity. Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed via Google Forms to Greek mothers and parents of children with and without diagnoses, shared through school-related groups and various Greek pages focused on child development, special education, and learning difficulties. Conducted over eight months (October 2023–May 2024), this cross-sectional study involved 256 children, 137 with LDs diagnoses, and 119 controls. Results: In total, 59.9% of CS-born children had a diagnosis, compared to 40.1% of those born vaginally (X²(1) = 4.19, p = 0.045). CS delivery was associated with a 68% increased likelihood of LDs (OR = 1.68, 95% CI [1.02, 2.76]), with higher risks for ADHD (OR = 2.25, 95% CI [1.06, 4.79]) and comorbid SLD/ADHD diagnoses (OR = 2.75, 95% CI [1.17, 6.46]). Stratified analyses showed birthweight and gestational age as effect modifiers rather than confounders. Key postnatal risk factors identified were family history (OR = 4.65, 95% CI [2.41, 8.94]) and language acquisition difficulties (OR = 5.28, 95% CI [1.36, 20.47]). Conclusions: The findings suggest a possible association between CS and LDs, along with a novel link between CS and increased comorbidities. These results underscore the need for further research and provide valuable insights into how CS delivery may influence the risk of LDs, depending on the type of diagnosis. Full article

Background: Gestures or manual signing are valid options for augmentative and alternative communication. However, the data in the literature are limited to a few neurodevelopmental disorders, and less is known about its application in the community setting. Objectives: This case report explores the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of tact training with augmentative gestural support intervention for a child affected by a language disorder with challenging behaviors in a community setting. Methods: Baseline assessments were conducted using the Verbal Behavior Milestone Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale-III (GMDS-III). The patient received six months of standard treatment, consisting of neuropsychomotor and speech therapy each twice a week, with improved cooperation in proposed activities, but no improvement in language. Afterward, a total of 24 sessions of tact training with augmentative gestural support interventions were performed. Data were collected by two independent observers and analyzed to measure language and behavioral outcomes. Results: VB-MAPP scores increased form minimal communication and social interaction at T0 (baseline) to improved compliance but unchanged language skills at T1 (after standard therapy). After tack training with augmentative gestural support (T2), VB-MAPP scores showed significant improvements, with notable increases in verbal operants, independence in communication, and intersubjectivity skills. GMDS-III scores at T2 also demonstrated growth in social, communicative, and cognitive skills. Additionally, challenging behaviors were reduced by more than 70% and nearly resolved by the end of the intervention. Conclusions: Personalized approaches appear to be essential for interventions tailored to developmental age. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these approaches for other neurodevelopmental disorders, identify patient characteristics that may be predictors of outcomes to tailor the intervention, and explore the generalization of the results obtained with these strategies. Full article