1. {{Depression and SSRI use in pregnancy associated with traits of autism in children}}. {BMJ};2014;349:g4989.
2. Alkahtani ZM, Stark PC, Loo CY, Wright WG, Morgan JP. {{Saudi and u.s. Dental student attitudes toward treating individuals with developmental disabilities}}. {J Dent Educ};2014 (Aug);78(8):1145-1153.
This study was conducted to compare the attitudes of senior dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) in Boston, Massachusetts, about providing dental care to individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). Two subsequent classes of senior dental students at both universities were surveyed using a pretested, validated, online questionnaire. The students’ demographic and educational data were collected, along with information about their experience, training, and attitudes toward this population. Two hundred and fourteen students responded to the online survey, for a response rate of 35 percent (51 percent for KAU students and 21 percent for TUSDM students). Students at TUSDM had more training, more experience, and more positive attitudes toward individuals with DD compared to KAU students (p<0.05). Students who reported having previous experience with individuals with DD had more positive attitudes than students who reported no experience with these individuals (p<0.05). Students who reported being prepared to treat individuals with DD had more positive attitudes than students who reported not being prepared (p<0.05). These findings suggest an association between predoctoral education in the treatment of individuals with special needs and having positive attitudes toward providing oral health care to individuals with DD.
3. De la Marche W, Noens I, Kuppens S, Spilt JL, Boets B, Steyaert J. {{Measuring quantitative autism traits in families: informant effect or intergenerational transmission?}}. {Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry};2014 (Aug 3)
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a high degree of heritability, but there is still much debate about specific causal genes and pathways. To gain insight into patterns of transmission, research has focused on the relatedness of quantitative autism traits (QAT) between family members, mostly using questionnaires. Yet, different kinds of bias may influence research results. In this paper, we focus on possible informant effects and, taking these into account, on possible intergenerational transmission of QAT. This study used multiple informant data retrieved via the Social Responsiveness Scale from 170 families with at least one member with ASD. Using intraclass correlations (ICCs) and mixed model analyses, we investigated inter-informant agreement and differences between parent and teacher reports on children and between self- and other-reports on adults. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), we investigated the relatedness of QAT between family members in ASD families. Parent-teacher agreement about social responsiveness was poor, especially for children with ASD, though agreement between parents was moderate to strong for affected and unaffected children. Agreement between self- and other-report in adult men was good, but only moderate in women. Agreement did not differ between adults with and without ASD. While accounting for informant effects, our SEM results corroborated the assortative mating theory and the intergenerational transmission of QAT from both fathers and mothers to their offspring.
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4. Duan G, Chen J, Yao M, Ma Y, Zhang W. {{Perinatal and background risk factors for childhood autism in central China}}. {Psychiatry Res};2014 (Jun 24)
Perinatal and background risk factors for autism were identified in a cohort of autistic children in Zhengzhou, China, to formulate preventative and treatment strategies for high-risk families. In this case-control study, children were screened for suspected autism using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and diagnosed according to DSM-IV and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). We collected perinatal histories and clinical data of 286 confirmed autistic children treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital Childrens Psychological Clinic of Zhengzhou University from 2011 to 2013. The control group consisted of 286 healthy children from area kindergartens. Maternal age>30 years, parental introversion as measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, low level of parental education, smoking, abortion threat, pregnancy complications, maternal illness during pregnancy, maternal mental health, family history of mental illness, neonatal jaundice, birth asphyxia, premature rupture of the fetal membrane, and gestational age<37 weeks were significantly higher in the autism group. These factors were significantly correlated with behavioral symptoms as measured by ABC scores (Kendall rank correlation). Birth asphyxia, neonatal jaundice, maternal age, parental introversion, family history of mental illness, abortion threat, premature delivery, and smoking were identified as independent risk factors by multivariate logistic regression.
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5. Hansen BD, Wadsworth JP, Roberts MR, Poole TN. {{Effects of naturalistic instruction on phonological awareness skills of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities}}. {Res Dev Disabil};2014 (Jul 30);35(11):2790-2801.
This study evaluated the effects of an intervention for teaching phonological awareness skills to kindergarten-age children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The intervention employed a combined multiple treatment and multiple baseline design, embedded in playtime and implemented under naturally occurring conditions. Six children in a special education kindergarten class were taught syllable segmentation, first sound identification, and phoneme segmenting. Results indicated that all children made gains on each skill. Results are discussed in light of current research on phonological awareness intervention for young children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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6. Hughes R, Poon WY, Harvey AS. {{Limited role for routine EEG in the assessment of staring in children with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Arch Dis Child};2014 (Aug 1)
AIM: The assessment of staring episodes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is difficult due to the range of diagnostic possibilities, the increased frequency of epileptiform activity on electroencephalogram (EEG), and the inability of normal EEG to exclude seizures. We reviewed the diagnostic use of routine EEG in this setting. METHOD: The routine EEG database of the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne was searched for recordings during 2005-2010 in children with ASD below 16 years of age who were referred for staring. EEG reports and recordings were reviewed and epileptiform activity was characterised. RESULTS: Ninety-two EEGs in children with ASD were requested for episodes of staring. No child had absence or focal dyscognitive seizures confirmed on EEG. Findings were normal or showed non-epileptiform abnormalities in 80 children. Interictal epileptiform abnormalities were recorded in 12 children, but were judged potentially significant in only three. Seven children had epileptiform activity typical of benign focal epilepsy of childhood, such discharges seen not uncommonly in developmentally normal and delayed children without seizures. INTERPRETATION: Given the difficulties of performing EEG in children with ASD, the low yield of positive diagnostic findings and the high frequency of insignificant abnormalities, we suggest that EEG should be undertaken judiciously when evaluating children with ASD and staring episodes.
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7. Joshi G, Faraone SV, Wozniak J, Tarko L, Fried R, Galdo M, Furtak SL, Biederman J. {{Symptom Profile of ADHD in Youth With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Study in Psychiatrically Referred Populations}}. {J Atten Disord};2014 (Aug 1)
OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical presentation of ADHD between youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD and a sample of youth with ADHD only. METHOD: A psychiatrically referred sample of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) youth with ADHD attending a specialized ambulatory program for ASD (n = 107) and a sample of youth with ADHD attending a general child psychiatry ambulatory clinic (n = 74) were compared. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of youth with ASD met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) criteria for ADHD. The clinical presentation of ADHD in youth with ASD was predominantly similar to its typical presentation including age at onset (3.5 +/- 1.7 vs. 4.0 +/- 1.9; p = .12), distribution of diagnostic subtypes, the qualitative and quantitative symptom profile, and symptom severity. Combined subtype was the most frequent presentation of ADHD in ASD youth. CONCLUSION: Despite the robust presentation of ADHD, a significant majority of ASD youth with ADHD failed to receive appropriate ADHD treatment (41% vs. 24%; p = .02). A high rate of comorbidity with ADHD was observed in psychiatrically referred youth with ASD, with a clinical presentation typical of the disorder.
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8. Mikami K, Onishi Y, Matsumoto H. {{Attempted suicide of an adolescent with autism spectrum disorder}}. {Int J Psychiatry Med};2014;47(3):263-271.
Although the suicide risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been suggested to be higher than previously recognized, there are few case reports focusing on the process for preventing suicide reattempts. We reported that a 17-year-old male who had attempted suicide by jumping was admitted to our emergency department and hospitalized for lumbar spine fracture. In addition to the diagnosis of adjustment disorder, he was diagnosed as ASD according to his life history. This article presents the characteristics of the suicidal behaviors and the process for preventing a suicide reattempt associated with an adolescent with ASD who attempted suicide.
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9. Steenweg-de Graaff J, Ghassabian A, Jaddoe VW, Tiemeier H, Roza SJ. {{Folate concentrations during pregnancy and autistic traits in the offspring. The Generation R Study}}. {Eur J Public Health};2014 (Jul 31)
In a population-based study, we examined the associations of maternal plasma folate concentrations at 13 weeks of gestation and prenatal folic acid supplement use with autistic traits in the offspring at the age of six years. Parent-reported autistic traits were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale short form. Maternal folate was not associated with autistic traits in the offspring. In contrast, prenatal folic acid use was associated with less child autistic traits. Future research should focus on the timing of the potential effect of prenatal folate on the development of autistic traits in combination with clinical diagnosis of autism in the offspring.
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10. Torjesen I. {{Depression and SSRI use in pregnancy associated with traits of autism in children}}. {BMJ};2014;349:g4835.
