1. Alhamid AAH, Alabdullah H, Mohaisen MAB, Atia M, Homsi M, Alokla AH, Sleiay M, Takkem S. Beyond the murmur: unmasking a rare sinus venosus ASD in an adolescent with chronic respiratory infections: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025; 104(43): e45437.

RATIONALE: Overall, 5% to 10% of all atrial septal defects (ASDs) are of the sinus venosus type, a rare congenital disease. This defect must be identified and treated immediately since it might cause significant left atrial dilatation and dyspnea. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 15-year-old male presented with previously undetected sinus venosus type ASD. The patient arrived with a high-grade heart murmur and a history of recurring respiratory illnesses. DIAGNOSES: A clinical examination identified a 3/6 systolic ejection murmur in the second left intercostal gap and a fixed split second heart sound. Electrocardiography revealed sinus rhythm with partial right bundle branch block, while echocardiography indicated considerable enlargement of the right atrium and right ventricle, accompanied by a D-shaped left ventricle. A sinus venosus type ASD with an inferior vena cava-right atrial shunt was verified. INTERVENTIONS: The patient had surgical closure of the defect via midline sternotomy, thereafter gaining access to the right atrium and performing pericardial patch repair. OUTCOMES: Two months postoperatively, the patient’s right ventricular diameters and pulmonary artery pressures were significantly diminished (25-30 mm Hg), and his overall status was excellent. LESSONS: Sinus venosus type ASD is an infrequent etiology of persistent respiratory problems in adolescents. Early detection by thorough clinical and echocardiographic assessment, followed by timely surgical intervention, may lead to superior functional recovery and improved long-term quality of life.

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2. Chen D, Yang X, Jiao D, Chen X, Xiao W, Zheng J, Li YX, Bao C, Li Y, Xu B, Yuan M. Electroacupuncture ameliorates Autism Spectrum Disorder via modulating the gut-brain axis depending on the integrity of vagus nerve. Transl Psychiatry. 2025; 15(1): 428.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disease characterized by behavioral and neurological abnormalities. Numerous pieces of evidence indicate a strong association between ASD and neuroinflammation mediated by gut microbiota and microglial activation. Previous studies have shown that the therapeutic effects of an acupuncture protocol targeting the bacteria-gut-brain axis in a well-established ASD mouse model induced by prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA). We demonstrated that electroacupuncture significantly alleviates behavioral symptoms in VPA model. However, the precise mechanisms remain insufficiently elucidated. In this study, we confirmed that electroacupuncture markedly improved behavioral symptoms in ASD mice. We conducted gut microbiota transplantation from electroacupuncture-treated mice to untreated ASD mice, improving behavioral outcomes in untreated ASD mice. Conversely, by transplanting gut microbiota from ASD mice into electroacupuncture-treated mice, we successfully mitigated the beneficial behavioral effects of acupuncture. We analyzed inflammatory markers in the microglial activation from cerebral cortex and hippocampus tissues, revealing that acupuncture exerts robust anti-neuroinflammatory effects in ASD mice. To further validate the mechanism, we performed vagotomy in ASD mice, which abolished the therapeutic benefits of acupuncture. Our findings establish that the behavioral improvements observed in ASD mice are intricately linked to the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota. Furthermore, regulatory effects of electroacupuncture on ASD behaviors are mediated via bacteria-gut-brain axis, dependent on intact vagus nerve signaling. This study provides compelling evidence for the potential of acupuncture to modulate central neuroinflammation through vagus nerve-mediated gut microbiota regulation, offering novel avenue into its therapeutic application for neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD.

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3. Hamdi F, Oviedo GR, Nunes R, Di Pinto G, Bovolon L, Rosito SA, Bertollo M. Physical activity mentoring programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A scoping review. J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2025: 1-14.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity and mentorship programs provide several benefits for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This article seeks to provide guidelines for the development of mentoring interventions to support physical activity for this group of people. METHOD: An interpretative scoping review was implemented. Eligible studies involved people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mentors, mentees or program beneficiaries of physical activity-related mentoring. RESULTS: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Mentoring was linked with improved personal factors, enhancement in environmental bindings, and healthier behaviours. Common barriers included caregiver over-protection, transportation limitations, and insufficient mentor-mentee ratios. CONCLUSION: Effective physical activity mentoring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities hinges on balancing personal development with supportive social and physical environments. Integrating face-to-face and e-mentoring components may broaden reach and sustainability. Future work should prioritise rigorous trial designs and consistent reporting of FITT principles to refine evidence-based guidelines.

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4. Kajimoto H, Burch G, Bhamidipati CM, Wichern C, Lutz K, Marbach JA, Wakeman K, McGrath LB. Recurrent Right Atrial Thrombus After Percutaneous ASD Closure. JACC Case Rep. 2025; 30(33): 105591.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous device closure is the preferred approach for closing secundum atrial septal defects (ASDs), offering a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. Although generally safe, device-related thrombus formation is a rare but serious complication, with limited evidence guiding diagnosis and management. CASE SUMMARY: We present a case of a 35-year-old woman who underwent percutaneous device closure of a secundum ASD. She developed intermittent fevers within 48 hours postprocedure, though initial work-up was negative. Three months later, a routine transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a mobile mass attached to the ASD device. She underwent AngioVac thrombectomy, but recurrence of thrombus required surgical removal of the device and ASD patch closure. DISCUSSION: This case highlights a rare but serious complication of ASD device closure, underscoring the importance of vigilant follow-up and individualized antithrombotic strategies. TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: Recurrent thrombus formation after ASD device closure is rare but may necessitate surgical intervention in high-risk patients. Individualized risk assessment, including prothrombotic states and residual shunting, should guide postprocedural antithrombotic strategies.

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5. Kim YK, Kim YJ, Lee S, Park PG. Impact of breastfeeding at 4-6 months of age on preschool neurodevelopmental outcomes: a nationwide population-based study. Eur J Pediatr. 2025; 184(11): 715.

Small-scale and regional observational and interventional studies have reported associations between breastfeeding and healthier development as well as higher IQ in children. However, these findings have not been validated in large nationwide cohorts. We used nationwide data from the Korean National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children (NHSPIC). The study analyzed the impact of feeding type, reported during the first NHSPIC exam at 4-6 months of age, on the occurrence of developmental delays in the preschool period using regression analysis. We adjusted for multiple covariates including sex, place of residence, economic status, prematurity or low birth weight, and the result of the neonatal hearing exam. Developmental status was further specified to six domains: gross motor, fine motor, cognition, language, sociality, and self-care skills. Among the 1,769,897 children, exclusive breastfeeding (aOR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.67-0.72) and mixed feeding (aOR 0.83; 95% CI, 0.80-0.86) during the age of 4 to 6 months were associated with a significantly lower risk of developmental delay in the preschool period compared to exclusive formula feeding. These associations were consistent across six developmental domains and remained robust in various subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In this nationwide cohort study, breastfeeding during the age of 4 to 6 months was dose-dependently associated with a reduced risk of developmental delays during the preschool years. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Breastfeeding has been linked to better neurodevelopment in small-scale or regional studies. • Evidence from large nationwide cohorts has been lacking. WHAT IS NEW: • In a Korean nationwide cohort of 1.7 million children, breastfeeding at 4-6 months was dose-dependently associated with lower risks of developmental delay. • The protective association was consistent across six developmental domains and robust in subgroup/sensitivity analyses.

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6. Lahav Y, Shalev A. Behind the Scenes: Affiliate Stigma and Posttraumatic Distress Among Mothers of Children With Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Stress Health. 2025; 41(5): e70118.

Mothers of children with neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and mental health disorders, are at risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to exposure to trauma related to their children’s upbringing. Additionally, research suggests that these mothers may develop affiliate stigma, meaning they internalise the stigmatisation associated with their children, which may further heighten their vulnerability to trauma. However, this supposition has not yet been tested. Bridging this knowledge gap, this cross-sectional study explored the role of affiliate stigma in the relationship between the number of traumatic events and PTSS in mothers of children with autism and mental health disorders. An online survey was conducted among Israeli mothers using self-report measures. The sample consisted of 1448 mothers: 208 mothers of children with autism or mental health disorders, and 1240 mothers of children without disabilities. Results indicated that mothers of children with autism or mental health disorders were exposed to a greater number of traumatic events and exhibited elevated PTSS compared to mothers of children without disabilities. Affiliate stigma was associated with PTSS and moderated the relationship between the number of traumatic events and intrusion and hyperarousal symptoms: although the number of traumatic events explained increased intrusion and hyperarousal symptoms, this effect was stronger under conditions of high affiliate stigma. The present results suggest that mothers of children with neuropsychiatric disorders who internalise stigmatisation regarding their children may be particularly vulnerable to posttraumatic distress. Therefore, clinical interventions targeting affiliate stigma may be imperative for this population.

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7. Patel SD, Rollins PR. Leveraging Mutual Gaze to Facilitate Social Attention in Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

BACKGROUND: Social orienting (SO) and coordinated joint attention (CJA) are early-emerging social attention skills that are often challenging for young autistic children. Mutual gaze is increasingly recognized as a developmentally meaningful behavior that facilitates these social attention skills. This study examined the influence of mutual gaze-a core component of the Pathways Early Autism Intervention (Pathways)-on SO and CJA, both individually and combined within a unified measure. METHODS: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from 47 autistic children (18-47 months) who participated in a prior randomized controlled trial evaluating Pathways. Parent-child interaction videos were coded for SO and CJA at baseline and post-intervention. Principal component analysis was used to combine SO and CJA into a unified measure. Hierarchical regression analyses assessed the effects of intervention group on the unified and individual measures of SO and CJA. RESULTS: Children receiving Pathways demonstrated significant gains on the unified measure of SO and CJA, as well as on SO individually, compared to children in the services-as-usual group. No significant intervention effect was found for individual measure of CJA. CONCLUSIONS: This study advances theoretical understanding of how mutual gaze interventions may differentially influence components of early social attention. The results suggest that short-term interventions implementing mutual gaze strategies may more readily support improvements in SO, an early-developing perceptual-affective skill, than in CJA, which may require more time or scaffolding to change. These findings underscore the clinical value of targeting mutual gaze to promote foundational social attention skills in young autistic children.

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8. Rysstad AL, Skoglund J, Kildahl AN. Self-injurious behaviours and mental health in autistic adults with severe intellectual disabilities: An explorative clinical study. J Intellect Disabil. 2025: 17446295251392061.

BACKGROUND: Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) is a serious and persistent phenomenon affecting a substantial proportion of autistic individuals. Autistic individuals with severe intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders may be at increased risk of engaging in SIB. However, knowledge is limited concerning the relationship between mental health and SIB in this population. METHODS: Multimodal, comprehensive mental health assessments of 10 autistic adults with severe intellectual disabilities and severe and persistent SIB were conducted, following current recommendations and including multiple assessment tools. RESULTS: All participants were diagnosed with a mental health disorder. While all participants had displayed SIB for decades (M = 22.80 years), for 8/10 participants, co-occurring mental health disorders had not been previously assessed or diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Persistent SIB in autistic people with severe intellectual disabilities may be associated with unmet mental health needs. These results highlight the importance of conducting comprehensive mental health assessments in these individuals.

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9. Wei N, Chung CH, Zinn I, Wolff MS, Li C. Current Orthodontic Education Status on Treating Patients With ASD and/or ADHD in North America. J Dent Educ. 2025.

OBJECTIVES: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with specific dental and behavioral attributes, particularly in children, that necessitate special attention from healthcare providers. This study examines the training provided in postgraduate orthodontic programs in North America regarding the treatment of patients with ASD and/or ADHD. METHODS: A multiple-choice online survey was sent via Qualtrics requesting the anonymous participation of program directors/chairs of all 75 postgraduate orthodontic programs in North America. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 38.7% with 29 complete responses. Of the respondents, only 6.9% (two) had specific protocols to treat these patients in their postgraduate clinics. Most respondents did not teach about malocclusion differences (72.4%), other dental differences (55.2%), patient behavior management strategies (37.9%), or guardian communication strategies (65.5%) for patients with ASD and/or ADHD. Of the 20 programs that treat patients with ASD and/or ADHD in their postgraduate clinics, 60.0% of the respondents reported that they do not have specific requirements for faculty member(s) who provide clinical instructions on managing these patients. For the 13 programs that offer lectures on treating patients with ASD and/or ADHD, predominantly faculty member(s) with a craniofacial fellowship or faculty member(s) with more clinical experience in this area give the lectures. CONCLUSION: Few North American postgraduate orthodontic programs provide systematic education about treating patients with ASD and/or ADHD. There needs to be more consistency in the curriculum content. A standardized and systematic education curriculum is necessary to better prepare postgraduate trainees for treating children with ASD and/or ADHD.

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