The role of suprathreshold auditory processing abilities in children with specific learning disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the suprathreshold auditory processing and speech recognition abilities in noise in children with specific learning disorder (SLD). METHODS: A group of twenty-five children diagnosed with SLD and a control group of twenty-five neuro-typical children were included in the study. All the participants were between 6-11 years old. To evaluate suprathreshold auditory processing abilities, the participants were given the Temporal Fine Structure (TFS) Sensitivity Test and the Temporal Envelope (TE) Sensitivity Test, as well as the Consonant Identification Test, was administered to evaluate speech recognition ability in noise. In addition, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) intelligence test was applied to children with SLD, and the relationship between WISC-IV intelligence test scores in different skills and suprathreshold auditory processing and speech recognition abilities in noise was investigated. RESULTS: Significant differences were found between children diagnosed with SLD and neuro-typical children in terms of suprathreshold auditory processing tasks and speech recognition in noise. Additionally, no correlation was found between suprathreshold auditory processing tasks, speech recognition in noise, and intelligence tests. CONCLUSION: Suprathreshold auditory processing and speech recognition abilities in noise were found to be affected in children with SLD. A holistic evaluation including a multidisciplinary approach that includes suprathreshold auditory processing abilities is required for children diagnosed with SLD.

[Asperger syndrome with highly exceptional calendar memory: a case report]. / Gelismis Takvim Bellegi Becerisi Sergileyen Bir Asperger Sendromu Olgusu.

Some patients with pervasive developmental disorders develop unusual talents, which are characterized as savant syndrome. Herein we present neuropsychological examination and brain imaging (fMRI and brain SPECT) findings of an 18-year-old male with Asperger syndrome and highly unusual calendar memory. Neuropsychological evaluation of the case indicated mild attention, memory, and problem solving deficits, and severe executive function deficits that included conceptualization, category formation, and abstraction. Functional MRI findings showed activation above the baseline level (P<0.05) in the bilateral inferior parietal lobule, precuneus, superior and middle frontal gyri, and medial frontal cortex. Brain SPECT findings, in comparison to rest-SPECT findings, showed that there was hypoperfusion in some brain regions, including the right frontal cortex and right parietal cortex. Baseline blood perfusion in the left frontal cortex was also observed, as well as hypoperfusion in the right parietal-occipital cortex and in the right basal ganglion (compared to the left side). The results of the present study and further research will contribute to our understanding of calendar memory and savant syndrome.

[Motor Proficiency in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Associations with Cognitive Skills and Symptom Severity]. / Dikkat Eksikligi Hiperaktivite Bozuklugu Olan Çocuklarda Motor Yeterlilik: Bilissel Beceriler ve Belirti Siddeti ile Iliskisi.

OBJECTIVES: Of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), 45-70% have motor skill problems, which can adversely affect social competence, peer relations, and academic skills. The aim of this study is to assess motor skills in school-aged children with ADHD, and to elucidate if there are any relationships between ADHD symptoms and cognitive function. METHOD: Included in this study were 58 children (38 ADHD, 20 controls) between 8-11 years of age. Children were diagnosed with ADHD via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children Present and Lifetime Version. The parents were asked to fill out the Conner's' Parent Rating Scale - Revised Short Turkish Form to determine the symptom domains and the symptom severity. The Wechsler Children's Intelligence Scale-IV was used to assess cognitive skills, and the Bruininks -Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test was used to assess motor skills. RESULTS: Children with ADHD had impaired performance in many motor skill areas compared to the controls. Impairments in fine motor skills were correlated with problems in attention, working memory, and processing speed. In the ADHD group, age was not correlated with motor skills enhancement. CONCLUSION: The multistage clinical evaluation of ADHD should include screening for problems in motor skills. If deficiencies are found, the child should be clinically evaluated for motor proficiency and, if necessary, should be referred for appropriate objective assessment and intervention programs.

Psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Senses-Dinç G, Özçelik U, Çak T, Dogru-Ersöz D, Çöp E, Yalçin E, Çengel-Kültür E, Pekcan S, Kiper N, Ünal F. Psychiatric morbidity and quality of life in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis. Turk J Pediatr 2018; 60: 32-40. The aim of this study was to investigate psychiatric disorders, depression and anxiety levels, and quality of life in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), and to compare them with those of children with non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis and healthy controls. A total of 103 children and adolescents aged 7-16 years (35 CF, 28 non-CF bronchiectasis, 40 healthy) were evaluated using The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children (K-SADS), The Child Depression Inventory (CDI), The State-Trait Anxiety Inventories for Children (STAI-C) and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)-C. The three groups were not statistically different with respect to age, sex, and familial sociodemographic variables. 80% of the children and adolescents in the CF group were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, which was significantly more compared to those of the two other groups. The CF group had significantly greater rates of depressive and oppositional defiant disorder and the non-bronchiectasis group had a significantly greater rate of anxiety disorder than the control group. The depression and anxiety symptom levels were significantly greater and the quality of life levels significantly lower in both the CF and non-CF bronchiectasis groups than the healthy controls. In the CF group, the presence of any associated psychiatric disorder led to significantly lower total and psychosocial quality of life scores. In conclusion, CF is associated with poorer QOL in childhood. In order to improve quality of life in CF, the psychiatric conditions of children and adolescents should also be evaluated and their follow-up and treatment should involve a multidisciplinary team approach.

Demographic and clinical features of child abuse and neglect cases.

The aim of this study was to present child abuse and neglect (CAN) cases of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. The charts of all the patients seen at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic between 2000 and 2004 were screened regarding the presence of CAN. The mean age of the children was 10.9 years. The offender was generally an extra-familial acquaintance (40.7%). The most common type of abuse was sexual (77.8%) and the most common associated types of abuse were physical and sexual (7.4%). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was observed as the most common psychiatric diagnosis (22.2%). Abuse types in relation to age and gender of abused child, risk factors and associated psychopathologies are discussed. Issues related to legislative process and ecology of the abuse experience are mentioned as restrictions for the prevention and treatment of CAN.

[Relationship between the Psychiatric Symptoms in Expecting Parents and Postpartum Depression and Infantile Colic: A Multicenter Follow up Study]. / Anne ve Baba Adaylarinda Psikiyatrik Belirtiler ile Dogum Sonrasi Depresyon ve Infantil Kolik Arasi Iliski: Çok Merkezli Bir Takip Çalismasi.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between postpartum depression (PPD), infantile colic (IC) and different psychosocial variables, psychiatric symptoms, attachment style and perceived social support in expecting parents. METHOD: Two hundred forty five expecting mothers and 150 expecting fathers were first interviewed between the 22-34 weeks of pregnancy. Sociodemografic data form, Adult Attachment Style Scale (AASS), State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) were filled out by each expecting parent. Second interview was conducted between the postpartum 4-24 weeks. Data form consisting health, nutrition, sleep and crying problems of the infant and EPDS and SAI were filled out by mothers and SAI by fathers. RESULTS: One in every four mothers had PPD symptoms above the threshold on EPDS. Maternal and paternal insecure attachment style, maternal psychiatric symptoms and postpartum anxiety level were found to be the predictors of PPD. One in every five infants had IC and maternal education level, hostility score and PPD symptoms along with paternal insecure attachment style and psychiatric symptoms were the main predictors of IC. CONCLUSION: Results about PPD and IC regarding maternal variables are consistent with the literature. In addition, paternal insecure attachment style is found to be an important risk factor for both PPD and IC. Fathers should also be included in further studies exploring PPD or IC.

Quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease: a comparative study between different disease stages and treatment modalities.

This study aimed to compare the quality of life of children and adolescents in various stages of their chronic kidney disease (CKD) who were managed with different treatment modalities to that of children and adolescents without any chronic disease. The study included 18 renal transplant and 21 dialysis patients (8 on hemodialysis, 13 on peritoneal dialysis) and 16 patients who did not yet require renal replacement therapy. The control group consisted of 37 children without any chronic disease. Psychosocial Health Summary scores, Physical Health Summary scores, and Total Scale scores of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory scores were estimated for the groups. CKD patients had lower scores in all scales of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory than the control group. There were no differences in self-reported scores on the Pediatric Quality of Life scale scores between treatment groups; however, parents of the transplant patients had reported higher (more favorable) Physical Health Summary scores than those of the dialysis patients. Reports of parents and their children differed only in Physical Health Summary scores in the dialysis group; self-reports of the children were more favorable. These findings show that children and adolescents with CKD experience impaired quality of life on the physical and psychosocial functioning domains in comparison with healthy controls. The study findings implicate the need for further studies to investigate the quality of life in CKD patients at different stages as well as the perceptional differences between pediatric and adolescent CKD patients and caregiver proxy-reports about their quality of life.

A nationwide study of social-emotional problems in young children in Turkey.

We aimed to assess the prevalence of social-emotional problems of Turkish children in early childhood and to understand their association with various bio-psycho-social risk factors, in order to establish guidelines in planning training programs for parents and professionals. Data from a representative sample of 1507 boys (54.3%) and 1268 girls (45.7%) aged 10-48 months were collected. The primary caregivers (mothers=91.4%) completed the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and a form designed to gather information about various bio-psycho-social risk factors. Based on the caregiver terms, a total of 1626 children (60.1%) were reported to experience social-emotional problems. However, based on the BITSEA-problem clinical (1.5 SD) cut-off scores, 9.3% (9.1% of boys; 9.5% of girls) of all children were found to experience social-emotional problems. The variables, that showed a significant association with BITSEA-problem scores in pairwise comparisons, were entered in logistic regression analysis to determine the variables that predict the group with scores of above clinical cut-point. Higher total score of BSI of the primary caregiver, being separated from the mother for more than a month, and lower income of the family were found to be significant predictors of social-emotional problems. Caregiver reports highlight that maternal variables of mothers' psychological well-being, education and access to sources of support are closely related to the social-emotional wellbeing of their off-spring. The findings obtained from this study may be used for detection of prioritized domains in terms of management of preventive mental health services.