Pediatric Behavioral Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Expert Advice for Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the child mental health crisis and existing disparities. Child anxiety, depression, suicide attempts and completions, and mental-health-related emergency department visits significantly increased. In response to this crisis, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) developed behavioral health task forces associated with funded pediatric centers of disaster excellence. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded the Pediatric Pandemic Network (PPN) to prepare for future endemics and pandemics, with behavioral health identified as a priority in mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. This commentary provides insights from pediatric disaster preparedness and response behavioral health subject matter experts. Our roles have been to identify how to build behavioral health professional competencies across disciplines and various medical settings and to strengthen emergency interdisciplinary behavioral health care capability regionally and at the national level. Specific examples of interdisciplinary training and demonstration projects are included as models for enhancing behavioral health situational awareness and developing curricula to support preparedness and response for the current ongoing pandemic and future natural and biological disasters. This commentary also includes a call to action for workforce development to move beyond a boots-on-the-ground mentality for pediatric behavioral health disaster preparedness and response toward a more inclusive role for behavioral health providers of varied specialties. This means that behavioral health providers should become more informed of federal programs in this area, seek further training, and find innovative ways to collaborate with their medical colleagues and community partners.

A Scoping Review of Trauma-Informed Pediatric Interventions in Response to Natural and Biologic Disasters.

A scoping review was performed of trauma-informed psychological interventions to treat anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms in youth in response to natural/biologic disasters. The specific aims were to identify psychosocial interventions used in response to natural/biologic disasters, report the interventions' effectiveness, describe limitations, and provide treatment recommendations and future directions. Of the 45 studies extracted, 28 were on natural disasters and 17 on biologic disasters with the majority related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The most commonly implemented interventions were Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). The UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (UCLA PTSD-RI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were the most frequently used measures. Methodological rigor was varied, with 60% randomized, controlled trials. Overall, there was a significant decrease in posttraumatic stress symptoms, distress, anxiety, and depression regardless of whether the participant received CBT, TF-CBT, or EMDR. Generally, there was not a significant decrease in anxiety and depression with yoga, cognitive fear-reduction, emotion-based drawing, and community health education. Recommendations for future directions include larger-scale studies with group and on-line interventions that include younger children with moderation analyses by gender and race/ethnicity.

Psychosocial Treatment of an Adolescent in a Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program.

Interpersonal violence is the leading cause of death in adolescents. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) address the emotional and behavioral sequelae of assault and homicide. Few studies have been published on pediatric HVIPs, and no study offers a conceptualization model for treatment approaches. This paper demonstrates the use of empirically supported practices by outlining the services provided and subsequent treatment trajectory of an adolescent receiving care from an HVIP at a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. This case study follows the Case Study Report (CARE) guidelines and is the first to demonstrate the use of intensive case management, Psychological First Aid (PFA), and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) in the treatment of an adolescent presenting to the emergency department (ED) due to assault associated with bullying. Through the use of these treatment approaches to address symptoms of posttraumatic stress, the patient moved from physical recovery to posttraumatic growth. Assessment and trauma-informed treatment suggestions are provided to support evidence-based practices within HVIPs.

Profiles of Early Childhood Adversity in an Urban Pediatric Clinic: Implications for Pediatric Primary Care.

Pediatricians are well-positioned to screen for early childhood adversities, but effective responses to positive screens require an understanding of which adversities typically co-occur, and to what extent they are associated with other risk or protective factors. Among children seen at an urban academic pediatric practice, this study aimed to (1) examine the prevalence of different types of early adversity and protective experiences reported by primary caregivers, and (2) define latent classes of co-occurring adversities. Of 1434 children whose parents completed the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) at well-child visits during November 2019-January 2021, three classes of adverse experiences emerged, including those reporting low adversity (L; 73%), caregiver stress (CS; 17%), and both caregiver stress and depression (CSD; 10%). Among those who also completed the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-Q, n = 1373) and the Protective and Compensatory Experiences Scale (PACES, n = 1377), belonging to the L class was associated with lower ACE-Q and higher PACES scores. For parent-respondents only, ACE-Q scores were significantly greater for the CSD class compared to the CS and L classes. Pediatricians should attend to the needs of caregivers reporting both stress and depression, as these families may face especially high levels of adversity and low levels of protective factors.

Improving Surveillance and Epidemic Response in Ohio Childcare Settings.

At the start of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the risk of cases in childcare programs was unknown. Thus, a rapid-response research approach was launched in Ohio childcare settings. Passive surveillance data from a state-operated incident reporting system were evaluated to estimate the number of COVID-19 cases from 15 August 2020 to 1 January 2021. Additionally, active surveillance with self-administered reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests were conducted among staff at 46 childcare programs. Finally, six zoom-based focus groups with program administrators were used to gain feedback. Staff and children in childcare settings contributed 0.38% and 0.15% of the COVID-19 cases in Ohio during this timeframe, respectively. RT-PCR testing identified 3 unrecognized cases (0.88% of tests), and all occurred when the statewide positivity rate was >5%. Focus groups revealed that access to affordable cleaning supplies, masks, and reliable staffing were critical. Perhaps most importantly, we conclude that expanding the incident reporting system to include a childcare census would allow for the tracking of future health problems with highly valuable incidence rate estimations.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Prevention, Intervention, and Access to Care.

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is an international public health problem [...].

Establishing Trauma-Informed Primary Care: Qualitative Guidance from Patients and Staff in an Urban Healthcare Clinic.

Patients present to primary care clinics with a variety of experiences, including exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other social determinants of health. The pervasive impact of early adversity on later healthcare outcomes has resulted in the development of trauma-informed care principles that can be applied to healthcare settings. The primary aim of this study is to improve understanding of patient and staff experiences within a trauma-informed urban healthcare setting to guide considerations and recommendations when implementing such a model. A phenomenologic approach was taken using an interpretivist paradigm to collect qualitative data by conducting patient and staff focus groups. The following themes were identified: the communal experience of significant trauma, lack of continuity of care and time for each appointment, the importance of a sense of community and standardization and normalization of asking about trauma, development of social support networks, and creating a safe and non-judgmental healthcare space. Based on findings, considerations for implementing a trauma-informed healthcare model are provided.

Impact of Social and Relational Adversity on Access to Services among US Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 2016-2019.

To explore the impact of social and relational adversity on access to key health services among US children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), cross-sectional analyses of the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health assessed use of key health services by children with ASD, accounting for differences in demographic characteristics, medical needs, and experience of social and relational adversities. sUS children with ASD were more than twice as likely as peers without ASD to report two or more social adversities and more than three times as likely to report two or more relational adversities. In multivariable models, relational adversities were significantly associated with greater odds of medication use for ASD (OR 1.50, 95%CI:1.02, 2.17). Social adversities were neither associated with receipt of behavioral therapies nor prescription of medication to treat ASD. Screening for various forms of adversity among youth with ASD is of great importance; even one adverse experience may be enough to influence care of a child with ASD, with differences in effect according to the nature of the particular adversity. Further research should evaluate the role that childhood adversity plays in physical and mental health outcomes in ASD.

Challenges and opportunities in measuring the pediatric quality of life: exemplified by research in pediatric gastroenterology.

Introduction: Quality of life (QOL) is an important patient-reported outcome measure (PROM). Assessment of QOL in children is challenging particularly because developmental age affects the accuracy of self-reports.Areas covered: This paper gives an overview and expert opinion of the factors impacting quality assessment of pediatric QOL. Given this literature is vast, we focused on QOL measurement in pediatric gastroenterological conditions as an example, but the general principles apply across childhood chronic diseases. Child developmental stage affects self-reports. Younger children are less reliable reporters implicating the need for parental proxies. However, parents may not be as cognizant of their child's internal life especially as the child grows older. Adjustment to disease (QOL initially decreases then improves) as well as the time of year (QOL improves during summer) affects reports of QOL. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge the impact of the child's disease on caregivers and families' QOL.Expert opinion: The numerous aspects impacting pediatric QOL make assessment and measurement complex. We propose several strategies to guide this process such as assessing both self-report and parent-proxy measures, as well as considering the timing of QOL assessments.

Evaluating a Standardized Transition of Care Process for Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

To reduce lapses in care for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients approaching adulthood, a health maintenance transition visit (HMV) was developed to supplement standard medical care (SMV). Our aim was to assess the effect of the HMV on transition readiness. A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single center with demographics and clinical data from HMV and SMV visits. Effectiveness of the HMV was assessed by the patient health questionanaire-9 (PHQ-9) and transition readiness assessment questionnaire (TRAQ) scores. A total of 140 patients, 80% Caucasian and 59% male completed an HMV. The mean age was 18 ± 2 years old, and 93% of patients reported inactive or mild disease. Patients who completed at least 1 prior HMV scored significantly higher on the TRAQ when transferring to adult care compared to patients transferred at their first HMV visit (92 vs. 83, p < 0.05). Of patients with no prior depression diagnosis, 36% had a positive screen for depression. A significant relationship was identified between disease status and PHQ-9 (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated a structured HMV increased transition readiness and quantified the significant under-diagnosis of depression in this population, emphasizing the importance of screening. These results indicate depression may affect patients' transition preparedness.

Pediatric Integrated Care Models: A Systematic Review.

Psychiatric disorders are becoming more frequently diagnosed within the pediatric primary care setting. Despite increased diagnosis within primary care, only a minority of patients receive further psychiatric or specialty care. The integrated/collaborative care treatment model was designed to improve access within primary care. The purpose of this review is to identify randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies that have investigated whether increased access improves treatment engagement, satisfaction, and improved mental health outcomes. Six studies met inclusion criteria. Studies reviewed indicated increased access to behavioral health treatment through use of the integrated/collaborative care model and improved mental health outcomes. Recommendations for screening and treatment are provided. Limitations of the reviewed studies include lack of generalizability to urban populations, minority youth, and youth younger than 4 years of age. Practice recommendations to address these limitations are identified.

Adolescent Stress Management in a Primary Care Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents be screened for mental health concerns and receive anticipatory guidance on stress management strategies. METHODS: Eighty-six participants (50 participants in the intervention group; 36 participants in the control group) participated in the study. Intervention group participants received training in diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and use of no-cost/low-cost exercise options. Biofeedback was used to guide relaxation. Subjective distress and heart rate variability was measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, decreased levels of perceived stress and increased heart rate variability were reported compared with the control group. DISCUSSION: This study show that an integrated care model in a primary care setting is feasible and effective at improving stress management.

Decreasing Caregivers' Positive Attitudes Toward Spanking.

The Play Nicely program is a multimedia training program designed to teach caregivers and health care professionals how to manage early childhood aggression and to use positive parenting practices. The aim of this article is to help the practicing clinician determine whether the Play Nicely program should be incorporated into his/her practice and to evaluate whether the program is effective at decreasing positive attitudes toward spanking in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population in both a resident pediatric clinic and a community center. Thirty-three caregivers of children aged 2 to 5 years viewed the Play Nicely program and completed pre- and post-training questionnaires. Decreased positive attitudes toward spanking were reported after training. Favorable attitudes toward spanking were associated with increased use of harsher discipline and higher child externalizing behavior. This study provides support that this brief intervention is effective in a socioeconomically disadvantaged population, is portable, and can be used in a group setting. This program may serve as a prevention and population-based approach to addressing the adverse childhood experience of spanking.

Stress Management Intervention: A Pilot Evaluation in an Urban Adolescent Medicine Clinic.

Thirty patients aged 11 to 21 years presenting in an adolescent medicine clinic received a one-time stress management intervention. The intervention included psychoeducation on the effect stress has on the body and the positive benefits of exercise, diaphragmatic breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. The intervention also included use of a biofeedback game to aid in relaxation. Analyses revealed an association between higher levels of internalizing symptoms and perceived stress. A clinically significant decrease in subjective distress was endorsed at post-intervention. Ninety-three percent of participants reported that the intervention was helpful and that they had the requisite knowledge to practice stress management strategies outside of the clinic. At a one-week follow-up, of the 23 participants who were able to be reached, 22 wanted to participate in additional training. Findings suggest that a one-time stress management intervention can be beneficial for patients and easily incorporated within a primary care setting.

Changing Health Care Professionals' Attitudes Toward Spanking.

Twenty-two pediatric residents and 31 medical students viewed the Play Nicely program. The Play Nicely program is a multimedia program that teaches health care professionals how to counsel parents to use positive parenting and disciplining strategies in response to early childhood aggression. Health care professionals completed pre- and posttraining questionnaires to assess changes in comfort with counseling, parenting knowledge, and attitudes toward spanking. Results indicated at posttraining that health care professionals were significantly more comfortable with counseling parents, had increased parenting knowledge, and decreased positive attitudes toward spanking. Findings suggest that this program holds promise for educating health care professionals on how to counsel parents on positive parenting strategies and positively change attitudes toward spanking.

Amber lenses to block blue light and improve sleep: a randomized trial.

All light is not equal: blue wavelengths are the most potent portion of the visible electromagnetic spectrum for circadian regulation. Therefore, blocking blue light could create a form of physiologic darkness. Because the timing and quantity of light and darkness both affect sleep, evening use of amber lenses to block blue light might affect sleep quality. Mood is also affected by light and sleep; therefore, mood might be affected by blue light blockade. In this study, 20 adult volunteers were randomized to wear either blue-blocking (amber) or yellow-tinted (blocking ultraviolet only) safety glasses for 3 h prior to sleep. Participants completed sleep diaries during a one-week baseline assessment and two weeks' use of glasses. Outcome measures were subjective: change in overall sleep quality and positive/negative affect. Results demonstrated that sleep quality at study outset was poorer in the amber lens than the control group. Two- by three-way ANOVA revealed significant (p < .001) interaction between quality of sleep over the three weeks and experimental condition. At the end of the study, the amber lens group experienced significant (p < .001) improvement in sleep quality relative to the control group and positive affect (p = .005). Mood also improved significantly relative to controls. A replication with more detailed data on the subjects' circadian baseline and objective outcome measures is warranted.