A pilot study of routine screening for distress by a nurse and psychologist in an outpatient haematological oncology clinic.

AIM: To explore the: 1) prevalence of distress, type of problems experienced by haematological patients, and referrals for supportive care; 2) effect of demographic and clinical variables on distress, and 3) effect on the time of health professionals conducting the screening in the ambulatory chemotherapy setting. METHODS: Participants completed the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Distress Thermometer and Problem List and had a follow-up screening discussion with a health professional. RESULTS: Of 68 participants, 40% reported significant distress (≥4) on the Distress Thermometer (mean 3.2, SD 2.4). All patients reported physical problems and 72% reported emotional problems-the major contributors to distress and to time spent with the health professional. Distress was unrelated to age, gender or cancer type. Patients were less likely to have significant distress at the end of treatment than at the beginning (OR=0.15, 95% CI: 0.03; 0.72,). Forty patients (59%) were referred to supportive services. The psychologist spent less time with patients compared to the nurse (18 vs 48min, p<0.001). The more emotional problems reported, the greater the time spent with the patient (rs=0.34, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses can appropriately screen for distress and address significant distress reported by haematology patients undergoing chemotherapy without over burdening the nurse or patient.

Birth defects in children with autism spectrum disorders: a population-based, nested case-control study.

The causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are unknown, although genetic and environmental influences have been implicated. Previous studies have suggested an association with birth defects, but most investigators have not addressed associations with specific diagnostic categories of ASD. In this study, the authors investigated the associations between birth defects and autism, Asperger syndrome, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified. Using Western Australian population-based linked data, the authors compared all children with ASD born in Western Australia during 1980-1995 (n = 465) with their siblings (n = 481) and population controls (n = 1,313) in a nested case-control study. The prevalence of birth defects was significantly higher in ASD cases than in population controls; this difference remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors. Odds ratios for birth defects were similar for autism (odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.3, 3.0) and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1, 4.3) but not for Asperger syndrome (OR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.9). Birth defects in case siblings were not significantly different from those in cases and population controls. The association between birth defects and ASD may be due to underlying genetic and/or environmental factors common to both ASD and birth defects, or birth defects may predispose a child to ASD.

Can parents accurately screen children at risk of developmental delay?

AIM: To evaluate the validity and potential value of the parent-completed Infant/Child Monitoring Questionnaire (IMQ) as a screening measure for developmental delay in high-risk infants. METHODS: One hundred and forty-one term infants born with moderate or severe newborn encephalopathy (NE) and 374 randomly selected comparison infants were administered a Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) assessment and an IMQ concurrently. Concordance of classifications between measures was compared for agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, false positives and false negatives. RESULTS: Overall, sensitivity and specificity of the IMQ for infants with NE averaged across all age groups was 87%, positive predictive value 57% and negative predictive value 97%. The IMQ did not perform as well for comparison infants with a sensitivity of 50%, specificity 94%, positive predictive value 15% and negative predictive value 99% averaged across all age groups. Overall under-referral for infants with NE was 13%, compared with 50% for comparison infants. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the IMQ as an accurate screening measure in infants 'at risk' of developmental delay is supported. The low sensitivity of the IMQ for the comparison infants indicates a need for caution when considering its application for general population screening.

Cranial ultrasound as a predictor of outcome in term newborn encephalopathy.

As part of a patient-based case-control study of newborn encephalopathy, we examine the cranial ultrasound results of 212 patients to determine the validity of ultrasound in predicting an adverse outcome. Forty-six (22%) patients died or developed cerebral palsy (adverse outcome) by 2 years of age. On the basis of clinical decision, 125 (60%) patients had an ultrasound before 72 hours of age; of these, 29% had an adverse outcome. The resistive index is the primary measure of interest, with a value of 0.55 or less considered abnormal. Infants with an abnormal resistive index are 8.8 times (P < 0.001) more likely to have an adverse outcome than those with a normal result. The positive predictive value of an abnormal resistive index was 71%. The results are similar for the subgroup with intrapartum hypoxia and the subgroup that had ultrasound performed before 24 hours of age. It is clear that resistive index results cannot be used in isolation, although they may have a place, in combination with other factors, in the counseling of parents and, cautiously, in the clinical management of patients.

A comparison of autism prevalence trends in Denmark and Western Australia.

Prevalence statistics for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) vary widely across geographical boundaries. Some variation can be explained by diagnostic methods, case ascertainment and age at diagnosis. This study compared prevalence statistics for two distinct geographical regions, Denmark and Western Australia, both of which have had population-based registers and consistent classification systems operating over the past decade. Overall ASD prevalence rates were higher in Denmark (68.5 per 10,000 children) compared with Western Australia (51.0 per 10,000 children), while the diagnosis of childhood autism was more prevalent in Western Australia (39.3 per 10,000 children) compared with Denmark (21.8 per 10,000 children). These differences are probably caused by local phenomena affecting case ascertainment but influence from biological or geographical factors may exist.

Autism and intellectual disability are differentially related to sociodemographic background at birth.

BACKGROUND: Research findings investigating the sociodemographics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been inconsistent and rarely considered the presence of intellectual disability (ID). METHODS: We used population data on Western Australian singletons born from 1984 to 1999 (n = 398,353) to examine the sociodemographic characteristics of children diagnosed with ASD with or without ID, or ID without ASD compared with non-affected children. RESULTS: The profiles for the four categories examined, mild-moderate ID, severe ID, ASD without ID and ASD with ID varied considerably and we often identified a gradient effect where the risk factors for mild-moderate ID and ASD without ID were at opposite extremes while those for ASD with ID were intermediary. This was demonstrated clearly with increased odds of ASD without ID amongst older mothers aged 35 years and over (odds ratio (OR) = 1.69 [CI: 1.18, 2.43]), first born infants (OR = 2.78; [CI: 1.67, 4.54]), male infants (OR = 6.57 [CI: 4.87, 8.87]) and increasing socioeconomic advantage. In contrast, mild-moderate ID was associated with younger mothers aged less than 20 years (OR = 1.88 [CI: 1.57, 2.25]), paternal age greater than 40 years (OR = 1.59 [CI: 1.36, 1.86]), Australian-born and Aboriginal mothers (OR = 1.60 [CI: 1.41, 1.82]), increasing birth order and increasing social disadvantage (OR = 2.56 [CI: 2.27, 2.97]). Mothers of infants residing in regional or remote areas had consistently lower risk of ASD or ID and may be linked to reduced access to services or under-ascertainment rather than a protective effect of location. CONCLUSIONS: The different risk profiles observed between groups may be related to aetiological differences or ascertainment factors or both. Untangling these pathways is challenging but an urgent public health priority in view of the supposed autism epidemic.

Autism spectrum disorders in young children: effect of changes in diagnostic practices.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether the increase in autism over the past two decades is a real increase or due to changes in diagnosis and ascertainment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), which include autism, Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). The aim of this study was to examine the trends in ASD over time in Western Australia (WA) and the possible effects and contribution of changes in diagnostic criteria, age at diagnosis, eligibility for service provision based on ASD diagnoses and changes in diagnostic practices. METHODS: A population-based study was conducted among the cohort of children born in WA between 1983 and 1999 and diagnosed with ASD between the age of 2 and 8 years up to December 31, 2004. The trend in ASD diagnosis over the study period was assessed by investigating birth cohort and period effects, and examining whether these were modified by age of diagnosis. ASD diagnosis corresponding with changes in diagnostic criteria, funding and service provision over time were also investigated. A subgroup analysis of children aged

Prenatal alcohol exposure and language delay in 2-year-old children: the importance of dose and timing on risk.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of dose and timing of prenatal alcohol exposure with early language acquisition. METHODS: We examined language delay in a randomly selected, population-based sample of Western Australian children born in 1995-1996 whose mothers had agreed to participate in a longitudinal study on health-related behaviors and who had completed the 2-year questionnaire (N = 1739). Information on alcohol consumption was collected at 3 months after birth for four periods; the three months pre-pregnancy and for each trimester separately. Prenatal alcohol exposure was grouped into none, low, moderate-heavy and binge (>5) based on the total quantity consumed per week, quantity consumed per occasion, and frequency of consumption. The communication scale from the Ages & Stages Questionnaire was used to evaluate language delay. Logistic regression analysis was used to generate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for confounding factors. RESULTS: There was no association between low levels of alcohol consumption and language delay at any time period, although there was a nonsignificant 30% increase in risk when moderate-to-heavy levels of alcohol were consumed in the third trimester. Children exposed to a binge pattern of maternal alcohol consumption in the second trimester had nonsignificant, three-fold increased odds of language delay, with a similar estimate following third trimester alcohol exposure after controlling for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not detect an association between low levels of prenatal alcohol exposure and language delay when compared with women who abstained from alcohol during pregnancy. A nonsignificant threefold increase in the likelihood of language delay was seen in children whose mothers binged during late pregnancy. However, the small numbers of women with a binge-drinking pattern in late pregnancy limited the power of this study; studies analyzing larger numbers of children exposed to binge drinking in late pregnancy are needed.

Management of assessments and diagnoses for children with autism spectrum disorders: the Western Australian model.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are severe developmental conditions that require specialised intervention and lifelong support. Recent increases in ASD prevalence have prompted new initiatives in Western Australia to improve the consistency of assessments and to more accurately monitor diagnostic trends within the population. WA has implemented statewide guidelines for the assessment of ASDs, has developed an open forum for clinicians to discuss issues relating to the assessment process, and supports a statewide register of newly diagnosed cases. These initiatives have led to improved consistency across assessments, allowed analysis of diagnoses over time, and promoted cohesiveness among autism assessors. These strategies potentially provide an alternative model for other states and territories that wish to strengthen and assimilate ASD assessments.

The effects of fish oil supplementation in pregnancy on breast milk fatty acid composition over the course of lactation: a randomized controlled trial.

This study evaluated the longitudinal effect of fish oil in pregnancy on breast milk fatty acid composition and infant outcomes. In a randomized, controlled trial, 98 women received 2.2 g docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 1.1 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or olive oil from 20 wk of gestation until delivery. Fatty acid composition in breast milk (at 3 d, 6 wk, and 6 mo) and infant erythrocyte membranes (at 1 y) were determined by gas liquid chromatography. Breast milk fatty acids were examined in relationship to growth and development. Compared with control group, breast milk from women who received fish oil had proportionally higher DHA and EPA levels at 3 d and 6 wk after delivery, but this difference was no longer apparent by 6 mo. Infant DHA status at 1 y of age was directly related to DHA levels at 3 d, 6 wk, and 6 mo postpartum (but not to antenatal supplementation). Both EPA and DHA in breast milk were positively correlated with Griffith's developmental scores including hand and eye coordination. Thus, supplementation in pregnancy was associated with increased n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in breast milk, particularly in early lactation, and this was positively associated with infant DHA status at 1 y.

Autism following a history of newborn encephalopathy: more than a coincidence?

Between June 1993 and December 1996, 276 term newborn infants with encephalopathy and 564 randomly selected term controls were enrolled in a population-based study of moderate and severe term newborn encephalopathy (NE) in Western Australia. During comprehensive neurobehavioural and cognitive follow-up of all patients and controls at 3 years and again at 5 years of age we found an unexpected but strong association between NE and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A diagnosis of ASD by age 5 years was reached using criteria according of the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th edition. Linking records to the Western Australian Disability Services Commission Register ensured that no child in the study with ASD was missed. By age 5 years, 37 (13.4%) infants with NE and one (0.2%) control had died. Among the 239 survivors of NE, 12 (5%) were diagnosed with an ASD. Of these, 10 (4.2%) met the full criteria for autism, one had pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified, and one had Asperger syndrome. Among the 563 surviving controls, five (0.8%) were diagnosed with an ASD: three with autism, one with autism/possible Asperger syndrome, and one with Asperger syndrome. Compared with the controls, the children who had experienced NE were 5.9 times (95% confidence interval 2.0-16.9) more likely to have been diagnosed with an ASD.

Cerebral palsy following term newborn encephalopathy: a population-based study.

Cerebral palsy (CP) can occur in term infants with or without preceding newborn encephalopathy. We compared the type and severity of CP and associated disability in these two groups. Participants from a population-based case-control study of term newborn encephalopathy were followed up for 6 years and linked to the Western Australian Cerebral Palsy Register. The remaining term infants with CP for the same period were also identified from the Cerebral Palsy Register. 13% of neonatal survivors of term newborn encephalopathy had CP, a rate of 116 per 1000 term live births. Overall, 24% of term infants with CP followed newborn encephalopathy. CP following newborn encephalopathy was more likely to: affect males (72% vs 56%); be severe (47% vs 25%); and be of spastic quadriplegia or dyskinetic types. Cognitive impairment was more common (75% vs 43%) and severe (41% vs 16%), as was epilepsy (53% vs 29%) in survivors of encephalopathy. These children were also more likely to: be non-verbal (47% vs 22%); have a severe composite disability score (47% vs 26%); and die between time of diagnosis of CP and age 6 years (5-year cumulative mortality 19% vs 5%). Children born at term who develop CP following newborn encephalopathy have a poorer prognosis than those with CP who were not encephalopathic in the first week of life.

Early developmental outcomes after newborn encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain the early developmental status of children who have a history of newborn encephalopathy. METHODS: A longitudinal follow-up was conducted of a population-based, case-control study of children born in Western Australia between June 1993 and December 1996. The study included 276 term children (>/=37 weeks' gestation) with moderate or severe newborn encephalopathy and 564 unmatched term control subjects. The Griffiths Mental Development Scales was used to ascertain developmental status and a General Quotient (GQ) score. Outcome measures were the Griffiths developmental subscales, GQ, diagnosis of cerebral palsy, and mortality. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients and 1 control subject died before reaching assessment. Between June 1994 and December 1999, 195 (81%) eligible patients and 445 (79%) eligible control subjects were assessed. Statistically significant differences were found between patients and control subjects for GQ and all developmental subscales. Overall, 39% of patients had a poor outcome as defined by death, cerebral palsy, or a significant degree of developmental delay, compared with 2.7% of control subjects. Furthermore, 62% of those with severe encephalopathy had a poor outcome compared with 25% of those with moderate encephalopathy. Patients with a history of seizures were 3 times more likely to develop cerebral palsy than patients without. Overall, 28 (10.1%) of patients have cerebral palsy. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide important prognostic information regarding survival and serious disability and indicate that newborn encephalopathy places children at significant risk of developmental delay by their second year. These findings also suggest that comprehensive clinical and educational assessments are required to enable appropriate educational provisions as these infants approach school entry.