Validation of the Dutch Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being Screening Tool in Parents of Infants Less than 12 Months of Age.

Objective: To evaluate reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being (ICPW) tool in identifying parents struggling with infant crying in the first year of life.

Study Design: The original ICPW tool was translated into Dutch following established guidelines. The internal consistency and criterion validity of the Dutch ICPW tool were evaluated using a cross-sectional design.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders, quality of life, and behaviour in adolescents with history of infant colic.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and behavioural problems in a cohort of adolescents with a history of infant colic (IC), as defined by Wessel's criteria.

Methods: 388 adolescents, aged 15-18 years, who participated in a randomised controlled trial for infants with colic, were invited for our observational follow-up study. Prevalence of FGIDs was assessed with the Rome IV Questionnaire on Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders (RIV-QPGD), HRQOL through self-report of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and behavioural problems through parent-report of the child behaviour checklist (CBCL).

Do Polymorphisms Predict Hypnotherapy Response in Children With Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders: An Explorative Study.

Genetic variations, in specific COMT , OPRM1 , and MAO-A polymorphisms, have been associated with hypnotizability in adults. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether these polymorphisms are also associated with response to hypnotherapy (HT) in children. Patients (8-18 years, n = 260) diagnosed with a functional abdominal pain disorder (FAPD) from a previous trial assessing HT efficacy were approached for participation and 144 agreed to collect a buccal sample.

Home-based guided hypnotherapy for children with functional abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in primary care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Children often present to primary care with functional abdominal pain (FAP) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and around half still have abdominal complaints 1 year later. Hypnotherapy is an evidence-based treatment that is used in specialist care, but it lacks evidence in primary care. This study will investigate the (cost) effectiveness of home-based guided hypnotherapy for children with FAP or IBS in primary care.

Children with functional gastrointestinal disorders with and without co-existing nausea: A comparison of clinical and psychological characteristics.

Background: Nausea co-existing with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) has been suggested to negatively impact physical and psychological factors in children. This study aims to compare clinical and psychological characteristics of a large cohort of pediatric patients with an FGID with and without nausea.

Methods: Patients of two previous randomized controlled trials were included, the first assessing the effect of hypnotherapy (HT) in 260 children fulfilling Rome criteria of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional abdominal pain (FAP), the second examining the effect of HT in 100 children with nausea in children with either functional nausea (FN) or functional dyspepsia (FD).

Teenagers' and parental attitudes towards the use of placebo pills.

The placebo response a significant therapeutic improvement after a placebo intervention - can be high in children. The question arises of how optimal advantages of placebo treatment in pediatric clinical care be achieved. In this era of shared-decision making, it is important to be aware of patients' and parental attitudes.

The association between exposure to antibiotics in the first week of life and later otitis media: The INCA study.

Unlabelled: Otitis media (OM) is one of the most common diagnoses in preschool-age children. Its pathophysiology is poorly understood, but is associated with changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiome, immune system, and presence of allergies. These, in turn, can be affected by early-life antibiotic exposure.

Teenagers' and parental individual needs for side effects information and the influence of nocebo effect education.

Objectives: When developing a policy on how information about medication and its side effects (SE) should be provided in pediatrics, it is crucial to know individual needs. This paper investigates teenagers' and parental attitudes on information on SE, before and after education on the nocebo effect (NE).

Methods: This multicenter survey study included 226 teenagers (12-18 years) and 525 parents of patients (0-18 years).

Microbial effects of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics after Caesarean section or exposure to antibiotics in the first week of life: A systematic review.

Background And Aims: Disruption of the developing microbiota by Caesarean birth or early exposure to antibiotics may impact long-term health outcomes, which can potentially be prevented by nutritional supplements. This systematic review aimed to summarise the evidence regarding the effects of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics on the intestinal microbiota composition of term infants born by Caesarean section or exposed to antibiotics in the first week of life.

Methods: A systematic search was performed from inception to August 2022 in Medline and Embase.

Clinical outcomes following pre-, pro- and synbiotic supplementation after caesarean birth or antibiotic exposure in the first week of life in term born infants: A systematic review of the literature.

Background: Caesarean section and early exposure to antibiotics disrupt the developing gastrointestinal microbiome, which is associated with long-term health effects.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the impact of prebiotics, probiotics, or synbiotics supplementation on clinical health outcomes of term infants born by caesarean section or exposed to antibiotics in the first week of life.

Design: A systematic search was performed in Medline and Embase from inception to August 2021.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in parents of infants with colic and on healthcare use.

Aim: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of parents of infants with colic and on healthcare use.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Data of 64 parents of infants with colic prepandemic and 43 parents of infants with colic during the pandemic were analysed using validated questionnaires on parental stress, depression and anxiety.

Hypnotherapy in Pediatric Gastroenterology.

In several countries, gut-directed hypnotherapy is becoming an established and evidence-based treatment in pediatric gastroenterology. This article describes what hypnotherapy is, offers an overview of its effect in gut-brain disorders and explains its potential mode of action. Moreover, the use of hypnotherapy in other areas of pediatric gastroenterology, as a supportive tool to reduce pain, stress, depression, and anxiety and improve quality of life, will be also discussed.

Follow-up of infants with colic into childhood: Do they develop behavioural problems?

Aim: To assess whether infants with colic (IC) demonstrate persisting developmental dysregulation into childhood, manifested as behavioural problems, and to determine if these behavioural problems are associated with parenting factors.

Methods: Preschool children with a history of IC at the age of 0-3 months, as defined by the Wessel criteria, were invited to participate in an observational follow-up study, in which their caregivers completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Raw scores and clinical-range scores on the internalising, externalising and total behavioural problems scales were compared with a Dutch normative sample using independent t-tests and Chi-square tests.

Long-Term Follow-up of Individual Therapist Delivered and Standardized Hypnotherapy Recordings in Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Functional Abdominal Pain.

Objectives: We previously showed that standardized home-based gut-directed hypnosis exercises with compact disc (CD) is non-inferior to individual hypnotherapy (iHT) by a therapist in the treatment of children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain (syndrome) (FAP(S)). Aim of this follow-up study was to investigate the long-term effects of standardized-hypnosis-recordings at home in comparison to iHT.

Methods: All participants from our previous randomized controlled trial were invited to complete: 1) an online standardized abdominal pain dairy, on which pain frequency and intensity were scored, and 2) an online questionnaire including adequate relief (AR), anxiety/depression scores, somatization, quality of life (QOL), pain beliefs, school and/or work absenteeism and health care utilization.

Neonatal Antibiotics and Food Allergy Are Associated With FGIDs at 4-6 Years of Age.

Objectives: Antibiotics may contribute to the development of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). This study aimed to determine whether antibiotics during the first week of life, infantile colic in the first year of life, gut-associated immune markers at 1 year of age, and allergies at 4-6 years of age in term-born children were associated with a higher prevalence of FGIDs at 4-6 years of age.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort of 436 term-born infants was followed up at the age of 4-6 years; 151 received broad-spectrum antibiotics (AB+), and 285 healthy controls (AB-).

Effect of antibiotics in the first week of life on faecal microbiota development.

Background: Infants are frequently exposed to antibiotics (AB) in the first week of life for suspected bacterial infections. Little is known about the effect of AB on the developing intestinal microbiota. Therefore, we studied intestinal microbiota development with and without AB exposure in the first week of life in term born infants.

A therapeutic guide on pediatric irritable bowel syndrome and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified.

Unlabelled: Disorders of the gut-brain interaction negatively impact quality of life and carry a substantial socioeconomic burden. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified (FAP-NOS) are common functional abdominal pain disorders in childhood. The pathophysiology is not fully understood, and high-quality intervention trials and international guidelines are missing.

[No harm, no foul? Adverse events in pediatric complementary and alternative medicine use].

In the Netherlands, children are frequently using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), but data on adverse events are scarce. A three-year registration amongst Dutch pediatricians found 32 cases of adverse events associated with pediatric CAM use. Twenty-two children experienced adverse events that were indirectly related to the CAM treatment, such as delaying or stopping a regular treatment or diagnosis or using an unnecessary (deficient) diet.

Rotavirus Vaccine Safety and Effectiveness in Infants With High-Risk Medical Conditions.

Objectives: Rotavirus vaccination has 87% to 100% effectiveness against severe rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in healthy infants in high-income countries. Little is known whether infants with medical risk conditions (MRCs) are equally protected and if the vaccine is equally well tolerated. We conducted a quasi-experimental prospective multicenter before-after cohort study to assess the vaccine effectiveness (VE) and safety profile of the human rotavirus vaccine (HRV) among MRC infants that required prolonged or frequent postnatal care.

Skills or Pills: Randomized Trial Comparing Hypnotherapy to Medical Treatment in Children With Functional Nausea.

Background & Aims: The potential effectiveness of gut-directed hypnotherapy (HT) is unknown for pediatric chronic nausea. This randomized controlled trial compared HT with standard medical treatment (SMT).

Methods: One hundred children (ages, 8-18 y) with chronic nausea and fulfilling functional nausea (FN) or functional dyspepsia (FD) criteria were allocated randomly (1:1) to HT or SMT, with a 3-month intervention period.

Parental Stress and Scalp Hair Cortisol in Excessively Crying Infants: A Case Control Study.

Background: Caring for an excessively crying infant (ECI) can be stressful for mothers and fathers and is associated with mental and bonding problems. Hair cortisol offers a unique measure for the biological reaction of the body to stress over time.

Methods: In this case-control study, scalp hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in 35 mothers and 23 fathers and their ECIs.

Microbial and clinical factors are related to recurrence of symptoms after childhood lower respiratory tract infection.

Childhood lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) are associated with dysbiosis of the nasopharyngeal microbiota, and persistent dysbiosis following the LRTI may in turn be related to recurrent or chronic respiratory problems. Therefore, we aimed to investigate microbial and clinical predictors of early recurrence of respiratory symptoms as well as recovery of the microbial community following hospital admission for LRTI in children. To this end, we collected clinical data and characterised the nasopharyngeal microbiota of 154 children (4 weeks-5 years old) hospitalised for a LRTI (bronchiolitis, pneumonia, wheezing illness or mixed infection) at admission and 4-8 weeks later.

Distress in fathers of babies with infant colic.

Aim: The aim of this case-control study was to compare parental stress, depression, anxiety and bonding problems between fathers and mothers of babies with infant colic and parents of control infants.

Methods: Parents of 34 infants with infant colic and 67 control dyads were included. Parental feelings were assessed using validated questionnaires.