Pathological demand avoidance syndrome: a necessary distinction within the pervasive developmental disorders.

A proposal is made to recognise pathological demand avoidance syndrome (PDA) as a separate entity within the pervasive developmental disorders, instead of being classed under "pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified" (PDDnos, DSM-IV). Discriminant functions analysis shows PDA to be significantly different on many counts from classic autism and Asperger's syndrome, both separately and together, including an equal sex ratio (150 cases). Demand avoidance using social manipulation is seen in all children, which strongly contrasts with the features of autistic spectrum disorders.

Developing a diagnostic and intervention package for 2- to 3-year-olds with autism: outcomes of the frameworks for communication approach.

The aim of the research was to develop and evaluate a model of good practice which would make an explicit link between diagnosis and intervention, and so give parents a very clear rationale for the autism-specific yet individualized programme that they were carrying out. It employed an action research design, which essentially is responsive to participants, thus developing a user-friendly model of service. The programme was based on the developmental perspective that the pragmatics of language are the precursors of speech itself and enable both communication and relationship between child and parents.

Effects of short-term exposure to 0.2 ppm ozone on biomarkers of inflammation in sputum, exhaled nitric oxide, and lung function in subjects with mild atopic asthma.

To gain further insight into the kinetics of airway inflammatory response and explore the possibility of nitric oxide as a surrogate marker of the lower airway inflammatory response to ozone, nine subjects with mild atopic asthma were exposed to filtered air or 0.2 ppm ozone for 2 hours with intermittent exercise. Lung function was measured at baseline and immediately after exposures.

Interaction of smoking and maternal weight status in influencing infant size.

The effects of pregravid weight, gestational weight gain and smoking on infant size, and the extent to which weight gain can compensate for smoking behaviour are explored in multivariate analysis of 1,330 healthy mothers and their full-term infants at the PEI Prenatal Nutritional Counselling Program. Stratified analysis by pregravid weight and smoking status indicated that gestational weight gain was linearly related to birthweight. Gestational weight gain significantly predicted the risk of small-for-gestational-age infants (SGA) only among smokers.