[Associations with ADHD and parental distress with in play in early childhood].

Objective: According to Papoušek (2004), "disinterests in play" in early childhood is a possible early indicator of AD(H)D at school age. The phenomenon of disinterest in play is associated with psychological distress in parents and children as well as with disturbances in the parent-child-relationships Papoušek, 2003. We investigated the association between disinterest in play in early childhood and AD(H)D and their associations with maternal distress.

Positive life events predict salivary cortisol in pregnant women.

Maternal stress during pregnancy has been repeatedly associated with problematic child development. According to the fetal programming hypothesis adverse experiences during pregnancy increase maternal cortisol, which is then assumed to exert a negative effect on fetal development. Recent studies in non-pregnant women report significant associations between positive emotionality and low cortisol levels.

Lumbar disc herniation in three patients with cystic fibrosis: a case series.

Introduction: To date, lumbar disc herniation has not been reported in the context of cystic fibrosis even though back pain and musculoskeletal problems are very common in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Case Presentation: We report on three patients with cystic fibrosis who experienced lumbar disc herniation in the course of their disease at ages 19 to 21 years (a 22-year-old Caucasian man, a 23-year-old Caucasian man, and a 21-year-old Caucasian woman). Our third patient eventually died because of her deteriorated pulmonary situation, which was influenced by the lumbar disc herniation as it was not possible for her to perform pulmonary drainage techniques properly because of the pain.

Cortisol levels in pregnancy as a psychobiological predictor for birth weight.

Antenatal maternal stress is thought to negatively affect fetal development, birth outcomes, and infant's development. Glucocorticoids are suggested to be a common link between prenatal stressors and infant's health. However, data on these mechanisms are rare and sometimes conflicting.

Association between life stress during pregnancy and infant crying in the first six months postpartum: a prospective longitudinal study.

Objective: To examine prospectively the relationship between prenatal life stress and infant crying/fussing during the first 6 months of postnatal life, taking into account an array of confounders suggested in the literature.

Design: Prospective longitudinal study of a convenient sample, with data points in pregnancy and at about 6 weeks, 3, and 6 months postpartum.

Methods: The study included 86 pregnant women who completed a standardized, validated and widely used questionnaire on negative life changes experienced in the preceding 12 months.

Influence of stress during pregnancy on HPA activity and neonatal behavior.

Prenatal maternal stress has been shown to impair birth outcome and behavioral functioning in nonhuman primate offspring. Little is known about the effects of prenatal stress on behavioral development in humans. We assessed the effect of self-reported prenatal stress on behavioral characteristics of 81 newborns using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS).