A follow-up study of chronic fatigue syndrome in children and adolescents: symptom persistence and school absenteeism.

This is a follow-up study of 28 young people aged between 7 and 17 meeting the Oxford criteria for the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome treated in a specialist paediatric/psychiatric service. Retrospective case note analysis revealed a wide range and duration of symptoms together with high levels of school absenteeism prior to the diagnosis. The mean follow-up interval after discharge from the specialist service was 3 years and although most of the young people regarded themselves as fully recovered by this time, improvement was variable and about one third were still experiencing disabling symptoms.

A paternally inherited duplication in the Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome critical region: a case and family study.

The Prader-Willi/Angelman Critical Region (PWACR; Chromosome 15q11-13) is of interest as a potential locus for genes conferring susceptibility to autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This report describes a female proband referred for evaluation of a possible ASD. Genetic analyses indicated that the proband, her father and one of her sisters, carried a paternally derived interstitial duplication involving 15q11-13.

Chromosome 15q11-13 abnormalities and other medical conditions in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

Objectives: The frequency of abnormalities of 15q11-q13 and other possibly causal medical disorders including karyotypic abnormalities was investigated in an unselected series of children who were referred to one of two autism assessment centres.

Methods: Two hundred and twenty-one cases were assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview and Observation Schedule and, where appropriate, standardized tests of intelligence and language abilities. Medical histories and notes were reviewed, and molecular and cytogenetic investigations used to detect chromosomal abnormalities.