Demographic Correlates of Autism: How Do Associations Compare Between Diagnosis and a Quantitative Trait Measure?

Prevalence of autism diagnosis has historically differed by demographic factors. Using data from 8224 participants drawn from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, we examined relationships between demographic factors and parent-reported autism-related traits as captured by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS; T score > 65) and compared these to relations with parent-reported clinician diagnosis of ASD, in generalized linear mixed effects regression analyses. Results suggested lower odds of autism diagnosis, but not of SRS T > 65, for non-Hispanic Black children (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.

Co-occurring Psychopathology in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Differences by Sex in the ECHO Cohorts.

Purpose: Our goals were to: 1) examine the occurrence of behavioral and emotional symptoms in children on the autism spectrum in a large national sample, stratifying by sex, and 2) evaluate whether children with increased autism-related social communication deficits also experience more behavioral and emotional problems.

Methods:  Participants (n = 7,998) were from 37 cohorts from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. Cross-sectional information on demographic factors, parent-report of an ASD diagnosis by clinician, Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores, and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores were obtained for children aged 2.

Asthma and Memory Function in Children.

Importance: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease affecting approximately 5 million children in the US. Rodent models of asthma indicate memory deficits, but little is known about whether asthma alters children's memory development.

Objective: To assess whether childhood asthma is associated with lower memory abilities in children.

A quantitative analysis of fidgeting in ADHD and its relation to performance and sustained attention on a cognitive task.

Introduction: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder where hyperactivity often manifests as fidgeting, a non-goal-directed motoric action. Many studies demonstrate fidgeting varies under different conditions as a self-regulating mechanism for attention and alertness during cognitively demanding tasks. Fidgeting has also been associated with reaction time variability.

Examining the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and child autism traits: A multi-cohort investigation in the environmental influences on child health outcome program.

This study examined the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses and traits. A total sample of 11,570 children (ages 1-18; 53% male; 25% Hispanic; 60% White) from 34 cohorts of the National Institutes of Health-funded environmental influences on child health outcomes consortium were included in analyses. Results from generalized linear mixed models replicated previous studies showing that associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD traits in children are not significant when controlling for relevant covariates, particularly tobacco exposure.

Early childhood exposures to phthalates in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder behaviors in middle childhood and adolescence in the ReCHARGE study.

Background: Early-life exposure to phthalates alters behaviors in animals. However, epidemiological evidence on childhood phthalate exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) behaviors is limited.

Methods: This study included 243 children from the ReCHARGE (Revisiting Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) study, who were previously classified as having autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay, other early concerns, and typical development in the CHARGE case-control study.

Selective attention and sensitivity to auditory disturbances in a virtually-real Classroom: Comparison of adults with and without AD(H)D.

Many people, and particularly individuals with Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder (AD(H)D), find it difficult to maintain attention during classroom learning. However, traditional paradigms used to evaluate attention do not capture the complexity and dynamic nature of real-life classrooms. Using a novel Virtual Reality platform, coupled with measurement of neural activity, eye-gaze and skin conductance, here we studied the neurophysiological manifestations of attention and distractibility, under realistic learning conditions.

Prediction of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in late childhood from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in early childhood.

Limited analyses based on national samples have assessed whether early attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms predict later internalizing and externalizing symptoms in youth and the influence of sex and pubertal timing on subsequent psychiatric symptoms. This study analyzed data ( = 2818) from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program national cohort. Analyses used data from early childhood (mean age = 5.

Early childhood exposure to environmental phenols and parabens, phthalates, organophosphate pesticides, and trace elements in association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the CHARGE study.

Background: A growing body of literature investigated childhood exposure to environmental chemicals in association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, but limited studies considered urinary mixtures of multiple chemical classes. This study examined associations of concurrent exposure to non-persistent chemicals with ADHD symptoms in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and typical development (TD).

Methods: A total of 549 children aged 2-5 years from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) case-control study were administered the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC).

Maternal education prospectively predicts child neurocognitive function: An environmental influences on child health outcomes study.

A large body of research has established a relation between maternal education and children's neurocognitive functions, such as executive function and language. However, most studies have focused on early childhood and relatively few studies have examined associations with changes in maternal education over time. Consequently, it remains unclear if early maternal education is longitudinally related to neurocognitive functions in children, adolescents, and young adults.

Using Hot and Cool Measures to Phenotype and Predict Functional Outcomes Across Dimensions of ADHD and Typical Development in Adolescents.

Multiple pathway models propose that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) arises from dysfunction in separate systems comprised of a "cool" or cognitive pathway versus a "hot" or emotional/reward pathway. Interactions between these pathways and the degree of maturation may further determine functional outcomes for adolescents ranging from those diagnosed with ADHD to typical development (TD). We used a latent profile analysis on rating scales and behavioral task performance assessing emotion, irritability, impulsivity, risk-taking, future orientation, and processing speed (PS) to identify subgroups of TD adolescents and adolescents with ADHD (N = 152) based on the hot and cool pathway model.

Strategies for recruitment and retention of adolescent and young adult cancer patients in research studies.

We conducted a literature review to identify commonly used recruitment and retention strategies in research among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors 15-39 years of age and examine the effectiveness of these strategies based on the reported recruitment and retention rates. We identified 18 publications published after 2010, including 14 articles describing recruitment strategies and four articles discussing retention strategies and addressing reasons for AYA cancer patients dropping out of the studies. In terms of recruitment, Internet and social networking strategies were used most frequently and resulted in higher participation rates of AYA cancer survivors compared to other conventional methods, such as hospital-based outreach, mailings, and phone calls.

Identifying the Information Needs and Format Preferences for Web-Based Content Among Adults With or Parents of Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Three-Stage Qualitative Analysis.

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent childhood and adult behavioral disorder. Internet searches for ADHD information are rising, particularly for diagnosis and treatment. Despite effective ADHD treatments, research suggests that there are delays in seeking help for ADHD.

Editorial: The Use of Continuous Performance Tasks in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis: A Cautionary Note.

Computer-based cognitive tasks aimed at assessing attention and executive function are used regularly-for both clinical and research purposes-with the belief that they provide an objective assessment of symptoms associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As rates of the diagnosis of ADHD appear to be exploding, particularly since the onset of COVID-19, there is no doubt as to the need for reliable and valid diagnostic tools for ADHD. One of the most common types of such cognitive tests is continuous performance tasks (CPTs), which putatively not only help in diagnosing ADHD but can differentiate between ADHD subtypes.

Opportunities for understanding the COVID-19 pandemic and child health in the United States: the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program.

Objective: Ongoing pediatric cohort studies offer opportunities to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's health. With well-characterized data from tens of thousands of US children, the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program offers such an opportunity.

Methods: ECHO enrolled children and their caregivers from community- and clinic-based pediatric cohort studies.

Perinatal Factors and Emotional, Cognitive, and Behavioral Dysregulation in Childhood and Adolescence.

Objective: This cohort study assessed perinatal factors known to be related to maternal and neonatal inflammation and hypothesized that several would be associated with emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dysregulation in youth.

Method: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) is a research consortium of 69 pediatric longitudinal cohorts. A subset of 18 cohorts that had both Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) data on children (6-18 years) and information on perinatal exposures including maternal prenatal infections was used.

Latent Class Analysis of Prenatal Substance Exposure and Child Behavioral Outcomes.

Objectives: To predict behavioral disruptions in middle childhood, we identified latent classes of prenatal substance use.

Study Design: As part of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program, we harmonized prenatal substance use data and child behavior outcomes from 2195 women and their 6- to 11-year-old children across 10 cohorts in the US and used latent class-adjusted regression models to predict parent-rated child behavior.

Results: Three latent classes fit the data: low use (90.

Early childhood exposure to environmental phenols and parabens, phthalates, organophosphate pesticides, and trace elements in association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the CHARGE study.

Background: Agrowing body of literature investigated childhood exposure to environmental chemicals in association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, but limited studies considered urinary mixtures of multiple chemical classes. This study examined associations of concurrent exposure to non-persistent chemicals with ADHD symptoms in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay, and typical development.

Methods: A total of 574 children aged 2-5 years from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) case-control study was administered the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC).

Childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and neurodevelopment in the CHARGE case-control study.

Background: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are shown to have neurotoxic effects on animals, but epidemiological evidence for associations between childhood PFAS exposure and neurodevelopment is inconclusive. We examined if childhood PFAS concentrations are associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delay (DD), and other early concerns (OEC) in development.

Methods: We included 551 children 2-5 years old from the CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) case-control study.

Working Memory Training in Youth With Autism, Fragile X, and Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study sought to identify potential markers of improvement from pre-post treatment in response to computerized working memory (WM) training for youth (ages 8-18) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and comorbid intellectual disability (ID) in a single arm, pre-post design. Participants included 26 children with ASD and 18 with comorbid ASD and fragile X syndrome (ASD+FXS). Analyses were adjusted for age and IQ.

Measuring Attentional Distraction in Children With ADHD Using Virtual Reality Technology With Eye-Tracking.

Objective: Distractions inordinately impair attention in children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but examining this behavior under real-life conditions poses a challenge for researchers and clinicians. Virtual reality (VR) technologies may mitigate the limitations of traditional laboratory methods by providing a more ecologically relevant experience. The use of eye-tracking measures to assess attentional functioning in a VR context in ADHD is novel.

Environmental exposures to pesticides, phthalates, phenols and trace elements are associated with neurodevelopment in the CHARGE study.

Objective: To determine if higher exposures measured in early childhood to environmental phenols, phthalates, pesticides, and/or trace elements, are associated with increased odds of having a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Developmental Delay (DD), or Other Early Concerns (OEC) compared to typically developing children (TD).

Methods: This study included 627 children between the ages of 2-5 who participated in the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment (CHARGE) study. Urine samples were collected at the same study visit where diagnostic assessments to confirm diagnosis indicated during the recruitment process were performed.