A Prospective Study of the Family Quality of Life, Illness Perceptions, and Coping in Mothers of Children Newly Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Communication Difficulties.

(1) Background: This study assesses the impact of mothers' illness perceptions about autism spectrum disorder and their coping strategies on the family's quality of life during the initial period following diagnosis and one year afterward. (2) Method: The sample consisted of 53 mothers of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and having communication difficulties who completed the following: the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Brief-COPE. (3) Results: The findings revealed a moderate family quality of life in the initial assessment and a lack of a statistically significant change one year later.

The efficacy of Equine Assisted Therapy intervention in gross motor function, performance, and spasticity in children with Cerebral Palsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of Equine Assisted Therapy in children with Cerebral Palsy, in terms of gross motor function, performance, and spasticity as well as whether this improvement can be maintained for 2 months after the end of the intervention.

Methods: Children with Cerebral Palsy participated in this prospective cohort study. The study lasted for 28 weeks, of which the equine assisted therapy lasted 12 weeks taking place once a week for 30 min.

Growth trajectories during infancy have a significant impact on body composition in childhood.

Evidence supports that growth trajectory during infancy has a major impact on body composition. We aimed to examine body composition in children born small for gestational age (SGA) or appropriate for gestational age (AGA) adjusted for postnatal growth velocity. We enrolled 365 children, 75 SGA and 290 AGA, aged 7 to 10 years, examining anthropometrics, skinfold thickness, and body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis.

Measuring parental stress, illness perceptions, coping and quality of life in families of children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: A variety of psychosocial factors have been shown to affect the quality of life of families (FQoL).

Aim: This study aimed to assess the impact of mother's demographic characteristics, parental stress, illness perceptions about autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coping strategies, ASD severity and time since diagnosis on FQoL during the initial period following diagnosis (≤6 months).

Method: Fifty-three mothers of children newly diagnosed with ASD completed the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale, the Autism Parenting Stress Index, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory.

Is small for gestational age status independently correlated with body composition during childhood?

This study aims to examine if small for gestation age (SGA) status is correlated with alterations in body composition at prepuberty, independently of other factors, comparing SGA-born children with appropriate for gestational age (AGA)-born children. We examined anthropometrics, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), six skinfold thickness, and body composition using the method of bioelectrical impedance in 636 children aged 7 to 10 years. We also considered age, gender, birth mode, mother's age, prepregnancy weight, weight gain during pregnancy, social status, parental BMI, type of feeding, and daily exercise.

Validation of the Greek version of the Affiliate Stigma Scale among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are sensitive to the internalisation of the stigma, known as affiliate stigma, resulting in reduced self-esteem, isolation and poor psychological well-being.

Aims: This study aims to validate the Greek version of the Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS) among mothers of children with ASD.

Method: The translated version of ASS in Greek was administered to 53 mothers of children newly diagnosed with ASD in two time periods: 1-6 months from diagnosis (time point 1) and 12 months from the initial assessment (time point 2).

Association of fluid overload with patent ductus arteriosus during the first postnatal day.

Background: Evidence examining the association of over-hydration during early life with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA) and other morbidities is limited. Our aim was to evaluate the association of fluid overload during the first postnatal day with hsPDA and common neonatal morbidities such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted enrolling infants ≤30 weeks' gestation and ≤1500 grams' birth weight, admitted to a tertiary Neonatal Unit.

A systematic review indicates an association between birth weight and body fat in childhood.

Aim: To summarise the existing evidence regarding the body fat of small or large for gestation subjects, evaluated from birth up to 18 years of age.

Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were adopted for the current systematic review, including studies having evaluated body fat with bioelectrical impedance analysis, air displacement plethysmography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or magnetic resonance imaging.

Results: A total of 31 studies was included.

A comparison between risk-factor guidance for neonatal early-onset sepsis and Kaiser Permanente sepsis risk calculator in a Greek cohort.

Background: The management of neonates with early-onset sepsis (EOS) is based on maternal risk factors and infant clinical indications. An online sepsis risk calculator (SRC) has been established taking into consideration how clinical appearance modifies the initial risk for EOS.

Aims: To compare our clinical practice based on risk-factor guidance with that projected through the application of the SRC.

C-reactive protein in infants with no evidence of early-onset sepsis.

Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is one of the most extensively used biomarkers in the investigation of early-onset sepsis (EOS). Current evidence suggests the normal kinetics of serum CRP should be considered when evaluating infants for presumable EOS. The current study aimed to evaluate the CRP kinetics, and to establish percentiles in a cohort of term and near-term infants with no evidence of confirmed or clinical EOS.

Effects of long-term antiepileptic polytherapy on bone biochemical markers in ambulatory children and adolescents and possible benefits of vitamin D supplementation: a prospective interventional study.

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate any adverse effects of long-term polytherapy (VPA and add-on-therapy) on bone biochemical markers in ambulatory children and adolescents with epilepsy and the possible benefits of vitamin D supplementation on the same markers.

Methods: In this prospective interventional study, the levels of 25(OH)D and the bone turnover markers of CrossLaps (CTX), total alkaline phosphatase (tALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and the receptor activator for nuclear factor kB (RANK) ligand (sRANKL) were determined in forty-two ambulatory children with epilepsy on polytherapy (valproic acid + one or more other from levetiracetam, topiramate, lamotrigine, or rufinamide). The same markers were assessed after a year's supplementation of vitamin D (400 IU/d) and were compared with those of clinically healthy controls.

Are thyroid function tests in neonates born to mothers with hypothyroidism clinically useful?

Thyroid function tests from all babies born to mothers with hypothyroidism (381 neonates) during a 6-year period, were collected and examined against findings of the universal screening test. No difference was found between the results of bloodspot test and later blood test. Additional blood tests for thyroid function in this population of neonates seem to be without clinical value and may be discontinued.

Vitamin D supplementation and bone markers in ambulatory children on long-term valproic acid therapy. A prospective interventional study.

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate any adverse effects of long-term valproic acid (VPA) therapy on bone biochemical markers in ambulatory children and adolescents with epilepsy, and the possible benefits of vitamin D supplementation on the same markers.

Methods: In this single center, the prospective interventional study levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and the bone turnover indices of Crosslaps (CTX), total alkaline phosphatase (tALP), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and the receptor activator for nuclear factor kB (RANK) ligand (sRANKL) were assessed before and after one year of vitamin D intake (400 IU/d) and were compared with those of clinically healthy controls. Fifty-four ambulatory children with mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age 9.

Therapeutic Effects of Horseback Riding Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: Equine-assisted therapies, such as therapeutic riding and hippotherapy, are believed to have positive physical and emotional effects in individuals with neuromotor, developmental, and physical disabilities. The purpose of this review was to determine whether therapeutic riding and hippotherapy improve balance, motor function, gait, muscle symmetry, pelvic movement, psychosocial parameters, and the patients' overall quality of life.

Design: In this study, a literature search was conducted on MEDLINE, CINAHL, MBASE, SportDiscus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, PEDro, DARE, Google Scholar, and Dissertation Abstracts.

UGT1A6- and UGT2B7-related valproic acid pharmacogenomics according to age groups and total drug concentration levels.

Aim: The role of UGT1A6 and UGT2B7 polymorphisms and the impact of total drug plasma concentration in valproic acid (VPA) pharmacogenomics.

Patients & Methods: A total of 134 Greek patients were recruited (76 adults). Patients were genotyped for UGT1A6 19T>G, 541A>G and 552A>C and UGT2B7 802T>C polymorphisms.

Diffusion tensor imaging in children with tuberous sclerosis complex: tract-based spatial statistics assessment of brain microstructural changes.

Background: There is evidence of microstructural changes in normal-appearing white matter of patients with tuberous sclerosis complex.

Objective: To evaluate major white matter tracts in children with tuberous sclerosis complex using tract-based spatial statistics diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis.

Materials And Methods: Eight children (mean age ± standard deviation: 8.

The Role of Fast Cell Cycle Analysis in Pediatric Brain Tumors.

Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry has not been adequately studied in pediatric brain tumors. We investigated the value of a modified rapid (within 6 min) cell cycle analysis protocol for the characterization of malignancy of pediatric brain tumors and for the differentiation of neoplastic from nonneoplastic tissue for possible intraoperative application. We retrospectively studied brain tumor specimens from patients treated at our institute over a 5-year period.

The value of cell cycle analysis by propidium-iodine staining of CD56+ cells in pediatric brain tumors.

Purpose: Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry has not been adequately studied in pediatric brain tumors. We investigated the value of cell cycle analysis by propidium-iodine (PI) staining of CD56+ (gated) cells for the characterization of pediatric brain tumor's malignancy.

Methods: Patients that underwent surgery for an intracranial lesion and tissue sample was available were included in the study.

Telogen effluvium as the first symptom of Crohn's disease in a child.

Crohn's disease usually manifests gastrointestinal symptoms, however in some cases the patient presents with prominent or even exclusive extraintestinal involvement. Alopecia has been reported as a complication of therapeutic agents used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, and, in a few cases of adult patients, prior to the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms. We present a 10 year-old-child with telogen effluvium that appeared one year before the diagnosis of Crohn's disease, as the first and only symptom at that time.

Comparative study of the health-related quality of life of children with epilepsy and their parents.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of schoolchildren with epilepsy and its determinants and the HRQoL of their parents in comparison with those of healthy children and their parents.

Materials And Methods: The study sample comprised 100 children with epilepsy (58 males), 8-16 years of age, diagnosed at least 6 months earlier. The children with epilepsy were divided into two subgroups: A, with well controlled idiopathic epilepsy, and B, with drug-resistant or symptomatic epilepsy and with concomitant neurodevelopmental problems.