Text messaging to improve connection between adolescents and their health care providers.

Objective: Adolescence marks a time of transition where teenagers are learning to advocate for themselves. In those with underlying chronic conditions such as adolescent dysautonomia, improving communication between clinic visits may improve connection with their health care provider which may aide management. Our aims were as follows: (1) to implement a text message platform to increase communication between adolescent patients and health care provider (HCP); (2) to evaluate its effect on quality of life (QoL), symptom burden, and patient engagement; and (3) to determine patient satisfaction with the platform.

Paediatric supraventricular tachycardia patients potentially more at risk of developing psychological difficulties compared to healthy peers.

Aim: Assess executive and socio-emotional/behavioural functioning in paediatric supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) patients.

Methods: SVT patients aged 7-17 who had not undergone catheter ablation were included. Parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL/6-18) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF).

Assessment of sleep problems in preschool aged children: an adaptation of the children's sleep habits questionnaire.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the factor structure of the children's sleep habits questionnaire (CSHQ) when used with preschool and toddler age children. Mothers of 105 children ages 2-5 completed the CSHQ, the child behavior checklist (CBCL), and a sleep diary. Internal consistency for the original subscales on the CSHQ ranged from .

The centre for healthy weights--shapedown BC: a family-centered, multidisciplinary program that reduces weight gain in obese children over the short-term.

The objective was to conduct a program evaluation of the Centre for Healthy Weights-Shapedown BC (CHW-SB), a family-centered, multidisciplinary program for obese children, by assessing the change in weight trajectories from program intake to completion. Secondary outcomes included changes in clinical, biochemical and psychological parameters, and in physical activity (PA) levels. The CHW-SB program was evaluated over 10 weeks.

Effects of stimulant medication on cognitive performance of children with ADHD.

The effect that treatment with stimulant medication has on the intellectual performance of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was examined. Thirty-one children diagnosed with ADHD were given a WISC-III before any treatment was implemented. At least 1 year later, children were retested.