Arguments for Keeping Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Focused on Persons Under 18 Years of Age.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists and their associations are grappling with the idea of restructuring their subspecialty to including transitional age youth (TAY), sometimes operationalized as persons 18-25 years of age. This consideration is currently before the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CACAP). This essay identifies several concerning and potentially harmful consequences of widening the age range of child and adolescent psychiatry.

Caution Is Needed When Adding Etiology to Mental Disorder Criteria: The Case of Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has been cautiously restrictive in incorporating etiological variables into diagnostic criteria. This etiologically agnostic approach seems appropriate given the lack of evidence for single dominant causal factors for most mental disorders. Moving toward an etiologically based diagnostic system was, however, articulated as one of the research goals for DSM-5.

A Critique of the New Canadian Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Guideline.

A new Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) guideline was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2016. This is relevant to the mental health field as mental health symptoms and psychiatric disorders are often identified as associated with and/or part of FASD presentations. Unfortunately, the new guideline has not advanced understanding of the interface between FASD and mental health problems; rather it may contribute to additional confusion.

Transforming Child and Youth Mental Health Care via Innovative Technological Solutions.

Live interactive videoconferencing and other technologies offer innovative opportunities for effective delivery of specialized child and adolescent mental health services. In this article, an example of a comprehensive telepsychiatry program is presented to highlight a variety of capacity-building initiatives that are responsive to community needs and cultures; these initiatives are allowing children, youth and caregivers to access otherwise-distant specialist services within their home communities. Committed, enthusiastic champions, adequate funding and infrastructure, creativity and a positive attitude represent key elements in the adaptation of this demonstrated user-friendly modality.

Child and youth telepsychiatry in rural and remote primary care.

Young people with psychological or psychiatric problems are managed largely by primary care practitioners, many of whom feel inadequately trained, ill equipped, and uncomfortable with this responsibility. Accessing specialist pediatric and psychological services, often located in and near large urban centers, is a particular challenge for rural and remote communities. Live interactive videoconferencing technology (telepsychiatry) presents innovative opportunities to bridge these service gaps.

Infectivity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi after wetting and drying.

In a mediterranean environment, a hot and dry summer is followed by a cool and rainy winter, the growing season. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi survive in dry soil in the summer and are able to colonize newly emerged plants in winter. However, late summer and autumn rains are frequently followed by periods of drought, resulting in the wetting and drying of the soil before the onset of regular winter rains.