Clinical practice guideline on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents

Trastorn per dèficit d’atenció amb hiperactivitat; TDAH; Guies de pràctica clínicaTrastorno por Déficit de Atención con Hiperactividad; TDAH; Guía de práctica clínicaAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; ADHD; Clinical practice guidelinesCon esta GPC se pretende dar, a la población y a los profesionales sanitarios y de la educación, un instrumento útil que dé respuestas a las cuestiones básicas del trastorno, especialmente a las relacionadas con la evaluación diagnóstica y los diferentes tipos de tratamiento del TDAH en niños y adolescentes.This guideline is the result of a group of professionals associated with ADHD and experts in the methodology of CPGs and its aim is to detect and become aware of the disorder, assessing it correctly as well as proposing therapeutic objectives and strategies for the family and teachers

Adolescents with sensory processing disorder in middle school settings : a guidebook for learning support coordinators

This paper explores how sensory processing disorder (SPD) impacts adolescents\u27 lives and their success in school and provides special educators with resources to support students with SPD

Advances in Autism Research

This book represents one of the most up-to-date collections of articles on clinical practice and research in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The scholars who contributed to this book are experts in their field, carrying out cutting edge research in prestigious institutes worldwide (e.g., Harvard Medical School, University of California, MIND Institute, King’s College, Karolinska Institute, and many others). The book addressed many topics, including (1) The COVID-19 pandemic; (2) Epidemiology and prevalence; (3) Screening and early behavioral markers; (4) Diagnostic and phenotypic profile; (5) Treatment and intervention; (6) Etiopathogenesis (biomarkers, biology, and genetic, epigenetic, and risk factors); (7) Comorbidity; (8) Adulthood; and (9) Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP). This book testifies to the complexity of performing research in the field of ASD. The published contributions underline areas of progress and ongoing challenges in which more certain data is expected in the coming years. It would be desirable that experts, clinicians, researchers, and trainees could have the opportunity to read this updated text describing the challenging heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Neurocognition and behaviour:diagnostic work-up and interventions in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy

Duchenne (DMD) and Becker (BMD) Muscular Dystrophy are hereditary, progressive muscle diseases caused by changes or mutations in the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) gene. This gene is part of the hereditary material, the DNA. These muscle diseases occur almost exclusively in boys. The dystrophin gene is responsible for the production of multiple dystrophin isoforms that occur in different body tissues, namely in the muscles, kidneys, eye and brain. Scientific research in recent years has focused on investigating the link between the disrupted production of dystrophin in the brain and the more frequent occurrence of neurocognitive (i.e. learning and thinking problems) and behavioural problems. The exact role of dystrophin in cognition and behaviour remains unclear. The aim of this thesis was to further describe the relationship between dystrophin in the brain and the common behavioural and neurocognitive problems. In addition, a literature review was used to identify the psychological measurement instruments used in the scientific literature. Finally, little research has been done on treatments to reduce the consequences of behavioural and neurocognitive problems. This dissertation studied two treatments in boys with DMD, namely a psychological intervention (cognitive working memory training) and a medication-based treatment to improve attention (methylphenidate)

Annual research review: Digital health interventions for children and young people with mental health problems: a systematic and meta-review

Digital health interventions (DHIs), including computer-assisted therapy, smartphone apps and wearable technologies, are heralded as having enormous potential to improve uptake and accessibility, efficiency, clinical effectiveness and personalisation of mental health interventions. It is generally assumed that DHIs will be preferred by children and young people (CYP) given their ubiquitous digital activity. However, it remains uncertain whether: DHIs for CYP are clinically and cost-effective, CYP prefer DHIs to traditional services, DHIs widen access and how they should be evaluated and adopted by mental health services. This review evaluates the evidence-base for DHIs and considers the key research questions and approaches to evaluation and implementation. We conducted a meta-review of scoping, narrative, systematic or meta-analytical reviews investigating the effectiveness of DHIs for mental health problems in CYP. We also updated a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of DHIs for CYP published in the last 3 years. Twenty-one reviews were included in the meta-review. The findings provide some support for the clinical benefit of DHIs, particularly computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT), for depression and anxiety in adolescents and young adults. The systematic review identified 30 new RCTs evaluating DHIs for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorders and PTSD. The benefits of DHIs in managing ADHD, autism, psychosis and eating disorders are uncertain, and evidence is lacking regarding the cost-effectiveness of DHIs. Key methodological limitations make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions from existing clinical trials of DHIs. Issues include variable uptake and engagement with DHIs, lack of an agreed typology/taxonomy for DHIs, small sample sizes, lack of blinded outcome assessment, combining different comparators, short-term follow-up and poor specification of the level of human support. Research and practice recommendations are presented that address the key research questions and methodological issues for the evaluation and clinical implementation of DHIs for CYP

COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION OF MATHEMATICAL OPERATIONS IN ADHD AND TYPICAL STUDENTS – THE ONLINE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

This study examines the effectiveness of Computer – Assisted Instruction (CAI) on mathematical operations of addition and subtraction performance of students diagnosed with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder and their typical peers, in the context of an online Learning Management System. The mathematical operation performance of students was assessed right before, just after and after three months’ time in “paper and pencil” and CAI conditions in order to determine maintenance of intervention’s effects. Six ADHD students diagnosed by public centers of diagnosis and attending 1st to 3rd grades of elementary school took part in the study. They were facing minor to major difficulties in mathematical operations of addition and subtraction. Twelve typical students of the same age and with no mathematical difficulties also took part. The research method was an experimental 2 (groups) X 4 (conditions) nonequivalent-control group design was created as students were different by ADHD existence. Typical students had significantly better performance in mathematical operations prior, after and in CAI implementation compared to the ADHD students with major problems. Their performance was actually in the same levels with students with ADHD with minor difficulties. Examination of within ADHD subjects revealed significant differences when CAI implemented. CAI found to be an effective instructional strategy on mathematical operations’ performance either of students with ADHD or non-disabled in a “working at home” educational setting. Although all students had gains from CAI implementation, a “Mathew” effect was revealed, as typical and ADHD students with minor difficulties had better performance gains which were maintained more after treatment and a follow up examination after three months.  Article visualizations