Sensory-Adapted Dental Environment for the Treatment of Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose: The importance of dental care and oral hygiene is often underestimated in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Comorbidity with dental anxiety is greater in ASD subjects who also show unusual reactions to sensory stimuli. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy for a sensory-adapted environment and targeted methods in reducing anxiety and positively influencing cooperation in children with ASD during a dental examination or specific treatments. Material and methods: The sample consisted of 50 Italian children with a diagnosis of ASD (36 males and 14 females; aged 9–10 years) presenting with mild intellectual disability (ID) and verbal language skills. The subjects enrolled in the study had at least two decayed teeth and all were treated in two different dental environments: regular dental environment (RDE) and sensory-adapted dental environment (SADE). Results: 20% of the sample was successfully treated in RDE, while 68% of subjects were successfully treated in SADE. Conclusions: Results suggest that a sensory-adapted environment positively affects the therapeutic dental treatment in patients with ASD and reaffirm that sensory dysregulation in children with ASD is a crucial factor influencing the successful outcome of oral care

Psychological and sexual development in children raised by homosexual parents|Le développement psychologique et sexuel des enfants de parents homosexuels

Introduction Many studies that have assessed whether homosexual parenthood interferes with the psychological, cognitive and sexual development of children. It seems to emerge that growing up in a couple of same-sex parents does not interfere with the psychosexual development of children and that the possibility that children can become homosexual in the future does not depend on the sexual orientation of the parents. No difference was found in the incidence of homosexual future orientation between children of heterosexual parents and children born and raised in homosexual couples. Materials and methods In this preliminary study, a group of 112 children (mean age: 11.8) of homosexual parents living in a stable relationship with a same-sex partner were observed and examined. The following psycho diagnostic tools were used for the evaluation: spontaneous drawing, drawing of the human figure, drawing of the family, test of black images. The development of children's sexual identity was also assessed through the preferences and fantasies manifested by the following: during play, in the relationship with companions, in the type of preferred clothing. Interviews with children and parents also took place. Results and conclusions All children showed good adherence to their gender role. Being raised by a couple of same-sex parents does not compromise the child's future sexual orientation. However, sexual preference of these children may vary with adulthood as it is affected by future events and circumstances

On the Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic

: The COVID-19 pandemic has been a tsunami that has deeply changed the lives of the people all over the planet [...]

Efficacy of radiofrequency as therapy and diagnostic support in the management of musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Radiofrequency (RF) is a minimally invasive procedure used to interrupt or alter nociceptive pathways for treating musculoskeletal pain. It seems a useful tool to relieve chronic pain syndromes, even if, to date, solid evidence is still needed about the effectiveness of this therapy. By this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of RF in treating musculoskeletal pain. PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, and PEDro databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presenting the following: patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain as participants; RF as intervention; placebo, anesthetic injection, corticosteroid injection, prolotherapy, conservative treatment, physiotherapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as comparisons; and pain and functioning as outcomes. Continuous random-effect models with standardized mean difference (SMD) were used to compare the clinical outcomes. Overall, 26 RCTs were eligible and included in the systematic review. All of them analyzed the efficacy of RF in four different regions: cervical and lumbar spine, knee, sacroiliac (SI) joint, shoulder. The outcomes measures were pain, disability, and quality of life. A medium and large effect in favor of the RF treatment group (SMD < 0) was found for the shoulder according to the Visual Analogical Scale and for the SI joint according to the Oswestry Disability Index. A small effect in favor of the RF treatment group (SMD > 0) was found for the spine according to the 36-item Short Form Survey. Non-significant SMD was found for the other outcomes. RF represents a promising therapy for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain, especially when other approaches are ineffective or not practicable. Further studies are warranted to better deepen the effectiveness of RF for pain and joint function for each anatomical region of common application