Pervasive developmental disorders in individuals with cerebral palsy

The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence and associated factors of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), including autistic disorder and PDD not otherwise specified (NOS), in a clinical sample of 126 children and adolescents (75 males, 51 females; age range 4-18y, mean 8y 8mo, SD 3y 8mo) with tetraplegic, hemiplegic, diplegic, dyskinetic, or mixed types of cerebral palsy (CP); 28% could not crawl or walk even with support, 29% could move with support, and 43% walked independently. Participants were examined for PDD in two stages. In the first stage, probable participants were determined by direct observation, Autism Behavior Checklist score, and medical reports. In the second stage, those with 'probable' symptoms underwent psychiatric examination and their autistic symptoms were scored on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. The final diagnosis of autistic disorder or PDD-NOS was given according to DSM-IV criteria. Fourteen (11%) and five (4%) of the participants met the criteria for autistic disorder and PDD-NOS respectively. Children with CP and PDD differed from those without PDD in terms of type of CP (p=0.02), presence of epilepsy (p < 0.001), intellectual level (p < 0.001), and level of speech (p < 0.001). PDD was more common in children with tetraplegic, mixed, and hemiplegic CP, and in children with epilepsy, learning disability,* and low level of speech. The findings corroborate the notion that CP is a complex disorder, often associated with additional impairments. PDD is not rare in CP and should be considered in patients with comorbid conditions such as epilepsy, learning disability, and language delay and in the presence of tetraplegic, mixed, and hemiplegic CP types

Kleine-Levin syndrome in two subjects with diagnosis of autistic disorder

Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) is a rare disease characterized by recurrent episodes of hypersomnia, cognitive and behavioural disturbances, compulsive eating and hypersexuality. The disease is predominantly described in typically developed adolescents. Here, we present two cases with the diagnosis of KLS and autistic disorder. The aim of this presentation is to illustrate the clinical expression and differential diagnosis of KLS in this group

Complementary and Alternative Treatments of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric conditions estimated to affect 5-10% of the children. It is a chronic condition and frequently persists into adulthood. Approved pharmacological agents for the treatment of ADHD include psychostimulants and atomoxetine. However, non-pharmacological treatment seeking and the use of complementary and alternative medicine are on the rise. Here, the most common complementary and alternative treatments of ADHD will be reviewed. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2011; 48: 94-102

Serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor-induced enuresis in three pediatric cases

Although there are reports on their use for the treatment of enuresis, we present three pediatric cases with serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-induced enuresis. Because SSRIs continue to be commonly prescribed in the pediatric population, the need to monitor for the possibility of enuresis precipitated by SSRIs is increasingly important

Epidemiological study of self-reported sleep problems in Turkish high school adolescents

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency and correlates of a variety of sleep problems in adolescents

Psychological Adjustment, Maternal Distress, and Family Functioning in Children With Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy

Purpose To examine emotional and behavioral characteristics of children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy (OBPP), psychological distress of their mothers and their family functioning, and compare them with healthy peers

Asperger's disorder and Williams syndrome: a case report

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder caused by the hemizygous microdeletion in chromosome 7q11.23. It is characterized by dysmorphic face, cardiovascular disease, idiopathic hypercalcemia, mental retardation, and an uneven profile of cognitive-linguistic abilities and deficits. The presence of autistic features in individuals with WS is a controversial issue. While there are reports that describe them as overly friendly with excessive sociability and good empathic skills, some recent studies focus more on the qualitative impairment of their social abilities. Here, we report the clinical presentation and follow-up of an eight-year-old boy with WS and clear problems in his social interaction, non-verbal communication and circumscribed interests. To our knowledge, this is the first case report on the coexistence of WS and Asperger's disorder. It also differs from previous papers on the comorbidity of WS and autism spectrum disorders, by depicting a highly verbal, non-retarded child followed for seven years through adolescence

Psychological Adjustment, Maternal Distress, and Family Functioning in Children With Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy

Purpose To examine emotional and behavioral characteristics of children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy (OBPP), psychological distress of their mothers and their family functioning, and compare them with healthy peers

Asperger's Disorder and Nonverbal Learning Disability: Similarity Between Cognitive Profile and Memory Functions

Objective: Nonverbal learning disability (NVLD) is a condition associated with prominent nonverbal deficits such as reduced perceptual and spatial abilities, while the verbal abilities remain relatively intact. Some researchers have reported that there is a considerable overlap between cognitive and behavioral features of Asperger's Disorder (AD) and NVLD. The present study aimed to assess the hypothesis of the presence of NVLD in AD using a neuropsychological battery, which primarily focused on memory, in a group of children and adolescents from the Turkish population

Autism in visually impaired individuals

The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of autism in a sample of visually impaired children and adolescents. A total of 257 blind children and adolescents (age range: 7-18 years) were examined for autism using a three-stage process. The first stage estimated probable cases of autistic disorder based on the Autism Behavior Checklist and the second stage by direct observation of the subjects in different settings. In the third stage, subjects with the probable diagnosis of autistic disorder were asked to undergo psychiatric examination. A final diagnosis of autistic disorder (based on the criteria in DSM-IV) was given after interviewing the caregivers and clinical observation. Thirty of 257 subjects met the criteria for autistic disorder. Comparison of the characteristics of the two groups (autistic and non-autistic) with chi(2)-squared and independent sample t-tests revealed a statistically significant difference in terms of severity of blindness (P = 0.015), cerebral palsy (P = 0.02) and intellectual level (P = 0.001). The results of the present study suggest that subjects with blindness plus autism have greater neurological impairment (as suggested by the presence of lower intellectual level and cerebral palsy), and more severe visual impairment than the subjects with blindness only