Developmental Functioning of Infants and Toddlers with Autism and Down Syndrome

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication, as well as restricted interests and repetitive behaviors. Approximately 10% of individuals with ASD also have comorbid genetic or chromosomal conditions, like Down Syndrome (DS). While it was once believed that DS and ASD rarely co-occurred, it has been demonstrated that it is not uncommon for children with DS to also meet criteria for ASD. Due to the difficulties in differentiating between impairments associated with intellectual disability (ID) and ASD symptomology, DS often leads to delayed or misdiagnoses of ASD. This can interfere with early intervention services and appropriate educational placements. While prior research has compared developmental functioning in children with ASD and DS, no studies have examined the impact of ASD risk and DS on developmental functioning in infants and toddlers under the age of 3. Utilizing the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 1 (BISCUIT-Part 1) and the Battelle Developmental Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-2), the current study aimed to expand the existing literature by investigating the effects of ASD risk and DS on developmental functioning in infants and toddlers. The current study compared three groups consisting of 46 toddlers each: ASD screen positive only without co-occurring DS (ASD+), DS screen negative (DS-), and DS screen positive (DS+). The results of the current study revealed significant group differences in the overall developmental functioning, as well as each developmental subdomain of the BDI-2. These findings support the need for early screening and identification of ASD among those with genetic conditions

Adverse Outcomes of Co-Occurring Methamphetamine and Opioid Use Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Background Overdose mortality rates increased significantly between 2018 and 2021 in the United States (NIH, 2023). Moreover, pregnant and postpartum women (PPW), who were aged 35 to 44 were observed to have the highest overdose mortality rates (NIH, 2023). Although there is existing research that examines the increase of co-occurring opioid and methamphetamine use, it still remains understudied when specifically focusing on PPW. This analysis intends to explore this gap in research by 1) exploring the history of co-occurring methamphetamine and opioid use among PPW who were seeking residential treatment, 2) highlighting the adverse health outcomes that follow co-use among PPW, 3) making future recommendations for potential reduction of those adverse health outcomes and harms for PPW. Methods Participants (N=211) were PPW with a history of substance use and entering treatment at Chrysalis House, a residential treatment facility in Lexington, Kentucky. The outcome evaluation included a baseline interview (two weeks after admission) and a follow-up interview (six months after the baseline interview). Baseline interviews were conducted in-person or over the phone with participants 2 weeks post-admission. Eligibility consisted of participants who were either currently pregnant or postpartum (had a child that was age 2 or younger) and at Chrysalis House receiving services at the time of baseline. Participants were examined using three groups: women who reported use of opioids only (n=50), methamphetamines only (n=74), or both opioids and methamphetamines (n=87) 30 days prior to their current treatment episode. For continuous dependent variables, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences by groups. Significant ANOVA findings were further explored using post-hoc analyses (Tukey\u27s, Scheffe). Categorical dependent variables were analyzed using a series of chi-square tests. Results Participants were predominately White (97.1%) with an average age of 29 years old. Between the three different groups (opioid use only, methamphetamine use only, and co-use of opioids and methamphetamine use), there were many areas of significance with housing conditions, criminal justice involvement, overdose and injection drug use history, mental health concerns, and trauma. Moreover, individuals who reported methamphetamine and opioid co-use were significantly more likely to report IDU in the 30 days prior to treatment (p\u3e.001), and were significantly more likely to have overdosed (p=.024) and witnessed an overdose (p\u3e.001) in the six months prior to treatment. Conclusion Implications highlight the need for further education and research regarding potential adverse health outcomes that are present for PPW who report co-occurring opioid and methamphetamine use. Moreover, it points to a critical need for additional research on the long-term implications of co-occurring opioid and methamphetamine use for PPW. A focus on harm reduction efforts, education on polysubstance use, and resources are recommended