The role of conceptual processing in perceptual identification performance

The present research examined the extent to which conceptual processing done at study contributed to perceptual identification priming in an associative priming paradigm. Subjects performed either an elaborative (sentence generation) or non-elaborative (vowel comparison) encoding task on unrelated cue-target pairs presented in a study list. On a subsequent perceptual identification test, old target words were paired with their study trial cues (same context), other study trial cues (rearranged context), novel cue words (new context) and non-word cues (no context). A conceptual processing effect would be evidenced by a significantly higher level of the same context priming in the elaborative encoding condition relative to all other conditions. The results revealed that although the level of same context priming was generally higher than that of the other context conditions, there were no differences in the level of priming between the two encoding groups. An analysis of errors suggested that the enhanced same context priming in each of the two encoding groups may be mediated by different processes. Furthermore, the results of this experiment support the hypothesis that priming in the perceptual identification test will benefit to the extent to which there is a match between study and test trial operations

Nutritional Status of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study

Objectives. This is a pilot study of the dietary intake and nutrient status of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Method. Nutritional assessment of 43 children aged 6–12 with ADHD was performed using a 3-day food record, 24-hour recall, and serum assessors. Results. Macronutrient intake and consumption of Low-Nutrient Foods were comparable to population norms; however, 66% were found to be deficient in zinc and 23% in copper. Conclusions. This pilot study reports the food intake and nutrient status of children with ADHD and shows a predisposition for low zinc and copper status in ADHD

Sleep Health Issues for Children with FASD: Clinical Considerations

This article describes the combined clinical experience of a multidisciplinary group of professionals on the sleep disturbances of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) focusing on sleep hygiene interventions. Such practical and comprehensive information is not available in the literature. Severe, persistent sleep difficulties are frequently associated with this condition but few health professionals are familiar with both FASD and sleep disorders. The sleep promotion techniques used for typical children are less suitable for children with FASD who need individually designed interventions. The types, causes, and adverse effects of sleep disorders, the modification of environment, scheduling and preparation for sleep, and sleep health for their caregivers are discussed. It is our hope that parents and also researchers, who are interested in the sleep disorders of children with FASD, will benefit from this presentation and that this discussion will stimulate much needed evidence-based research