JAMA pediatrics
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Improving maternal mental health after a child's diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: results from a randomized clinical trial.
The prevalence of psychological distress among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests a need for interventions that address parental mental health during the critical period after the child's autism diagnosis when parents are learning to navigate the complex system of autism services. ⋯ The positive effects of PSE in reducing parenting stress and depressive symptoms during the critical postdiagnosis period, when parents are asked to navigate a complex service delivery system, suggest that it may have a place in clinical practice. Further work will monitor these families for a total of 9 months to determine the trajectory of outcomes.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Probiotics to prevent or treat excessive infant crying: systematic review and meta-analysis.
IMPORTANCE Excessive infant crying is common, distressing, but without proven effective prevention or management options. Probiotics may be a promising solution. OBJECTIVE To examine whether probiotics are effective in the prevention/management of crying ("colic") in infants 3 months or younger. ⋯ Considerable variability in the study populations, study type, delivery mode/dose of probiotic supplementation, and outcomes precluded meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although L reuteri may be effective as treatment for crying in exclusively breastfed infants with colic, there is still insufficient evidence to support probiotic use to manage colic, especially in formula-fed infants, or to prevent infant crying. Results from larger rigorously designed studies applicable to all crying infants will help draw more definitive conclusions.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Multiple courses of antenatal corticosteroids for preterm birth study: outcomes in children at 5 years of age (MACS-5).
A single course of antenatal corticosteroid therapy is recommended for pregnant women at risk of preterm birth between 24 and 33 weeks' gestational age. However, 50% of women remain pregnant 7 to 14 days later, leading to the question of whether additional courses should be given to women remaining at risk for preterm birth. The Multiple Courses of Antenatal Corticosteroids for Preterm Birth Study (MACS) was an international randomized clinical trial that compared multiple courses of antenatal corticosteroids with a single course in women at risk of preterm birth. ⋯ Multiple courses, compared with a single course, of antenatal corticosteroid therapy did not increase or decrease the risk of death or disability at 5 years of age. Because of a lack of strong conclusive evidence of short-term or long-term benefits, it remains our opinion that multiple courses not be recommended in women with ongoing risk of preterm birth.
-
After pediatric injury, transient traumatic stress reactions are common, and about 1 in 6 children and their parents develop persistent posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms that are linked to poorer physical and functional recovery. Meta-analytic studies identify risk factors for persistent PTS, including preinjury psychological problems, peritrauma fear and perceived life threat, and posttrauma factors such as low social support, maladaptive coping strategies, and parent PTS symptoms. There is growing prospective data indicating that children's subjective appraisals of the injury and its aftermath influence PTS development. ⋯ Web-based psychoeducation and targeted brief early intervention for injured children and their parents have shown a modest effect, but additional research is needed to refine preventive approaches. There is a strong evidence base for effective psychological treatment of severe and persistent PTS via trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy; evidence is lacking for psychopharmacological treatment. Pediatric clinicians play a key role in preventing injury-related PTS by providing "trauma-informed" pediatric care (ie, recognizing preexisting trauma, addressing acute traumatic stress reactions associated with the injury event, minimizing potentially traumatic aspects of treatment, and identifying children who need additional monitoring or referral).