Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP
-
J Dev Behav Pediatr · Apr 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe calming effect of a familiar odor on full-term newborns.
We assessed the effectiveness of an odor (familiar or unfamiliar) in soothing healthy full-term newborns undergoing a routine heel stick. Forty-four breast-fed newborns were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Before the heel stick, Group 1 was naturally familiarized with their mother's milk odor, Group 2 was familiarized with a vanilla smell, and Groups 3 and 4 did not receive any familiarization. During and after the heel stick, Group 1 was presented with their mother's milk odor, Group 2 was presented with the familiar vanilla, Group 3 was presented with an unfamiliar odor, and Group 4 was a control group. ⋯ Infants who were presented with an unfamiliar odor or no odor showed no significant changes during recovery. Moreover, infants who smelled their mother's milk exhibited significantly less motor agitation during the heel stick compared with the other groups. These findings indicate that smelling a familiar odor reduces agitation during the heel stick and diminishes distress after the procedure.
-
Seizures are reported to occur more frequently among children with diagnoses of autism and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and some reports indicate a frequency as high as 30%. Sedation is often necessary to perform diagnostic electroencephalograms (EEGs) in these children, who are known to be difficult to sedate with current available pediatric sedating agents, including chloral hydrate. We used clonidine as a sedative agent in children with autism and PDD, and our findings are presented. ⋯ All EEGs were of good technical quality without any "drug effect." Clonidine is a viable alternative for sedation in children with autism and PDD. It is well tolerated without any significant side effects and is efficacious in children with autism and PDD. The advantages of clonidine include ease of administration, shorter duration of total sedation, lack of EEG drug effect, and high overall success rate.
-
J Dev Behav Pediatr · Feb 2004
Evaluation of the built environment at a children's convalescent hospital: development of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory parent and staff satisfaction measures for pediatric health care facilities.
In preparation for the design, construction, and postoccupancy evaluation of a new Children's Convalescent Hospital, focus groups were conducted and measurement instruments were developed to quantify and characterize parent and staff satisfaction with the built environment of the existing pediatric health care facility, a 30-year-old, 59-bed, long-term, skilled nursing facility dedicated to the care of medically fragile children with complex chronic conditions. The measurement instruments were designed in close collaboration with parents, staff, and senior management involved with the existing and planned facility. The objectives of the study were to develop pediatric measurement instruments that measured the following: (1) parent and staff satisfaction with the built environment of the existing pediatric health care facility, (2) parent satisfaction with the health care services provided to their child, and (3) staff satisfaction with their coworker relationships. ⋯ Consistent with the a priori hypotheses, higher parent satisfaction with the built environment structure and aesthetics was associated with higher parent satisfaction with health care services (r =.54, p <.01; r =.59, p <.01, respectively). Higher staff satisfaction with the built environment structure and aesthetics was associated with higher coworker relationship satisfaction (r =.53; p <.001; r =.51; p <.01, respectively). The implications of the findings for the architectural design and evaluation of pediatric health care facilities are discussed.
-
J Dev Behav Pediatr · Oct 2003
Effects of gun admonitions on the behaviors and attitudes of school-aged boys.
Gun-safety programs frequently warn children not to touch guns with little consideration that the messages may enhance the allure of the guns. In the current study, boys rated and ranked their preference for a gun in comparison with other desirable objects. One week later, when left alone in the room with the objects, they were forbidden to touch either the gun or some other object. ⋯ Although the boys forbidden to touch the gun did not report an increased preference for it, all participants were significantly more likely to touch the forbidden gun than to touch other forbidden objects. Age, parent- and coach-reported simulated gun-play, and coach-reported risky behavior predicted gun-touching behavior. The results of the current study indicate that guns hold a unique allure and cast further doubt on the ability of gun admonitions to keep children safe around guns.