Best practices and children and mental health

BACKGROUND: The current pediatric mental health crisis has disproportionately impacted Latino youth in the United States (US), as demonstrated by their elevated risks of depression, substance use disorder, and anxiety. Despite this, research suggests Latino youth receive inequitable mental health services. OBJECTIVE: To understand best practices, challenges, and priorities in providing accessible and equitable mental health care for Latino youth from the perspectives of front-line mental health providers and Latino community members...

BACKGROUND: Little information is available on the clinical trajectories of children and adolescents who attend general practice (GP) with psychiatric symptoms. We aimed to examine 5-year service use in English primary care for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental or mental health symptoms or diagnoses. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we used anonymised primary care health records from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database (CPRD-Aurum)...

Functional seizures (FS) can be debilitating and negatively impact quality of life. Yet intervention research for FS is limited, especially for youth. This study examined clinical characteristics and outcomes of youth with FS (13-23 years) presenting to a pediatric intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program in the midwestern United States. Sixty youth (mean age = 16.5 years; 83.3 % female) met inclusion criteria. At intake, comorbid chronic pain, somatic symptoms, autonomic dysfunction, eating and weight disturbances, and mental health concerns were common...

In the era of (re)legalisation of medicinal and recreational cannabis, accidental and intentional exposure to edibles, cannabis-infused food products, has increased substantially. However, there is particular concern regarding younger age groups. Most concerning is the increase in hospitalisations. According to a study by Myran et al. (1), provinces in Canada, where the sale of edibles is permitted, saw an increase in paediatric poisonings due to unintentional consumption of edibles. Similar trends have been observed in "legalised states" in the US, such as Colorado (2)...

Children's participation and inclusion in violence research, particularly in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) contexts, is scant and not well understood. To assess how young children can be engaged in violence research, 4- to 7-year-old children were recruited into our pilot study in a rural area of South Africa. Six interviewers, recruited from the community, were trained to complete cognitive interviews ( n  = 24), interviewer-administered questionnaires ( n  = 21), and qualitative interviews ( n  = 18) with young children...

OBJECTIVE: To identify the issues raised by the unsuccessful Voice referendum and propose removal of barriers to reporting and prevention of family violence in remote communities as the most ambitious measure of success in hearing First Nations voices. CONCLUSIONS: The Voice referendum was partly justified to improve the mental health of First Nations Australians, despite concern the process and its outcome might worsen both. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders revealed the tensions that arise between individual and communal interests when marginalised groups fight for self-determination...

OBJECTIVE: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) are serious chronic disabling mental and emotional disorders, with symptoms that often manifest atypically in children and adolescents, making diagnosis difficult without objective physiological indicators. Therefore, we aimed to objectively identify MDD and BD in children and adolescents by exploring their voiceprint features. METHODS: This study included a total of 150 participants, with 50 MDD patients, 50 BD patients, and 50 healthy controls aged between 6 and 16 years...

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to analyze the associations between emotional awareness (EA) and internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and mood states in children ages 8-12 who were previously exposed to intimate partner violence (EIPV). The study also aimed to explore the association between EA and external and internal protective factors of resilience. METHOD: A descriptive design study was used; participants were 61 children ( M = 10 years, 52.5% girls) who were EIPV patients from three Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centers in the Barcelona metropolitan area, Spain...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: IgE- and non-IgE-mediated food allergies are increasing in prevalence in children and adults worldwide. A food allergy diagnosis can be associated with a sense of overwhelm and stress and commonly has a negative impact on quality of life. RECENT FINDINGS: While there is an increased recognition of the psychosocial effects of food allergy, the current research reflects the experience of mostly White, well-educated wealthier populations. Some studies have now explored the psychosocial impact among other populations; however, further study is needed...

BACKGROUND: Research priorities are best defined through engagement with communities who will be impacted by the research and have lived experience of the topics to be studied. We aimed to establish a pediatric rare disease community stakeholder group and empower them in (1) eliciting perspectives from affected families in the wider region and (2) synthesizing collective ideas into a research agenda focused on shared ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) across rare disease. METHODS: This two-year project utilized a community-centered approach to engage rare disease community members as equal partners in developing a research agenda for ELSI in rare disease...

BACKGROUND: Preventive and promotive interventions delivered by schools can support a healthy lifestyle, positive development, and well-being in children and adolescents. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presented unique challenges to school health and nutrition programmes due to closures and mobility restrictions. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review to examine how school health and nutrition programmes pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide summative guidance to stakeholders in strategic immediate and long-term response efforts...

Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine with the large majority of cases classed as idiopathic, meaning there is no known cause. Typically, most cases occur in children and young people affecting approximately three per cent of the adult populace with five out of six cases being female. The BackBone: Interdisciplinary Creative Practices and Body Positive Resilience pilot research study used arts and humanities methods to measure the impact of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) on well-being and body perception...

BACKGROUND: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder with onset predominantly in infants and children. In recent years, newborn screening and three treatments, including gene replacement therapy (Onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi), have become available in the United States, aiding in the diagnosis and treatment of children with SMA. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate parents' experiences with newborn screening and gene replacement therapy and to explore best practices for positive newborn screen disclosure and counseling of families...

UNLABELLED: WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Children and adolescents' mental health problems, such as autism spectrum disorder, anxiety disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, are a global public health concern, and nurses require advanced expertise and skills to properly care for this population. There is a gap between the required competencies and the actual skills and knowledge of CAMHN practitioners. Previous studies suggest that educational interventions for nurses are necessary to enhance the quality of care for children and adolescents with mental health problems...

Here, we introduce the Early Relational Health (ERH) Learning Community's bold, large-scale, collaborative, data-driven and practice-informed research agenda focused on furthering our mechanistic understanding of ERH and identifying feasible and effective practices for making ERH promotion a routine and integrated component of pediatric primary care. The ERH Learning Community, formed by a team of parent/caregiver leaders, pediatric care clinicians, researchers, and early childhood development specialists, is a workgroup of Nurture Connection-a hub geared toward promoting ERH, i...

BACKGROUND: Psychiatric disorders are among the most common health problems in children and adolescents, with a recent prevalence rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The increasing demand for service provision in this patient population, together with infrastructural, financial and staff limitations in child and adolescent mental health services, calls for an adaptation/advancement of current models of service provision. This review offers an internationally informed overview of best-practice child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) strategies and care models, with the aim of assisting decision-makers in implementing topical CAMH care models...

BACKGROUND: Traumatic events that occur in infancy, childhood, and adolescence can be impactful over the course of a lifespan. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with chronic health problems and mental illness, and can negatively impact educational and job opportunities. There is a growing body of evidence about the relationship between ACEs and the risk of childhood obesity. Trauma informed care (TIC) is an approach to patient care both at the clinical and organizational level that is responsive to the impact past trauma can have on an individual...

INTRODUCTION: Many children and adolescents with obesity experience weight stigma and bias, which can have detrimental mental health, medical, and social consequences. Weight stigma in the healthcare setting threatens the therapeutic relationship between health care providers and their pediatric patients and families. METHODS: Data supporting this guidance were derived from cited references. RESULTS: Based upon referenced citations, this review offers 7 best practices for pediatric providers to work to reduce weight stigma including: assess for personal weight bias, improve communication, provide a welcoming clinic environment, seek out additional training and informative experiences, evaluate the messaging and culture of the organization, screen for trauma and bullying, and enlist the help of board-certified obesity medicine specialists...

INTRODUCTION: The number of children exposed to HIV and possibly to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in utero and during breastfeeding and are uninfected (HEU) globally will continue to increase from the estimated 15.9 million in 2021. DISCUSSION: There are still significant gaps in our understanding of the impact of HIV and/or ART exposure in children who are HEU, in terms of prevalence/incidence and severity on health and wellbeing, and long after exposure has ended...

For children and young adults, living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses physical, mental, and social challenges. The mental health functioning of children and adolescents with CKD plays an important role in the medical, educational, vocational, and quality of life outcomes, yet receives little systematic attention in the busy pediatric nephrology clinic. This article will provide an overview of the prevalence of mental illness and symptoms in children and young adults with CKD, strategies to assess for dysfunction, and the long-term outcomes associated with impaired functioning...