Autism randomized

BACKGROUND: Patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience higher rates of perioperative anxiety and are likely to receive premedication. Little is known about nonpharmaceutical interventions which may decrease anxiety. This study aims to evaluate the use of an adaptive sensory environment (ASE) to reduce ASD patient anxiety during the perioperative process. METHODS: Our feasibility study (ClinicalTrials.govNCT04994613) enrolled 60 patients in two parallel groups randomized to a control (no ASE) or intervention group (ASE)...

Growing evidence suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) associated with stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the causal association between ASD and the risk of stroke and CVD remains unclear. To validate this, we performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) and two-step mediation MR analyses, using relevant genetic variants sourced from the largest genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Two-sample MR evidence indicated causal relationships between ASD and any stroke (OR = 1...

PURPOSE: Parent involvement is crucial for tailored early intervention programs. The Hanen More Than Words (HMTW) program is a parent-implemented language intervention for autistic children. The current study examined the effectiveness of the HMTW program delivered online among Chinese families. METHODS: Using a randomized controlled trial design, 22 Chinese families of autistic children in Hong Kong completed the trial. Baseline and post-intervention assessments were conducted to measure changes in parent-child interaction, parents' use of linguistic facilitation techniques (LFTs), and children's communication skills...

PURPOSE: The impact of well-crafted IEP goals on student outcomes is well-documented, but creating high-quality goals can be a challenging task for many special education teachers. This study aims to investigate potential effectiveness of using ChatGPT, an AI technology, in supporting development of high-quality, individualized IEP goals for preschool children with autism. METHODS: Thirty special education teachers working with preschool children with autism were randomly assigned to either the ChatGPT or control groups...

BACKGROUND: Early identification of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improves long-term outcomes, yet significant diagnostic delays persist. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 449 children (ASD: 246, typically developing [TD]: 203) was used for model development. Eye-movement data were collected from the participants watching videos that featured eye-tracking paradigms for assessing social and non-social cognition. Five machine learning algorithms, namely random forest, support vector machine, logistic regression, artificial neural network, and extreme gradient boosting, were trained to classify children with ASD and TD...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the effect of family-professional partnerships in adapted physical education on the fundamental motor skills, physical activity levels, and adaptive behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and on parental satisfaction. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was used, with pre-and post-intervention evaluations. Participants (n = 40), including children with ASD and their parents, were divided into three groups: (a) a family-school group (FSG-A, n = 14), (b) a school group (SG-B, n = 13), and (c) a control group (CG-C, n = 13)...

BACKGROUNDS: Many autistic people in mental health are suicidal. This study evaluated the effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) v. treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. METHODS: At six Dutch mental health centers, 123 outpatients (18-65 years) with DSM-5 diagnosed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and suicidal behavior were randomly assigned to the DBT intervention group ( n = 63) or TAU control group ( n = 60). Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-treatment at 6 months and 12-month follow-up...

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with unique differences in social interaction, communication, and a spectrum of behavioral characteristics. In the past, motor disturbance in individuals with ASD has not been considered a significant core deficit due to the predominant focus on sociability and communication issues. However, recent studies indicate that motor deficits are indeed associated with the fundamental symptoms of ASD. As there is limited research on the motor behavior of children with ASD, particularly in China, the objective of this study is to investigate the development of fundamental movement skills (FMS) in children with ASD and compare them to typically developing children...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Numerous therapeutic and dietary interventions have been examined in the last thirty years for pediatric patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our interventional study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet in a cohort of Egyptian children with ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present clinical trial was conducted as a prospective 12-month, open-label, case-controlled interventional study...

Oxytocin (OXT) modulates social behaviors. However, the administration of exogenous OXT in humans produces inconsistent behavioral changes, affecting future consideration of OXT as a treatment for autism and other disorders with social symptoms. Inter-individual variability in social functioning traits might play a key role in how OXT changes brain activity and, therefore, behavior. Here, we investigated if inter-individual variability might dictate how single-dose intranasal OXT administration (IN-OXT) changes spontaneous neural activity during the eyes-open resting state...

BACKGROUND: This study aims to thoroughly study the connection between congenital heart disease (CHD) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) through observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) designs. METHODS: This observational study uses data from the National Survey of Children's Health (2020-2021). Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to analyze the association. PSM was used to minimize bias for covariates such as age, race, gender, maternal age, birth weight, concussion or brain injury, preterm birth, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other inherited conditions...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder typically diagnosed in children. Early detection of ASD, particularly in girls who are often diagnosed late, can aid long-term development for children. We aimed to develop machine learning models for predicting ASD diagnosis in children, both boys and girls, using child-mother linked electronic health records (EHRs) data from a large clinical research network. Model features were children and mothers' risk factors in EHRs, including maternal health factors...

In order to provide more individualized support, it is imperative to further understand the effectiveness of different types of psychotherapy on the clinical areas of need common in autistic youth (Wood et al. in Behav Ther 46:83-95, 2015). Randomized controlled trials of psychotherapy for autistic youth were included if published in English, included random assignment to treatment or control group, required a previous diagnosis of autism, had a mean age of 6-17 years, and provided outcome measure data from both intervention and control groups...

Bioinformatics is a contemporary interdisciplinary area focused on analyzing the growing number of genome sequences. Gene variants are differences in DNA sequences among individuals within a population. Splice site recognition is a crucial step in the process of gene expression, where the coding sequences of genes are joined together to form mature messenger RNA (mRNA). These genetic variants that disrupt genes are believed to be the primary reason for neuro-developmental disorders like ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is a neuro-developmental disorder that is diagnosed in individuals, families, and society and occurs as the developmental delay in one among the hundred genes that are associated with these disorders...

This study explored the salient characteristics of transactions within parent-child engagement and investigated relationships between transactional characteristics and future identification of autism. The main aims of the study were to (1) examine if parents/children and their initial behaviors impact the length of transaction; (2) determine miscue differences among parents and children; and (3) determine if transactional characteristics are predictive of autism at preschool age.The study sample was drawn from extant data of a parent-mediated intervention for young children showing early sings of autism...

Mental health problems among children and adolescents are a significant global public health concern, with a prevalence of approximately 10-20%. Psychotropic medications, including stimulants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers, have been proven effective in treating various psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents. Despite the common use of these medications, they have various side effects and complications. This systematic review aimed to assess the trends and prevalence of psychotropic medication use among children and adolescents from 2013 to 2023...

PURPOSE: The current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of sensory-motor integration exercises on social skills and motor performance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test-post-test design and with a control group. The statistical population of this research included all children with ASD aged 9-11 years old in Babolsar city in 2022, among whom 30 were selected through convenient sampling from the transplant center of Babolsar, and were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups...

In this study, we explored the immediate and three-month follow-up effects of physical training on physical fitness in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We randomly assigned 20 children with ASD (age 8-11 years) into an experimental group (EG; n = 10) and a control group (CG; n = 10). The EG participated in an 8-week training program involving both strength and proprioceptive exercises (three 60-minute sessions/week), while the CG simply maintained their daily activities. We assessed physical fitness components for each participant at baseline, post-training, and at a 3-month follow-up...

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence has revealed the impacts of exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) and dysbiosis of gut microbiota on neuropsychiatric disorders, but the causal inference remains controversial due to residual confounders in observational studies. METHODS: This study aimed to examine the causal effects of exposure to PM2.5 on 4 major neuropsychiatric disorders (number of cases = 18,381 for autism spectrum disorder [ASD], 38,691 for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], 67,390 for schizophrenia, and 21,982 cases for Alzheimer's disease [AD]), and the mediation pathway through gut microbiota...

Children with developmental disabilities have different feeding and swallowing problems. The purposes of the present study were to develop an Arabic version of the FHI-C and to evaluate its validity, consistency, and reliability in Arabic children with developmental disabilities for assessing how feeding and swallowing problems impair the physical, functional, and emotional aspects of children's lives. A prospective study including 113 children [62 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 24 with cerebral palsy (CP), 27 with intellectual disability (ID)], in the age range of 2 to 10 years, selected randomly from the swallowing clinic, phoniatrics unit, Otorhinolaryngology department, University hospital between September 2023 and December 2023 complaining of feeding and swallowing problems...