Search

Witnessed violence is a form of child abuse with detrimental effects on child wellbeing and development, whose recognition relies on the assessment of their mother exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV). The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of witnessed violence in a population of children attending a pediatric emergency department (ED) in Italy, by searching for IPV in their mother, and to define the characteristics of the mother-child dyads. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2020 to January 2021. Participating mothers were provided a questionnaire, which included the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and additional questions about their baseline data and health. Descriptive analysis was reported as frequency and percentage for the categorical variables and median and interquartile range (IQR) for quantitative variables. Mothers and children screened positive and negative for IPV and witnessed violence, respectively, were compared by the chi-square test or the exact Fisher test for categorical variables, and by the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for continuous variables. Out of 212 participating mothers, ninety-three (43.9%) displayed a positive WAST. Mothers tested positive were mainly Italian (71%, p 0.003), had a lower level of education (median age at school dropout 19, p 0.0002), and a higher frequency of unemployment (p 0.001) and poor personal health status (8.6%, p 0.001). The children of mothers tested positive showed a higher occurrence of abnormal psychological-emotional state (38.7%, p 0.002) and sleep disturbances (26.9%, p 0.04).IPV was common in a population of mothers seeking care for their children in a pediatric ED.• Witnessed violence is a form of child abuse, usually inferred by their mothers' exposure to IPV. The latter is suffered by one in three women worldwide.• This study shows a 43.9% prevalence of IPV among mothers attending an Italian pediatric ED. • Positive mother-child dyads displayed a higher frequency of poor mothers' health status and children's abnormal emotional state and sleep disturbances.

BackgroundBronchiolitis is the leading acute respiratory tract infection in infants during the winter season. Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a reduction in the number of bronchiolitis diagnoses has been registered.ObjectiveThe present study aimed to describe the incidence and clinical features of bronchiolitis during the 2020–2021 winter season in a large cohort of children in Europe and Israel, and to clarify the role of SARS-CoV-2.Setting, patients, interventionsWe conducted a multicentre observational cross-sectional study in 23 paediatric emergency departments in Europe and Israel. Clinical and demographic data about all the cases of infants diagnosed with bronchiolitis from 1 October 2020 to 30 April 2021 were collected. For each enrolled patient, diagnostic tests, treatments and outcomes were reported.Main outcome measuresThe main outcome was the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-positive bronchiolitis.ResultsThree hundred and fourteen infants received a diagnosis of bronchiolitis during the study period. Among 535 infants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 16 (3%) had bronchiolitis. Median age, male sex predominance, weight, history of prematurity and presence of comorbidities did not differ between the SARS-CoV-2-positive and SARS-CoV-2-negative groups. Rhinovirus was the most common involved pathogen, while respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was detected in one case. SARS-CoV-2 bronchiolitis had a mild clinical course, with one patient receiving oxygen supplementation and none requiring paediatric or neonatal intensive care unit admission.ConclusionsDuring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a marked decrease in the number of bronchiolitis diagnoses and the disappearance of the RSV winter epidemic were observed. SARS-CoV-2-related bronchiolitis was rare and mostly displayed a mild clinical course.

The aim of the study was to investigate the burden of mental health problems in children and adolescents admitted to a pediatric ward with physical complaints. We conducted a retrospective study, considering all patients admitted to the pediatric ward of the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy, between January 2015 and September 2016. We selected all patients, from 5 to 17 years old, who were admitted with physical complaints and were discharged with a diagnosis suggestive of a mental health problem: somatic symptom disorder, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, factious disorders. For every patient, we collected demographic features, medical characteristics, health care services utilization, length of hospital stay, and after discharge referral. We selected 1456 patients; of these, 101 (6.9%) revealed a mental health problem. The median duration of symptoms was 5 months (IQR 1.5-12), and pain was the main reported symptom (69%). Of the 101 patients, 23 (23%) were affected by a previously documented chronic organic disease. Somatic symptom disorder was the most common diagnosis. In 69/78 patients (88%), a loss of social contacts emerged; 49/95 patients frequenting school (51%) had chronic school absenteeism in the previous school year.Conclusion: A considerable proportion of patients admitted to a pediatric ward with physical complaints have mental health problems. What is Known: • It has been suggested that mental health problems in children and adolescents are increasing and frequently burden on pediatric healthcare services, but how they impact on a general pediatric ward is not clear. What is New: • Among 1456 patients admitted to a general pediatric ward with physical symptoms, 101 patients (6.9%) had a mental health problem. Among them, pain was the most commonly reported symptom and somatic symptom disorder was the commonly reported diagnosis.

Background: Somatic symptom disorder is common in children and adolescents; usually, it is an expression of a mental health problem or other conditions that lead to psychosocial impairment and suffering. Among these, in pubertal age, gender dysphoria should be considered.Case Presentation: We present the case of a 15-year-old girl admitted to the hospital because of a 2-month history of scattered arthralgia and myalgia, headache, and fatigue, with repeated visits to the emergency room. The physical exam was unremarkable, except for step walking and pain. Repeated diagnostic tests were normal, and consecutive psychological interviews disclosed intense suffering due to a gender incongruence. Referral to the hospital gender service was offered and refused by the parents.Conclusions: In pubertal age, gender dysphoria may be expressed through somatoform symptoms. Diagnosis is challenging to accept for the parents even in the presence of adequate multi-disciplinary hospital services.

N/A

ObjectiveTo evaluate the pattern of cortical activation during a painful procedure, such as a venipuncture, in children with intellectual disability and compare it with that of cognitively healthy children.Study design and settingA cohort study was conducted and cortical activation was assessed by multichannel cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor variations in oxyhaemoglobin and deoxyhaemoglobin (Hbb) in children with and without intellectual disability during a venipuncture for blood sampling with topical anaesthesia. Pain and distress were assessed as well using different validated pain scales (visual analogue scale and Non-Communicating Children’s Pain Checklist-Postoperative Version for children with intellectual disability), and compared between groups.Participants16 children with severe to profound intellectual disability and 20 cognitively healthy peers (age range: 4–17 years).ResultsWhen Hbb was analysed, children with intellectual disability exhibited a bilateral activation of the somatosensory (pConclusionsWhen subjected to a painful procedure, only children with intellectual disability show an activation of the cerebral cortex, even if topical anaesthesia is applied, and express more pain than cognitively healthy peers. The role of other issues in painful procedures, such as anxiety, fear or physical restraint, deserves further investigation.

N/A

We report a case series of seven children admitted to a tertiary level pediatric ward for long-lasting physical symptoms with a previous diagnosis of chronic Lyme disease. In these children, medical history and clinical features were strongly suggestive of a psychopathological disorder, mainly a somatic symptom disorder. What is Known: • There is an increasing number of diagnoses of chronic Lyme disease both in North America and in Europe. Adults receive this diagnosis to explain chronic physical complaints often with negative history and serology. What is New: • Somatic symptom disorder should be suspected in children and adolescents with non-specific symptoms diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease.