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Studies comparing mathematical abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children are hitherto scarce, inconclusive, and mainly focusing on elementary school children or adolescents. The present study wants to gain insight into the foundation of mathematics by looking at preschool performances. Five early numerical competencies known to be important for mathematical development were examined: verbal subitizing, counting, magnitude comparison, estimation, and arithmetic operations. These competencies were studied in 20 high-functioning children with ASD and 20 age-matched control children aged 4 and 5 years. Our data revealed similar early number processing in children with and without ASD at preschool age, meaning that both groups did not differ on the foundation of mathematics development. Given the pervasiveness and the family impact of the condition of ASD, this is an important positive message for parents and preschool teachers. Implications and several directions for future research are proposed.

Previous research has generally found lower wellbeing levels among parents of autistic children that were related to fewer positive and more negative parenting behaviours. However, these relationships have not yet been studied before a formal autism diagnosis is given. The present study investigates wellbeing (including positive mood, vitality, and general interest) and its relationships with a range of parenting behaviours among two groups of mothers with children at elevated likelihood (EL) of autism: mothers of younger siblings of children on the autism spectrum ('siblings'; n = 81) and very or extremely prematurely born children ('preterms'; n = 40). Growth curves were modelled to investigate whether wellbeing and EL group were associated with (change in) reported parenting behaviours between 10 and 24 months of child's age. As expected, we found more stability than change in parenting behaviours, and more similarities than group differences in parenting behaviours and wellbeing. Mothers generally reported more disciplinary behaviours when their child grew older, in line with general population findings. Initial levels of supportive behaviours were equally high among mothers of siblings and preterms, but only mothers of preterms reported an increase over time. Wellbeing levels were largely comparable to those of a matched subsample from the general population, contradicting previous findings. Contrary to our hypotheses, wellbeing was not associated with fewer positive or more negative parenting behaviours. This is encouraging, as all children benefit from supportive and responsive behaviours. Highlights: Among mothers of children at elevated likelihood of autism, most parenting behaviours did not change during the second year of life. Both mothers of siblings and preterms reported an increase in disciplinary behaviours. Additionally, mothers of preterms reported an increase in warm and supportive behaviours. No group differences were found in initial parenting behaviours and wellbeing or in change over time, except for warmth/support. Wellbeing was comparable to a matched general population subsample and not associated with any of the parenting behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about use of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder in Europe. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder aged 7?years or younger (N?=?1680) were recruited through parent organisations in 18 European countries and completed an online survey about the interventions their child received. There was considerable variation in use of interventions, and in some countries more than 20% of children received no intervention at all. The most frequently reported interventions were speech and language therapy (64%) and behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions (55%). In some parts of Europe, use of behavioural, developmental and relationship-based interventions was associated with higher parental educational level and time passed since diagnosis, rather than with child characteristics. These findings highlight the need to monitor use of intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder in Europe in order to contrast inequalities.

Research Findings: To date, studies comparing the mathematical abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing children are scarce, and results remain inconclusive. In general, studies on this topic focus on mathematical abilities learned from elementary school onward, with little attention for possible precursors at younger ages. The current exploratory study focused on the important developmental period of preschool age, investigating 5 early numerical competencies in 30 high-functioning children with ASD and 30 age-matched control children: verbal subitizing, counting, magnitude comparison, estimation, and arithmetic operations. Children were examined at 5 or 6 years of age, attending the 3rd and final year of preschool. Overall, rather similar early number processing was found in children with and without ASD, although marginally significant results indicated a weaker performance of children with ASD on verbal subitizing and conceptual counting. Practice or Policy: Given the pervasiveness and impact of ASD on other domains of functioning, it is important to know that no general deficits in early numerical competencies were found in this study. However, some downward trends in mathematics performance were identified in children with ASD, which can serve as the basis for additional research in this field.

Since imitation and joint attention are both important abilities for young children and since children with autism spectrum disorder show a range of problems in these domains, imitation and joint attention are important targets for intervention. In this study, we examined the possibility of promoting imitation and joint attention by means of a training programme specifically designed for low-intensity, non-residential treatment. Two matched groups of 18 children each participated in the study. The experimental group, receiving the training programme, improved significantly more on joint attention than the group receiving only treatment as usual. Only the experimental group obtained a significantly higher imitation score during the post-test compared to the pre-test. This study shows that it is possible to promote joint attention with a low-intensity treatment programme. The results concerning imitation are more modest. Future replications should involve measures of stability and generalization.

Since their discovery in the early 1990s, mirror neurons have been proposed to be related to many social-communicative abilities, such as imitation. However, research into the early manifestations of the putative neural mirroring system and its role in early social development is still inconclusive. In the current EEG study, mu suppression, generally thought to reflect activity in neural mirroring systems was investigated in 18- to 30-month-olds during the observation of object manipulations as well as mimicked actions. EEG power data recorded from frontal, central, and parietal electrodes were analysed. As predicted, based on previous research, mu wave suppression was found over central electrodes during action observation and execution. In addition, a similar suppression was found during the observation of intransitive, mimicked hand movements. To a lesser extent, the results also showed mu suppression at parietal electrode sites, over all three conditions. Mu wave suppression during the observation of hand movements and during the execution of actions was significantly correlated with quality of imitation, but not with age or language level. (Contains 2 figures and 2 tables.)

Elementary school children with reading disabilities (RD; "n" = 17), mathematical disabilities (MD; "n" = 22), or combined reading and mathematical disabilities (RD+MD; "n" = 28) were compared to average achieving (AA; "n" = 45) peers on working memory measures. On all working memory components, 2 (RD vs. no RD) × 2 (MD vs. no MD) factorial ANCOVAs revealed clear differences between children with and without RD. Children with MD had lower span scores than the AA children on measures of the phonological loop and the central executive. A significant interaction effect between RD and MD was found only for listening recall and had a small, partial effect size. In addition, analyses showed that the best logistic regression model consisted of a visuospatial and a central executive task. The model significantly distinguished between the AA and clinical groups and between the MD and RD+MD groups. Evidence was found for domain-general working memory problems in children with learning disabilities. Management of working memory loads in structured learning activities in the classroom, at home, or during therapy may help these children to cope with their problems in a more profound manner.

This study investigated how siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describe and define their quality of life. Using a qualitative research design, the authors collected data through a 4-stage process which included in-depth interviews of 17 children ages 6 to 14 and focus groups. All of the children with ASD were male and between the ages of 5 and 16 with mild to moderate impairments; all of the participating families lived in a Dutch-speaking region of Belgium. Analyzing data according to the principles of grounded theory resulted in the identification of 9 domains of sibling quality of life (SibQol). The apparent invisibility of ASD emerged as an important theme. Results indicate that siblings of children with ASD can define their quality of life, that unique characteristics of ASD give the siblings' experience a highly personal interpretation, and that the SibQol concept can be used to support siblings of children with ASD. (Contains 1 table.)

A new screening instrument for ASD was developed that can be filled out by child care workers: the Checklist for Early Signs of Developmental Disorders (CESDD). The predictive validity of the CESDD was evaluated in a population of 6,808 children between 3 and 39 months attending day-care centres in Flanders. The CESDD had a sensitivity of 0.80 and a specificity of 0.94. Based on the screening procedure used in this study, 41 children were diagnosed with ASD or got a working diagnosis of ASD. Thus, including child care workers' report on signs of ASD in screening procedures can help to identify cases of ASD at a young age.

In a 3-year longitudinal study, 471 children were classified, based on their performances on arithmetic tests in first and second grade, as having persistent arithmetic disabilities (AD), persistent low achieving (LA), persistent typical achieving, inconsistent arithmetic disabilities (DF1), or inconsistent low achieving in arithmetic. Significant differences in the performances on the magnitude comparison in kindergarten (at age 5-6) were found between the AD and LA and between the AD and DF1 groups. Furthermore, the percentage of true-positive AD children (at age 7-8) correctly diagnosed in kindergarten by combination of procedural counting, conceptual counting, and magnitude comparison tasks was 87.50%. When composing clinical samples, researchers should pay attention when stipulating restrictive or lenient cutoffs for arithmetic disabilities and select children based on their scores in 2 consecutive years, because the results of studies on persistent low achievers or children with inconsistent disabilities cannot be generalized to children with persistent arithmetic disabilities. (Contains 7 tables.)

Arithmetic abilities acquired in kindergarten are found to be strong predictors for later deficient arithmetic abilities. This longitudinal study (N = 684) was designed to examine if it was possible to predict the level of children's arithmetic abilities in first and second grade from their performance on preparatory arithmetic abilities in kindergarten. Furthermore, the role of intelligence in the assessment of developing mathematical reasoning and numerical facility was investigated. The results showed that good predictions of beginning arithmetic abilities can be made. Even in the long term, it was possible to make predictions of later arithmetic performances, especially for the domain of arithmetical reasoning. Logic thinking abilities such as seriation and classification and counting knowledge may be assessed in kindergarten as possible markers for at-risk development. Furthermore, it is important to take into account intelligence when looking for useful predictors of arithmetical reasoning. (Contains 4 tables.)

Previous research stresses the importance of seriation, classification, and counting abilities that should be assessed in kindergarten, when looking for crucial predictors of mathematical learning disabilities in Grade 1. This study examines (n = 158) two-year-long predictive relationships between children's seriation, classification, procedural counting knowledge, and conceptual counting knowledge, and their numerical facility and arithmetical achievement in Grades 3, 4, and 5. Path analyses reveal a relationship between procedural counting knowledge in Grades 1 and 3 and numerical facility, and between conceptual counting knowledge in Grade 1 and arithmetical achievement in Grades 1 and 2. In addition, procedural counting knowledge correlates with seriation, and conceptual counting knowledge correlates with classification as well as with seriation in Grade 1. Clinicians are encouraged to select early arithmetic subtests with caution when assessing and predicting arithmetic and arithmetical disabilities. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)

Background: A number of disorders are associated with pragmatic difficulties. Instruments that can make subdivisions within the larger construct of pragmatics could be important tools for disentangling profiles of pragmatic difficulty in different disorders. The deficits underlying the observed pragmatic difficulties may be different for different disorders. Aims: To study the construct validity of a pragmatic language questionnaire. Method & Procedures: The construct of pragmatics is studied by applying exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis to the parent version of the Dutch Children's Communication Checklist (CCC; Bishop 1998). Parent ratings of 1589 typically developing children and 481 children with a clinical diagnosis were collected. Four different factor models derived from the original CCC scales and five different factor models based on EFA were compared with each other. The models were cross-validated. Outcomes & Results: The EFA-derived models were substantively different from the originally proposed CCC factor structure. EFA models gave a slightly better fit than the models based on the original CCC scales, though neither provided a good fit to the parent data. Coherence seemed to be part of language form and not of pragmatics, which is in line with the adaptation of the CCC, the CCC-2 (Bishop 2003). Most pragmatic items clustered together in one factor and these pragmatic items also clustered with items related to social relationships and specific interests. Conclusions & Implications: The nine scales of the original CCC do not reflect the underlying factor structure. Therefore, scale composition may be improved on and scores on subscale level need to be interpreted cautiously. Therefore, in interpreting the CCC profiles, the overall measure might be more informative than the postulated subscales as more information is needed to determine which constructs the suggested subscales are actually measuring. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

This case-control study explores the underlying mechanisms of imitation problems in boys with autism by manipulating imitation task variables and by correlating imitation performance with competence on general motor tests (Movement Assessment Battery for Children and Peabody Developmental Motor Scales). Fifty-five boys participated in this study: eight low-functioning with autism (LFA), 13 with mental retardation (MR), 17 high-functioning with autism (HFA) and 17 typically developing (TD). LFA performed significantly worse than MR on the motor test and on all imitation tasks. HFA performed significantly worse than TD on the motor test, but not on imitation tasks, with the exception of non-meaningful gestures. This study supports the notion that mainly perceptual-motor impairment, and not a cognitive weakness of symbolic representation, causes imitation problems in autism. In addition, in boys with autism, general motor as well as imitation abilities were impaired. We suggest that imitation ability has to be assessed in conjunction with motor competence. (Contains 2 tables.)

Although the concept of quality of life has increasingly been used in the field of intellectual disabilities over the past three decades, the factors contributing to quality of life of persons with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have received relatively little attention. In this study, disability and support characteristics associated with variations in the level of quality of life among adults with ASD are identified, using self-report measures. Fifty-eight high-functioning adults with ASD participated in the study. The results of a multiple linear regression analysis reveal that support characteristics are related to quality of life in adults with ASD, whereas disability characteristics are not. The R[squared] effect size (0.620) is large and significant. The results reinforce the significance of an available supportive social network, the importance of a substantial needs assessment and effective professional support. (Contains 3 tables.)

Off-line metacognition (prediction and evaluation) was assessed in 437 children (grades 2-3) with or without learning disabilities. Off-line metacognitive scores of children with reading disabilities were comparable to those of age-matched typical peers. Significantly lower prediction and evaluation scores were found for children with specific or combined mathematics learning disabilities. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

SARS‐CoV‐2 is the virus causing COVID‐19 and is spread through close person‐to‐person contact. The use of face masks has been described as an important strategy to slow its transmission. We evaluated the effects of coaching caregivers via telehealth technologies to teach face mask wearing to children with autism spectrum disorder. Six participants with a history of challenging behavior associated with mask wearing were recruited from different parts of the world, and trained using graduated exposure, shaping, and contingent reinforcement. By the end of the intervention, all participants wore a face mask for a period of 10 min without exhibiting challenging behavior. The skills generalized to a novel mask or a community setting. Mask wearing did not affect the percentage of oxyhemoglobin saturation of participants, and caregivers found the intervention useful. The findings support previous tolerance training treatment evaluations in children with developmental disorders exhibiting resistance to healthcare routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to provide a more comprehensive picture of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a geographic cohort of extremely preterm born adolescents by using established diagnostic instruments in addition to screening instruments. 53 participants passed a screening procedure with two screening instruments and a diagnostic evaluation with a semi-structured assessment and a parent interview. 28 % of the adolescents had a community based clinical diagnosis of ASD. When research diagnoses were also taken into account, this rate increased to 40 %. Intellectual disability, language impairment and behavioural difficulties are characteristic for these children with ASD. This study is to our knowledge the first to use ASD-specific diagnostic instruments to confirm ASD diagnoses in extremely preterm born children in early adolescence. The study expands findings of previous research and raises the need for follow-up into late childhood and early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The effect of assisted reproduction technology (ART) on language development is still unclear. Moreover, different techniques are introduced at rapid pace and are not always accompanied by extensive follow-up programmes. Aims To investigate the language development of 3-10-year-old children born following ART using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) combined with assisted oocyte activation (AOA), which is a highly specialized technique applied in cases with a history of fertilization failure following conventional ICSI. Secondly, a comparison is made between the language development of singletons and twins. Methods & Procedures Twenty children, six boys and 14 girls, born following ICSI combined with AOA and older than 3 years were included in the study. The mean age of the children was 5;4 years (range = 3;1-10;4 years; SD = 1;8 years). Expressive and receptive language development were assessed using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-IV-NL) for children older than 5 years and the Reynell Developmental Language Scales (RTOS) for children younger than or equal to 5 years. Outcomes & Results The mean total score for language ability (in percentiles) was 56.8 (SD = 33.6), which corresponds to normal language skills. Significantly higher scores were found for AOA singletons compared with twins. For the general language, none of the children scored within the clinical zone for language disability corresponding with a percentile lower than 5. Conclusion & Implications This study presents the first data concerning language outcome in 3-10-year-old children born following AOA. General language scores of the AOA children in this study are located within the normal ranges. The language development of singletons was significantly better compared with twins. Although the results are reassuring for language development, in future long-term follow-up studies in this population are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fluctuations in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms related to regulatory deficits in arousal states are themselves characterized by circadian rhythms. Although cortisol is an important circadian arousal-related marker, studies focusing on across-the-day cortisol variations in ADHD are scarce. There is no study with multiple measurements to take into account interday and intraday variability. Methods: Salivary cortisol was sampled five times a day (awakening, 30 min after awakening, noon, 4 p.m., 8 p.m.) across five consecutive days in 33 children with ADHD (22 with and 11 without oppositional defiant disorder; ODD) and 33 class- and sex-matched controls (aged 6-12). The cortisol awakening response (increase from awakening to 30 min after awakening) and the diurnal cortisol profile (across-the-day variations) were compared for ADHD with ODD (ADHD + ODD) and without ODD (ADHD) subgroups and the control group. Results: The cortisol awakening response was not significantly different between groups. However, longitudinal analyses to evaluate cortisol profiles across the day revealed a significant Group × Time effect ( p < .001). More specifically, compared to each other, the ADHD subgroup showed a flatter slope with relative morning hypo-arousal and evening hyperarousal, whereas the ADHD + ODD subgroup showed a steeper slope with relative morning hyperarousal and evening hypo-arousal ( p < .001). Conclusions: Findings support time-related arousal disruptions in children with ADHD associated with the presence or absence of ODD comorbidity. We recommend research on cortisol in larger samples for a better understanding of arousal mechanisms involved in ADHD not only with and without ODD but also with other comorbidities which may have implications for timing of arousal-based treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the moment infants are born, they seem to prefer orienting to social stimuli, over objects and non-social stimuli. This preference lasts throughout adulthood and is believed to play a crucial role in social-communicative development. By following up a group of infants at the age of 6, 8, and 12 months, this study explored the role of social orienting in the early development of joint attention skills. The expected association between social orienting and joint attention was partially confirmed. Social orienting in real-life photographs of everyday situations was not related to later joint attention skills, however fixation to the eyes in a neutral face was related to response to joint attention skills, and fixation to the eyes in a dynamic video clip of a talking person was predictive of initiating joint attention skills. Several alternative interpretations of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally accepted that joint attention skills are impaired in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, social preference, attention disengagement and intention understanding, assumed to be associated with the development of joint attention, are explored in relation to joint attention skills in children with ASD at the age of 36 months. Response to joint attention was related to intention understanding, whereas the number of joint attention initiations was associated with attention disengagement, and somewhat less stronger with social preference. The level on which children initiated joint attention was related to social preference. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display abnormalities in reward processing. Most reward studies have focused on the effects of material or monetary rewards. Studies with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have focused on social rewards. In this study we compared the effects of amount and type of reward in children with ADHD and those with ASD. Methods: Two adapted versions of the Monetary Incentive Delay Task were used to study the effects of monetary and social reward anticipation on performance in 40 typically developing (TD) children and adolescents (8-16y), 35 children and adolescents with ADHD and 31 children and adolescents with ASD. Results: Monetary and social reward improved accuracy and response time (RT) in all groups. The higher the anticipated reward, the more accurate and faster were responses. Independent of these effects, there was a differential effect of reward type. Both clinical groups, but not TD, responded faster for monetary than social rewards. Conclusions: The results, while not supporting hyposensitivity to changes in reward amount in ADHD and ASD, do suggest that both groups are generally less motivated in settings where social as opposed to monetary rewards can be earned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies suggest an altered circadian regulation of arousal in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as measured by activity, circadian preference, and sleep-wake patterns. Although heart rate is an important measure to evaluate arousal profiles, to date it is unknown whether 24-h heart rate patterns differentiate between children with and without ADHD. In this study, 24-h heart rate data were collected in 30 non-medicated children with ADHD (aged 6-11) and 30 sex-, class-, and age-matched normal controls in their naturalistic home and school setting, during 5 days. Simultaneously, 24-h activity patterns were registered. Confounding effects of demographic variables (e.g., age, sex, BMI, pubertal stage) and comorbid internalizing and externalizing problems on heart rate levels were additionally assessed. Longitudinal analysis showed that heart rate levels were overall higher in the ADHD group ( p < 0.01)-with the largest effects during afternoon and night-in a model controlling for age. Other factors did not significantly contribute to variations in heart rate levels. Compared to controls, children with ADHD showed higher activity levels during daytime (especially early afternoon), but not during nighttime ( p < 0.05). Post hoc analyses showed that environmental effects might influence daytime variations. Findings suggest an autonomic imbalance in children with ADHD as compared to controls, with higher heart rate levels in the ADHD group. Nighttime tachycardia in this group could not be explained by nighttime activity levels or comorbid externalizing/internalizing problems. Further research on autonomic functioning in ADHD is recommended because of the major impact of higher resting heart rate on health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides a background of children with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) in Belgium. Description of mathematics education in Belgium; Description of children with MLD in the country; Problems with mathematical problem solving in children of average intelligence, both with and without MLD; Details of the instructional interventions and the accommodations implemented to help students with MLD in Belgium.

The article discusses a study that examines health and neurodevelopmental outcome at 3 years of age in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)-surviving children who were born at 26 or lesser weeks of gestation in a geographically defined region of Belgium from 1999 to 2000. Around 36% of the formally assessed children had deficient neuromotor development, with 5% of them demonstrating severe sensory-communicable impairment. About 70% had a mental or psychomotor impairment or both.

Assisted oocyte activation (AOA) using a calcium ionophore has been used for more than a decade following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization failure. However, since AOA does not mimic precisely the physiological fertilization process, concerns exist about its use in human assisted reproduction. This study assessed the neonatal and neurodevelopmental outcome of children aged ≥ 3 years who had been born following AOA in our centre. Twenty-one children participated in the study (81% response rate; mean age 63.6 ± 21.07 months). Neonatal data were collected via questionnaires. Neurodevelopmental outcome was tested using the Reynell Developmental Language Scales or Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence or Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children III. Behaviour was scored by the Social Communication Questionnaire, the Child Behaviour Checklist and the Teachers Report Form. For all tests and questionnaires, the mean outcomes lay within the expected ranges. These are first data on the developmental outcome of AOA children. The high response rate and the robustness of the tests support the data, which are reassuring although still considered preliminary. Therefore, AOA should still be performed only in selected couples., (Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We examined rater and test-retest reliability of the Preschool Imitation and Praxis Scale (PIPS)., Method: We administered the PIPS to 119 typically developing children ages 1.5-4.9 yr., Results: The PIPS demonstrated acceptable intra- and interrater reliability on item level (k(w) = 0.45-1) and scale level (intraclass correlation coefficient ICC = 0.996; 95% CI: 0.968-0.999 and ICC = 0.995; 95% CI: 0.990-0.997, respectively). The smallest detectable difference of the PIPS was 5.6%, indicating that the change score rated by different raters for an individual child is valid and that the PIPS can be used by different raters as an outcome measure to determine children's improvement or maturation. Results of test-retest analysis revealed that the PIPS score is stable over time (r = .93)., Conclusion: The PIPS appears to meet the required standards regarding objectivity and stability. The PIPS may assist clinicians and researchers in evaluating and reevaluating preschoolers' imitation ability, which is a primary learning strategy of young children.

Objective: This article is devoted to the potential early markers for mathematical learning disabilities in kindergarten in order to prevent children from falling further behind and from developing unrecognized mathematical disabilities later on., Methods: Performances in preparatory arithmetic tasks were studied in 361 kindergartners focusing on differences between children at risk for mathematical disabilities and children who were at least moderately achieving in numerical arithmetic tasks., Results: Evidence was found for several markers in kindergarten. Children at risk had lower scores on procedural counting knowledge, conceptual counting knowledge, seriation, classification, conservation and magnitude comparison tasks. Based on these kindergarten abilities, 77% of children who were at risk for mathematical disabilities could be detected., Conclusion: Procedural and conceptual counting knowledge, seriation and classification skills and magnitude comparison abilities could possibly serve as powerful early screeners in the detection of mathematical disabilities.

Aims: A previous prevalence study indicated that the prevalence of ADHD is highly increased in enuretic children. In the current 2-y follow-up study we investigate the relationship between both disorders further. Our goal is to determine whether the ADHD diagnoses can be reconfirmed and whether children with ADHD are more at risk for difficult-to-cure enuresis. Moreover, we explore the effect of medical enuresis parameters on the course of the voiding problem., Methods: Eighty-six children with enuresis were screened twice on the presence of ADHD with a 2-y interval. A multi-method, multi-informant assessment of ADHD was used, the child's medical file was consulted, and a parent questionnaire on the child's current voiding problems was completed., Results: Although 73% of all children with a 2-y-old diagnosis of ADHD still meet the disorder's criteria, only 66% of all subtype diagnoses can be reconfirmed. The odds that a child with ADHD still has voiding problems after 2 y are 3.17 times higher than for a child without ADHD. Although a slightly increased number of prescribed therapies in the ADHD group was noticed, no other significant differences in enuresis treatment methods were found between the groups. The medical parameters were not associated with treatment outcome., Conclusion: Since 73% of ADHD diagnoses can be reconfirmed, the data suggest that the prevalence of the ADHD syndrome rather than reactive ADHD symptomatology is increased in enuretic children. Children with ADHD are at risk for persistent enuresis. Two-year-old medical enuresis parameters seem to have little effect on the current presence/absence of enuresis.

The association between enuresis and psychopathology (e.g., attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) has been well studied. However, past research failed to adjust this relationship for the influence of sociodemographic variables underlying both problems. This study, using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Disruptive Behavior Disorder Rating Scale, compares 154 enuretic children with a control group of 153 children who had urinary control. The results reveal that enuretic children show significantly higher scores on both questionnaires. However, when sociodemographic variables are entered in the analysis, group differences disappear, and social class category, as a measure of socioeconomic status (SES), becomes a significant factor in explaining the variance in problem scores. Although children with enuresis have more internalizing, externalizing, and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms than continent children, when the analysis is performed controlling for SES, this relationship is no longer present.