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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected education at all levels in various ways. This paper provides a review of the literature on the challenges of online learning for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Method: In total, 17 studies from nine countries were analysed. The challenges of online learning for children with SEND reported by teachers and parents and the strategies applied to overcome the challenges were identified. Results: The challenges of online learning were the need of parental support, routine change, inequities of resources and access to technology, lack of accommodations, and social isolation. There was a considerable lack of interventions aimed at promoting the educational outcomes of children with SEND. Conclusions: The findings emphasise the importance of parent-teacher collaboration and communication. Suggestions for strategies to address challenges as well as for further research are also discussed.

Background: Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital heart disease. To evaluate the results of managing this malformation surgically, we have embarked on a multicenter Italian study involving seven different centers and reporting the largest published series in the medical literature. Methods: From January 1997 to December 2007, 26 patients with scimitar syndrome who underwent surgical correction were included. Primary outcomes include hospital mortality and the efficacy of repair at the follow-up. Results: Median age was 11 years (interquartile range, 1.8 to 19.9 years). Nineteen patients (73%) presented with symptoms including upper respiratory tract infections (n = 13), recurrent pneumonia (n = 10), cardiac failure (n = 4), and cyanosis (n = 2). Associated cardiac anomalies were present in 16 patients (63%). Surgical repair included intraatrial baffle repair in 18 patients (69%; group 1), and reimplantation of the “scimitar vein” onto the left atrium in 8 patients (31%; group 2). One patient died in hospital (3.8%; group 1). Postoperative complications were less frequently reported in group 1 (4 of 18 patients, 22%) compared with group 2 (5 of 8 patients, 62%). Median follow-up time was 4 years (interquartile range, 1.8 to 9.7 years). There was 1 late death (1/25 patients, 4%; group 2). Four patients (16%) showed a complete occlusion of the scimitar drainage (2 in group 1, 12%; 2 in group 2, 25%) and 3 patients (12%) required balloon dilation or stenting for scimitar vein stenosis (1 in group 1, 6%; 2 in group 2, 25%). Conclusions: The intraatrial baffle repair seems to have a lower incidence of postoperative complications and a better patency rate, at last follow-up, than the reimplantation of the scimitar vein onto the left atrium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: This paper describes preliminary dendroecological analyses of tree ring collections from an old-growth beech forest in the Central Apennines (Cervara Valley, Abruzzi National Park). Tree ring series show that at high-elevation sites in Central Italy the potential longevity of beech trees is more than 500 years. A 425 year site chronology spanning the period 1577–2001 was built. Its comparison with other chronologies from the same and other species showed a good connection of tree-ring patterns especially for the contexts of high elevation chronologies. The climatic signals of beech trees were investigated by means of pointer intervals and bootstrapped response functions for the period 1832–2000. Mid summer precipitation (July–August) and May temperature were the prominent climatic signals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Long-term effectiveness of controlled-release melatonin in 25 children, aged 2.6-9.6 years with autism without other coexistent pathologies was evaluated openly. Sleep patterns were studied using Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and sleep diaries at baseline, after 1-3-6 months melatonin treatment and 1 month after discontinuation. Sleep diary and CSHQ showed a more problematic sleep in autistic children compared with controls. During treatment sleep patterns of all children improved. After discontinuation 16 children returned to pre-treatment score, readministration of melatonin was again effective. Treatment gains were maintained at 12 and 24-month follow-ups. No adverse side effects were reported. In conclusion, controlled-release melatonin may provide an effective and well-tolerated treatment for autistic children with chronic sleep disorders.

The author traces the history of rehabilitation studies in Italy, that began following E. Séguin's pioneering work in France. The birth of the first "Asili-Scuola" is recalled, and it is stressed how the interest for rehabilitation of mentally retarded children parallelled development of child neuropsychiatry as a science in Italy. The recollection of historical data shows that the primary interest of rehabilitation in childhood has been and, in different forms, still is rehabilitation of subjects with mental retardation and with neurocognitive and neuropsychological disorders.