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Introduction and objective: The aim of the presented research was to analyse the differentiation of clinical diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder with the use of diagnostic tools. Materials and methods: The study involved 110 carers of 2–10-olds, patients of a psychiatric treatment ward. Medical records were assessed for the diagnosis obtained by the child in the course of treatment, then parents were interviewed. The usefulness of individual methods for differentiating clinical diagnoses of autism, Asperger’s syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed using ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves. Results: In many cases, the diagnoses obtained by the children were found to be different from those indicated by the tools. In addition, the tools themselves were in some cases found to be ineffective in diagnosing the disorder for which they were designed. The analyses also showed that crisis experiences can moderate the symptoms observed in childr en, thus influencing the diagnosis and the clinical picture. Conclusions: The presented analyses confirmed the thesis that the differential diagnosis of children is not an easy task, and that a potentially traumatic factor can affect the clinical picture of a disorder, as well as be its cause. The issues of unreliability of some tools used in the diagnosis and/or their inconsistency with the diagnoses obtained in the course of treatment were also found to be signific [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review focused on parents' resolution of their reactions to receiving a diagnosis for their child, based on Marvin and Pianta's model and Reaction to Diagnosis Interview (RDI). We aimed to map the populations examined, the prevalence of parents' narrated resolution, and what is known about its outcomes and determinants. A structured search identified 47 peer-reviewed papers published between 1992–2021. All employed the RDI and most had a cross-sectional design. Studies focused on a wide range of children's health and mental health diagnoses. Days to years after receiving the diagnosis, RDI narratives of 18.43% to 72.49% of the parents (44% on average) indicated lack of resolution. Studies reported associations between unresolved narratives and children's insecure attachment, higher parenting stress, and poorer parental health. However, findings on the associations of narrated resolution with parents' representations of their child, sensitivity, and psychological symptoms were equivocal, and findings on factors that may shape narrated resolution were limited. To advance the understanding of parents' narrated resolution and its effects, we recommend researchers employ prospective and longitudinal designs, evaluate narrated resolution as a continuous phenomenon, focus on outcomes derived from attachment theory, and systematically sample families from heterogenous cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinician generated diagnoses are subject to heuristic biases, and structured diagnostic interviews are useful but costly diagnostic aids. Because dimensional rating scales may hold potential to improve diagnostic practices in community mental health settings, we examined how community clinicians incorporate the results of the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC; Briere ) into their diagnostic practices. Results suggest clinicians may attend to the TSCC anxiety and depression scores, but most scales agreed poorly with diagnoses assigned. While dimensional rating scales do hold potential as diagnostic aids, additional work on how to increase their utility to clinicians is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed data from 87 mothers of children ages 15 to 44 months with cerebral palsy (CP) or no diagnosis, who completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Parenting Stress Index, Support Functions Scale, and Inventory of Social Support. Principal components analysis of the 15 subscales from the 5 measures revealed few cross-measure loadings. Mothers of children with CP (severe or mild) reported higher levels of parenting stress than did mothers of controls. However, cluster analysis of self-report measures yielded a 5-cluster solution, with no diagnostic group differences across clusters. That is, there were no overall differences in self-reported family functioning according to presence or severity of the child's disability. The results are discussed in terms of the organization of family systems and their relationship to child diagnosis. Clinical implications for assessing and working with families are noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based upon the standardized interviews of 76 clinic-referred boys, children's reports of behaviors suggestive of attention deficit disorder (ADD) were examined to determine which symptoms were most efficient predictors of an ADD diagnosis. Unlike previous research that has focused exclusively upon the use of sensitivity and specificity rates, this investigation also employed the conditional probability rates of positive and negative predictive power to establish the diagnostic utility of symptoms. As such, this study attempted to establish the diagnostic efficiency of some of the child-reported symptoms and describes a new method to examine any criteria set that is to be used for classification purposes. Results indicated that the optimal child-reported predictors of an ADD diagnosis were not those symptoms typically considered hallmark indicators of the disorder. In addition, no symptom was found to be an efficient exclusion criterion for diagnosis. These findings are discussed in terms of the role of the child as informant for the diagnosis of children's behavior disorders and the need for multisource assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The greatest danger of carcinogenesis and of genetic damage through diagnostic radiologic procedures is in children, whose smaller bodies are more vulnerable and who have a longer life span in which this damage can be realized. Film badges placed on the gonad area during radiologic studies indicated widely varying degrees of gonad irradiation from similar procedures. These results emphasize the importance of technique in protecting children from unnecessary exposure. Such exposure can be reduced by greater beam filtration, use of higher tube potentials, careful beam collimation and centering, closer coning and shielding of the gonads. A new film tested reduced exposure time by 50 per cent. Further reduction was obtained by high-speed screens.A most important measure is avoidance of unnecessary, repetitious and undiagnostic studies. Fluoroscopy should be avoided if possible. If not, the operator must dark-adapt his eyes, use the smallest possible current, the narrowest beam, and the shortest exposure time. Image intensification promotes these aims. Modern equipment, properly shielded, assures against unsuspected exposure.