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Melatonin could be a new way to prevent self-harm in adolescents
An observational study on sleep treatments in adolescents with psychiatric disorders revealed that self-harm risk decreased by half in months after they started taking melatonin supplements. This risk reduction was more apparent in girls with anxiety or depression. These findings suggest that sleep interventions could reduce self-harm in adolescents.
Study Finds
Boys born to COVID-19-infected mothers at risk of neurodevelopment issues
A study on over 880 children exposed to the virus before birth revealed that 3% of them received a diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental issue during their first year of life compared to 1.8% of kids who were not exposed to the virus, corresponding to a two-fold increased risk. This risk was disproportionately higher in boys than girls, but the reasons were unclear.
Newsbreak
US: Benefits of early autism detection erased by the pandemic
Disruptions in the evaluation of children during the COVID-19 pandemic have wiped out the potential gains of early identification of this developmental disability in children, says a report. It will lead to long-lasting effects on children. Another report also suggested that autism prevalence was higher in Hispanic, Asian, and Black children than in White children.
Twitter @Reuters_Health
Autistic children are less likely to get a vision screening
Data analysis on more tha 60,000 visits of children with or without autism spectrum disorder revealed that the proportion of children with autism getting vision screening was 36.5% compared to 59.9% in children without autism. This disparity was even higher in young and Black kids, suggesting the need for a tool to reduce the differences, especially in high-risk kids.
Drugs.com
Cutting time on social media can improve self-esteem in youth
Researchers conducted a study on young adults aged 17 to 25 years with depression or anxiety who were using two or more hours on mobile phones. They found that people who reduced their social media use to not more than one hour a day experienced significant enhancements in self-esteem and body image than those in people who continued using social media usually.
Relevant
Using montelukast in pregnancy not tied to neuro disorders in kids
A study found no significant link between prenatal usage of leukotriene-receptor antagonists and ADHD and Tourette syndrome in offspring. Also, the duration of use ( 1 to 4 weeks or more than 4 weeks) and cumulative dose (1 to 170 mg vs more than 170 mg) of these drugs during pregnancy were not linked to ASD, Tourette syndrome, and ADHD in offspring.
Twitter @JAMANetworkOpen
Autism could make people process illusory shapes differently
Researchers used EEG to record the response of kids with and without autism to record neuron responses while processing illusory shapes. Children with autism failed to process the shapes automatically and as effectively as children without autism. It suggests differences in the processing pathways of kids with autism, explaining atypical visual sensory behaviours.
University of Rochester Medical Center
Can antipsychotic drugs cause weight gain in people with schizophrenia?
A meta-analysis found a significant dose-response link between antipsychotic use and metabolic and weight variables. It also found a unique signature linked to each of the 11 antipsychotics studied in the analysis. Increasing doses of some drugs caused greater weight gain. These findings could help develop strategies to avoid metabolic disturbances in people on these drugs.
Twitter @uOPsychiatry
APA issues guidelines for evaluating and treating eating disorders
The agency plans to highlight a risk-benefit analysis of psychosocial and physical factors to align the treatment of eating disorders. These guidelines pertain to anorexia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa. They recommend achieving target weight for patients and family-based eating disorder education for adolescents and young adults with a caregiver.
Healio
Gardening could lower the risk of cancer and improve mental health
Gardening was found to be associated with increased physical activity and fibre intake and lower levels of anxiety and stress in the urban population, as per a study published in The Lancet. These findings suggest that gardening could be a viable intervention for people who are at risk of developing chronic health conditions, including mental health disorders and cancer.
Healio
