Moderate to severe OSA is common in very young children with DS. Examination of tonsillar size did not predict OSA severity. Population-based screening for OSA is recommended in these children, and domiciliary cardiorespiratory polygraphy is an acceptable screening approach. Further research is required to understand the natural history, associated morbidity, optimal screening methodology and treatment modality for OSA in these children.

Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience significantly higher rates of sleep disturbances than their typically developing peers. However, little is known about the association between sleep and the cognitive phenotype in these clinical populations. Structural damage affecting cortical and subcortical connectivity occurs as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure in children with FASD, whilst it is believed an abundance of short-range connectivity explains the phenotypic manifestations of childhood ASD. These underlying neural structural and connectivity differences manifest as cognitive patterns, with some shared and some unique characteristics between FASD and ASD. This is the first study to examine sleep and its association with cognition in individuals with FASD, and to compare sleep in individuals with FASD and ASD. We assessed children aged 6–12 years with a diagnosis of FASD (n = 29), ASD (n = 21), and Typically Developing (TD) children (n = 46) using actigraphy (CamNTech Actiwatch 8), digit span tests of working memory (Weschler Intelligence Scale), tests of nonverbal mental age (MA; Ravens Standard Progressive Matrices), receptive vocabulary (British Picture Vocabulary Scale), and a choice reaction time (CRT) task. Children with FASD and ASD presented with significantly shorter total sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, and more nocturnal wakings than their TD peers. Sleep was significantly associated with scores on the cognitive tests in all three groups. Our findings support the growing body of work asserting that sleep is significant to cognitive functioning in these neurodevelopmental conditions; however, more research is needed to determine cause and effect.

According to the Intuitive Belief Hypothesis, supernatural belief relies heavily on intuitive thinking—and decreases when analytic thinking is engaged. After pointing out various limitations in prior attempts to support this Intuitive Belief Hypothesis, we test it across three new studies using a variety of paradigms, ranging from a pilgrimage field study to a neurostimulation experiment. In all three studies, we found no relationship between intuitive or analytical thinking and supernatural belief. We conclude that it is premature to explain belief in gods as ‘intuitive’, and that other factors, such as socio-cultural upbringing, are likely to play a greater role in the emergence and maintenance of supernatural belief than cognitive style.

The findings in the TD group support our hypotheses. We recommend that sleep problems are screened for and treated as even mild SDB may prompt poorer cognition and behaviour. For children with DS, we expect that multiple factors in this complex syndrome mask or mediate the association between sleep and cognitive development and tighter controls are necessary to uncover effects of sleep. We propose longitudinal studies as a necessary tool to assess the precise impact of sleep on cognitive development in accounting for individual differences in DS.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has hugely impacted upon people’s psychological and physical wellbeing; however, the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on mothers of young children, with particular regard to breastfeeding, are unknown. Research Aims To explore: (1) Sources of advice and support available to breastfeeding mothers during and prior to the COVID-19 lockdown; (2) Mothers’ opinions on statements and recommendations made by the World Health Organization on the importance of breastfeeding and breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) Maternal emotional states (i.e., anxiety and depression symptoms) experienced by breastfeeding mothers during the COVID-19 lockdown; and (4) influence of breastfeeding duration and number of children on breastfeeding opinions and emotional states. Methods Mothers of children aged 0–36 months ( N = 4018) took part in an online survey. The survey included demographic questions, as well as the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire. Mothers were further probed on opinions regarding breastfeeding practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Participants strongly agreed with the importance of breastfeeding, even if a mother showed symptoms of COVID-19. Differences in opinions on breastfeeding practices (e.g., the use of donor human milk and relactation), were found between participants in relation to breastfeeding duration and number of children. Participants with more than one child showed higher negative emotional states, namely anxiety symptoms. Except for Internet usage, participants indicated a decline in all sources of advice and support for breastfeeding during the COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusions Health bodies and professionals should consider maternal viewpoints and opinions regarding breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions are urgently needed in order to support breastfeeding mothers and prevent the development of mental health issues.