Today, invasive and non-invasive home mechanical ventilation have become a well-established treatment option. Consequently, in 2010 the German Society of Pneumology and Mechanical Ventilation (DGP) has leadingly published the guidelines on "Non-Invasive and Invasive Mechanical Ventilation for Treatment of Chronic Respiratory Failure". However, continuing technical evolutions, new scientific insights, and health care developments require an extensive revision of the guidelines.For this reason, the updated guidelines are now published. Thereby, the existing chapters, namely technical issues, organizational structures in Germany, qualification criteria, disease specific recommendations including special features in pediatrics as well as ethical aspects and palliative care, have been updated according to the current literature and the health care developments in Germany. New chapters added to the guidelines include the topics of home mechanical ventilation in paraplegic patients and in those with failure of prolonged weaning.In the current guidelines different societies as well as professional and expert associations have been involved when compared to the 2010 guidelines. Importantly, disease-specific aspects are now covered by the German Interdisciplinary Society of Home Mechanical Ventilation (DIGAB). In addition, societies and associations directly involved in the care of patients receiving home mechanical ventilation have been included in the current process. Importantly, associations responsible for decisions on costs in the health care system and patient organizations have now been involved.The currently updated guidelines are valid for the next three years, following their first online publication on the home page of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in German (AWMF) in the beginning of July 2017. A subsequent revision of the guidelines remains the aim for the future.

Despite their severe disabilities and symptoms, most SMARD1 patients are well integrated into their home environment and two thirds of them are able to attend kindergarten or school. This information will help to counsel parents at the time of disease manifestation.

We describe two outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in daycare centers in the metropolitan area of Hamburg, Germany. The outbreaks occurred in rapid chronological succession, in neighborhoods with a very similar sociodemographic structure, thus allowing for cross-comparison of these events. We combined classical and molecular epidemiologic investigation methods to study infection entry, spread within the facilities, and subsequent transmission of infections to households. Epidemiologic and molecular evidence suggests a superspreading event with a non-variant of concern (non-VOC) SARS CoV-2 strain at the root of the first outbreak. The second outbreak involved two childcare facilities experiencing infection activity with the variant of concern (VOC) B.1.1.7 (Alpha). We show that the index cases in all outbreaks had been childcare workers, and that children contributed substantially to secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection from childcare facilities to households. The frequency of secondary transmissions in households originating from B.1.1.7-infected children was increased compared to children with non-VOC infections. Self-reported symptoms, particularly cough and rhinitis, occurred more frequently in B.1.1.7-infected children. Especially in light of the rapidly spreading VOC B.1.617.2 (Delta), our data underline the notion that rigorous SARS-CoV-2 testing in combination with screening of contacts regardless of symptoms is an important measure to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection of unvaccinated individuals in daycare centers and associated households.

Because of the low prevalence and heterogeneous etiology of early childhood scoliosis, the literature to date contains no randomized controlled therapeutic trials concerning this small group of high-risk patients. For the treatment to succeed, it is essential for specialists from all of the involved medical disciplines to work closely together. Conservative measures such as physiotherapy, casts, and corsets can delay the (frequent) need for surgery or even make surgery unneces - sary, particularly in the idiopathic types of early childhood scoliosis. The new non-fusion techniques enable continued growth of the spine, rib cage, and lung in addition to correcting the scoliosis.

The Need for Psychosocial Support in Parents of Chronically Ill Children Chronic illness in childhood and adolescence is associated with special requirements and demands on affected families. In particular, severe chronic diseases and rare diseases with a high level of health care needs or with progressive medical diagnoses permanently challenge the families' resources. The aim of this study was to assess the need for psychological, nursing, legal and organisational support from a parent's perspective. Using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring, data from 96 parents of 68 chronically ill children were evaluated. The findings suggest an increased need for psychosocial support, but, the ideas, needs, and goals of parents are very versatile. However, family-based psychosocial support programs, which are adapted to the specific family situations, are unanimously judged to be useful. Interventions should be flexible as well as tailored to the affected families' individual needs.