BackgroundRecent studies have suggested that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may benefit from computerized cognitive training. Therapy implementation is especially complicated when ADHD is associated with learning disorders (LDs). This study tested the efficacy of a computer-based cognitive training program, namely, computerized cognitive training (CCT), in children with ADHD comorbid with an LD (ADHD-LD), with or without psychostimulant medication.Materials and methodsAfter diagnostic evaluations, 27 children with ADHD-LD (8 unmedicated and 19 medicated) participated in CCT, which is intended to improve attention, memory, reasoning, visual processing, and executive functioning. The participants completed 24 1-hour sessions over 3 months. Neuropsychometric and standardized academic test results before and after training were compared to assess treatment efficacy. Shapiro–Wilk normality tests were applied, and subsequent Wilcoxon tests were used to identify significant differences in pre-versus post-training performance.ResultsAfter CAT, children diagnosed with ADHD-LD showed 1) improvements in trained skills, measured directly within the software and indirectly by external psychometric tests; 2) improvements in attention, memory, and some executive functioning; 3) improvements in academic performance, particularly in mathematics; and 4) reductions in maladaptive behavioral features.ConclusionThe present findings suggest that cognitive training programs should be explored further as potential adjunctive therapies to improve outcomes in children with ADHD-LD.

The CBCL-PBD and P-YMRS can be used to screen for manic behavior and assist in differential diagnosis.

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BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social, behavioral, and communication impairments with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 68 school-aged children. There is a need for objective and easily applicable instruments for early identification of autistic children to enable initiation of early interventions during a very sensitive period of brain development and, consequently, optimize prognosis. Here, we tested the utility of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Caregiver-Teacher’s Report Form (C-TRF) scales for assessing ASD in Brazil, where ASD screening research is emergent.Subjects and methodsA total of 70 children (2–5 years old, both sexes) were enrolled, including an ASD group (n=39) and a non-ASD control group (n=31). The preschool versions of the CBCL and C-TRF were applied. The CBCL and C-TRF results were compared between the ASD and non-ASD control groups with Mann–Whitney U tests and receiver operating characteristic analyses.ResultsThe CBCL and C-TRF were found to have moderate accuracy for the dimensions withdrawn and autism spectrum problems, and to correlate with each other.ConclusionThe CBCL and C-TRF may aid in early ASD detection.

This study analyzed the associations between physical activity (PA) and motor proficiency (MP) to determine what level of moderate PA might help avoid low MP in 8-10-year-old Brazilian children. We assessed MP of 98 children using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency, Second Edition Short Form (BOT-2 SF), and we assessed PA using the GT3X + accelerometer. We analyzed data using means, standard deviations, frequency distribution, spearman correlation coefficients, Mann-Whitney U test, and the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve. There was a difference between groups of children with adequate or better versus low MP in minutes/day of moderate PA (defined as 2,296-4,011 accelerometer counts/minute; U = 666.0, p = .045) such that those with less time engaged in moderate PA had lower MP scores than peers with adequate MP. There was also a positive correlation between moderate PA and the strength and agility MP domain ( r = .226; p = .025). In addition, minutes/day of moderate PA less than or equal to 142.56 minutes showed predictive capacity for low MP (area under the curve = 0.635; p = .027). Thus, objective measures of PA were able to predict low MP in 8-10-year-old Brazilian children, with an approximate guideline of about 2.5 hours per day of moderate PA needed to protect against low MP.