Although more rigorous research is required in order for any sleep interventions for children with ASD to be considered probably efficacious or well-established, the current literature should be used to guide clinical decisions and direct research questions.

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Research in the field of pediatric pain has largely ignored the role of fathers in their children's pain experiences. The first objective of the present study was to examine the effect of the presence of mothers versus fathers on children's subjective ratings, facial expressions and physiological responses to acute pain. The second objective was to examine whether child and parent sex influence parents' proxy ratings of their children's pain. The final objective was to compare levels of agreement between mothers' and fathers' assessments of their children's pain. Participants included 73 children (37 boys, 36 girls), four to 12 years of age, along with 32 fathers and 41 mothers. Children undertook the cold pressor pain task while observed by one of their parents. During the task, the children's heart rates and facial expressions were recorded. Children provided self-reports and parents provided proxy reports of child pain intensity using the seven-point Faces Pain Scale. Neither child nor parent sex had a significant impact on children's subjective reports, facial expressions or heart rates in response to acute pain. Fathers gave their sons higher pain ratings than their daughters, whereas mothers' ratings of their sons' and daughters' pain did not differ. Kappa statistics and t tests revealed that fathers tended to be more accurate judges of their children's pain than mothers. Overall, this research highlights the importance of examining both parent and child sex differences in pediatric pain research.

The current study provides preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a manualized behavioral sleep intervention program for improving insomnia in children with ASD.

Parental behavior plays a significant role in children's pain response. Prior research has found generally no differences between mothers' and fathers' verbal behavior during child pain. This study compared mothers' and fathers' nonverbal behavior during child pain. Nonverbal behavior of mothers (n = 39) and fathers (n = 39) of 39 children (20 boys) aged 8 to 12 years who participated in the cold pressor task (counterbalanced once with each parent) was coded. A range of nonverbal behaviors were coded, including distraction, physical proximity, physical comfort/reassurance, procedure-related attending behavior, and fidgeting. The most common behaviors parents engaged in were fidgeting, procedure-related attending behaviors, and physical proximity. Results indicated that the types of nonverbal behavior parents engage in did not differ between mothers and fathers. However, children of mothers who engaged in more physical comfort/reassurance reported higher levels of pain intensity, and children of mothers who engaged in more procedure-related attending behaviors had lower pain tolerance. Further, both mothers and fathers who engaged in higher levels of verbal nonattending behaviors also engaged in lower levels of nonverbal procedure-related attending behaviors. These findings further support the importance of considering the influence of mothers and fathers in children's pain, and provide novel insights into the role of nonverbal behavior.

Living with end-stage organ failure is associated with an accumulation of traumatic medical events, and despite recovery after solid-organ transplantation (SOT), many children continue to exhibit lower quality of life (QOL). Few studies have examined the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and QOL among pediatric SOT recipients. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional review of 61 pediatric SOT recipients (12 heart, 30 kidney, and 19 liver) to evaluate the association of PTSD with self-reported QOL. PTSD was measured by the Child Trauma Screening Questionnaire (CTSQ), and QOL was measured using the PedsQL and PedsQL Transplant Module (PedsQL-TM) surveys. Demographics, baseline, and contemporaneous factors were tested for independent association. SOT recipients were 15.2 (12.1-17.6) years old at survey completion. Median CTSQ score was 2 (1-3), highest in kidney recipients, and 13% were identified as high risk for PTSD. Median PedsQL score was 83 (70-91) and significantly associated with the CTSQ score (r = −.68, p < .001). Median PedsQL Transplant Module score was 89 (83-95) and similarly associated with the CTSQ score (r = −.64, p < .001). Age at time of surveys and presence of any disability were also independently associated with PedsQL and PedsQL-TM, respectively. When adjusted for Emotional Functioning, CTSQ remained associated with PedsQL subscores (r = −.65, p < .001). Trauma symptoms are a major modifiable risk factor for lower self-perceived QOL and represent a potentially important target for post-transplant rehabilitation. Additional research is needed to understand the root contributors to PTSD and potential treatments in this population.

Health anxiety refers to the preoccupation with and fear of bodily sensations arising from catastrophic misinterpretations about the significance of these sensations (Hadjistavropoulos, Asmundson, & Kowalyk, 2004). Constructs theoretically relevant to the development of both health anxiety and chronic pain are two of the putative “fundamental fears” identified by Reiss (1991)—anxiety sensitivity (AS) and illness/injury sensitivity (IS) (Cox, Borger, & Enns, 1999; Vancleef, Peters, Roelofs, & Asmundson, 2006). The learning history origins of AS have been examined in a series of studies (Stewart et al., 2001; Watt & Stewart, 2000; Watt, Stewart, & Cox, 1998); however, no studies have examined the learning history antecedents of IS. The present retrospective study compared the relative specificity of learning experiences related to the development of AS and IS in a sample of 192 undergraduates (143 women and 49 men). Structural equation modeling supported nonspecific paths from both anxiety-related and aches/pains-related childhood learning experiences to AS and a more specific path from aches/pain-related childhood learning experiences to IS. Results suggest that the developmental antecedents of IS are more specific to learning experiences around aches and pains, whereas the developmental origins of AS are more broadly related to learning experiences around bodily sensations.