Single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) applied early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may identify regions with impaired brain function. Moreover, it may be relevant to characterize SPECT perfusion patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), in particular the subgroup of MCI patients with isolated amnesia, as these patients have been demonstrated to convert to AD in more than half of the cases within 3 years. The primary aim of the present study was to characterize the regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in patients with neuropsychologically verified isolated amnesia. We examined 32 patients (11 men/21 women) with isolated amnesia according to strict neuropsychological criteria and 15 healthy volunteers (11 men/4 women). All subjects had an SPECT-99mTc-d,l-HMPAO perfusion study and neuropsychological assessments. Cranial MRI or CT was performed in all subjects. Semiquantitative (cerebellar relative) flow values were calculated and statistically compared. Patients with isolated amnesia had significant hypoperfusion in several cortical regions of interest compared to control subjects, most prominently in the left temporal cortex. Additionally, there was a trend towards globally reduced CBF in the patients, although this was not significant. These findings may indicate the presence of a progressive degenerative illness affecting multiple brain regions at its early or preclinical stage.
Aim
The aim of this systematic review was to investigate screening practices with the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social‐Emotional (ASQ:SE) in the USA and Scandinavia and to identify practical lessons and research opportunities.
Method
The review was performed for ASQ‐ and ASQ:SE‐related studies in children from birth to 5 years. From nine databases and 1689 references (published from 1988–2018), 127 articles were included and categorized using Covidence online software. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklists were used before data synthesis.
Results
US studies primarily use the ASQ/ASQ:SE to detect delays in general and at‐risk populations in medical settings, which increases early detection, clinician‐referral, and intervention rates. Scandinavian studies commonly use the ASQ/ASQ:SE to monitor developmental–behavioural differences in intervention/exposure‐based cohorts. Pre‐visit screening yields completion/return rates of 83% to more than 90% and fosters same‐day interpretation. When referrals are indicated, systemwide care coordination or colocation with a developmental–behavioural specialist is beneficial.
Interpretation
Practical implementation lessons are reviewed. Research opportunities include investigating and measuring the ASQ/ASQ:SE's ‘overall’ sections. Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish translations are available but up‐to‐date norming and validation studies are needed throughout Scandinavia. Randomized controlled trials are needed to investigate outcomes in screened versus unscreened cohorts.
What this paper adds
General and at‐risk populations broadly benefited from periodic Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and/or Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social‐Emotional (ASQ:SE) screening.
Pre‐visit ASQ and/or ASQ:SE screenining implementation systems work best.
The ASQ and ASQ:SE ‘overall’ sections are not quantifiable and under‐researched.
This study compares teachers' perspectives on three assessment instruments for socioemotional development in early childhood, which differ in their emphasis on strengths and difficulties in this domain: the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Teacher version (SDQ-T), and the Social Emotional Assessment Measure (SEAM). We examine the teachers' views on the clarity, relevance, and acceptability, as well as estimating average completion times, of the three questionnaires in the context of Danish childcare. Overall, the SEAM was rated better able to convey the child's strengths, was more acceptable by teachers than the C-TRF and SDQ-T, and provided a better basis for talking with parents. Given its content and acceptability, we conclude this strength-based measure strongly merits inclusion in child assessment of socioemotional development.
Purpose: To fulfill their supervision and counseling responsibilities to foster parents, social workers need an effective way to indirectly monitor foster children's mental health and learning ability within a model of tripartite parenthood. This article describes how we are developing an intervention aimed at enhancing parental monitoring as a protective factor in family foster care. Methods: Focusing on the initial parts of Fraser et al.'s stepwise model for intervention development and drawing on ongoing research, we describe the main challenges faced in developing a program theory of parental monitoring. Results: The product is a manual that can transform the agenda of counseling meetings based on the following pre-requisites: appropriate standardized instruments, a common digital platform, training social workers, and being responsive to municipal differences. Conclusion: Our experience thus far allows us to be cautiously optimistic about strengthening parental monitoring in family foster care.
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