Caregiver Strain Questionnaire–Short Form 11 (CGSQ-SF11): A Validation Study

Caregiver strain is associated with caregiver and child well-being and clinical outcomes. The present study examined the psychometric properties of a revised 11-item measure of caregiver strain, the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire–Short Form 11 (CGSQ-SF11). In a sample of 962 caregivers, we found support for a three-factor model of the CGSQ-SF11, consisting of objective (e.g., financial impact), subjective internalized (e.g., sadness about the child’s problems), and subjective externalized (e.g., anger directed toward the child) strain factors. Measurement invariance was supported across multiple demographic and clinical groups, and all three subscales displayed high internal consistency. Convergent validity was also supported through positive correlations with measures of child psychopathology symptoms and psychosocial impairment. Moreover, caregiver strain was associated with number of child disorders as well as breadth of child symptoms across both internalizing and externalizing domains. Findings provide initial validation of the CGSQ-SF11 as a comprehensive yet brief measure of caregiver strain.

Role of Panchakarma in Bala-Roga: A Review

Introduction: Panchakarma is considered as one of the specialities of Kayachikitsa which includes five major therapeutic procedures of detoxification and body purification, along with many other supportive procedures. In fact, Panchakarma can be used efficiently in all the branches of Astang-Ayurved and it can also be beneficial in Kaumarbhritya for a comprehensive cure for many child disorders. This review was carried out to study the concept of Panchakarma in children and explore the variations and significance of Panchakarma in Bala-Roga. Materials & Methods: References regarding Panchakarma in Children were collected from various classical Ayurveda textbooks, published research papers from Internet sources, previous work done and compilation was done. Concept of Panchakarma in Children was studied in detail. Results: Most of the previous studies have emphasized on the importance of Panchakarma in children; however there were limited clinical studies have been carried out on procedural effectiveness of Panchkarma in children. Panchakarma measures executed with precautions is equqlly effective in a child as it results in adult. Conclusion: The knowledge and experience of Panchakarma in pediatric conditions is the key to successful administration of Panchakarma in children. Increasing and mainstreaming Panchakarma procedures among children in Ayurveda hospitals will definitely provide a new hope in management of child disorders.

Psychiatric Assistance at Cataract Juvenile

Background: Psychiatric assistance is required in the integrated handling of physical health disorders in the field of other disciplines known as CLP. A collaborative approach to the field of psychiatry with other scientific disciplines in accordance with WHO health criteria that includes physical and mental health for improving health and quality of life. Case presentation: A boy, 8 years, was consulted from the Ophthalmology Department with Right eye cataract juvenile, and left eye ptisis bulbi to give pre-operative psychological assistance for eye assessment and diagnostics. Patient also complained the blurred vision since last year and cannot see anything since 10 months ago. The current condition represents the patient cannot speak, often screams, likes to injure his head and scratch his face. Patients treated in the pediatric’s ward with global developmental delay. Patients were also consulted to the child psychiatry section with childhood autism, audiology, nutrition and metabolic diseases of children, pediatric neurology, and finally collaboration with the Surabaya City Health Office for a follow-up management plan. Conclusions: Child psychiatrist as a liaison, interacting with multidisciplinary medical or rehabilitation teams, families, schools, community and local city government are beneficial in the management of child disorders and improving family wellbeing. Keywords: cataract juvenile; autism; psychiatric assistance; consultation liaison psychiatry (CLP)

Do attention deficit hyperactive disorders cause reading problems?

Children diagnosed as attention deficit hyperactive disordered (ADHD) do not comprise a unitary homogeneous group. Despite considerable research attempting to establish the validity of ADHD as a diagnostic entity, a number of researchers question whether the distinction between ADHD and other child disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD) can be clearly established (Prior & Sanson, 1986; Werry, Reeves & Elkind, 1987). Short attention span, poor concentration and poor memory may also occur in both ADHD and reading-disabled (RD) children. Academic underachievement is also reported in a substantial proportion of ADHD children (Carlson, Lahey & Neeper, 1986). August and Garfinkel (1990), for example, found that 39% of children diagnosed ADHD were also found to have a co-existing reading disorder. A study by McGee and Shore (1988) estimated that 80% of children with ADHD had a co-occurring learning disability in reading, writing and spelling. This conclusion is also supported by other studies which have found a higher than normal incidence of academic problems existing with significant attention problems (Barkley, 1990; Barkley, Fisher, Edelbrock & Smallish, 1990).As the two disorders occur so frequently together it has consequently become very difficult to disentangle the degree to which ADHD and learning disorder contribute to each other or are in fact separate entities. The issue regarding comorbidity or causality remains perplexing - is the learning disability a secondary cause arising from inattention and hyperactivity, or is the child inattentive and hyperactive because they are frustrated at their inability to succeed academically (August & Garfinkel, 1990)?

Informants, Correlates and Child Disorders in a Clinical Population

This paper examines associations between informants, correlates and child disorders in a sample of 230 outpatients six to 14 years of age. K-SADS-E diagnoses and scores were studied according to informant, gender, age group, mental health of the parents, life events and parents' relationship. The results show that parents underreport their daughters' internalized disorders compared with reports of children and adolescents and that male children and adolescents underreport all types of disorders compared with the reports of their parents. Intra-informant correlations and differences between informants suggest an uneven influence according to informants of correlates on the report of child disorders.