Sigita Lesinskiene - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Sigita Lesinskiene
Frontiers in Psychiatry
The topic of mental health and mental disorders is very sensitive and delicate in families and th... more The topic of mental health and mental disorders is very sensitive and delicate in families and the society. Stigma is one of the main reasons for little help-seeking for mental disorders. Transgenerational effects of mental disorders is the utmost sensitive theme that brings difficulties for service organization and research. By emphasizing the importance of the effects of parental mental illnesses on the health of offspring and their adjustment, together with sharing the international experience between professionals, both the administration of services and society could provide opportunities for further positive change in this little-studied but utmost actual field. There is still a lack of appropriate long term systematic programs and ways to overcome complex organizational challenges. Sharing international experience and research could help find ways that best fit the situations in each country. After a descriptive analysis of the current system of mental health services in Lith...
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
In the original publication of the article, the first author family name has been incorrectly pub... more In the original publication of the article, the first author family name has been incorrectly published. The correct author name is given in this erratum. The original article was corrected.
Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It i... more Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It is the second most common cause of death among young people. There is a lack of research studies on the psychosocial aspects of adolescent suicide in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate demographics, life circumstances, and health conditions as factors related to suicide attempt in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed at the Children’s Hospital (Vilnius University Santara Clinics). Medical documentation of adolescents treated in this hospital after suicide attempts from January 2011 to April 2018 were analyzed. Results: There were 117 cases of hospitalization due to suicide attempts during this period, and 102 cases were included in the study. There were 83.8% female and 16.2% male patients with an average age of 15.02 ± 1.9 years (p = 0.405); 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 17.7% lived in orphanages, 4.2% lived in foster care, 36.4% su...
Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It i... more Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It is the second most common cause of death among young people. There is a lack of research studies on the psychosocial aspects of adolescent suicide in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate demographics, life circumstances, and health conditions as factors related to suicide attempt in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed at the Children’s Hospital (Vilnius University Santara Clinics). Medical documentation of adolescents treated in this hospital after suicide attempts from January 2011 to April 2018 were analyzed. Results: There were 117 cases of hospitalization due to suicide attempts during this period, and 102 cases were included in the study. There were 83.8% female and 16.2% male patients with an average age of 15.02 ± 1.9 years (p = 0.405); 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 17.7% lived in orphanages, 4.2% lived in foster care, 36.4% su...
Journal of Medical Case Reports
Background Huntington’s disease is a rare, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease character... more Background Huntington’s disease is a rare, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Usually, the disease symptoms first appear around the age of 40, but in 5–10% of cases, they manifest before the age of 21. This is then referred to as juvenile Huntington’s disease. According to the small number of cases reported in the literature, the course of juvenile Huntington’s disease significantly differs from adult onset and shows significant interpatient variability, making every case unique. Case presentation Our study aims to highlight the complexity and diversity of rare juvenile Huntington’s disease. We report cases of two Caucasian patients with chronic tics referred to the Huntington’s Disease Competence Center of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos with suspicion of juvenile Huntington’s disease due to the appearance of chronic motor tics, and behavior problems. The diagnosis of juvenile Huntington’s disease ...
Health and Primary Care
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitude to body image and compare sex an... more Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitude to body image and compare sex and body mass index differences in body perception among schoolchildren of 7-10 grades in Lithuania. Method: Data was obtained from 3248 adolescents (mean age = 14.83 (SD = 1.28), 49.5% male) who fully completed self-report questionnaires. Participants were grouped and subsequently analyzed according to their body mass index and sex. Results: Tendencies among males and females were analyzed. Overall 39.6% of the female and 11.8% of male adolescents wanted a thinner body. More females than males replied that they have tried dieting, wished to become thinner, were afraid of becoming fat or even of gaining a small amount of weight and felt not able to control their eating. However, more males answered exercising to control weight, consuming large amounts of food at once and inducing vomiting after meal. Discussion: Findings suggest the importance of addressing aspects of negative body image, associated with different BMI categories, gender differences and disordered eating behavior in clinical settings and public health policies.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology
Clinical Research and Trials
Background: Although sexual harassment among adolescents is a current major concern, there is lit... more Background: Although sexual harassment among adolescents is a current major concern, there is little data on its prevalence and characteristics that might be helpful to improve preventive programs at schools. Aim: The purpose of our study to evaluate the prevalence, predominant forms and perpetrators of sexual harassment, common places of the incidents and subjective estimations of influence on mood, sleep and eating habits among high school students aged 16 to 19. Methods: The questionnaire has been created for research purpose by the authors, it consists of five main sections, which are: a demographic section, a section about unwanted and unpleasant verbal sexual harassment, a section about unwanted sexual gestures, a section of unwanted and unpleasant physical sexual harassment, and a section of subjective evaluations of impact on students' mood, sleep and eating habits. Results: 209 students participated in the research: 65% girls and 35% boys. 56% of participants indicated that they had experienced one of the three forms of sexual harassment (verbal, gestures or physical). We found significant difference between the genders: girls are facing unwelcome sexual behavior more frequently than boys do (p<0,001). The most common form of sexual harassment among adolescents was found to be sexual gestures. According to the findings, sexual gestures were repeated and frequent, while physical sexual behavior tended to be experienced once. The majority of students reported the harasser to be unknown person and the incidents often happened in the public places. 50% of participants reported that experienced sexual harassment had some impact on their mood, 11% reported having sleep disturbances and 9%-a change of eating habits.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
European child & adolescent psychiatry, Jan 30, 2017
Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffers from a mental disorder. The... more Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffers from a mental disorder. The present study was designed to determine the self-reported prevalence of mental health problems in children aged 6-11 years across eight European countries including Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Data were drawn from 6245 children participating in the School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCHME) study and a large cross-sectional survey in France. Self-reported child mental health was assessed using the Dominique Interactive (DI). Overall, 22.0% of children were identified per their own evaluation as having at least one mental disorder, ranging from 16.4% in the Netherlands to 27.9% in Bulgaria. The prevalence of internalizing disorders was 18.4% across countries and ranged from 11.8% in the Netherlands to 24.3% in Turkey. The prevalence of externalizing disorders was lower with an average of 7.8%, ranging from 3.5% in Turkey to 10.5...
SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference
Rett syndrome is a rare (0,01%) genetic disorder affecting girls' development. Individuals wi... more Rett syndrome is a rare (0,01%) genetic disorder affecting girls' development. Individuals with Rett syndrome experience a full range of health problems that severely influence and complicate their mobility, intellect, communication, learning, and entire lifestyle. The treatment of Rett's syndrome is still aimed at investigating new pathways to ensure the best possible patient’s development and quality of life. The distinctive feature of Rett syndrome is the two main sensations with little damage: hearing and vision. Therefore, music therapy plays an exceptional role in the treatment and special education of children with Rett syndrome. The goal of this study is to find the most effective music therapy techniques and their specific indications whilst working with individuals with Rett syndrome. Research method used: music therapists’ online survey conducted internationally. The research suggests that the most effective methods in Rett syndrome cases are structured musical ga...
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Feb 1, 2002
Free drawings of children with AS, aged 7-16 years, were analysed in relation to the clinical pic... more Free drawings of children with AS, aged 7-16 years, were analysed in relation to the clinical picture comprising their difficulties in communication, social behaviour and cognition. All children showed good abilities in drawing. Pictures had some common traits and were distinctly original, reflecting peculiarities of the syndrome features. Analysis of free drawings was found to be a helpful tool in understanding the inner world and the dynamic changes during the therapy process of these children.
Medicina, Feb 1, 2002
The role of nurse in early rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders in our country... more The role of nurse in early rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders in our country is still not clear and little investigated. The main purpose of the study was to analyze the needs of nursing at the department of Early Rehabilitation, describe appropriate activity spheres for the nurses, and prepare methodical recommendations for the nurse&amp;amp;amp;#39;s work with developmentally disabled children. The study was carried out at the in-patient department of Early Rehabilitation, Child Development Center, Vilnius University Hospital. Eighty six mothers of developmentally disabled children were interviewed and filled the questionnaire developed by the authors. Aspects of mothers&amp;amp;amp;#39; views, opinions, suggestions and needs were investigated. The data revealed an interesting overview of the current situation in the field from the patient&amp;amp;amp;#39;s perspective. The need for the adequate nurse and care was obvious. The role of the nurses is underestimated and functions could be broader expanded regarding the specific needs of the disabled children and their families. Organizational and practical recommendations are provided.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2016
Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffer from a mental disorder. The ... more Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffer from a mental disorder. The present study was designed to determine the cross-national prevalence of mental health problems in children aged 6-11 across seven European countries including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Data were collected on 7682 children for whom either parent- or teacher SDQ were completed. The present study provides country-specific normative banding for both parent- and teacher SDQ scores. Overall, 12.8 % of children have any probable disorder, with rates ranging from 15.5 % in Lithuania to 7.8 % in Italy, 3.8 % of children have a probable emotional disorder, 8.4 % probable conduct disorder, and 2.0 % probable hyperactivity/inattention. However, when adjusting for key sociodemographic variables and parental psychological distress, country of residence did not predict the odds of having any disorder. For specific disorders, however, country of residence does have an effect on the odds of presenting with mental health problems. As normative data are key in the comparison of mental health status on an international level, the present data considerably advance the possibilities of future research. Furthermore, the findings underline the importance of controlling for a number of sociodemographic and parental variables when conducting international comparisons of child mental health. In addition, the findings suggest that efforts are needed locally to assist in the detection and prevention of parental psychological distress.
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, Jan 5, 2016
Video games are one of the favourite leisure activities of children; the influence on child healt... more Video games are one of the favourite leisure activities of children; the influence on child health is usually perceived to be negative. The present study assessed the association between the amount of time spent playing video games and children mental health as well as cognitive and social skills. Data were drawn from the School Children Mental Health Europe project conducted in six European Union countries (youth ages 6-11, n = 3195). Child mental health was assessed by parents and teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and by children themselves with the Dominic Interactive. Child video game usage was reported by the parents. Teachers evaluated academic functioning. Multivariable logistic regressions were used. 20 % of the children played video games more than 5 h per week. Factors associated with time spent playing video games included being a boy, being older, and belonging to a medium size family. Having a less educated, single, inactive, or psychologically...
Medicina, Feb 1, 2002
Autism is attributed to a complex developmental disability. Child development is pervasively impa... more Autism is attributed to a complex developmental disability. Child development is pervasively impaired in many mental functioning spheres. This study aims to investigate the impact of the autistic features to the physical development of the autistic children. Most attention was paid to the nutrition and sleeping habits of the autistic children including communicational and behavioral aspects related to the mentioned functions. The results were compared with the healthy controls. Differences between the groups were analysed. Low appetite, narrow range of assortment of preferable dishes, digestive autonomic nervous system reactions were significantly more common in the autistic group. Sleep of the autistic children was significantly more often disrupted by waking up caused not by physiological needs when comparing with the control group. Tallness and weight of the autistic children were compared with the Lithuanian norms, physical growth autistic children was delayed and not harmonious. Further investigations in the field are needed.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
The topic of mental health and mental disorders is very sensitive and delicate in families and th... more The topic of mental health and mental disorders is very sensitive and delicate in families and the society. Stigma is one of the main reasons for little help-seeking for mental disorders. Transgenerational effects of mental disorders is the utmost sensitive theme that brings difficulties for service organization and research. By emphasizing the importance of the effects of parental mental illnesses on the health of offspring and their adjustment, together with sharing the international experience between professionals, both the administration of services and society could provide opportunities for further positive change in this little-studied but utmost actual field. There is still a lack of appropriate long term systematic programs and ways to overcome complex organizational challenges. Sharing international experience and research could help find ways that best fit the situations in each country. After a descriptive analysis of the current system of mental health services in Lith...
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
In the original publication of the article, the first author family name has been incorrectly pub... more In the original publication of the article, the first author family name has been incorrectly published. The correct author name is given in this erratum. The original article was corrected.
Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It i... more Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It is the second most common cause of death among young people. There is a lack of research studies on the psychosocial aspects of adolescent suicide in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate demographics, life circumstances, and health conditions as factors related to suicide attempt in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed at the Children’s Hospital (Vilnius University Santara Clinics). Medical documentation of adolescents treated in this hospital after suicide attempts from January 2011 to April 2018 were analyzed. Results: There were 117 cases of hospitalization due to suicide attempts during this period, and 102 cases were included in the study. There were 83.8% female and 16.2% male patients with an average age of 15.02 ± 1.9 years (p = 0.405); 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 17.7% lived in orphanages, 4.2% lived in foster care, 36.4% su...
Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It i... more Background and objectives: Suicide is a topical issue in Lithuania and all around the world. It is the second most common cause of death among young people. There is a lack of research studies on the psychosocial aspects of adolescent suicide in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate demographics, life circumstances, and health conditions as factors related to suicide attempt in adolescents. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed at the Children’s Hospital (Vilnius University Santara Clinics). Medical documentation of adolescents treated in this hospital after suicide attempts from January 2011 to April 2018 were analyzed. Results: There were 117 cases of hospitalization due to suicide attempts during this period, and 102 cases were included in the study. There were 83.8% female and 16.2% male patients with an average age of 15.02 ± 1.9 years (p = 0.405); 40.6% of patients lived in divorced families, 17.7% lived in orphanages, 4.2% lived in foster care, 36.4% su...
Journal of Medical Case Reports
Background Huntington’s disease is a rare, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease character... more Background Huntington’s disease is a rare, autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Usually, the disease symptoms first appear around the age of 40, but in 5–10% of cases, they manifest before the age of 21. This is then referred to as juvenile Huntington’s disease. According to the small number of cases reported in the literature, the course of juvenile Huntington’s disease significantly differs from adult onset and shows significant interpatient variability, making every case unique. Case presentation Our study aims to highlight the complexity and diversity of rare juvenile Huntington’s disease. We report cases of two Caucasian patients with chronic tics referred to the Huntington’s Disease Competence Center of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos with suspicion of juvenile Huntington’s disease due to the appearance of chronic motor tics, and behavior problems. The diagnosis of juvenile Huntington’s disease ...
Health and Primary Care
Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitude to body image and compare sex an... more Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate attitude to body image and compare sex and body mass index differences in body perception among schoolchildren of 7-10 grades in Lithuania. Method: Data was obtained from 3248 adolescents (mean age = 14.83 (SD = 1.28), 49.5% male) who fully completed self-report questionnaires. Participants were grouped and subsequently analyzed according to their body mass index and sex. Results: Tendencies among males and females were analyzed. Overall 39.6% of the female and 11.8% of male adolescents wanted a thinner body. More females than males replied that they have tried dieting, wished to become thinner, were afraid of becoming fat or even of gaining a small amount of weight and felt not able to control their eating. However, more males answered exercising to control weight, consuming large amounts of food at once and inducing vomiting after meal. Discussion: Findings suggest the importance of addressing aspects of negative body image, associated with different BMI categories, gender differences and disordered eating behavior in clinical settings and public health policies.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology
Clinical Research and Trials
Background: Although sexual harassment among adolescents is a current major concern, there is lit... more Background: Although sexual harassment among adolescents is a current major concern, there is little data on its prevalence and characteristics that might be helpful to improve preventive programs at schools. Aim: The purpose of our study to evaluate the prevalence, predominant forms and perpetrators of sexual harassment, common places of the incidents and subjective estimations of influence on mood, sleep and eating habits among high school students aged 16 to 19. Methods: The questionnaire has been created for research purpose by the authors, it consists of five main sections, which are: a demographic section, a section about unwanted and unpleasant verbal sexual harassment, a section about unwanted sexual gestures, a section of unwanted and unpleasant physical sexual harassment, and a section of subjective evaluations of impact on students' mood, sleep and eating habits. Results: 209 students participated in the research: 65% girls and 35% boys. 56% of participants indicated that they had experienced one of the three forms of sexual harassment (verbal, gestures or physical). We found significant difference between the genders: girls are facing unwelcome sexual behavior more frequently than boys do (p<0,001). The most common form of sexual harassment among adolescents was found to be sexual gestures. According to the findings, sexual gestures were repeated and frequent, while physical sexual behavior tended to be experienced once. The majority of students reported the harasser to be unknown person and the incidents often happened in the public places. 50% of participants reported that experienced sexual harassment had some impact on their mood, 11% reported having sleep disturbances and 9%-a change of eating habits.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
European child & adolescent psychiatry, Jan 30, 2017
Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffers from a mental disorder. The... more Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffers from a mental disorder. The present study was designed to determine the self-reported prevalence of mental health problems in children aged 6-11 years across eight European countries including Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Data were drawn from 6245 children participating in the School Children Mental Health in Europe (SCHME) study and a large cross-sectional survey in France. Self-reported child mental health was assessed using the Dominique Interactive (DI). Overall, 22.0% of children were identified per their own evaluation as having at least one mental disorder, ranging from 16.4% in the Netherlands to 27.9% in Bulgaria. The prevalence of internalizing disorders was 18.4% across countries and ranged from 11.8% in the Netherlands to 24.3% in Turkey. The prevalence of externalizing disorders was lower with an average of 7.8%, ranging from 3.5% in Turkey to 10.5...
SOCIETY. INTEGRATION. EDUCATION. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference
Rett syndrome is a rare (0,01%) genetic disorder affecting girls' development. Individuals wi... more Rett syndrome is a rare (0,01%) genetic disorder affecting girls' development. Individuals with Rett syndrome experience a full range of health problems that severely influence and complicate their mobility, intellect, communication, learning, and entire lifestyle. The treatment of Rett's syndrome is still aimed at investigating new pathways to ensure the best possible patient’s development and quality of life. The distinctive feature of Rett syndrome is the two main sensations with little damage: hearing and vision. Therefore, music therapy plays an exceptional role in the treatment and special education of children with Rett syndrome. The goal of this study is to find the most effective music therapy techniques and their specific indications whilst working with individuals with Rett syndrome. Research method used: music therapists’ online survey conducted internationally. The research suggests that the most effective methods in Rett syndrome cases are structured musical ga...
International Journal of Circumpolar Health, Feb 1, 2002
Free drawings of children with AS, aged 7-16 years, were analysed in relation to the clinical pic... more Free drawings of children with AS, aged 7-16 years, were analysed in relation to the clinical picture comprising their difficulties in communication, social behaviour and cognition. All children showed good abilities in drawing. Pictures had some common traits and were distinctly original, reflecting peculiarities of the syndrome features. Analysis of free drawings was found to be a helpful tool in understanding the inner world and the dynamic changes during the therapy process of these children.
Medicina, Feb 1, 2002
The role of nurse in early rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders in our country... more The role of nurse in early rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders in our country is still not clear and little investigated. The main purpose of the study was to analyze the needs of nursing at the department of Early Rehabilitation, describe appropriate activity spheres for the nurses, and prepare methodical recommendations for the nurse&amp;amp;amp;#39;s work with developmentally disabled children. The study was carried out at the in-patient department of Early Rehabilitation, Child Development Center, Vilnius University Hospital. Eighty six mothers of developmentally disabled children were interviewed and filled the questionnaire developed by the authors. Aspects of mothers&amp;amp;amp;#39; views, opinions, suggestions and needs were investigated. The data revealed an interesting overview of the current situation in the field from the patient&amp;amp;amp;#39;s perspective. The need for the adequate nurse and care was obvious. The role of the nurses is underestimated and functions could be broader expanded regarding the specific needs of the disabled children and their families. Organizational and practical recommendations are provided.
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2016
Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffer from a mental disorder. The ... more Worldwide, approximately one in eight children or adolescents suffer from a mental disorder. The present study was designed to determine the cross-national prevalence of mental health problems in children aged 6-11 across seven European countries including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey. Data were collected on 7682 children for whom either parent- or teacher SDQ were completed. The present study provides country-specific normative banding for both parent- and teacher SDQ scores. Overall, 12.8 % of children have any probable disorder, with rates ranging from 15.5 % in Lithuania to 7.8 % in Italy, 3.8 % of children have a probable emotional disorder, 8.4 % probable conduct disorder, and 2.0 % probable hyperactivity/inattention. However, when adjusting for key sociodemographic variables and parental psychological distress, country of residence did not predict the odds of having any disorder. For specific disorders, however, country of residence does have an effect on the odds of presenting with mental health problems. As normative data are key in the comparison of mental health status on an international level, the present data considerably advance the possibilities of future research. Furthermore, the findings underline the importance of controlling for a number of sociodemographic and parental variables when conducting international comparisons of child mental health. In addition, the findings suggest that efforts are needed locally to assist in the detection and prevention of parental psychological distress.
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, Jan 5, 2016
Video games are one of the favourite leisure activities of children; the influence on child healt... more Video games are one of the favourite leisure activities of children; the influence on child health is usually perceived to be negative. The present study assessed the association between the amount of time spent playing video games and children mental health as well as cognitive and social skills. Data were drawn from the School Children Mental Health Europe project conducted in six European Union countries (youth ages 6-11, n = 3195). Child mental health was assessed by parents and teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and by children themselves with the Dominic Interactive. Child video game usage was reported by the parents. Teachers evaluated academic functioning. Multivariable logistic regressions were used. 20 % of the children played video games more than 5 h per week. Factors associated with time spent playing video games included being a boy, being older, and belonging to a medium size family. Having a less educated, single, inactive, or psychologically...
Medicina, Feb 1, 2002
Autism is attributed to a complex developmental disability. Child development is pervasively impa... more Autism is attributed to a complex developmental disability. Child development is pervasively impaired in many mental functioning spheres. This study aims to investigate the impact of the autistic features to the physical development of the autistic children. Most attention was paid to the nutrition and sleeping habits of the autistic children including communicational and behavioral aspects related to the mentioned functions. The results were compared with the healthy controls. Differences between the groups were analysed. Low appetite, narrow range of assortment of preferable dishes, digestive autonomic nervous system reactions were significantly more common in the autistic group. Sleep of the autistic children was significantly more often disrupted by waking up caused not by physiological needs when comparing with the control group. Tallness and weight of the autistic children were compared with the Lithuanian norms, physical growth autistic children was delayed and not harmonious. Further investigations in the field are needed.