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Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Feb 13, 2007

Forty-seven children with non-organic failure to thrive (NOFT) were identified from a whole-popul... more Forty-seven children with non-organic failure to thrive (NOFT) were identified from a whole-population survey of children's growth and development. A significant proportion (N=17) of these 47 children were found to have oral-motor dysfunction (OMD) identified using a previously validated assessment tool. NOFT children with OMD and those with normal oral-motor function (N=30) were compared in order to ascertain whether there were any neurodevelopmental differences which might explain this finding. We hypothesized that children with OMD might have a subtle neurodevelopmental disorder. Few psychosocial variables discriminated the two groups. However, cognitive stimulation within the home and cognitive-growth fostering during mealtimes was much poorer for children with OMD. Some evidence has suggested that NOFT children with OMD may be 'biologically' more vulnerable from birth. We suggest that the continued use of the term 'non-organic' to describe failure to thrive in such children is questionable and requires redefining.

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Sep 24, 2019

need for intervention studies tailored toward reducing sibling bullying, as these may hold large ... more need for intervention studies tailored toward reducing sibling bullying, as these may hold large promise for alleviating a range of adverse outcomes, including the prevention of peer bullying, which may be contingent on early bullying experiences in the home environment.

Pediatric Neurology, Oct 1, 2019

Aim: To determine how handedness changes with age and its relation to brain injury and cognition ... more Aim: To determine how handedness changes with age and its relation to brain injury and cognition following birth before 26 weeks of gestation. Methods: We used data from the EPICure study of health and development following birth in the British Isles in 1995. Handedness was determined by direct observation during standardized testing at age 2.5, six, and 11 years and by self-report using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory at 19 years. Control data from term births were included at six, 11, and 19 years. Results: In extremely preterm children left handedness increased from 9% to 27% between 2.5 and 19 years, with a progressive reduction in mixed handedness from 59% to 13%. Although individual handedness scores varied over childhood, the between-group effects were consistent through 19 years, with greatest differences in females. In extremely preterm participants, neonatal brain injury was associated with lower right handedness scores at each age and left-handed participants had lower cognitive scores at 19 years after controlling for confounders, but not at other ages. Conclusion: Increasing hand lateralization is seen over childhood in extremely preterm survivors, but consistently more have non-right preferences at each age than controls.

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2022

Background: There is repeated evidence for a prenatal programming effect for the development of o... more Background: There is repeated evidence for a prenatal programming effect for the development of offspring depression. However, examination of environmental influences along this pathway is sparse. This study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of pre-and postnatal stress on offspring depression in adulthood, via increased exposure to childhood trauma. Methods: A large longitudinal population-based cohort (N = 3506) was followed up from birth and assessed at 24 years. Diagnosis of depression was derived using the International Classification of Diseases-10th revision (ICD-10). Two separate sources of pre-and postnatal stress were examinedmaternal depression and family adversity, and childhood trauma was assessed prospectively across childhood until 17 years. Results: Both pre-and postnatal maternal depression and family adversity were associated with offspring depression at 24 years in simple logistic regression models. When all pathways were modelled simultaneously, only childhood trauma was directly associated with offspring depression, and mediated all pathways from both sources of pre-and postnatal stress to offspring depression (7-16% of the total effect mediated). Sensitivity analysis on specific trauma found stronger evidence for a mediated pathway via physical, emotional abuse and peer bullying, compared to emotional neglect, sexual abuse and domestic violence. Conclusions: These findings indicate that reducing childhood trauma could be a target to decrease depression in the general population, and the focus should also be on families at high risk of experiencing pre-or postnatal stress, to provide them with better support.

Pediatrics, Nov 1, 2021

CONTEXT There is a lack of research on individual perceptions of social experiences and social re... more CONTEXT There is a lack of research on individual perceptions of social experiences and social relationships among very preterm (VP) adults compared with term-born peers. OBJECTIVE To investigate self-perceived social functioning in adults born VP (<32 weeks’ gestation) and/or with very low birth weight (VLBW) (<1500g) compared with term-born adults (≥37 weeks’ gestation) using an individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES Two international consortia: Research on European Children and Adults born Preterm and Adults Born Preterm International Collaboration. STUDY SELECTION Cohorts with outcomes assessed by using the Adult Self-Report Adaptive Functioning scales (friends, spouse/partner, family, job, and education) in both groups. DATA EXTRACTION IPD from 5 eligible cohorts were collected. Raw-sum scores for each scale were standardized as z scores by using mean and SD of controls for each cohort. Pooled effect size was measured by difference (Δ) in means between groups. RESULTS One-stage analyses (1285 participants) revealed significantly lower scores for relationships with friends in VP/VLBW adults compared with controls (Δ −0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.61 to −0.13). Differences were similar after adjusting for sex, age, and socioeconomic status (Δ −0.39, 95% CI: −0.63 to −0.15) and after excluding participants with neurosensory impairment (Δ −0.34, 95% CI: −0.61 to −0.07). No significant differences were found in other domains. LIMITATIONS Generalizability of research findings to VP survivors born in recent decades. CONCLUSIONS VP/VLBW adults scored their relationship with friends lower but perceived their family and partner relationships, as well as work and educational experiences, as comparable to those of controls.

Developmental Psychology, May 1, 2019

Please refer to published version for the most recent bibliographic citation information. If a pu... more Please refer to published version for the most recent bibliographic citation information. If a published version is known of, the repository item page linked to above, will contain details on accessing it.

Development and Psychopathology, Nov 12, 2019

The Journal of Pediatrics, Oct 1, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, Oct 1, 2019

Psychological Medicine, Feb 12, 2018

Background. Being bullied by a sibling has been recently identified as a potential risk factor fo... more Background. Being bullied by a sibling has been recently identified as a potential risk factor for developing depression and self-harm. It is unknown whether this risk extends to other serious mental health problems such as psychosis. We investigated whether sibling bullying victimization or perpetration in middle childhood was prospectively associated with psychotic disorder in early adulthood. Methods. The current study investigated 6988 participants of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a UK community-based birth cohort. Sibling bullying was reported at 12 years and psychotic disorder was assessed via a semi-structured interview at 18 years. Results. Involvement in sibling bullying was associated with psychotic disorder in a doseresponse fashion, even after controlling for a range of confounders. Those involved several times a week were 2-3 times more likely to meet criteria for a psychotic disorder [odds ratio (OR); 95% confidence interval (CI)]: victimization (OR 2.74; CI 1.28-5.87); perpetration (OR 3.16; CI 1.35-7.41). Categorical analysis indicated that particularly victims (OR 3.10; CI 1.48-6.50) and bully-victims (OR 2.66; CI 1.24-5.69) were at increased risk of psychotic disorder. Involvement in both sibling and peer bullying had a dose-effect relationship with a psychotic disorder, with those victimized in both contexts having more than four times the odds for a psychotic disorder (OR 4.57; CI 1.73-12.07). Conclusion. Parents and health professionals should be aware of the adverse long-term effects of sibling bullying.

Annual review of developmental psychology, Dec 24, 2019

Molecular Autism, May 6, 2021

Background: A high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is reported in children born extremely ... more Background: A high prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is reported in children born extremely preterm (EP), but an even larger proportion of survivors are affected by subclinical difficulties than meet diagnostic criteria. The aims of this study were to investigate autistic traits associated with the broader autism phenotype in a cohort of young adults born EP, and explore how these traits relate to emotion recognition, empathy and autism symptom presentation in childhood. The prevalence of autism diagnoses was also investigated. Methods: One hundred and twenty-nine young adults born before 26 weeks of gestation and 65 term-born controls participated in the 19-year follow-up phase of the EPICure studies. In addition to a clinical interview, participants completed the Broader Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ), the Empathy Quotient questionnaire, and the Frankfurt Test and Training of Facial Affect Recognition. The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) was completed by the participants' parents at age 11 years. Results: EP born young adults scored significantly higher on the BAPQ in comparison with their term-born peers, indicating greater autistic traits. Among EP participants, BAPQ scores were correlated with SCQ scores in childhood (r = 0.484, p < 0.001). EP young adults had significantly lower scores in emotion recognition and empathy in comparison with controls; however, this effect was mediated by IQ. At 19 years, a diagnosis of autism was reported by 10% of EP participants versus 1.6% of controls, whereas 31% of EP participants scored above the cutoff for the broader autism phenotype in comparison with 8.5% of term-born controls. Limitations: The high attrition of EP participants from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and with lower cognitive functioning may have led to an underrepresentation of those presenting with difficulties associated with autism. Conclusions: A larger proportion of EP survivors are affected by difficulties associated with autism than have confirmed diagnoses, with a moderate correlation between autism symptom scores in childhood and autistic traits in young adulthood. EP young adults had significantly higher autism symptom scores and a larger proportion had a diagnosis of autism than controls. Screening for autistic traits at set points throughout childhood will help identify those EP individuals at risk of social difficulties who may benefit from intervention.

Revue Française des Laboratoires, Mar 1, 2005

Springer eBooks, 2020

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Dec 15, 2021

participant data AIM To investigate the strength of the independent associations of mathematics p... more participant data AIM To investigate the strength of the independent associations of mathematics performance in children born very preterm (<32wks' gestation or <1500g birthweight) with attending postsecondary education and their current employment status in young adulthood. METHOD We harmonized data from six very preterm birth cohorts from five different countries and carried out one-stage individual participant data meta-analyses (n=954, 52% female) using mixed effects logistic regression models. Mathematics scores at 8 to 11 years of age were zstandardized using contemporary cohort-specific controls. Outcomes included any postsecondary education, and employment/education status in young adulthood. All models were adjusted for year of birth, gestational age, sex, maternal education, and IQ in childhood. RESULTS Higher mathematics performance in childhood was independently associated with having attended any postsecondary education (odds ratio [OR] per SD increase in mathematics z-score: 1.36 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.03, 1.79]) but not with current employment/education status (OR 1.14 per SD increase [95% CI: 0.87, 1.48]).

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Feb 13, 2007

Frontiers in Psychiatry, Sep 24, 2019

Pediatric Neurology, Oct 1, 2019

Journal of Affective Disorders, 2022

Pediatrics, Nov 1, 2021

Developmental Psychology, May 1, 2019

Development and Psychopathology, Nov 12, 2019

The Journal of Pediatrics, Oct 1, 2021

The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, Oct 1, 2019

Psychological Medicine, Feb 12, 2018

Annual review of developmental psychology, Dec 24, 2019

Molecular Autism, May 6, 2021

Revue Française des Laboratoires, Mar 1, 2005

Springer eBooks, 2020

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Dec 15, 2021

Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 2012

"Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we exami... more "Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we examined the impacts of prematurity from Small [birth weight] for Gestational Age (SGA).

Method: 1,437 Bavarian children from high to low neonatal risk were studied from birth to 6 years as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Gender differences and indirect effects (via age 20 month head circumference and cognition) were considered. Age 6 attention problems were measured by parents and researchers.

Results: Boys, preterms, and SGA children were at increased risk for attention problems. The impacts of prematurity and SGA on age 6 attention problems operated by indirect effects via age 20 months cognition and head circumference. Prematurity was more likely to have indirect effects on attention problems via reduced cognition. SGA was more likely to operate through poorer head growth. Evidence of gender moderation was found indicating a more severe impact of prematurity in girls.

Conclusions: Prematurity and SGA appear to impact attention problems via insults to different neurological structures: SGA is more likely to reduce brain volume while prematurity appears to alter brain function. Although female attention problems are less common, when observed they are more strongly predicted by prematurity and early cognitive dysfunction."