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Wallis A, Miskovic-Wheatley J, Madden S, et al. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Published online May 20, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104518775145 Despite early response to Family Based Treatment (FBT) being prognostic of good long-term outcomes for young people with Anorexia Nervosa, this study demonstrates that continuing FBT beyond 20 weeks can result in improved remission and reduced re-hospitalisation.  http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1359104518775145

Siskind DJ, Lee M, Ravindran A, et al. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry.  Published online May 6 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867418772351 This systematic review of 46 studies of 25 interventions found that the best evidence is for the use of aripiprazole, fluoxetine and sodium valproate as augmentation agents for total psychotic symptoms and memantine for negative symptoms. Studies were limited in quantity and quality. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/00...

Sams DP, Handley ED, Alpert-Gillis LJ.  Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry.  Published online May 20, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359104518775144 This uncontrolled study of iMatter (Improve Mindful ATTention, Enhance Relaxation) group therapy in an adolescent inpatient settting included relaxation strategies, mindfulness exercises and yoga.  The study demonstrated an improvement in self-reported mood and objectively recorded physiological parameters (heart rate) immediately follow...

Barlow A, McDaniel JA, Marfani F, et al. Infant Mental Health Journal, 2018, 39: 276-286. doi:10.1002/imhj.21711 Part of a series detailing contemporary approaches to Tribal Maternal and Infant Early Childhood Visiting (MIECHV) interventions, this article highlights the value of unique community engagement, specific recruitment and retention strategies, expanded case management roles for home visitors to overcome fragmented care systems, the use of paraprofessionals and the advantages of stre...

Pérez-Vigil A, Fernández de la Cruz L, Brander G, et al. JAMA Neurol. Published online May 29, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.1194 This study of over 2 million children from Sweden highlights the substantial academic underachievement experienced by those with Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders, regardless of psychiatric comorbidities and confounding factors.  The results suggest that educational assessment and support should be a core part of management for children with thes...

Artukoglu J,  Bloch MH. Child Psychol Psychiatry 2018, 59: 615-617. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12932 This editorial comments on a study by Vesco in the same edition and summarises the evidence regarding omega-3 fatty acids and the treatment of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids seem to be better at improving executive function, independent of depressive symptoms.  The authors suggest that future studies of depression treatments, particularly those involving omega-3 fatty acids should include neuropsychi...

Bosi W, Tager-Flusberg H, Nelson CA. Scientific Reports, 8;6828, DOI 10.1038/s41598-018-24318-x This study of almost 99 siblings of an older child with ASD and 89 matched controls found that EEG measurements collected from as early as 3 months of age to 36 months of age were highly predictive of later ASD.  Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values exceeded 95% at some ages.  EEG may offer a valuable new digital biomarker for ASD. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-...

Baker T, Datta P, Rewers-Felkins K, Thompson H, Kallem RR, Hale TW. Obstet Gynecol. 2018 May;131(5):783-788. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000002575. This small study provides evidence that maternal inhaled cannabis is transferred to infants via breast milk.  On average, exclusively breastfed infants ingested an estimated mean of 2.5% of the maternal dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Long-term effects of early cannabis exposure remain unclear. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29630...

Fear, N., Reed, R., Rowe, S., Burdett, H., Pernet, D., Mahar, A., . . . Wessely, S. (2018). The British Journal of Psychiatry, 212(6), 347-355. doi:10.1192/bjp.2017.16 Despite concern about the potential impact of military deployment on families, this study of over 600 children whose fathers were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan found that most were not at increased risk of mental health problems. Only boys under 11 years of age whose fathers developed PTSD were found to be at increased risk...

Cheung AH, Zuckerbrot RA, Jensen PS, et al. Pediatrics. 2018 Feb 26. pii: peds.2017-4082. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-4082. (Review) PMID: 29483201 These recently updated guidelines on the treatment of adolescent depression are intended for primary care practitioners working with young people aged between 10-21 years of age. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/3/e20174082.long