Télémédecine et troubles du spectre de l’autisme de l’enfant et de l’adolescent : guide théorique et pratique

ObjectivesThe development of telemedicine for children and adolescents is a real need because of difficult accessibility of mental health and the paucity of childhood psychiatrists. Thus the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) published in 2008 good practice recommendations for telepsychiatry in children and adolescents based on clinical consensus and scientific evidence. In France the legal framework defines four practical modalities according to the presence or not of a health professional or a psychologist with the practitioner accomplishing the teleconsultation act. Data exist about the outcome of children and adolescents who benefited from therapeutic interventions with technological media. Effect size is modest but it doesn’t justify ruling out these techniques. Children who present with a developmental disorder or who cannot cooperate are evaluated with a certain degree of uncertainty. By contrast, some children with severe Attention Deficit with or without Hyperactivity (ADHD), social anxiety or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) can be more easily engaged within a teleconsultation model. Teleconsultations in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are feasible because of the nature of diagnosis and the type of care recommended in this disorder. The behavioral nature of the disorder and the behavioral therapeutic approaches recommended in North America culture highlight the potential interest of telemedicine because these disorders are easily observable. Literature suggests new opportunities in order to facilitate the care process for the ASD person and his family: the first one is diagnosis with use of validated instruments such as the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and the Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI). Parental accompaniment is the second opportunity. Development of telemedicine for ASD could be a complementary approach for diagnosis and medical care.MethodSince 2015, a program called PROMETTED (PROgramme MEdical de Télépsychiatrie pour enfants et adolescents présentant un Trouble Envahissant du Développement) was supported by Regional Health Agency of Île-de-France. It was developed and managed by the team of a Diagnosis Center Evaluation for Autism (DCEA) of Paris area in collaboration with a DCEA of Île-de-France region. Five medico-social structures for children and adolescents with autistic disorders and the two diagnosis centers of evaluation for autism co-elaborated a scheme of intervention with telemedicine. The remote evaluation is a 4-step process: a first teleconsultation structured around the medical history of the subject in order to complete his medical file and the observation of the young subject; a second teleconsultation structured around the ADI-R interview with parents; the third teleconsultation is a mixed teleconsultation associating the medical expert of the DCEA and a psychologist trained in the use of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). The fourth teleconsultation consists of the psychiatrist giving feed-back to parents about the results of the observations of the DCEA team.ResultsThe four-step program is well-accepted and the use of validated instruments for diagnosis or functional evaluation appears feasible. Medical data were completed for 44% of cases; complementary genetic or medical investigations were prescribed for 50% of cases; medical advice about psychotropic or vitaminic medication was given for 31% of cases. Mean duration of evaluation was 11.1 weeks ± 9.4.ConclusionsThe PROMETTED program empirically validates the concept of remote evaluation for children and adolescents with ASD. The need to extend the use of telemedicine to tele-expertise for medicine monitoring or behavioral disorder management has been noted.     

Troubles de l’humeur et chirurgie de l’épilepsie : une revue de la littérature

AimsHistorically, there is a strong link between depression and epilepsy. Patients with epilepsy are four to five times more likely to develop a depressive syndrome. It seems that the link between epilepsy and depression is bidirectional. There is little data on mood disorders secondary to epilepsy surgery. The goal of epilepsy surgery is to reduce the number and frequency of attacks, which in turn would allow improvements in mood disorders and cognitive impairment.MethodsA systematic search of the international literature was performed using the bibliographic search engines PubMed and Embase. The following MESH terms were used: epilepsy surgery AND (depression OR depressive disorder OR mood disorder). We also used the “related articles” of PubMed, bibliography surveys, conference abstracts and Google Scholar to identify additional relevant papers.ResultsOf the 130 studies found by the systematic search, 112 are excluded because they did not take into account the mood disorders secondary to epilepsy surgery. Fifteen studies are included in this review of the literature with a case study. Depression is the psychopathological condition that is the most frequently studied. According to several studies, the prevalence of depression is approximately 30% with nearly 70% of cases diagnosed during the first three months following epilepsy surgery. The majority of patients presented depressive symptoms during the first 3 to 12 months after epilepsy surgery. In these studies, the risk of developing depression is correlated with the existence of previous depressive elements relative to the epilepsy surgery. A small number of studies reported cases of de novo depression. Studies have shown a correlation between very good to excellent control of epileptic seizures and a persistent improvement of mood disorders. It would seem that depressive symptoms post-surgery are more common when the surgical intervention concerns the temporal lobe and in particular mesial resections. There are only very few cases of maniac episodes. Hamid et al. showed an increased risk of suicide waning after the epilepsy surgery over a period of 5 years.ConclusionMood disorders are common psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy surgery. The detection, prevention, and treatment of these symptoms in patients eligible for epilepsy surgery pose major challenges for psychiatrists and neurologists, requiring their close collaboration.     

Utilisation du midazolam dans l’état de mal épileptique réfractaire de l’enfant

Morbidity and mortality are high in children with refractory status epilepticus (RSE). Here, we assess the efficacy of midazolam for RSE in children.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of 29 children admitted to the Lille University Hospital pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for RSE between May 2006 and July 2008. The onset of the study corresponded with a new therapeutic protocol applied in the PICU for RSE where midazolam was proposed as the first-line treatment (bolus ten continuous infusion until control) to be replaced by thiopenthal in case of failure.ResultsWe recorded 29 patients with RSE during the study period: 26 were treated with midazolam, including two where midazolam replaced thiopenthal because of hypotension. Midazolam successfully controlled RSE in 58% of patients. Mean delay to cessation of RSE was 48 ± 65 minutes. Hypotension was observed in 8% of midazolam-treated patients and 71% of thiopenthal-treated patients. Overall mortality was 15% (4/26). Two deaths occurred long after the cessation of RSE. None of the deaths occurred in midazolam-treated patients.ConclusionMidazolam is an efficient treatment for RSE in children. Morbidity and mortality appear to be lower with midazolam compared with other antiepileptic drugs used for the treatment of RSE.     

Les organes endommagés dans la constitution de l’image de l’esprit

Objective

This article sets out to clarify the relationship between the organic pathologies and the images of the corresponding organs. In this type of construction, it is as if the mind were confronted with an internally generated form of pareidolia. As in maladjustment, manifestations of pareidolia undergo change when the organ is damaged; it is thought that the subject has a distortion in the production of images. In this work, we compared two very different diseases: a skin disease (psoriasis) and a heart disease (coronary heart disease). Here is the hypothesis we propose.

De l’intérêt d’évaluer l’anxiété : impact de l’utilisation d’une EVA sur la consommation de benzodiazépines

Background

The optimal management of psychiatric symptoms requires constant adaptation of therapeutic strategy to clinic evolution. If benzodiazepines are a treatment of choice for acute anxiety states in hospitals, their excessive consumption is a concern, revealing a preference of chemical anxiolysis to non-drug alternatives, yet effective for episodes of low or moderate intensities. Faced with an acute anxiety, choice of various therapeutic options requires evaluating its intensity in order to establish an appropriate therapeutic response. To enable systematic and accurate evaluation of an anxious state, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) seems to be the most suitable tool. The application of VAS to measure anxiety is widely validated by previous research on the subject. We assume that the self-assessment of anxiety is likely to lead to a reduction in benzodiazepine use.

Psychotraumatologie : manifestations psychologiques immédiates et post-immédiates de victimes de l’explosion de l’usine AZF de Toulouse

The explosion that took place at the AZF factory in Toulouse was a catastrophic event that had considerable human and material consequences. Many people were physically impacted and even more were affected psychologically. This article is a report on the immediate and post-immediate psychological manifestations as expressed by victims during consultation at the crisis centre that was set up in the wake of the explosion.     

Utilisation de l’activité physique pour la prise en charge thérapeutique de l’épisode dépressif caractérisé chez l’adulte

The impact of exercise has been the subject of significant work for two to three decades. The results of these studies have enabled national and international comities to issue specific recommendations. Their impact on physical health is now well documented. The effect of physical activity on mental health in general, and for the management of major depressive disorder in particular, is the subject of more recent interest. The purpose of this article is first to carry out a review of the literature on this subject in order to identify the level of evidence of the effectiveness of use of exercise in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Secondly, the known data on the impact of physical exercise on physical health are summarized. Finally, the article provides an update on the regulatory framework for its use in France and the methods of use in current practice by the clinician.     

À propos de l’expérience de la torture

The large influx of asylum seekers confronts public mental health services with the suffering resulting from extreme political violence. Among these patients, survivors of torture present a unique clinical profile of which clinicians should be made aware. While certain researchers have proposed useful concepts, the statements of witnesses and the writings of clinicians constitute the point of articulation between theory and practice. In this article, we will attempt to understand the ways in which torture results in psychosis (“a laboratory of psychosis”), notably through the specific and ambiguous role of the imaginary. A specific focus will be dedicated to the processes of humiliation, which illuminate a dialectic between the body and the mind, between the physical wounds and the long-lasting injuries inflicted on the soul; torture causing, intentionally, the possibility of a rupture between the ego and the ideal of the self. Finally, the article will critically examine the role of the therapist; so that clinicians will be able find a favorable resolution to the pathogenic conflicts involved.     

Tentative de suicide chez l’enfant et l’adolescent et bipolarité

Background

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are frequently confronted with suicide attempts and comorbid mood disorders. Diagnoses of juvenile bipolar disorders (BD) are rare and controversial and standardized assessment is helpful for a reliable diagnosis. The main objective of this study was to identify the number of juvenile bipolar disorder diagnoses according to DSM-5 criteria in a population of children and adolescents hospitalized for suicide attempts. Secondary objectives were the assessment of a patient's characteristics and the comparison of suicide attempt recurrence during 12 months of follow-up.

La SEP de l’enfant : est-elle différente de celle de l’adulte ?

IntroductionMultiple sclerosis (MS) is not uncommon in children. The aim of this study was to compare early onset MS (EOMS) with adult onset MS (AOMS).MethodsA retrospective study including MS cases between 1997 and 2010. EOMS was defined by age at MS onset < 18 years. Data were collected using the EDMUS database (European Database of Multiple Sclerosis) including: sex, age at onset, disease duration, EDSS, score after relapse. The MSSS and the Progression Index were calculated. Patients with disease duration less than one year were excluded. MS symptoms at onset and at further relapses were also noted. These parameters were compared between the EOMS and the AOMS groups.ResultsTwo hundred fifty-nine cases were included including 31 EOMS (11.96%). The mean follow-up was 96 months. The relapsing-remittent form was significantly more frequent in the pediatric group (94% vs 79%). Mean EDSS and MSSS scores and the percentage of fast progressors (MSSS > 5) were lower in the EOMS group. Analysis of neurological symptoms at the first MS attack and further neurological events showed a lower frequency of gait disturbances, motor symptoms and bladder symptoms in the EOMS group compared with the AOMS group. The 10-year mean EDSS score was 1.9 for EOMS and 4.1 for AOMS, after 25 years it was 4.5, and 7.27 respectively.ConclusionThis study highlights the relative frequency of EOMS in our MS population. However, different severity scores showed less disability progression in EOMS patients compared with AOMS patient; irreversible disability was reached at an early age.     

Les syndromes périodiques de l’enfance

This review focuses on the so-called “periodic syndromes of childhood that are precursors to migraine”, as included in the Second Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Three periodic syndromes of childhood are included in the Second Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders: abdominal migraine, cyclic vomiting syndrome and benign paroxysmal vertigo, and a fourth, benign paroxysmal torticollis is presented in the Appendix. The key clinical features of this group of disorders are the episodic pattern and intervals of complete health. Episodes of benign paroxysmal torticollis begin between 2 and 8 months of age. Attacks are characterized by an abnormal inclination and/or rotation of the head to one side, due to cervical dystonia. They usually resolve by 5 years. Benign paroxysmal vertigo presents as sudden attacks of vertigo, accompanied by inability to stand without support, and lasting seconds to minutes. Age at onset is between 2 and 4 years, and the symptoms disappear by the age of 5. Cyclic vomiting syndrome is characterized in young infants and children by repeated stereotyped episodes of pernicious vomiting, at times to the point of dehydration, and impacting quality of life. Mean age of onset is 5 years. Abdominal migraine remains a controversial issue and presents in childhood with repeated stereotyped episodes of unexplained abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting occurring in the absence of headache. Mean age of onset is 7 years. Both cyclic vomiting syndrome and abdominal migraine are noted for the absence of pathognomonic clinical features but also for the large number of other conditions to be considered in their differential diagnoses. Diagnostic criteria, such as those of the Second Edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, have made diagnostic approach and management easier. Their diagnosis is entertained after exhaustive evaluations have proved unrevealing. The recommended diagnostic approach uses a strategy of targeted testing, which may include gastrointestinal and metabolic evaluations. Therapeutic recommendations include reassurance, both of the child and parents, lifestyle changes, prophylactic therapy (e.g., cyproheptadine in children 5 years or younger and amitriptyline for those older than 5 years), and acute therapy (e.g., triptans, as abortive therapy, and 10% glucose and ondansetron for those requiring intravenous hydration).     

L’enfant autiste et son parent face à l’échec de l’intersubjectivité : une clinique de la narrativité

Aim

This article examines the failure of the processes enabling access to intersubjectivity and to primary subjectivation in the treatment of small children presenting autism, and the consequences thereof in the development of parenting exercised by the mothers and fathers of such children. The psychotherapeutic processes implemented via narrative and testimonial functions during consultations appear necessary to relaunch narrative identity and the capacity for parental reverie.

Formations de l’idéal,Hikikomori et virtuel à l’adolescence

Goals

Withdrawal behaviours among teenagers have become a major topic in both clinical practice and the specialized literature. Known since the 1980s in Japan as Hikikomori, these behaviours are found across international nosographies in a variety of models. They are not always accompanied by intensive video gaming. There are varied uses of digital technology among teenagers, in terms of both quantity and quality. They can relate to the formation of an ideal, on the boundaries between virtual reality and illusion, it can also be a step toward the renewal of social relationship, since it enables a less threatening confrontation with the object.