Background:We aimed to evaluate anxiety among children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their mothers related to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A total of 45 patients with CF and their mothers were enrolled in the study together with 90 age-matched healthy children and their mothers as a control group.The State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was administered by teleconference with children aged 13-18 years old and their mothers. The STAI for children was administered with children aged 9-12 years. Results were compared with age-matched healthy children and their mothers. The relationship between anxiety scores of children with CF and their mothers was evaluated by comparing with clinical data of children with CF. At the conclusion of the teleconference, mothers were asked whether their anxiety had changed as a result of the interview.Results: It was found that healthy children aged 13-18 years had higher state anxiety scores than age-matched children with CF. Mothers of children with CF had higher trait anxiety scores, especially those of children aged 0-12 years, than mothers of healthy children (p<0.05). For mothers of children with CF, state anxiety scores were higher among those whose children had chronic Pseudomonas infection (p<0.05).Most mothers of children with CF stated that their anxiety decreased following the interview.
We suggest that children with refractory epilepsy have abnormalities of autonomic nervous system functioning which could be linked to the increased risk of sudden unexpected death seen in the patient group. It is possible that a chronically reduced vagal tone predisposes patients to a more dramatic stress response during their seizures. It is possible that heart rate variability parameter arising prior to seizures could be used to predict future seizures.
It is hoped that the present findings could lead to a more precise assessment of children for speech impairment and, above all, to more efficient preventive intervention. Whatever mechanisms are involved, the present results indicate that twins born as a result of IVF, are at a disadvantage in terms of language development in comparison with spontaneously conceived twins.
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