In children with encopresis, early difficult defecation, previous treatment for constipation, and early initiation of toilet training were less common than expected. Children with primary encopresis did not have an increased incidence of early constipation or invasive treatments compared with those with secondary encopresis. However, children with primary encopresis did have more difficult and disruptive toilet training experiences.

Behaviors characterized as restricted and repetitive (RRBs) in autism manifest in diverse ways, from motor mannerisms to intense interests, and are diagnostically defined as interfering with functioning. A variety of early autism interventions target RRBs as preoccupying young autistic children to the detriment of exploration and learning opportunities. In an exploratory study, we developed a novel stimulating play situation including objects of potential interest to autistic children, then investigated repetitive behaviors and object explorations in 49 autistic and 43 age-matched typical young children (20–69 months). Autistic children displayed significantly increased overall frequency and duration of repetitive behaviors, as well as increased specific repetitive behaviors. However, groups did not significantly differ in frequency and duration of overall object explorations, in number of different objects explored, or in explorations of specific objects. Exploratory analyses found similar or greater exploration of literacy-related objects in autistic compared to typical children. Correlations between repetitive behaviors and object explorations (their frequency and duration) revealed positive, not negative, associations in both groups. Our findings, from a novel situation incorporating potential autistic interests, suggest that RRBs do not necessarily displace exploration and its possibilities for learning in autism.

SUMMARY To determine whether a single intra‐oral administration of sucrose would calm infants and elicit mouthing and hand‐mouth contact, crying newborn and six‐week‐old infants were given sucrose solution before one feed and sterile water before another in a cross‐over trial. Six‐week‐old infants were also given sucrose and water after feeding. For the newborn infants, the calming effect was rapid, substantial and lasted for at least four minutes. Mouthing and hand‐mouth contact increased, but for shorter durations. For the six‐week‐old infants, sucrose calmed for one minute only before feeding, but had no effects on mouthing or hand‐mouth contact. The results imply that intra‐oral sucrose has acute age‐related effects on crying and suckling‐feeding behaviour mediated by a pre‐absorptive mechanism. Sucrose may tap a functional system for reducing distress related to feeding and/or regulation of infant state. RÉSUMÉ Effet du saccharose inlrabuccal sur les pleurs, grimaces el le contact matn/bouche chez le nouveau‐ne el le nourrisson de six semaines Pour déterminer si une administration unique de saccharose intrabuccal calmerait des nourrissons et provoquerait des mouvements de bouche, des contacts main/bouche, des nouveaux‐nés et des nourrissons de six semaines pleurant, recurent une solution donnée de saccharose avant un repas et de ľeau stérile avant un autre repas dans un essai croisé. Les nourrissons de six mois reçurent également du saccharose et de ľeau après le repas. Chez les nouveaux‐nés ľeffet calmant fut rapide, substantiel, durant au moins quatre minutes. Les mouvements de bouche et les contacts main/bouche s'accruent mais pour des durées plus brevès. Chez les nourrissons de six semaines, le saccharose ne calma une minute qu'avant le repas mais n'eut aucun effet sur les mouvements de bouche ou le contact main/bouche. Ces résultats impliquent que le saccharose intrabuccal a des effets sur les pleurs et le comportement de succion/déglutition provoqué par un mécanisme de préabsorption qui est hautement reliéàľâge. Le saccharose peut déclancher un système fonctionnel de réduction de la détresse liéàľalimentation et/ou a la régulation de ľêtat du nourrisson. ZUSAMMENFASSLNG Wirkung von intra‐oruler /.uckergabe auf Schreien, Mouthing und Hand‐Mund‐Kontakt bet Neugeborenen und sechs‐Wochen‐alten Säugtingen Um fcstzustellcn, ob cine einmalige intra‐orale Gabe von Zucker Säuglinge beruhigen und Mouthing und Hand‐Mund‐Kontakt auslösen könnte, wurde schreienden Neugeborenen und sechs‐Wochen‐alten Säuglingen vor einer Mahlzeit eine Zuckerlösung und vor einer anderen steriles Wasser gegeben. Die sechs‐Wochen‐alten Säuglinge bekamen aueh naeh der Mahlzeit Zuckerlösung bzw Wasser. Bei den Neugeborenen trat der Beruhigungseffekt schnell und eindeutig ein und dauerte mindestens vier Minuten. Mouthing und Hand‐Mund‐Kontakt nahmen zu, jedoch nur für eine kürzere Dauer. Die sechs‐Wochen‐alten Säuglinge wurdcn durch die Zuckerlösung vor der Mahlzeit nur für eine Minute beruhigt und zeigten kein Mouthing und Hand‐Mund‐Kont...

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