Paediatric and Geriatric psychiatry

Question 1

List the intra-uterine and perinatal factors in paediatric psychiatry

Answer 1

?maternal stress - ?cortisol exposure
Substance misuse – alcohol, marijuana
Toxins – lead, mercury and PCB’s
Drugs - esp psychotropics/antiepileptics (lipid soluble)
Epigenetics – folate controlled methylation
Endocrine environment – esp androgens
Immune environment
Premature birth/ Perinatal complications
Twinning

Question 2

What are the features of foetal alcohol syndrome?

Answer 2

Growth retardation; body, head, brain (inc cerebellum), eyes
Often (but not always) have a characteristic facies
Multiple neuro-developmental effects; sensorimotor (inc coordination) cognitive development, executive function, language