BACKGROUND: Infantile spasms (called the West’s Syndrome) represent a severe epileptic syndrome which is characterized by a peculiar type of epileptic seizures, spasms, and by electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities often called hypsarrhythmia [1

The article describes ethical, social, psychological and medical problems in the families raising children with rare diseases. It is quite difficult to diagnose a rare disease. It leads to financial deprivation of the family, social isolation and marginalization. Patient organizations play a large role in public awareness of rare diseases. It is of crucial importance to make treatment accessible, to provide qualified medical care, social support of families, to improve cooperation between research centers, medical institutions and patients.

Medical article медицинская статья

The article describes the impact of technological devices – gadgets – on the early cognitive and speech development in children. In early childhood, object-activity communication is the leading form of activity; its influence on the speech development is determined by the interaction of the child with the adult (object-oriented actions, the understanding of the purpose of objects, the use of verbal communication). The play activity of preschoolers helps to enhance communication and interaction with peers. Long and uncontrolled interaction with gadgets is connected with insufficient attention of parents and caregivers, which disrupts the process of communication and cognition, in particular, slows down the process of speech development. Foreign pediatric associations recommend eliminating the use of mobile devices in children aged 0–2 years and limiting their use to one hour per day for children aged 3–5 years. Most researchers identify a connection between the long-term use of gadgets by preschoolers, delayed development of endogenus attention, social interaction, distortion of cognitive development, delayed speech development and such positive effects as a high level of exogenus attention development, quick response to external stimuli.