Research Interests

Our major research interests are (1) to uncover fundamental principles of clinical pediatric research and (2) to enable such studies by advancing clinical work in pediatric departments und pediatric institutions.

Ongoing projects include:

Research in Rare diseases in Childhood

Selected Articles:

BITTMANN, S., MOSCHURING-ALIEVA, E., LUCHTER, E., VILLALON, G.
Current and Future Therapeutical Aspects of X-Linked Hypophosphatemia in Children With Special Attention to Klotho/Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 System.
Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, North America, 14, oct. 2022

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Villalon G, Moschuring-Alieva E, Bittmann L, Weissenstein A.
First Pediatric Case of Autosomal Recessive Homozygotic Bestrophinopathy due to Homozygous Mutation c.187G>C p. in Two Brothers.
J Clin Med Res. 2022 Apr;14(4):174-176. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4709. Epub 2022 Apr 12. PMID: 35573931; PMCID: PMC9076138.

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Bittmann L, Moschuring-Alieva E, Villalon G.
Current Aspects of Treatment Options of Chronic Sialorrhea in Children.
J Clin Med Res. 2022 Jun;14(6):246-249. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4766. Epub 2022 Jun 27. PMID: 35836725; PMCID: PMC9275433.

Research in Telemedicine in Pediatrics

Telemedicine becomes more and more important in pandemia settings. First results were published.

Selected Article:

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Moschuring-Alieva E, Bittmann L, Villalon G.
Telemedicine in Pediatrics: Introduction of an Innovative New Tool to Diagnose and Treat Children in an Ambulatory Setting.
J Clin Med Res. 2021 Nov;13(10-11):515-516. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4614. Epub 2021 Nov 20. PMID: 34925663; PMCID: PMC8670770.

COVID-19 in Children

In children, COVID-19 seems not so fulminant and dangerous like in adults. The causes are not clearly understood in detail. Researchers state that immunity in children is higher by presence of interferone genes, immaturity of ACE-2 receptors and other theories. In cooperation with Prof. Jiao (Shaanxi, China) we described the first classification in COVID-19 in chinese children. Research in children to understand the molecular basis of COVID-19 are still extensive. We developed a classification for MIS-C, PIMS and Kawasaki-like features in COVID-19 disease in children.

Selected Articles:

Bittmann S.
Role of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in children in Germany,
World J Pediatr. 2022 Apr;18(4):283-284. doi: 10.1007/s12519-021-00511-3. Epub 2022 Feb 1. PMID: 35103906; PMCID: PMC8804670.

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Moschuring-Alieva E, Bittmann L, Villalon G.
What Is New With Omicron Variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Children?
J Clin Med Res. 2022 Feb;14(2):108-109. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4671. Epub 2022 Feb 24. PMID: 35317363; PMCID: PMC8912999.

Bittmann S, Weissenstein A, Villalon G, Moschuring-Alieva E, Luchter E.
Simultaneous Treatment of COVID-19 With Serine Protease Inhibitor Camostat and/or Cathepsin L Inhibitor?
J Clin Med Res. 2020 May;12(5):320-322. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4161. Epub 2020 May 8. PMID: 32489508; PMCID: PMC7239585.

Bittmann S, Moschüring-Alieva E, Luchter E, Weissenstein A, Villalon G
Kawasaki Syndrome: A Special View To New Entities Like MIS-C, PIMS and Kawasaki-Like Features In Covid-19 Disease With Recommendation of Classification
Journal of Regenerative Biology and Medicine, 2021;3(4)1-6

Bittmann S, Weissenstein A, Luchter E, Moschüring-Alieva E, Villalon G
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C): The role of viral superantigens in COVID-19 disease, Journal of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
J Allergy Infect Dis 2020; 1(1):18-20

Stefan Bittmann, Anne Weissenstein, Gloria Villalon, Elena Moschüring-Alieva, Elisabeth Luchter
Association of COVID-19 coronavirus and Kawasaki syndrome like features in 1-5 years old children
The Neuroscience Chronicles, Neurosci Chron 2020; 1(1):4-5.

Origin of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS) in childhood

„Physical abuse of children can induce AIWS seizures?“ In diverse publications Ped Mind Institute induces the hypothesis, due to clinical experience with elder woman, describing their experience as a child towards physical abuse and AIWS seizures. Any correlations could exist and are basis of further study. Moreover studies suggest, that AIWS seizures can be triggered by body position or bei inducible by mediation setting. Genetic aspects seem also play an important role in AIWS. These are very innovative aspects in Alice in Wonderland syndrome and never published to date (10/2021).

Selected Articles:

Bittmann S
The clue to the unknown origin of Alice in Wonderland in Children?.
Pediatr Res Child Health. 2018;1:001.


Bittmann S, Luchter E, Villalon G
Does sexual abuse play a causative role in Alice in Wonderland Syndrome in Childhood? A help screaming from internet.
J Perina Clin Pediatr. 2018;104.

Bittmann S
Abuse in children: Indicator of failure in relationship?
Advances in Pediatric Research 2018;5:16


Bittmann S
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome in childhood: Abuse is the root?
J Pediatr Dis. 2018;2.

Bittmann S, Moschüring-Alieva E, Luchter E, Weissenstein A, Villalon G
Another Case of Physical Abuse In Childhood Between Age 7-11 and Alice In Wonderland-Like Seizures Retrospectively Described By A 45 Years-Old Man In Detail
Journal of Regenerative Biology and Medicine, 2021;3(4)1-8

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Moschüring-Alieva E, Weissenstein A and Villalon G
Triggered Alice in Wonderland-like Disturbed Visual Body Sensations Arbitrarily Inducible by Firm Hand Position in a Pillow in Bed Since Age 6
American Journal of Biomedical Science and Research, 2020 - 10.34297/AJBSR.2020.10.001512

Bittmann S, Moschüring-Alieva E, Luchter E, Weissenstein A, Bittmann L and Villalon G
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: The First Case of Arbitrary, Reproducible, Early Childhood AIWS-like Visual Sensations in a Meditation Settin
American Journal of Biomedical Science and Research, 2020 - 9(3). AJBSR.MS.ID.001395

Bittmann S
The real origin of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome in Childhood is still unknown: Does physical abuse play a major role?
Editorial as Editor in Chief; Journal of Clinical Cases and Reports, Volume 2, Issue 1, 2019, Indien

Bittmann S
The origin of Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: Charles Dodgson and his attraction to small children
Editorial, Advances in Pediatric Research 5:24, 2019

Developing Novel Vaccination Techniques

Selected Article:

Bittmann S, Luchter E (2019)
“An innovative new technique of pediatric vaccination: Take both hands and hold the needle to avoid damage of nociceptors and capillaries”.
Advances in Pediatric Research, 5:26. doi:10.24105/Juni 2019

Child Abuse

„Abuse in Children-Indicator of failure in relationship“

Violence against children have been found many centuries ago and was found in different cultures. Children have been depressed by war, bad life conditions and alimentation. In old testament many cases of punishment by the father as education were found and accepted. To date, many children must work under hard living and working conditions in agriculture and craft business. Till the period of enlightenment, children and newborn were divided early from their parents. The french doctor Tardieu published the first manuscript about abuse in children and the consequences of this, an interesting work that was not spent much public attention. The first trial at dish was present 1890 in New York. The situation of the violent abuse of a young girl was analyzed according the animal protection law. Sigmund Freud analyzed in the early stage of psychoanalytics, that different neurotic behavioral disturbances in adults could be related as a consequence of childhood abuse. Coffey and Kempe found in the 1950th, that abuse and repeat of abuse is often found in newborn and toddler age and that abuse of children is found in every social strata. In the last 30 years, especially since 2006, different spectacular cases of abuse in children, a growing interest of public and politics was found. Nevertheless a great disagreement in public is found, who is all responsible for child abuse. Is it only the parents, who take care for their children or the duty of the country, to secure children from abuse? In which way are pediatricians, teacher, youth offices or other cultural facilities responsible for child abuse? Different institutions have been related to cases of child abuse: pediatricians, general practitioners, pediatric surgeons, youth offices, family law, prosecutor, health office, police and institute of legal medicine. Many other institutions will be involved. The german civil code paragraph 1631 describes, that children have the right for non-violent education. Münchhausen by proxy syndrome describes a form of abuse, where mothers send their children often to a doctor and think their child is ill anywhere. In these cases, the mother is psychological ill and needs treatment.

Selected Article:

Bittmann S (2018)
Abuse in children: Indicator of failure in relationship?
Adv Pediatr Res 5:16. doi:10.24105/apr. 2018.5.16

Research in the field of pediatric wound management

Selected Articles:

Weissenstein A, Villalon G, Luchter E, Bittmann S
Medical honey and the role in pediatric emergency wound management
Journal of Pediatric Diseases (2018) Volume 2

Bittmann S
First results of Treating Pediatric Wounds with Medihoney: Analysis of 60 Cases.
GSL J Pediatr. 2018; 1: 102.

Research in the field of new gene mutations

New gene mutations in Charcot-Marie Tooth neuropathy?

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) affects 1 in 2500 people and more than 30 gene mutations play a causative role. It is the eponym for heritable peripheral neuropathy and is named for 3 investigators in the late 1800s. Different forms of CMT exist and the classification is still not completely ruled out. Mutations of the inverted formin-2 gene (INF-2) were identified in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and autosomal dominant intermediate Charcot-Marie Tooth (DI-CMT) disease. A novel unclassified variante, c.2659GA; p.E887K(het.), located on chromosome 14q32.33, was identified in a 21 months old child with unknown peripheral neuropathy and muscular weakness. The mutation leads to a change of amino acid glutamate to lysine in position 887. This variante was not described yet in world literature.


Selected Articles:

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Weissenstein A, Villalon G

A new variante of INF2-gene mutation: Correlation with Charcot-Marie-Tooth type E neuropathy?
Journal of Pediatric Diseases, Journal of Pediatric Diseases (2018) Volume 2

Bittmann S, Luchter E, Villalon G, Moschuring-Alieva E, Bittmann L, Weissenstein A.
First Pediatric Case of Autosomal Recessive Homozygotic Bestrophinopathy due to Homozygous Mutation c.187G>C p. in Two Brothers.
J Clin Med Res. 2022 Apr;14(4):174-176. doi: 10.14740/jocmr4709. Epub 2022 Apr 12. PMID: 35573931; PMCID: PMC9076138.

Contact

Stefan Bittmann, M.D., M.A.
Hindenburgring 4
48599 Gronau, Germany

  +49 2565 97323
  +49 2565 97324
  info@ped-mind-institute.de