Chronic sleep problems put kids at increased risk for behavioral problems, attentional difficulties and even obesity. The amount of sleep a child needs is variable and generally depends on the child’s age. The National Sleep Foundation reports that, on average, children need to following amount of sleep. Below 12 months of age: more than 14 […]
Overtreatment of Adolescent Depression? A New SAMHSA Report Says Otherwise
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHA) recently issued a report based on new survey results. One area of focus was major depression among adolescents. Major findings from the survey included the following: 1.9 million youth (8% of the population) between the ages 12-17 experienced a major depressive episode in 2010, a rate […]
Tags: depression, medications
New NEJM Study Shows No Increased Cardiovascular Risk with ADHD Medications
by John Koutras, MD The use of ADHD drugs was not associated with an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events in children and young adults. This was the overall finding of a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. ADHD medications are prescribed for more than 2.7 million children in the US […]
Genetic Sensitivities to Negative AND Positive Parenting
Traditional models of child emotional-behavioral problems often posit the presence of genetic “vulnerabilities” that can be realized in the presence of specific environmental triggers. A series of new studies, however, suggest that some genes may make children more sensitive to both negative and positive environments. Three separate studies that were published together examine the interaction […]