Children's health
19 Oct 2007
Overweight Prevention Program May Cut Risk of Eating Disorders Among Girls
Eating disorders among adolescent girls and boys can have substantial negative impact on their health and lead to dangerous weight-control behaviours, such as self-induced vomiting or abusing laxatives or diet pills to control weight. The middle school age is a high risk time, especially for girls starting to engage in…
Children's health
09 Oct 2007
As Autism Diagnoses Grow, so do Number of Fad Treatments
Ineffective or even dangerous fad treatments for autism, always a problem, seem to be growing more pervasive, according to researchers who studied the problem. “Developmental disabilities like autism are a magnet for all kinds of unsupported or disproved therapies, and it has gotten worse as more children have been diagnosed…
Children's health
09 Oct 2007
Are we overlooking our children’s behaviour?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterised by hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. ADHD is the most common psychiatric disorder affecting children. A recent study found that nearly 9% of American children meet criteria for ADHD. However only 32% of these children are receiving the medications they need. Poorer children…
Children's health
08 Oct 2007
Research Finds Faster Grammar Skills in Children with Tourette’s
Children with Tourette’s syndrome may have to put up with some unwanted movement and verbal tics, but neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center and the Kennedy Krieger Institute have found that they are much quicker at processing certain mental grammar skills than are children without the disorder. They say the…
Children's health
08 Oct 2007
Don’t Lose Sleep over Nighttime Bed Wetting
Giving children control over bed wetting helps them overcome not only the nighttime nuisance but also the attendant stigma, say doctors at Baylor College of Medicine. “Bed wetting sometimes creates a sense of embarrassment or failure in children,” said Dr. Edmond T. Gonzales, Jr., professor of urology at BCM. “With…
Children's health
25 Sep 2007
Research Shows how Genetic Mutation causes Epilepsy in Infants
New research from the Howard Florey Institute in Melbourne has shown why mutation in a single gene can cause epilepsy in infants. Infants are more susceptible to seizures because their brains are developing at a rapid rate, making their brain cells ‘excitable’. Their neurons are growing and making new connections…
Children's health
21 Sep 2007
AACAP guidelines for ADHD aim to guide clinicians toward best treatment practices
In July, the Journal for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry released a comprehensive document outlining the epidemiology, comorbidities, aetiology, screening practices and treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that are currently best supported by evidence. Pooling information gathered from over 5,000 articles published between 1996 and 2006, these…
Children's health
21 Sep 2007
New guidelines for ADHD to help improve effective diagnosis and treatment
In July, the Journal for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry released a comprehensive document discussing almost every aspect of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Taking information from over 5,000 articles and summarising them in one place, it provides guidelines for doctors that can be incredibly useful in keeping up-to-date…
Children's health
11 Sep 2007
Most Middle-school Boys and Many Girls Play Violent Video Games
Children report that playing in groups and that games help them manage emotions. A new study by researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) Center for Mental Health and Media dispels some myths and uncovers some surprises about young teens and violent video and computer games. The study, published in…
