Bipolar disorder in children and teens is difficult to treat. Many medications on the market have not been tested in young people. A new study compares the safety and effectiveness of three drugs for bipolar disorder. Three medications, lithium, an antipsychotic, and a drug specifically approved for mania, were given to children and teens with bipolar disorder.  After eight weeks of treatment, the antipsychotic Risperdal ( risperidone ) was most effective for symptoms of mania, but it also caused severe weight gain. Researchers recommend caution and close monitoring when using...

If your child is acting up at school or struggling to focus or learn, it may not necessarily be a psychiatric condition or learning disability. They might just be really, really sleepy.

Think outside the bun for some finger lickin ' good food. Head for the border and have it your way. And if you recognized all those taglines , you might be more likely to be obese. Although past research has shown a link between TV watching and obesity, less evidence exists regarding possible links between obesity and fast food advertising. But an unpublished study recently presented at a conference offers just that. Limit your child's access to fast food. Auden McClure, MD, an assistant professor of the Department of Pediatrics at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth, led the ...

It is not easy being obese. Children who are overweight have it especially difficult because little kids can be pretty mean. In fact, little bullies can actually make the weight problem worse. A new study shows that overweight and obese children may be liked less in school. The overweight children could respond to the negative social atmosphere by becoming less active and eating more. Limit TV and videogames: keep your child active! The study was led by Amanda Harrist , PhD, of Oklahoma State University. “If overweight children are disliked at school, they may be less like...

Being born early or late already carries some health risks for both mothers and their newborns. Now there's evidence an early or late birth can worsen symptoms of children with autism.

Is there a better way to teach language and reading to students who are struggling? Some teaching methods may be more affective than others for students who have difficulty with reading.

A computer-based anxiety treatment for children reduced anxiety symptoms after four weeks. This new treatment strategy may be a good fit for children of the digital age.

Is something in the air affecting kids' behavior these days? Maybe –chemicals from air pollution breathed in by expectant moms may play a part in their children's behavior issues later on.

Teens who binge drink can put themselves at risk of serious problems, including a greater chance of developing alcohol addiction later in life. Now, a new study says that part of the problem may be attributed to the movies that kids watch. Researchers from institutions in Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Scotland studied 16,551 students between the ages of 10 and 19 and found that kids who watched the most instances of drinking in films were more likely to have engaged in at least one episode of binge drinking, which is consuming more than five drinks on a single occ...

Extremely premature babies are already at high risk for impaired brains, but those born to obese mothers may be at even more a disadvantage.