The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter articles from December 2004

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter archives from December 2004

Uses of psychological testing in pediatric patient care.(Experts Speak Out)
December 1, 2004... Considering that children ages four to eighteen spend the majority of their weekday time in school, it seems imperative for clinicians working with them to be aware of how they are functioning in this setting. Recent statistics argue that about...

Advocates hail new youth suicide prevention legislation.(Statewide Bill Introduced)
December 1, 2004... Mental health advocates and officials are hailing a youth suicide prevention bill that became in October. The bill authorizes funding to support state strategies that create or expand youth suicide prevention programs. The Garrett Lee...

... Breathing problems may affect mental development.(Keep Your Eye On ...)
December 1, 2004... Children who have difficulty breathing during sleep, with or without evidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), tend to score lower on tests of executive function, memory skills and general intelligence compared to other children their age....

... Gene confers susceptibility to bipolar disorder.(Keep Your Eye On ...)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... According to Barbara Geller, M.D., ten years ago bipolar disorder was not widely recognized as even existing in children. But in a recent study, Geller and her colleagues isolated a gene called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which...

... Providers underreport substance use and abuse.(Keep Your Eye On ...)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... A recent study examined the discrepancy between provider's impressions of adolescents' level of substance use and diagnoses based on adolescents own answers to a structured diagnostic interview. Compared with the interview results, providers...

Melancholic depression subtype identified for young children.(What's New in Research)
December 1, 2004... In a study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, Joan Luby, M.D., and colleagues at the Washington University School of Medicine found that a melancholic depression subtype similar to that established in adults...

Impact of D-cycloserine on social withdrawal in autism.(What's New in Research)
December 1, 2004... To date, no drugs have been shown to consistently improve the social and communication impairments central to autism. In a recent study reported in the November issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers undertook a prospective,...

New controlled study in children with selective mutism.(What's New in Research)
December 1, 2004... There have been some conflicting figures regarding the prevalence of selective mutism (SM) (or elective mutism according to the ICD-10) among elementary school populations; early epidemiological studies concluded SM was rare, while more recent...

NH laws to prevent alcohol sales to minors have positive effect.(More on Legislation)(New Hampshire )
December 1, 2004... A drive to enhance laws preventing the sale of alcohol to minors in Concord, New Hampshire, resulted in a significant decline in underage drinking, according to a report in JAMA. The report, written by authors from the Concord Police...

The election is over: now it's time to get politically active.(Editor's Commentary)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... All readers of The Letter are aware of the nationwide shortage of child mental health professionals. Almost everywhere, waiting lists are unacceptably long for children who need a mental health evaluation or treatment. The situation is even...

Is my child delayed? Expert advice on when to seek help and what to expect from the testing process.(Interview)
December 1, 2004... Many parents worry that something might be 'not quite right' with their child. Whether the child is struggling at school or appears to be 'behind' others their age, parents often wonder if they are being overly anxious or if their intuition is...