Science News about Children and Adolescents

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Autism Risk Unrelated to Total Vaccine Exposure in Early Childhood: Science Update • March 29, 2013

Autism Not Linked to Early Vaccines
Twitter Chat on The Teen Brain—NIMH Experts Discuss Brain Awareness Week: Science Update • March 12, 2013

Miss the Twitter chat on the teen brain and Brain Awareness Week? Read the transcript.
Students Explore the Wonders of the Brain: Press Release • March 11, 2013

As part of the National Museum of Health and Medicine museum’s 14th annual Brain Awareness Week celebration, several hundred curious students from the Washington, D.C., area will have a chance to learn about what goes on inside the human brain, through a series of interactive exhibits led by scientists from eight institutes of the National Institutes of Health.
Long-term Course of ADHD Diagnosed in Preschool Years Can be Chronic and Severe: Science Update • February 12, 2013

Long-term Course of ADHD Diagnosed in Preschool Years Can be Chronic and Severe
Guide Offers a Blueprint for End-of-Life Conversation With Youth: Science Update • December 28, 2012

A new guide can help young people with serious illness express how they would like to be cared for and supported.
Psychotropic Medications Are Prescribed Appropriately Among U.S. Teens, National Study Finds: Science Update • December 03, 2012

A national study suggests that psychotropic medications are, in general, being prescribed appropriately among U.S. teens.
Many Teens Considering Suicide Do Not Receive Specialized Mental Health Care: Science Update • October 12, 2012

Many teens who are thinking about or who have attempted suicide often do not see a mental health professional.
NIH Awards $100 Million for Autism Centers of Excellence Program: Science Update • September 04, 2012

NIMH, along with NICHD, NINDS, NIDCD, and NIEHS, have awarded nine new grants aimed at advancing research on the causes of autism spectrum disorder and finding new treatments.
Daily or Severe Tantrums May Point to Mental Health Issues: Science Update • August 29, 2012

Most young children lose their temper sometimes, but daily tantrums or tantrums with severe behaviors, such as aggressive or destructive tantrums, are unusual and could signal a larger problem, according to an NIMH-funded study.
Many Youths with Autism Not Employed or In College 2 Years After High School: Science Update • July 20, 2012

Data from a nationally representative survey show that teens with autism appear to face additional challenges after graduating high school than peers with similar disabilities. NIMH-funded researchers highlight the need to improve transition planning and for further studies on the effectiveness of services for adults with autism.
Survey Finds More Evidence That Mental Disorders Often Begin in Youth: Science Update • June 18, 2012

National survey data confirms the widely held belief that mental disorders often begin in youth.
Rate of Bipolar Symptoms Among Teens Approaches That of Adults: Science Update • June 18, 2012

National survey data finds that the rate of bipolar symptoms in teens is similar to that found in adults, indicating that bipolar disorder often begins in adolescence.
Most Children with ASD Diagnosed After Age 5, Use Multiple Services and Medications: Science Update • May 24, 2012

New data detail the experiences of young children with autism spectrum disorder, describing when they are first identified as having ASD, who is making those identifications, and the services and medications the children use to meet their developmental needs.
Pattern Recognition Technology May Help Predict Future Mental Illness in Teens: Science Update • April 02, 2012

Computer programs that automatically spot patterns in data may help predict a person’s risk for future mental disorders.
Computer-Based Treatment Eases Anxiety Symptoms in Children: Science Update • March 13, 2012

Results from a small clinical trial suggest that it might be possible, using computer-based training, to help children with anxiety shift their attention away from threat.
NIH-funded Study Defines Treatment Window for HIV-positive Children Infected at Birth: Press Release • March 07, 2012

HIV-positive children older than 1 year who were treated after showing moderate HIV-related symptoms did not experience greater cognitive or behavior problems compared to peers treated when signs of their infection were still mild, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Atypical Antipsychotic More Effective than Older Drugs in Treating Childhood Mania, but Side Effects Can Be Serious: Science Update • January 11, 2012

The antipsychotic medication risperidone is more effective for initial treatment of mania in children diagnosed with bipolar disorder compared to other mood stabilizing medications, but it carries the potential for serious metabolic side effects, according to an NIMH-funded study published online ahead of print January 2, 2012, in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Training Peers Improves Social Outcomes for Some Kids with ASD: Press Release • November 28, 2011

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who attend regular education classes may be more likely to improve their social skills if their typically developing peers are taught how to interact with them than if only the children with ASD are taught such skills. According to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, a shift away from more commonly used interventions that focus on training children with ASD directly may provide greater social benefits for children with ASD.
Interventions Show Promise in Treating Depression Among Preschoolers: Science Update • November 17, 2011

A new psychosocial approach shows promise in helping preschoolers with symptoms of depression function better and learn to regulate their emotions, according to an NIMH-funded study published online ahead of print October 31, 2011, in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
NIH-funded Study Shows Pre-birth Brain Growth Problems Linked to Autism: Press Release • November 08, 2011

Children with autism have more brain cells and heavier brains compared to typically developing children, according to researchers partly funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Brain Chemical Linked to Joylessness Provides Insight Into Teen Depression: Science Update • October 06, 2011

Depressed teens with anhedonia, or the inability to experience pleasure, have lower levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in a key mood-regulating region of the brain, according to an NIMH-funded study published online October 3, in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
Adding Psychotherapy to Medication Treatment Improves Outcomes in Pediatric OCD: Science Update • September 21, 2011

Youth with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) who are already taking antidepressant medication benefit by adding a type of psychotherapy called cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), according to an NIMH-funded study published September 21, 2011, in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Continued Use of Stimulants for ADHD Likely Does Not Increase Risk for Hypertension, but May Affect Heart Rate: Science Update • September 07, 2011

Chronic use of stimulant medication to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children does not appear to increase risk for high blood pressure over the long term, but it may have modest effects on heart rate, according to follow-up data from the NIMH-funded Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA).
Autism Risk in Younger Siblings May be Higher Than Previously Thought: Science Update • August 23, 2011

Parents of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face about a 19 percent chance that subsequent children will also develop ASD, according to a study partially funded by NIMH.
Many School-aged Children with ASD in South Korea Go Undiagnosed: Science Update • May 10, 2011

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children in South Korea appears to be much higher than the range of estimates reported for other countries, according to a study partly funded by NIMH. Furthermore, two-thirds of ASD cases were found in children attending mainstream schools, had not been previously diagnosed, and had never received treatment for the disorder. The study was published on May 9, 2011, in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Teen Brain Less Discerning of Threat vs. Safety, More Vulnerable to Stress: Science Update • April 28, 2011

Teen brains rely on early-maturing brain structures that process fear differently than adult brains, according to an NIMH-funded study. As a result, teens may have more difficulty than adults in differentiating between danger and safety, leading to more pervasive stress and anxiety. The study was published online ahead of print on February 23, 2011, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
5-minute Screen Identifies Subtle Signs Of Autism in 1-year Olds: Press Release • April 28, 2011

A five-minute checklist that parents can fill out in pediatrician waiting rooms may someday help in the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Published today in the Journal of Pediatrics, the study’s design also provides a model for developing a network of pediatricians to adopt such a change to their practice.
Focusing on School Attendance Reduces HIV Risk Among Orphaned Teens: Science Update • April 18, 2011

A comprehensive school support program effectively reduced risk factors associated with infection with HIV among teens who had lost one or both parents, according to early results from a pilot study funded by NIMH. The paper was published online ahead of print on February 17, 2011, in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Depressed Teens with History of Abuse Less Likely to Respond to Combination Treatment: Science Update • April 04, 2011

Adolescents with treatment-resistant depression who have a history of abuse—especially physical abuse—are less likely to respond to combination treatment than to medication alone, according to data from the NIMH-funded Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study. The new study was published in the March 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Recovery Act-funded Jobs Program Helps High School Grads Who Have ASD: Press Release • April 01, 2011

JobTIPS, a free, Web-based program unveiled today, aims to help youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other disabilities develop and maintain skills needed for successful employment. Supported through the Recovery Act with a grant for just under $1 million over two years from the National Institutes of Health, this resource targets a critical transition period as teenagers leave the school system, which is usually their primary source of ASD-related services throughout childhood.