Topic Page: Children and Adolescents

NIMH Pages About Children and Adolescents

Overview of Children and Adolescents…


Publications About Children and Adolescents

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Cover image for the ADHD publication.A detailed booklet that describes ADHD symptoms, causes, and treatments, with information on getting help and coping.
Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents
Cover image for the Bipolar Children Adolescents publication.This booklet is a guide for parents who think their child may have symptoms of bipolar disorder, or parents whose child has been diagnosed.
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Community Members Can Do
Helping Chilren and AdolescentsA brochure that describes what teachers, clergy, and other adults in the community can do to help children and adolescents cope with violence and disasters. En Español
The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction
Cover of Teen Brain: Still Under Construction publicationLearn about changes in the brain that occur during the teen years, and the significance of this stage of development.
Brain Development During Childhood and Adolescence (Fact Sheet)
A brain set in an outline of a woman’s profile.A fact sheet that describes the past, present and future of research on brain development.

Science News About Children and Adolescents

Bullying Exerts Psychiatric Effects Into Adulthood
Science Update •
Bullying Exerts Psychiatric Effects Into Adulthood

Once considered a childhood rite of passage, bullying lingers well into adulthood. Bullies and victims alike are at risk for psychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide when they become adults, reported a study partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) that was published in the April issue of JAMA Psychiatry.

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Twitter Chat on PANDAS/PANS
Science Update •
NIMH Twitter Chat

NIMH experts discuss childhood rapid-onset OCD during our next Twitter chat on May 8, 2013.

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Autism Risk Unrelated to Total Vaccine Exposure in Early Childhood
Science Update •
infant girl

A child’s risk for developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is not increased by receiving “too many vaccines too soon,” according to a new study published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

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Twitter Chat on The Teen Brain—NIMH Experts Discuss Brain Awareness Week
Science Update •
NIMH Twitter Chat

Miss the Twitter chat on the teen brain and Brain Awareness Week? Read the transcript.

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Students Explore the Wonders of the Brain
Press Release •
Brain Awareness Week 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.

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Posts About Children and Adolescents

The New Genetics of Autism – Why Environment Matters

By Thomas Insel on April 04, 2012

Dr. Insel discusses how new research may help tie together seemingly disparate findings in genetic vs environmental risk factors in autism spectrum disorders.

Autism Prevalence: More Affected or More Detected?

By Thomas Insel on March 29, 2012

Dr. Insel discusses the CDC's latest report on autism prevalence.

From Paresis to PANDAS and PANS

By Thomas Insel on March 26, 2012

Dr. Insel discusses the connection between mental disorders and infection in light of pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders PANS and PANDAS.

Join the Revolution

By Thomas Insel on March 12, 2012

Dr. Insel discusses the state of science and math education in the U.S., scientific literacy, and Brain Awareness Week.

Highlights in Autism Progress -- for April, Autism Awareness Month

By Thomas Insel on April 01, 2011

Today, the start of Autism Awareness Month, inspires us to focus on the highlights of our research progress, and look ahead to further strengthening our investigative efforts.


Meeting Summaries About Children and Adolescents

NIMH Workshop on Child Maltreatment and Trauma: Integrating Biological, Cognitive, and Social Trajectories of Development
August 04, 2010 – August 05, 2010
Bethesda, Maryland

In August 2010, NIMH convened a multidisciplinary workshop to discuss the state of empirical knowledge about, and opportunities regarding, the psychological and biological consequences of maltreatment in children.
NIH Workshop on Nonverbal School-Aged Children with Autism
April 13, 2010 – April 14, 2010
Rockville, Maryland

NIH Workshop on Nonverbal School-Aged Children with Autism Meeting Summary
Using Electrophysiological Methods to Understand Neural Mechanisms of, and Treatment Effects in, Mental Illness in Children and Adolescents
September 10, 2009 – September 11, 2009
Bethesda, Maryland

This workshop examined the use of EEG/MEG to understand brain mechanisms of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Participants discussed the advantages of these methods, the limitations, and future directions.
Bipolar Disorder in Children and Adolescents: New Data to Inform Classification
February 26, 2009 – February 27, 2009
Washington, DC

NIMH convened a working group of 24 invited experts to present and discuss data to resolve methodological discrepancies in the approaches used to diagnose bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.
Research Roundtable: Heterogeneity in Child and Adolescent Depression
February 18, 2008 – February 19, 2008
Washington, DC

The purpose of this workshop was to discuss empirical evidence for sources of heterogeneity in child and adolescent depression, evaluate the significance of known heterogeneity, and identify promising research directions in this area.

Director’s Updates About Children and Adolescents

NIMH Clinical Director Receives Prestigious Leadership Award

November 15, 2012

NIMH clinical director Dr. Maryland Pao has been named the 2012 recipient of the Simon Wile Leadership in Consultation Award by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).

NAMI Awards Coveted Prize to NIMH’s Dr. Judith Rapoport

November 21, 2008

Judith L. Rapoport, M.D., chief of the NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch, is this year’s recipient of the Mind of America Scientific Research Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

NIMH Perspective on Diagnosing and Treating Bipolar Disorder in Children

September 03, 2007

A recently published research paper (September 2007, Archives of General Psychiatry) reported a 40-fold increase in the rate of diagnosing bipolar disorder in youth over the past decade.

NIMH Names Director for Division of Pediatric Translational Research and Treatment Development

May 02, 2007

Molly Oliveri, Ph.D., was recently selected to be Director of the Division of Pediatric Translational Research and Treatment Development (DPTR), after a competitive, nationwide search.