Depression in children and adolescents two months after the death of a parent.

Background: This study examined depressive symptoms in bereaved children and adolescents two months after the death of a parent.

Methods: Participants were 325 children and adolescents bereaved of a parent approximately two months prior to the study. They were compared to 129 non-bereaved community controls and 110 non-bereaved depressed controls.

Television viewing and its impact on childhood behaviors.

Despite the emergence of new media technologies, television remains the most widely used screen media format. Unfortunately, concerns have arisen about its effects on the health and well-being of children and adolescents. This article reviews television usage trends and television's impact on sleep, attention, and interpersonal relationships.

Long-term treatment of pediatric depression with psychotherapies.

Major depressive disorder in children and adolescents is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and benefits from intervention. However, studies have focused on acute treatment. Thus, data are limited on long-term treatment (ie, both continuation and maintenance treatment).

Occurrence of affective disorders compared to other psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Background: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22qDS) is a common genetic disorder with highly variable clinical manifestations that may include depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Studies of psychiatric disorders in youth with 22qDS often had methodological limitations.

Face-to-face versus telephone administration of the parent's version of the children's interview for psychiatric syndromes (P-ChIPS).

The aim of this study was to examine the acceptability and reliability of telephone administration of the parent's version of the Children's Interview for Psychiatric Syndromes (P-ChIPS), a diagnostic interview examining 21 separate psychiatric syndromes, compared with face-to-face administration. Parents of 12 participants-seven boys and five girls-completed this preliminary study. The mean age of the children was 12.

Psychiatric complications in cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder of motor and posture impairment resulting from brain injury prior to completion of cerebral development. It affects 2 to 3 per 1000 individuals. CP is also associated with sensory, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional sequelae.

Peripheral vasculopathy associated with psychostimulant treatment in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Psychostimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamine salt) are the pharmacologic treatment of choice for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, psychostimulants have been linked to a variety of vascular problems, including peripheral vasculopathy. This article describes four boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who developed vasculopathy during treatment with psychostimulants.

The impact of mood disorders and their treatment on the pregnant woman, the fetus, and the infant.

Treatment of mood disorders in pregnant or nursing women can carry significant risks for the mother and the developing infant. For patients and physicians, it may be difficult to obtain current information to make the proper decisions regarding pharmacologic and alternative treatments. Thus, this paper discusses the risks and benefits of pharmacologic treatment and the risks of not treating depression and bipolar disorder in the pregnant woman.

From TADS and SOFTADS to TORDIA and beyond: what's new in the treatment of adolescent depression?

Major depressive disorder in adolescents is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Major advances have been made in recent years in the treatment of adolescent depression, with promising outcomes. However, limitations of currently available treatments have prompted attempts to better understand pediatric depression from a broader perspective and to develop more effective treatment strategies in the future.

The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): outcomes over 1 year of naturalistic follow-up.

Objective: The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS) evaluates the effectiveness of fluoxetine, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and their combination in adolescents with major depressive disorder. The authors report effectiveness outcomes across a 1-year naturalistic follow-up period.

Method: The randomized, controlled trial was conducted in 13 academic and community sites in the United States.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor use during pregnancy and possible neonatal complications.

This paper reviews the risks and benefits of using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnant women. The effects of SSRI use on pregnant women and fetuses are discussed, and the need for SSRI treatment is explained. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, teratogenic risks of SSRI treatment during pregnancy, neonatal adaptations, and long-term outcomes for children whose mothers used SSRIs during pregnancy are specifically considered.

Gender differences in adolescent substance abuse.

Gender differences in the epidemiology, comorbidities, and treatment responses of substance abuse have been described in adults. However, a growing body of data suggests that gender differences also exist in adolescents with substance abuse. Unfortunately, research is still limited in this age group.

Telemedicine in children and adolescents.

Psychiatric care for children and adolescents is limited in remote and underserved areas because of the shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists. Telepsychiatry has the potential to alleviate this problem. This article reviews the procedures used to develop telepsychiatry, equipment needed for videoconferencing in telepsychiatry, benefits and limitations of telepsychiatry, and confidentiality issues in telepsychiatry.

Assessment of depression in children and adolescents.

Depression assessment instruments are valuable tools in the treatment of children and adolescents. Available instruments include diagnostic interviews, self-administered rating scales, and observer-rated scales. To select an appropriate instrument, the user must define the goal of the assessment and then identify instruments with the properties that match this goal.

Psychosis in children with velocardiofacial syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome).

Velocardiofacial syndrome, now known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22qDS), is estimated to affect more than 700 children born in the United States each year. Some clinical studies have found increased rates of schizophrenia in adults with 22qDS.

Affective disorders and other psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

Background: 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22qDS) is a common chromosome deletion syndrome that has been associated with severe psychopathology, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, in adults. Assessment of psychiatric diagnoses in children and adolescents with 22qDS is in the early stages of investigation.

Atypical depression in children and adolescents.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) with atypical features has been described in adults. Furthermore, several studies have suggested that tricyclic antidepressants were less effective for MDD with atypical features than for MDD without atypical features. Thus, it may be important to determine whether atypical features are present in MDD.

Anxiety symptoms and syndromes in bipolar children and adolescents.

Anxiety disorders are relatively common in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder. Research to date indicates they may impact the onset, course, and treatment response of bipolar illness in children. Anxiety disorders often precede the onset of pediatric bipolar disorder.

Vagus nerve stimulation: can it be used in adolescents or children with treatment-resistant depression?

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment-resistant depression in patients 18 years of age and older and for intractable epilepsy. Long-term studies suggest VNS has an antidepressant effect in adults. This paper reviews the available clinical data for VNS therapy.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and its treatment in children and adolescents.

This article reviews current concepts of and treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents. We discuss the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria and their applicability to children and adolescents. We also review the history of PTSD and the development of its diagnostic criteria.

Biologic basis of bipolar disorder in children and adolescents.

Bipolar disorder is a serious and difficult-to-treat condition in any age group. In childhood and adolescence, diagnosis and treatment present specific challenges, as the disorder often manifests in atypical presentations, such as marked irritability and frequent alterations of mood states not typically seen in adults. The lack of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in pediatric populations also leads to many difficult pharmacologic challenges.