Childhood mental illness is devastating on a biological, psychological and social level. Mental disorders with childhood onset can be broadly divided into three categories: developmental disorders, externalizing disorders and internalizing...
Parenting a mentally ill child can seem like an insurmountable task at times. Your child may cry himself to sleep every night, or he may throw frequent tantrums. Perhaps his behavior is belligerent, or you feel he's losing touch with reality....
Arm flapping or hand flapping are classic autistic behaviors, but that doesn't mean your child has autism if she does this occasionally. Normal children may flap their hands or arms when they get excited. If you suspect your child has autistic...
Aggressive behavior in children can result from many different psychosocial and psychological issues, but can also be a normal stage for many children as they navigate social norms. Parents can help their child develop socially acceptable ways to...
Whether you're dealing with a toddler who throws tantrums or a teen who stays out all night, raising a troubled child can be extremely difficult. Parents, teachers and caregivers faced with defiant or depressive behavior may be at a loss for...
Depression may affect as many as one in eight teenagers, and one in every 33 children, according to KidsHealth, a website maintained by the Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media. Depression is a treatable illness. Parents and...
Unintentional weight loss is a symptom that should never be ignored, especially when accompanied by pain. The digestive tract--especially in children--can easily be affected by physical and emotional changes in your child's life. Although the...
Defiant disorder, officially called "oppositional defiance disorder," by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, is a childhood onset mental illness that involves disobedient and maladaptive behaviors. The DSM-IV describes a...
Child abuse can have many causes and many lasting outcomes. Because children who are abused can suffer socially and academically, and the effects of abuse last a lifetime, they often become abusive adults, it is important to recognize the causes...
Bipolar disorder is a condition that is diagnosed when patients present severe mood swings that go from very high to seriously low. Also called manic depression, bipolar disorder is a psychological condition that, left untreated, can interfere...
In 2008, nearly 430,000 children were affected by HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and every hour, close to 31 children die from the AIDS virus, according to UNAIDS. As many as nine out of 10 children living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa....
Helping a child who suffers from mental illness or a behavioral disorder is never easy, but it can be done. Parents face the challenge of being compassionate yet firm, listening to and making a sincere effort to understand the child but setting...
Childhood mental health disorders can affect a child's ability to make and maintain friends and be successful at school. Many childhood mental health disorders are treated with a combination of medication and therapy. There are many causes or risk...
Parenting could easily be one of the most difficult tasks and the most important responsibility you have in your life. When a baby is born, he is completely dependent upon you for all his basic needs. As children grow up, they need their parents...
Mental illness is pervasive throughout society and is the leading cause of disability in the United States. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that nearly 60 million U.S. adults ages 18 and older have a mental illness each year,...
Asperger's syndrome is one of several psychiatric disorders categorized as pervasive developmental disorders of childhood. As with all of these disorders, the child with Asperger's has significant to profound functional impairment in the areas of...
There are many psychiatric and general hospitals in Massachusetts that treat bipolar, or manic depression, disorders. Manic depression is a psychotic disorder---or one that often involves loss of contact with reality, delusions and hallucination....
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, can emerge during childhood, adolescence or adulthood. Bipolar disorder is a chronic brain disorder characterized by extreme changes in mood, behavior, thinking and and energy. In a review...