Karen Dineen Wagner, MD, PhD

Youths aged 6 to 16 years with any subtype of ADHD participated in the study. Comorbid bipolar disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, psychotic illness, anxiety disorders, and tic disorders were exclusionary criteria. Patients with other comorbid psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, were allowed to participate if ADHD was the primary diagnosis.

Two recent studies on the treatment of depression in children and adolescents will help guide clinicians’ treatment decisions.

A recently published study examined the impact of publicity regarding the pediatric suicidality data on the prescribing practices of physicians in the United States. The researchers focused on the period from June 2000 to March 2005.

Assessing bullying behavior and suicide attempts in victims of bullying.

Despite the increased use of methylphenidate in preschoolers with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), few data are available regarding the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate in this population. Methylphenidate has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD in children aged 6 years or older. A recent large-scale, controlled trial of methylphenidate for the treatment of preschoolers with ADHD provides clinically relevant and greatly needed information for clinicians who treat these children.

Recently, 3 reports that shed further light on the short- and long-term mental health consequences for children of depressed parents were published.

Since children are a vulnerable population, ethical issues in the conduct of medication studies involving them are extremely important. We recently reported the results of a study that examined youths' and parents' attitudes about, and experiences with, participation in psychopharmacology treatment research.

How effective is psychotherapy for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents?

A black box warning about increased suicidality in pediatric patients is now required for all antidepressant medications. This column reviews a number of studies on this topic that were published after the FDA advisory was issued.

Bipolar disorder (BD) in children and adolescents is severe and has significant adverse effects on academic, social and family functioning. The high rate of relapse and suicide attempts in youth with BD makes effective treatment essential.