Mental Health

Migrant children who are detained at the U.S. border after seeking asylum are at risk for numerous chronic or acute physical and mental health care conditions, including asthma, dental problems, trauma and infectious diseases. For now, the Trump administration has ended its policy of separating parents from their children as a deterrent against illegal immigration, but experts are concerned that migrant children are not receiving adequate care at detention facilities, and the health implications of their detention and separation can be long-term.

For children with suspected or confirmed exposure to Zika virus in utero, the CDC recommends screening for signs of congenital Zika syndrome and other birth defects by 1 month of age. The agency also recommends evaluating children for microcephaly until age 24 months and older. However, authors of a recent editorial published in Trends in Microbiology are now suggesting that because the effects of Zika virus infection may extend well into childhood, regular screening may be necessary through adolescence.

Average scores on the Children's Depression Rating Scale dropped by 42.5% following low-dose IV ketamine infusions among 13 teenagers with treatment-resistant depression, findings published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology showed.

Research presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association found that parental depressive symptoms improved during treatment for adolescent depression.

Immunizing pregnant women with Tdap is not related to an increased risk of later autism spectrum diagnoses in their offspring, according to research published in Pediatrics.

Between 2006 and 2013, the prevalence rate of benzodiazepine dispensation among youth aged 24 years and younger increased by 22% in Sweden, data published in PLOS Medicine revealed.

Pregestational diabetes mellitus combined with severe maternal obesity was associated with risk for children’s psychiatric and mild neurodevelopmental disorders, compared with diabetes or obesity separately, according to study results published in Pediatrics.

Methylphenidate for children and amphetamines for adults were the preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD, according to results from a network meta-analysis and systematic review.

Adolescents who identify as a sexual minority made up almost one-third of first-time, court-involved, nonincarcerated youth, researchers reported. Depression, self-harm and alcohol and drug use are also more frequently reported among the cohort, according to recently published study results.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in the general population has been reported at 0.76%, but a study published in Pediatrics suggests that 7% of infants born preterm have ASD.