The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter最新文献

Substance use among youth aged 12 to 17 presents a major public health concern in the United States with statistics revealing that one in eight youths have engaged in illicit substance misuse within the past year (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2023). The long-term consequences of youth substance use include complicated medical issues, mental health disorders, impaired brain development, social and behavioral issues, addiction and dependence problems, and financial and legal consequences. By comprehending, preventing, and addressing factors of youth substance use, parents, educators, and healthcare providers can protect the well-being of young individuals, their families, and the community.

The outgoing president of the American Academy of Pediatrics listed the many ways in which the organization has protected children over the past year, but parents clearly need to be there as well. Keeping health insurance and access to mental health care, promoting vaccine confidence, keeping children safe online, challenging bans on gender-affirming care and reproductive health services are just some of the important protections for children.

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), as of 2021, an estimated 5.0 million (20.1%) adolescents in the United States aged 12 to 17 have had at least one major depressive episode with approximately 3.7 million having significant impairment (defined as difficulty doing well at work or school, issues having a social life, problems doing chores at home, and/or struggles getting along with family). The prevalence of having a major depressive episode was nearly three times higher among adolescent females when compared to males and was highest among adolescents reporting two or more races.

There are eight TRACEs (traumatic and adverse childhood experiences) which can lead to mental health and cognitive problems during adolescents, according to researchers. Using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) data from the National Institutes of Health, the researchers drew on reports from youth and their caregivers to look at longitudinal change and how it is moderated by the TRACEs.

Neurodiversity, a term increasingly used to describe a range of neurological differences, is more prevalent than we might think. Conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and Tourette's syndrome, once loosely considered forms of “mental illness,” are now understood as part of the diverse neurological landscape. In the United States, the overall prevalence rate of neurodiversity in children is often reported at about 20%. Recent estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2022) suggest that approximately one in 36 children in the United States are identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Further estimates suggest that 5–10% of children experience attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 2–6% experience Tourette's syndrome, and 1–3% experience other neurodevelopmental disorders. These numbers underscore the importance of understanding neurodiversity in our communities.

In October the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued an important policy statement giving guidance to schools — and parents — on student suspension and expulsion. These two consequences for unacceptable student behavior are severe, and traditionally reserved for “behaviors that caused serious harm, such as bringing a weapon to school.” Suspension and expulsion exclude the student from school.

Putting profits over public health is not endorsed by Nora Volkow, M.D., director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). She had some choice words for commercial interests involved in the addiction field in a brave Sept. 26 blog. Preying on the vulnerable — with drugs, social media, gambling, processed food, and other addictive products — is something she knows how to zone in on as an evil.

Jason, a 15-year-old adolescent, was recently adjudicated and placed at the Rhode Island Training School (RITS), the state's only secure carceral facility for detained and adjudicated youth. Like many of the youth entering the facility, Jason arrived at the RITS with a complex history of trauma, substance use, and behavioral issues. As a child, his father was incarcerated and his mother struggled with substance use, leaving Jason without a consistent caregiver. His early life was marked by frequent moves between foster homes, unstable housing, and exposure to violence. This instability in his childhood led to feelings of anger and frustration, which often manifested in school through defiant behavior, truancy, and eventually, physical altercations that led to his involvement with the juvenile legal system.