Missed Naps Could Put Toddlers at Risk for Mood Disorders

By HealthDay 

Toddlers who miss daytime naps may be at increased risk for mood disorders later in life, a new study indicates.

Researchers looked at toddlers aged 30 months to 36 months and found that depriving them of a single daily nap resulted in more anxiety, lower levels of joy and interest, and reduced problem-solving abilities.

"Many young children today are not getting enough sleep,

Kids of Depressed Moms Seem Less Happy

By HealthDay 

Children who show fewer than normal signs of affection or happiness, such as smiles, laughter or hugs, might be at risk for depression, a new study suggests.

Although greater-than-normal crying and negative emotions in children can be a red flag for depression, too few demonstrations of happiness and affection could mean that children are not able to cope with bad moods well,

Fragile minds: Kids, meds and a diagnosis gone wrong

By Star Tribune

Someday, Jenna Beckman’s daughter might be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, an incurable swaying between manic rage and depression. But it won’t be now, at age 8.

The brown-haired spitfire can be calm one minute, screaming and biting the next. In her most anxious moments at school, Jade Boyce runs out of her classroom and hides.

Yet while her behavior resembles the symptoms of

Classroom Environment May Affect Kids' Mental Health

By HealthDayFirst-grade classrooms with poor environments -- not enough resources, teachers who feel disrespected by colleagues -- have been linked to a higher number of mental health problems in students, according to a new study.The study doesn't prove that classrooms that face more challenges directly cause mental health problems in kids. However, "being in a classroom with a lack of resources