child and adolescent

Birth – 18 years.

Our child and adolescent Blogs

Evidence-based youth psychotherapies: better than usual care, but only for less severe cases

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Stephen Wood
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Young people experiencing distress often fall through the cracks of a system built around diagnosis. Is treating the struggle, not the label, the answer?

Young people presenting with psychopathology may receive a wide range of treatments, such as family or cognitive behavioural therapy, skills training or behavioural contracting. Clearly it is important to know which of these interventions are best supported by evidence that they are effective in treating the presenting problem. Since some treatments have a significant evidence [read the full story…]

Observational study: antidepressant suicidality warnings may be counterproductive

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Helge Hasselmann
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Warning about pills

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have long been suspected to – paradoxically- increase suicidal behaviour in adolescent and pediatric patients. Consequently, national watchdogs started issuing black label warnings for all SSRIs to educate physicians and patients about associated risks. While clearly curbing the amount of antidepressant prescriptions, concerns have been voiced that this step has [read the full story…]

No trails available on best restorative treatments for amelogenesis imperfecta

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Profile photo of Derek Richards
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Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a genetic disorder that presents as an abnormal formation of enamel. AI can have a range of inheritance patterns and the exact incidence is uncertain with estimates ranging from 1:700  to 1:12-14,000. Clinically, AI can be classified into four categories: hypoplastic (type I), hypomaturation (type II), hypocalcified (type III), and hypomature [read the full story…]

Updated review confirms substantial reductions in caries from fluoride varnish applications

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Varnishes have been is use as a delivery system for topical fluoride since the 1960s. Their effectiveness was highlighted to a greater extent following the publication of the first version of this Cochrane review in 2002. Since then use of fluoride varnish has been recommended in evidence-based guidance from SIGN, the SDCEP and the American [read the full story…]

ADHD in childhood is not linked to later development of bipolar disorder

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Profile photo of John Baker
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Child sitting under a tree

Bipolar disorder is considered a hereditary condition. There is emerging evidence that prodromes/early symptoms are evident in children before disorders develop. This potentially offers a chance to treat and prevent the development of mental health problems in adulthood. Being able to identifying early symptoms of the onset of this mental health disorder is clearly important, however, [read the full story…]

Talking therapy for teenagers (MBT-A) reduces self-harm and depression in self harming teens over a 12 month period

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Profile photo of Iain McDougall
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Young people skateboarding

In adults there is a growing body of evidence for psychotherapeutic interventions such as Transference Focussed Psychotherapy, Mentalization-Based Treatment and Dialectic Behavioural Therapy for patients who self harm. In the teenage population, there has been limited evidence to show that interventions are better than the treatment already provided. MBT has developed from psychodynamic psychotherapy and [read the full story…]

Results of human-dog relationships studies on social reciprocity in children with autism encouraging but further research needed

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Profile photo of John Northfield
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Dog_cuddle

Given that autism spectrum disorders are characterised by deficits in social reciprocity and communication, there is a school of thought that suggests that exploiting the emotional aspects of human-dog relationships may hold potential to overcome some difficulties of people with ASD to relate and interact effectively with others. The authors of this review set out [read the full story…]

Are the current approaches to treating traumatised kids actually making them better?

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Amanda Harris
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Teddy bear in war zone

More and more research is telling us about the long-term negative consequences of trauma and adversity in childhood with correlations between childhood trauma and poor mental and physical health outcomes across the lifespan. So, it makes sense that there should be a good evidence base for treating the effects of childhood trauma. In February this [read the full story…]

The latest evidence from NICE on depression in children and young people

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Profile photo of Andre Tomlin
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Young boy on roundabout

The NICE guideline for depression in children and young people was published way back in September 2005.  Any elf worth his salt will tell you that a whole heap of evidence has been published since then, so it’s good to see an evidence update appear this week from NICE, which brings together research published from 17th [read the full story…]

Pay for performance improves treatment implementation, not outcomes, for adolescent substance use disorders

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Marcus Munafo
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Money in the spotlight

The NHS has entered the era of GP-led commissioning of services, and providers will be required to submit data on key indicators such as quality of care and survival rates. This echoes some aspects of a 2001 report by the Institute of Medicine in the USA Crossing the Quality Chasm, which emphasised the need to [read the full story…]