Children raised in poverty suffer many ill effects: They often have health problems and tend to struggle in school, which can create a cycle of poverty across generations.

Now, research is providing what could be crucial clues to explain how childhood poverty translates into dimmer chances of success: Chronic stress from growing up poor appears to have a direct impact on the brain, leaving children with impairment in at least one key area — working memory.

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Pediatricians Don’t Routinely Ask About Mental Health
December 15, 2008 03:48 PM ET | Nancy Shute |
Don’t count on your child’s doctor to ask whether you’re worried about mental health issues such as ADHD or bad behavior. Fifty-six percent of parents say their pediatrician or family-practice doctor never asks about mental health concerns, according to a new survey out of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan. Another 22 percent say they get asked sometimes, with 22 percent more saying their doc is always on the ball.

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WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3 HealthDay News, U.S. News and World Report – Urban kids who took part in a social development program in elementary school had improved mental health, sexual health, and educational and economic success as young adults, a new study finds.

Crime, drug use, teen pregnancy, school dropouts and mental health problems are among the challenges faced by many children and families who live in cities, noted study author J. David Hawkins and colleagues at the University of Washington, Seattle.

View the entire article on the U.S. News and World Report website.

Deb Tilly’s son, Ryan, spent 11 days in a Massachusetts emergency room with a security guard outside his door. His mother said there was no choice but to bring him there.

“He was not safe around himself. He was not safe in the house with us. We were just trying to get him some help,” said Tilly.

On the 11th day, the nurse called Tilly with an alarming report.”

He was very despondent, on the floor in a fetal position. He was crying out to me and was not eating,” said Tilly.

View full article on the TheBostonChannel.com.

The first study involved about five hundred children in the United States, ages seven to seventeen. They had moderate to severe disorders involving worries and fears.

For treatment, one group received Zoloft, an antidepressant drug. Another group received cognitive behavioral therapy, sometimes called the talking treatment. Therapists taught the children about anxiety and guided them through structured tasks to help them face their fears.

A third group received both the medicine and the therapy.

View full article at Voice of America.