Medwire (11/1, Grasmo) reports that, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, “anxiety disorders are common in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder [BD] and adversely affect their outcomes.” The study, which had a five-year follow-up period, revealed that “62% of 413 children and adolescents aged 7–17 years with confirmed bipolar disorder had at least one anxiety disorder.” Of that group, approximately “half were diagnosed with two or more anxiety disorders.”

Related Links:

— “Comorbid anxiety problematic for adolescents with bipolar disorder, “Ingrid Grasmo, Medwire News, November 1, 2013.

The National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine have issued a joint reportsaying that not enough is being done to stop concussions in young athletes. The 306-page report, called “Sports-Related Concussions in Youth: Improving the Science, Changing the Culture,” faults players, parents, and coaches for not reporting concussions. Combined, the three major television news networks gave over five minutes of coverage to the story. Major newspapers, wire services, and consumer medical journals also cover the story, many noting that high-school athletes appear to have a greater risk of concussions than college athletes do and that the current sports culture discourages youngsters from reporting concussions and finishing treatment.

The CBS Evening News reported, “Parents and doctors now know that young athletes should not try to just shake off a head injury.”

Related Links:

— “Sports-Related Concussions in Youth, The National Academy Press, October, 2013.

US News & World Report (10/31, Leonard) reports that, according to a viewpoint articlepublished online Oct. 30 in JAMA Psychiatry, “complications from smoking, such as heart disease, lung disease and cancer,” appear to be shortening the lives of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In fact, people with mental illnesses appear to smoke at twice the rate of people without mental disorders. Researchers point “to the acceptance of smoking in treatment facilities, the physical needs of someone who has a mental illness, the lack of collaboration between behavioral health and public health agencies and insufficient Medicaid funding for tobacco control.”

Related Links:

— “An Ignored Group of Smokers: People With Mental Illness, “Kimberly Leonard, US News & World Report, October 30, 2013.

Reuters (10/31, Pittman) reports that, according to a review of 14 studies published online Oct. 30 in PLoS One, online groups and social media may be a source of support for troubled teens who may be at increased risk for suicide and self-harm. However, they may also heighten those risks by exposing those adolescents to endorsements of self-harm. In some cases, online groups and social media may also harbor cyber-bullies who pick on vulnerable teens.

The NPR (10/31, Shute) “Shots” blog reports that the review also found a strong association “between online forums and increased risk of suicide, a risk not found with other forms of social networking.”

Related Links:

— “Online forums a ‘mixed bag’ for depressed youth, “Genevra Pittman, Reuters, October 30, 2013.

Medscape (10/31, Osterweil) reports that research published online in the Annals of Oncology indicate that during “the year after a cancer diagnosis, adolescents and young adults are at more than twice the risk of attempting or committing suicide.”

HealthDay (10/31) reports that researchers looked at data on about 8 million Swedish people “aged 15 to 30.” The investigators “found that those with a cancer diagnosis had a 60 percent greater risk of suicide or attempted suicide compared to similar young people without cancer.” The researchers found that “the risk peaked the first year after diagnosis, when it was 150 percent higher.”

Related Links:

— “Suicide a Risk for Young Cancer Patients, Study Finds, “Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, October 30, 2013.

Medwire (10/30, Grasmo) reports that, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, “patients with bipolar disorder who reside in the United States have a higher parental incidence of bipolar disorder [BD] and depression than those who live in Europe.” The analysis of self-reported data from 525 patients with BD during the years 1995–2002 revealed that “21% of US patients had one parent with a history of bipolar disorder, compared with 10% of European patients, while in 15% versus 4% of patients both parents had bipolar or unipolar depression.”

Related Links:

— “Parental bipolar history common in US bipolar patients, “Ingrid Grasmo, Medwire News, October 30, 2013.

MedPage Today (10/30, Petrochko) reports that, according to an oral presentation given at the annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, “participation in extracurricular activities, sports or otherwise, may be protective against bullying behaviors in children.” After analyzing data on some 62,215 youngsters ranging in age from six to 17, researchers found that “students who engaged in a nonsport extracurricular activity and played sports were significantly less likely to engage in bullying (odds ratio 0.67, 95% CI 0.57-0.79).”

Related Links:

— “After-School Activities May Curb Bullying, “Cole Petrochko, MedPage Today, October 29, 2013.

HealthDay (10/26, Norton) reported that youngsters who have sustained head injuries or concussions appear to “have a much higher-than-average rate of depression,” according to a study presented at the national conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers came to this conclusion after analyzing data from “a 2007 nationally representative study covering nearly 82,000” youngsters and adolescents younger than age 18.

Medscape (10/28, McNamara) quotes the study’s lead author, who said, “Our take-home message is that knowledge of this association may help parents and” physicians “identify children at risk for depression and initiate therapy of this treatable” condition.

Kids, Teens With Concussions May Need Short Break From School. The New York Times (10/27, Hoffman) “Well” blog reported that yesterday at its annual conference as well as online in the journal Pediatrics, “the American Academy of Pediatrics issuedrecommendations (10/23) for ‘return to learn’ checklists to alert doctors, school administrators and parents to potential cognitive and academic challenges to students who have suffered concussions.”

The Time (10/27, Sifferlin) “Healthland” blog reported that even though kids “may appear to be physically normal after having a concussion, they may actually have trouble learning new information and retaining it.” Returning to school too quickly “may exacerbate these symptoms.” The guidelines recommend that children with particularly severe symptoms may need to stay home from school. Previous research has shown that it may take up to three weeks before a child is fully recovered from a concussion.

Related Links:

— “Kids With Head Injuries May Be Prone to Depression, “Amy Norton, HealthDay, October 25, 2013.