A Wall Street Journal (10/21, Mccabe, Subscription Publication) article reports on virtual reality exposure therapy and its ability to help war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The article notes that the technique, which has shown to be successful with other conditions, creates a virtual, three dimensional environment for the patient in a safe and controlled place so that they can better confront the people and places that trigger anxiety. According to the experts, the process of healing begins when the patient experiences familiarity of the scenes, suppressing fear neurons and allowing for new information about the event is learned.

Related Links:

— “Virtual Reality Therapy Shows New Benefits,” Caitlan McCabe, Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2014.

HealthDay (10/18, Haelle) reported that, according to a 99-patient study published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, “family rejection could be potentially deadly for teens already at risk for suicide.” After adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found that “boys with feelings of invalidation from their families were almost four times more likely to attempt suicide than boys who didn’t feel rejected.” In fact, “boys who felt rejected most often during the follow-up were eight times more likely to attempt suicide than those who felt accepted by their families.”

Related Links:

— “Family Acceptance Key to Curbing Teen Suicides, Study Shows,” Tara Haelle, HealthDay, October 17, 2014.

HealthDay (10/18, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published Oct. 13 in the American Sociological Review, use of stimulation medications by US children appears to be “30 percent higher during the school year than in the summer.” After analyzing “prescriptions written for stimulants in the United States during the 2007 to 2008 school year,” researchers theorized that “many children may use stimulants to help them meet academic demands.”

Related Links:

— “U.S. Kids Use ADHD Meds More During School Year,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, October 17, 2014.

Medscape (10/18) reported that, according to a study published in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, “the likelihood that a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) will receive stimulant medication goes beyond their symptoms.” The study of 1,920 children revealed that “low maternal education increases the likelihood that a child with AD/HD will receive medication, whereas immigrant status decreases the odds.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Reuters (10/17, Seaman) reports researchers from the University of Georgia have found that, while African American teens growing up in poverty are more likely to have chronic illnesses than other kids, emotional support from caretakers can offset the damage from living in a stressful environment. The study examined 420 19-year-old African American adolescents and is published in the journal Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Mentoring kids in poverty helps lower their health risks: study,” Andrew M. Seaman, Reuters, October 16, 2014.