The December 14th shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, have opened up a Pandora’s box of issues related to mental health.  One controversy in particular relates to the shooter Adam Lanza’s alleged identification as a person with a mild form of autism spectrum disorder called Asperger’s syndrome.  This hearsay diagnosis in turn has ignited a strong rebuttal from the...Read More

A study in today’s issue of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics,  reveals that boys are more concerned now than in the past with building their bodies up to look more muscular.  Data from around 1400 boys (average age 14), was collected regarding their muscle-building behaviors.  While the data revealed that both girls and boys...Read More

For almost two decades now, I’ve been criticizing the diagnosis of ADHD and the use of Ritalin and other psychostimulants with children (see, for example, my book The Myth of the ADD Child).  Now, a new report in The New York Times today, says that physicians are starting to prescribe these drugs to poor children...Read More

Cesarean section births are on the rise.  In 2007, 32% of all births in the United States were C-sections compared to 23% in 2000 (in other developed countries the rates range between 10-15%).  While some C-sections are medically necessary due to birth complications (e.g. a breach birth etc.), there has been an increase in the...Read More

Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulemia are serious illnesses that affect millions of adolescents and young adults in this country.  While much attention has been focused on these disorders, less has been said about how its seeds may be sown in the preteen years.  Surveys have shown that the more kids are exposed to...Read More