Disabilities, Diseases, and Disorders

How do you know if your teen needs professional help? It can be challenging for a parent to know when a teen is being a teen and when they are having serious problems that require professional help.

Children and adolescents with anxiety disorders typically experience intense fear, worry, or uneasiness that can last for long periods of time and significantly affect their lives. Learn more here.

Read about the different types of anxiety disorders.

Thyroid cancer is the third most common tumor malignancy in children. Learn more at the About.com Thyroid site.

If your troubled teen has a behavior, learning or mental health disorder that requires medication as part of the treatment plan, you’ll want to do everything possible to ensure these medications are taken as prescribed. Trying to force a teen to follow this regimen rarely works, a more effective plan is to gain their cooperation in consistently...

Tourette's Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary motor and verbal 'tics' that begin between the ages of 5-18.Contrary to the way this disorder is often portrayed in the media the involuntary use of obscene words or gestures is uncommon with this disorder. Having Tourette’s may make a teen feel different and...

A teen treated for drug abuse who continues to relapse, or a teen in treatment who doesn’t improve is a heartbreaking situation for parents. When teens abuse drugs or do not respond to treatment, it’s important to consider the possibility of a dual diagnosis, the presence of both an underlying mental health disorder and substance abuse.

Starting a daily symptom diary or journal can be a good way to figure out what triggers common childhood problems, like headaches, stomachaches, diarrhea, etc.

Advice from our parenting community for parents of teenagers with bipolar disorder. Does your teenager suffer from Bipolar Disorder? Can you offer tips to other parents of teens who suffer from this disorder as well? Read what parents have said and please share your experiences and advice.

When parents have concerns about their teen, a suggested initial intervention is to have the teen participate in therapy. Taking this step when problems start to emerge provides information about the issues a teen may be struggling with, as well as providing a supportive environment in which to make changes.

Most dual diagnosed teens will not be able to heal successfully on their own. In order to recover they will need skilled professional help and the consistent support of their family. The combination of dealing with two significant problems is a lot for parents to cope with, and it’s difficult for your teen as well.

When a teen has a dual diagnosis which problem comes first, the mental health disorder or the substance abuse? This question summarizes the dilemma parents often wonder about, do the drugs cause the mental health disorder or does the disorder compel a teen to use drugs?

A skilled therapist can support and help your teen deal with the problems they are having. There are a variety of therapists who work with teens so it’s helpful to know what to look for in finding the best fit for your troubled teen. Here are important factors to consider, essential questions to ask and the critical issue you need to know about...

A troubled teen with Oppostional Defiant Disorder is very difficult to live with due to frequent power struggles, defiance, disagreeable attitude and frequent attempts to elicit a strong reaction from others. Learn the symptoms of ODD in troubled teens and how to respond effectively if your teen is exhibiting the signs of this disorder.