Experiencing abuse as a child means more than a higher risk of mental illness. Researchers are learning that abused children are at risk for various long-term physical issues as well.

Saying "thank you" is likely one of the earliest behaviors parents teach their children. If kids can maintain gratitude through adolescence, they may have better overall mental health.

Being obese and pregnant can carry a range of risks to the mother during pregnancy, but it also has consequences for her baby, in the short-term and the long-term.

Pregnancy is an emotional time. As such, depression is a common problem during and after pregnancy. When pregnant women take depression medications, there can still be risks for their unborn children.

Steroids are used to treat a variety of conditions, including asthma. Bone loss is one of the many side effects associated with steroids. Low vitamin D levels have also been linked to bone loss.

Fetal alcohol syndrome results when babies are exposed to high amounts of alcohol in the womb. It usually involves distinctive facial features - but not always. A recent study has found that children may have problems with brain development or behavioral development as a result of fetal alcohol syndrome even if their outward appearance doesn't show the symptoms of the disorder. Don't drink while pregnant. The study, led by Devon Kuehn, MD, of the Epidemiology Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), was part of a long-term...

Physical neglect can leave more than physical signs of a poor childhood. Both physical and psychological neglect can literally change the brain - but the damage can be partly undone.

A fear held by many parents is that their adolescent will become sexually active at an early age. Here's good news: Being an involved parent can make a difference, says new research.

Ready for some good news about kids today? An annual federal report on children's well-being in the US has a lot of it, from birth outcomes to school performance to deaths.

Kids that live in homes where their parents use methamphetamines are often abused and neglected. Foster care interventions can help place the child in a better environment.