Mental health disorders can be challenging to treat in some patients. In a perfect world, a condition like depression could be prevented before it occurs. That may sometimes be possible for at-risk teens.

Menthol cigarettes are no safer than regular cigarettes. But the unique flavor and “cooling” effect may be especially appealing to teens and young adults.

With many medical conditions, a variety of treatments may be available to choose from. Parents can sometimes play a role in helping doctors select appropriate treatments for their child.

It’s not exactly a surprise to hear that some teens may drink, smoke or use drugs. But the sheer number of teens engaging in these behaviors may be a bit of a shock.

Video games often get a bad rep for causing all sorts of problems among youth. Violence in games especially concerns some people, but is the concern justified?

For children, playtime is learning time. For children with autism, the type of play may be very important. A new study suggests that autistic children may choose certain kinds of activities and avoid others.

Popular music artists often sing about partying and drinking. Many underage kids listen to those songs, which sometimes can sound like advertisements for specific brands of alcohol.

Teens may be famous for not getting all the sleep they need — or getting too much. Either way, getting sufficient sleep may be important for both their weight and mental health.

Smokers tend to pick up the habit earlier rather than later in life. Fortunately, getting ahold of cigarettes has become tougher and fewer teens are lighting up these days.

Smoking is linked to many more health problems than bad breath and lung cancer. The key to preventing the health issues is to prevent children and teens from starting to smoke in the first place.