Not all children grow from infancy through their adolescent years without experiencing some bumps along the way. While every child is unique and special, sometimes they encounter emotions, feelings or behavior that cause problems in their lives and the lives of those around them. Families often worry when their child or teenager has difficulty coping with things, feels sad, can't sleep, gets involved with drugs, or can't get along with family or friends.

AACAP's Facts for Families provide concise and up-to-date information on issues that affect children, teenagers, and their families. AACAP provides this important information as a public service and the Facts for Families may be duplicated and distributed free of charge as long as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is properly credited and no profit is gained from their use.

• Gangs and Children - Gangs are groups of children, adolescents and young adults who share a common identity and are involved in wrongful or delinquent activities.

• Residential Treatment Programs - Residential treatment programs provide intensive help for youth with serious emotional and behavior problems.

• Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making - Many parents do not understand why their teenagers occasionally behave in an impulsive, irrational, or dangerous way.

• Weight Gain from Medication: Prevention and Management - Psychiatric medications can be very helpful, even life-saving, for some children and adolescents.

• Drinking Alcohol in Pregnancy (Fetal Alcohol Effects) - According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, pregnant women should not drink any form of alcohol.