June 25, 2004, Hour One: Stardust Mission / Mental Illness in Children

Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > June > June 25, 2004:
Hour Two: Stardust Mission / Mental Illness in Children

Could some drugs used to treat depression in teens actually increase their risk for suicide? In this hour, we'll talk about the challenges of diagnosing and treating mental illness in children, and one father's quest to help his kids.

Plus, we'll hear about what a close encounter with a comet is revealing about the building blocks of the solar system. A NASA spacecraft passed by the comet Wild 2 earlier this year -- and pictures from the flyby are providing new information about what it means to be a comet. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).

Guests:
Donald Brownlee
Principal Investigator, NASA's Stardust Mission
Professor, Astronomy
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington

Paul Raeburn
Author, "Acquainted with the Night: A Parent's Quest to Understand Depression and Bipolar Disorder in His Children" (Broadway Books, 2004)
New York, New York

David Fassler, M.D.
Author, "Help Me, I'm Sad: Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression" (Penguin Books, 1998)
Clinical Director, Otter Creek Associates
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry
University of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth

Archived Audio:
Stardust comet science
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mental illness
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listen in Windows Media format
streaming audio help from NPR

Books/Articles Discussed:

"Help Me, I'm Sad: Recognizing, Treating and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression," by David Fassler (co-author). Penguin Books, 1998.

"Acquainted with the Night: A Parent's Quest to Understand Depression and Bipolar Disorder in His Children," by Paul Raeburn. Broadway Books, 2004.

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)