I'm a mother of a 10-year-old little boy who was just told that he has Intermittent Explosive Disorder. I have done some research on this and have yet to find a cause for this disorder. How did my son get this disorder? Was he born with it? Is it passed down from generation to generation?   Dr. Pies' Answer

I am a psychiatrist and occasionally I've had patients whose creatinine is creeping up, from 1.5 to 1.7 and then 2.4 while on Lithium. I generally refer the patient to a primary care provider for further work ups. What would be your recommendations in terms of specific lab tests and how much would you be concerned about it?    Dr. Pies' Answer

I read about an infamous and quickly-abandoned study decades ago in which babies in an orphanage were divided into two groups. The babies in one group had their physical needs met but were otherwise left alone; babies in the other group were also held and nurtured, in a word, loved. The unloved babies literally shriveled and died, while the loved babies thrived. I've also heard a little bit about studies of infant animals and maternal deprivation...    Dr. Pies' Answer