Bullying is in our schools , and now it 's online . Why do kids do it ? What can be done to put an end to it ? Do n't miss an `` AC360° '' special report in collaboration with Cartoon Network : `` Stop Bullying : Speak Up , '' starting Monday night at 10 ET on CNN . ( Parenting.com ) -- An estimated 25 percent are -- and the signs can be tricky for parents to detect . That 's why the American Academy of Pediatrics has developed a new policy that recommends doctors discuss bullying during checkups . Parenting.com : Handling elementary school social struggles . `` A kid who is being picked on has often been told , 'Do n't you dare tell anyone ! ' But when he 's given permission to talk by a more neutral adult , he 'll readily share his experiences , '' notes Robert Sege , M.D. , chief of ambulatory pediatrics at Boston Medical Center . Parenting.com : 8 discipline mistakes parents make . `` And sometimes the symptoms of bullying appear to parents like something else . I see moms all the time who bring their child in because he 's been doing poorly in school and ca n't seem to focus . They think it could be an attention disorder when the child is actually being picked on . '' Tell us how your child has been affected by bullies . More red flags : . Changes in behavior -- your kid becomes moody , withdrawn , spacey , jumpy , anxious . Physical ailments such as stomachaches and bad dreams , or unexplained bruises and torn clothes . Parenting.com : Getting through to a moody tween . An inexplicable drop in grades or a sudden reluctance to go to school . Need help ? Check out Stop Bullying Now -- it 's a site designed to help both parents and kids cope with big , bad meanies . Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Parenting Magazine - CLICK HERE ! Copyright 2010 The Parenting Group . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited .
One - third of all children are bullied . Red flags include changes in behavior , physical ailments and a drop in grades . The American Academy of Nursing and others discuss bullying during checkups .