Divorce: Kids' Health Is Compromised By Parental Divorce (VIDEO)

How Divorce Affects Kids' Health

Divorce is hard, especially on kids.

And according to Dr. James Sears of "The Doctors" TV show, parental separation can also compromise kids' mental and physical health.

"Some of the things I've seen are depression, anxiety, oftentimes changes in sleep habits, nightmares, insomnia, bed wetting, distress," he said on Thursday. "The lack of sleep and poor nutrition is a perfect recipe for an immune system that isn't going to work as well and kids get sick more frequently -- about 20 to 30 percent more frequently kids will get sick if there's divorce."

So how can you make the transition easier for everyone in the family?

"Even though you're not staying together, the better you get along, the better off the kids are going to be," he said. "I've been through it and sure, the pain of divorce as an adult is hard, but seeing your kid go through it is 10 times harder."

Watch the video above for more on how to make divorce easier on your kids, then click through the slideshow below to test your knowledge of Hollywood's most notorious custody battles.

Trivia: Celebrity Custody Battles
QUESTION: Which celebrity's custody battle landed back in court after she claimed that her ex sent her bullying emails?(01 of20)
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a) Linda Evangelistab) Christie Brinkley c) Heather Locklear d) Denise Richards (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Christie Brinkley(02 of20)
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Christie Brinkley and ex-husband Peter Cook's latest public skirmish began in November 2011, when the 58-year-old model filed a motion seeking fines for Cook's "inflammatory communications," including bullying her via email. On February 24, Cook fired back by filing a cross motion accusing Brinkley -- who he called a "narcissistic egomaniac" -- of publicly smearing him in attempt to drum up publicity for herself.The supermodel has also accused Cook of failing to pay $32,000 in child support for school and summer camp fees. In June 2012, Brinkley and Cook reached an out-of-court settlement, bringing this most recent spat over the kids to a close. (credit:AP Photo/Ed Betz)
QUESTION: Which actor had his visitation rights suspended after a recording of him calling his daughter names was publicized?(03 of20)
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a) Chevy Chase b) Alec Baldwin c) Mel Gibsond) Charlie Sheen (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Alec Baldwin (04 of20)
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Alec Baldwin's cut-throat custody battle with ex Kim Basinger over their daughter Ireland made headlines again in 2007, when a voicemail message in which the actor berated his daughter as a "rude little pig" was made public. The message reportedly led to the suspension of Baldwin's visitation rights. The actor, who said he was a victim of parental alienation, has regained custody rights and reportedly gotten a hold of his temper. "After the incident with the voicemail, he learned to restrain himself," Basinger's brother, Skip, told People in February 2010. (credit:AP Photo/Rene Macura)
QUESTION: Which rocker accused her ex of burning one of their children with a cigarette? (05 of20)
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a) Melissa Etheridgeb) Sheryl Crowc) Courtney Love d) Patti Smith (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Melissa Etheridge(06 of20)
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In April 2012, TMZ reported that Melissa Etheridge filed legal documents claiming that former domestic partner Tammy Lynn Michaels had accidentally burned one of the children with cigarette.The singer reportedly requested more time with the couple's five-year-old twins and claimed that Michaels was against joint custody. In May 2012, TMZ reported that the pair had reached a settlement and had agreed to joint custody. (credit:AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)
QUESTION: Which basketball star was awarded sole custody of his children during his custody battle? (07 of20)
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a) Kobe Bryant b) Dennis Rodman c) Dwyane Waded) Michael Jordan (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Dwyane Wade(08 of20)
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In March 2011, a Chicago court awarded Dwyane Wade sole "care, custody and control" of his two sons, following a bitter custody battle with ex-wife Siohvaughn Wade. At the time of the ruling, the Miami Heat player told the Associated Press that "a huge weight is off my back." The NBA star added, "My life changed in a huge way. Mentally, I've been preparing for it for over a year now. To me, it's bigger than that. For me, it shows a lot of people that you need to fight to be in your kids' lives sometimes. You fight until you can't fight any more. That's all I was trying to be, a father in his kids' lives." (credit:AP Photo/Wade Family, Bob Metelus)
QUESTION: Which actor's failed battle for full custody of his daughter lasted six years? (09 of20)
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a) Al Pacino b) Robert De Niro c)Harvey Keitel d) James Gandolfini (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Harvey Keitel (10 of20)
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Though never married, Harvey Keitel and Lorraine Bracco each sought full custody of daughter, Stella, after they split. During the custody battle, Keitel accused Bracco of cheating on him with actor Edward James Olmos -- who'd she go on to marry and divorce -- while she allegedly claimed that Keitel was abusive. In 1999, six years after the battle began, Bracco was awarded full custody, while Keitel was granted visitation rights. (credit:AP)
QUESTION: Which actress has been fighting for child custody since splitting from her model boyfriend in 2010?(11 of20)
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a) Vanessa Williamsb) Rebecca Romijnc) Teri Hatcher d) Halle Berry
ANSWER: Halle Berry(12 of20)
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After a drawn-out custody battle over their daughter, Nahla, Halle Berry and her ex, Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, finally worked out a custody agreement in August 2011. Soon after, though, the agreement was put to the test when Berry asked a judge for permission to move to Paris, France, with Nahla to be with her fiance, Olivier Martinez. This request reportedly didn't sit well with Aubry, who recently won the battle after Berry's request was denied in a Los Angeles court.The custody battle turned physical in November 2012, when Martinez, got in a violent brawl with Aubry after the model reportedly expressed concern about Berry and Martinez moving to France with his daughter. (credit:AP Photo/Evan Agostini)
QUESTION: Which esteemed director was labeled a "self-absorbed, untrustworthy and insensitive" father by a judge during his custody battle? (13 of20)
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a) Martin Scorsese b) Francis Ford Coppola c) Woody Allend) Terrence Malick (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Woody Allen(14 of20)
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In June 1993, Woody Allen was denied custody of the three children (one biological, two adopted) he shared with Mia Farrow. According to the LA Times, the acting judge called the director's petition for custody "frivolous," adding that Allen had "demonstrated no parenting skills that would qualify him as an adequate custodian" for the children. The judge also reportedly denounced the director for his romantic relationship with Farrow's adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, whom Farrow adopted with her ex-husband André Previn. Allen and Soon-Yi married in 1997. (credit:AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
QUESTION: Which television star was called "bizarre and delusional" by her estranged husband during their custody battle? (15 of20)
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a) Debra Messing b) Anne Hechec) Kristin Davis d) Calista Flockhart (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Anne Heche(16 of20)
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In May 2007, Anne Heche's ex, Coley Laffoon, claimed in court documents that the actress illustrated "bizarre and delusional behavior" and was psychologically unfit to care for their toddler son, Homer. Meanwhile, Heche accused Laffon of leaving the toddler with nannies and baby sitters while he "plays ping-pong, backgammon and poker and views pornography online." A judge awarded Heche and Laffoon joint custody of Homer in June 2007. (credit:AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
QUESTION: Which pop star lost custody of her children in 2007?(17 of20)
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a) Britney Spearsb) Brandy c) Christina Aguilera d) Pink (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Britney Spears(18 of20)
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In October 2007, a judge ordered Britney Spears to relinquish physical custody of her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, citing the pop star's drug and alcohol use. The judge granted Spears' ex, Kevin Federline, custody of the kids. Though she fought to regain custody, Spears agreed to give him sole legal and physical custody in July 2008 and settled for continued visitation rights of the boys. Since then, the couple have reportedly moved closer to shared custody. (credit:AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
QUESTION: Which reality TV star hesitated to publicly acknowledge her boyfriend as the father of her child? (19 of20)
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a) Heidi Klumb) Giada De Laurentiisc) Padma Lakshmi d) Tyra Banks (credit:AP)
ANSWER: Padma Lakshmi (20 of20)
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Though Padma Lakshmi dated Adam Dell from November 2006 until September 2009, she hesitated to publicly acknowledge him as the father of her baby. Dell, a venture capitalist, filed for full custody of the girl, Krishna, in January 2011, claiming that Lakshmi had tried to "minimize, if not eliminate [his] role in Krishna's life." In March 2012, the couple resolved their custody battle with a resolution that granted Dell expanded visitation rights and legal recognition of his paternity of Krishna, who now carries both Lakshmi's and Dell's last names.Correction: A previous version of this slide misstated the name of the father of Lakshmi's child as "Michael Dell." His name is Adam Dell. (credit:AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)

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