What Is Childhood Depression?

Depression can affect anyone of any age group. Children are affected by this condition in the same way as adults. The symptoms in children also are presented in the same way. Depression must be identified before it can be treated effectively. For that reason, parents must be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression in children.

Symptoms of Depression

• Awareness of the symptoms of depression is necessary for parents to recognize them in their own children. Many parents fail to recognize their child's sadness or withdrawal as a serious condition and believe that the phase will pass over time. Failing to recognize childhood depression can result in serious and dangerous consequences.
  Symptoms of depression include sadness, a feeling of hopelessness, lack of interest in activities that were once enjoyed, lack of energy, changes in sleeping patterns, changes in eating patterns, feelings of worthlessness, irritability, lack of concentration, and persistent complaints of headaches or physical ailments.

Diagnosis of Childhood Depression

• Before treatment for childhood depression can begin, it is vital that a doctor diagnose the condition. A pediatrician is often the first doctor to see the child and examine her for the symptoms she is experiencing. Unfortunately, pediatricians are not trained to diagnose depression in children. Parents who suspect depression should bring their children to an expert in childhood depression and mental disorders.

Medications

• Antidepressant medications are an effective way to treat childhood depression, but there are some serious side effects that should be considered. Antidepressants are linked to an increase in suicide and suicidal thoughts in teens and young adults.
  This warning about antidepressant medications should be taken seriously, but a study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association in April 2007 showed that the benefits outweighed the risks associated with these medications. This study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Mental Health.
  A physical examination must occur to eliminate the possibility of an underlying medical condition that could be responsible for the symptoms. There must also be an evaluation by a psychiatrist before this type of medication is prescribed to a child. The psychiatrist will assess risk factors in the child that may make it more likely that she will harm herself while taking the antidepressant medication.
  Parents should monitor their children closely when they are prescribed medications for childhood depression. The Food and Drug Administration recommends parents use the following monitoring schedule with their health care provider when children or adolescents are prescribed antidepressant medications. The prescription will be given with a follow-up appointment scheduled within a week. Children are monitored once a week during the first month of an antidepressant medication treatment. After the first month, monitoring can drop down to every two weeks during the second month. A visit should be scheduled after 12 weeks on the medication. After the 12th-week visit, the health care provider can schedule follow-up visits according to the patient's individual needs.

Therapy

• Therapy can be used to treat childhood depression along with antidepressant medications or it can be used on its own. Parents concerned about using antidepressant medications can seek treatment from a psychotherapist first.
  Therapy provides children with the skills to handle the stresses and anxieties that they are experiencing. Cognitive behavior therapy is a common approach to childhood depression. This type of therapy focuses attention on thought processes that may be at the bottom of depression. Replacing negative thoughts with more productive thoughts can help children find the way out of depression.

Long Term

• Long-term results from an untreated childhood depression can have devastating effects. Children with depression are in immediate danger of harming themselves without treatment. Along with this immediate danger, children will have difficulty coping in life and finding success if they have an untreated depression.