Childhood Depression ?
Q: your child does not fall into any of these categories? Does
this guarantee a child free from depression? The answer is no. A very
important factor in childhood depression is that it may be a
biologically based illness. Children with an inherited tendency for
depression will be highly susceptible to the strains caused by the need
for peer acceptance.
A:In order to recognize when a child is depressed, it is important to
become aware of the symptoms and the signs to look for. Because children
are not as articulate as adults in expressing their emotions, it is
unlikely that they will come to us and say "I'm depressed" as an adult
might do. In fact, they may not even realize themselves that something
is out of the ordinary. Children live in a world controlled by adults
and can easily feel powerless over what is happening to them. This puts
the responsibility upon us as adults to look for signs of trouble and
help children cope.
The warning signs of depression fall basically into four different
categories: emotional signs, cognitive signs (those involving thinking),
physical complaints, and behavioral changes. Not every child who is
depressed experiences every symptom. Depending upon the degree of
depression, they may experience a few symptoms or many. Also, severity
of each symptom may vary.
Depression brings on feelings of deep sadness. The child may
feel despondent and hopeless. They may cry easily. Some children will
hide their tears by becoming withdrawn from other children for fear of
being made fun of.
Loss of pleasure or interest - Children with depression lose interest in
activities that once brought them pleasure. Experiencing pleasure is
increasingly difficult. A child who has always enjoyed playing sports,
for example, may suddenly decide to not try out for the team this year.
They may complain of feeling "bored" or reject an offer to participate
in an activity, which they've always enjoyed in the past.
The child may become anxious, tense, and panicky. The source
of their anxiety may well give you a clue to what's causing their
depression. A child who suddenly begins to have anxiety attacks about
attending school may be experiencing some sort of problems at school,
which they desperately wish to avoid.
The child may feel worried and irritable. They may brood or
lash out in anger as a result of the distress they are feeling. While
this may seem on the surface to be a behavioral problem, it is really a
symptom of an underlying emotional problem.
A depressive mood can bring on negative, self-defeating thoughts. These
skewed thought processes may help perpetuate the problem because they
make the child resistant to words of encouragement or advice. Telling
them that they should "just snap out of it" will probably be
unsuccessful. Once the depression lifts, the child will be much more
receptive to help.
Talk to your child about how he's feeling. As you talk with him, be
non-judgmental. Reassure