Depression In Young Children

Depression In Young Children

Today, we are more aware about teenage depression, but there still isn't enough said about depression in younger children. Depression in young children is not as common as teenage depression, but it does still exist, and it is still a big problem. Did you realize that even babies can suffer from depression?

In children, depression shows itself through developmental delays, failure to thrive, sleeping and eating problems, social withdrawal or anxiety, separation anxiety, and dangerous behavior. Unfortunately, children are not yet equipped to express depressed feelings in simple words. They may not even be old enough to know what those feelings are. So, for the most part, a child's depression is expressed in other ways and actions.

When an adult becomes depressed, their first stop may be their medical doctor's office, followed by an appointment with a therapist. With children, it does not necessarily work this way. Instead, you may need an appointment with a child psychologist so that an assessment for depression can be done, using the Children's Depression Inventory.

If the child psychologist determines that the child is indeed depressed, he or she may want a physical workup done by the child's pediatrician to determine whether the cause of the depression is physical. A child may be depressed because there is simply a family history of depression. He or she may become depressed because of things going on in their lives, or because of a medical problem.

In most cases of depression in children, the cause of the depression can be attributed to more than one of these causes. So, if your child is found to be depressed, and a medical reason for it is discovered, you should still seek out answers and determine if one of the other factors -- problems in their lives or genetics -- are also contributing.

The important thing is to watch your child closely. Is he or she getting along with other children? Are they growing and developing as they should be? If either of these things is not happening, you should definitely seek help, before the problem escalates.