Childhood depression

Do you worry about childhood depression? Most of us know that children have days when they feel sad, lonely and even depressed. However, childhood depression is something more. It's a serious mental health condition that needs medical assessment and treatment.

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, depression affects two in every 100 children under 12 years old, and five in every 100 teenagers. The good news is that doctors and specialists can accurately diagnose, treat and manage mental health problems with psychotherapy and medication - and that includes childhood depression.

Is childhood depression different from the blues?

Yes. Childhood depression is different from the everyday ‘blues’ that most young people get as they develop. The fact that a child feels sad, lonely or irritable does not mean he or she has childhood depression.

Childhood depression is persistent sadness. When it occurs, the child feels alone, hopeless, helpless and worthless. When this type of sadness is unending, it disrupts every part of the child's life. It interferes with daily activities, schoolwork and peer relationships. It also affects the life of every family member.

Childhood depression can be assessed, diagnosed and effectively treated with medication and/or psychotherapy. Left untreated, childhood depression is a serious depressive disorder that can lead to suicidal thoughts or even suicide.

What causes childhood depression?

The causes of childhood depression are unknown. It could be due to any combination of factors that relate to physical health, life events, family history, environment, genetic vulnerability and biochemical disturbance. Childhood depression is not a passing bad mood. Nor will it always go away without proper medical treatment.

What are the signs and symptoms of childhood depression?

The symptoms of childhood depression may vary. They depend on the child and his or her particular mood disorder. In many cases, childhood depression goes undiagnosed and untreated. This is because it's passed off as part of the normal emotional and psychological changes that occur during growth and puberty.

In the past, medical trials focused on ‘masked’ depression in children. Masked depression was associated with a child ‘acting out’ an angry or sad mood. While acting out is common in children, especially younger children, many of them experience sadness or a depressed mood in a similar way to depressed adults. So children can also have the primary symptoms of depression: sadness, a feeling of hopelessness, and mood swings.

The signs and symptoms of childhood depression include:

• Changes in appetite - either increased or reduced appetite
• Changes in sleep patterns - sleeplessness or excessive sleep
• Continuous feelings of sadness or hopelessness
• Fatigue and low energy
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Impaired thinking or concentration
• Increased sensitivity to rejection
• Irritability or anger
• Physical complaints (such as stomach aches or headaches) that do not respond to treatment
• Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school or during extracurricular activities, or when pursuing hobbies or other interests
• Social withdrawal
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Vocal outbursts or crying