Child Depression

Child depression statistics:

More than 2% of kids in America suffer from child depression. Latest studies indicate that 7% of kids with child depression might end their life in a tragic way. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in kids between the ages of 10 and 25.

It is essential to diagnose and child depression in order to get a proper evaluation of the kid’s condition, especially when suicide thoughts are involved.

At the same time the parents and therapists of a child depression patient must pay special attention to those warning signs and take any suicidal threats very seriously.

                                                                       

 

The signs and symptoms of child depression are the same as they are for adults.

Child depression is, however, more difficult to diagnose because many kids with child depression find it difficult to express their emotions in a way that will make it easy to be diagnosed and therefore treated. Child depression symptoms are many times being mixed for mood swings, and disobedient behavior that characterizes many kids.

Depression has a deep influence on child depression patients’ life. It affects their ability to adjust to changes and often accompanied with social difficulties. Those difficulties can still manifest a long time after the depression is treated and cured.

Child depression also increase the kid’s chances of developing a depression as an adult. Moreover, studies show that onset of child depression can predict recurrence of depression in the kid’s adult life. That is why an early and proper, professional evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of child depression are essential for the ability of the child to lead a healthy life both mentally and socially in the future.

                                                                

Child depression symptoms:

  1. constant feelings of sadness and melancholy

  2. irritable behavior and agitation

  3. dramatic changes in appetite and body weight

  4. constant desire to sleep or disability to fall asleep

  5. constant lack of energy

  6. sensations of desperation and self-worthlessness

  7. difficulties in concentrating

  8. bad memory

  9. suicide thoughts and urges

In order to declare a child depression 5 or more of the symptoms should persist for a period of at least 2 weeks.

Of all child depression symptoms, the one that should be taken care of very seriously is suicide thoughts or plans. Child depression risk of suicide is higher than that in adult depression and it rises among young boys. Therefore parents should pay serious attention to child depression patient that expresses thoughts of killing himself and address him to professional aid immediately.