How to Recognize a Depression In Your Child?
Last Revised on December 12, 2007Love Your Health Money Family & Relationship
Depression can be the worst enemy of all. It doesn’t just affect adults, it can affect children who are starting to understand everything to a college going kid. There is a recent publication where it claims nearly one in every kids and adolescents suffer from depression at any given time in the United States. Somehow the research has shown that by the time girls reach 15 years old, they are more likely to suffer from depression and other psychological disorder; otherwise both boys and girls suffer depression at nearly the same rate.
Depression in children are hard to spot; but with little bit of studies you can learn to recognize the depression in your children, when they have one. Most obvious changes you see in your depressed child is they way act, their behavior seem to not match with what they were before. Here are some of the signs and symptoms that might help you see if your child is suffering from depression:
Isolation, lack of enjoyment in his or her hobbies, complaints, clingy, refusing to go to school, bad behavior, less energy, less or no apetite, anxiety, disturbed sleep and easily irritated. Sometime these symptoms can move on to the next level if not taken seriously. They have a possibility to get into alcohol and drug substance abuse.
Experts say that if the child has depression at an early age, then there is a high possibility of having it during the adulthood too, although sometimes they can be treated completely. If you see a huge amount of depression symptoms in your child, visiting a child psyhiatrist or a pediatrician is highly recommended. Sometimes antidepressant medications are prescribed for children diagnosed with a major depression, however few of these drugs are specifically indicated for children. Mental health is really important, keep it healthy.
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