How Else Can I Help
Recognising and understanding your childs illness is a huge step in knowing how you can help. When your child becomes irritable or even does something risky, it is common you feel angry or upset. It is important that you try to remain calm and be honest about letting them know what you feel and seek help.
Some children may be reluctant to talk to you about it, although they might do talk to someone at school, friends or their GP or a professional for young people at health centre or CAMHS. It is important to encourage them to talk to someone they can trust, as well as seeking professional help.
Having little chats, spending time with them like watching TV, cooking and even physical activities like walking can help to lift their mood even if they say they do not want to do it. A healthy diet and physical exercise can help improve their mood.
Seeking Help For A Child With Depression And Their Families
If youre concerned about your childs mental wellbeing, we have useful tools and resources for the whole family.
HCF members with hospital or extras cover have access to Calm Kid Central*, an online educational and support program to help kids aged 4-11 learn to act bravely and confidently, behave in positive ways, develop good friendships and manage tough life situations.
There is also a range of mental health support, such as online video support with PSYCH2U for eligible HCF members^ and online courses through This Way Up+, a not-for-profit initiative developed by experienced psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, to help you take control of your mental wellbeing.
If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, and need to speak to someone now, call Lifeline on .
Where to find extra help for kids mental health support:
How Young Can Depression Start
You May Like: How To Deal With Depression And Lack Of Motivation
Anxiety And Depression In Children
Find information and resources for parents on how to help children cope
Many children have fears and worries, and may feel sad and hopeless from time to time. Strong fears may appear at different times during development. For example, toddlers are often very distressed about being away from their parents, even if they are safe and cared for. Although fears and worries are typical in children, persistent or extreme forms of fear and sadness could be due to anxiety or depression. Because the symptoms primarily involve thoughts and feelings, they are sometimes called internalizing disorders.
Children Youth And Depression
While we may think of low mood or other challenges as adult problems, they can affect people at any age. Children and teens can experience mental illnesses like depression. Sometimes it can be difficult for adults to understand how difficult childrens problems can be because we look at their problems through adult eyes. But the pressures of growing up can be very hard for some children. Its important that we remind ourselves that while their problems may seem unimportant to us, they can feel overwhelming to young people. Its important to take depression in young people seriously.
You May Like: Anxiety And Depression In Students
Depression: What You Need To Know As You Age
If youre one of the more than 14.8 million American adults who experiences major depression, you may feel so bad that you cant get out of bed, be around the people you love or participate in activities that you usually enjoy. Actually, there are more than 50 different symptoms of major depression, ranging from the well-knowncrying and sadnessto those you might never associate with depression, such as anger, workaholism and back pain.
Depression is a disease that affects every aspect of a persons life, not just mood, says Johns Hopkins expert Andrew Angelino, M.D., Chair of Psychiatry at Howard County General Hospital. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2020, depression will be the second-leading cause of disability in the world, just behind cardiovascular disease.
People who are depressed are far more likely to have other chronic medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, back problems, arthritis, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and to have worse outcomes. Untreated depression can even affect your immune response to some vaccines.
Depression is not just debilitating it can be deadly. An estimated one out of five people with depression will attempt suicide at some point.
What Is Depression In Children And Young People
Lots of tamariki feel sad or upset some of the time. They may think everything is going wrong with friends, at school or at home. But depression is different to feeling sad or miserable – it’s an illness and its symptoms can last for a long time. Depression can make it hard for a child or young person to carry out their everyday activities.
Recommended Reading: How To Cure My Dogs Depression
How Do Antidepressants Work
The most common antidepressant medications for children are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors . These medications increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical that can help increase feelings of happiness and well-being.
Use extra caution with antidepressants in children. Some children show no improvement with the medications, or may even feel more depressed. If a healthcare provider recommends antidepressants, watch your childs condition closely. Never allow your child to stop taking antidepressants suddenly. Doing so can cause serious side effects or make depression worse.
Does My Child Need Counseling
To know when to seek counseling for your child, parents should look for noticeable changes in behavior, such as decreased interest in fun activities, social isolation or statements such as “I don’t want to be alive anymore.” A mental health professional can help your child process these feelings and provide an appropriate diagnosis.
If you are unsure if your child needs counseling for depression, speak to a physician about your child’s symptoms. Teenagers in particular are at high risk for acting impulsively on feelings of depression and suicidal thoughts, so parents should seek professional help before those thoughts and feelings escalate.
Dr. Holland notes that teenagers may be resistant to counseling and therapy and recommends involving them in the process. Get their buy-in by asking them if they have a preference on a provider and listen to their feedback. Encourage your child to be patient at the beginning of counseling, as it can take a few sessions to develop a therapeutic relationship. However, if after a few sessions it becomes clear that your child is not comfortable with that provider, you can look for a new therapist. Ask your child what he or she did and didn’t like about that therapist, as this can guide your search for a new one.
Don’t Miss: Find Your Words Depression Test
Why Is My Child Depressed
Things that increase the risk of depression in children include:
- family difficulties
- physical, emotional or sexual abuse
- a family history of depression or other mental health problems
Sometimes depression is triggered by 1 difficult event, such as parents separating, a bereavement or problems with school or other children.
Often it’s caused by a mixture of things. For example, your child may have a tendency to get depression and also experienced some difficult life events.
What Are The Treatment Options
Treatment options for children with depression are similar to those for adults, including psychotherapy and medication. Your child’s doctor may suggest psychotherapy first and consider antidepressant medicine as an option if there is no significant improvement. The best studies to date show that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is most effective at treating depression.
But studies do show that the antidepressant fluoxetine is effective in treating depression in children and teens. The drug is officially recognized by the FDA for treatment of children ages 8 to 18 with depression.
Most medications used to treat depression in children have a black box warning about the possibility of increasing suicidal thoughts. It is important to start and monitor these medications under the care of a trained professional and talk with them about the potential risks and benefits for your child.
Treating children who have bipolar disorder
Children with bipolar disorder are usually treated with psychotherapy and a combination of medicines, usually an antidepressant and a mood stabilizer.
Antidepressants need to be used with caution, as they can trigger bouts of manic or hyperactive behavior in children with bipolar disorder. Managing a child’s medication must be part of an overall care plan that includes therapy and routine primary care appointments.
Also Check: How To Live With A Manic Depressive
If You Think Your Child Is Depressed
If you think your child may be depressed, it’s important to talk to them. Try to find out what’s troubling them and how they’re feeling.
See some tips on talking to younger children about their feelings and talking to teenagers.
Whatever is causing the problem, take it seriously. It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it could be a major problem for your child.
If your child does not want to talk to you, let them know that you’re concerned about them and that you’re there if they need you.
Encourage them to talk to someone else they trust, such as another family member, a friend or someone at school.
It may be helpful for you to talk to other people who know your child, including their other parent.
You could also contact their school to ask if the staff have any concerns.
Can Children Really Have Depression
Yes. Childhood depression is different from the normal “blues” and everyday emotions that children go through as they develop. Just because a child seems sad doesn’t necessarily mean they have significant depression. But if the sadness becomes persistent or interferes with normal social activities, interests, schoolwork, or family life, it may mean they have a depressive illness. Keep in mind that while depression is a serious illness, itâs also a treatable one.
Recommended Reading: Screening For Depression In Adults
How Can I Support My Child With Depression
In this video demonstration with actors, a father talks with both a friend and then with his son. This shows how to start the conversation and support your child if you are worried they may be depressed. A professor of child and adolescent psychiatry explains why the positive methods shown here are good ways to start tackling teenage depression.
Watch the video by Raising Children Network.
The sooner depression is recognised and treated, the greater the chances of recovery. Talk with your child or young person and suggest it might help them feel better by getting some help.
Other things you can do to support them include:
- ask what they need – dont make assumptions
- listen with open ears
What Does Childhood Depression Look Like
Children experience depression in different ways to adults.
While we might expect to see an adult with depression withdraw from their friends and family, young children who may also do this can often do the opposite, and may have episodes of being extremely loud, aggressive or disruptive. This can lead to depression being misdiagnosed, as symptoms often overlap with other conditions.
As children get older, signs of depression can change. Depression in adolescents often presents as appetite or weight change, and sleeping issues, whereas adults are more likely to have trouble concentrating and experience a loss of interest in the world around them.
Common signs of depression in children include:
- difficulty sleeping or waking up in the morning
- extreme emotional outbursts
- a lack of enjoyment or pleasure in activities they usually like
- not wanting to go to school or engage with friends.
Knowing more about how to recognise the common signs and symptoms of childhood depression may help parents and carers knows when to reach out for help.
Recommended Reading: Proof That Depression Is Real
What Does Depression Look Like In Younger Children
When young children are depressed, Dr. Kovacs said, its not unusual for the primary mood to be irritability, not sadness it comes across as being very cranky. And children are much less likely to understand that what theyre feeling is depression, or identify it that way. It almost never happens that they say, somethings wrong because Im sad, Dr. Kovacs said. Its up to adults to look for signs that something is not right, she said.
The best way for parents to recognize depression in young children is not so much by what a child says as by what the child does or stops doing. Look for significant changes in functioning, Dr. Kovacs said, if a child stops playing with favorite things, stops responding to what he used to respond to.
This might mean a child loses interest in the toys or games or jokes or rituals that used to be reliably fun or entertaining, or doesnt seem interested in the usual back and forth of family life.
Youve had a kid who was one way and then you see that theyre more irritable and sad, said Dr. Egger, who is now the chief medical and scientific officer at Little Otter, a new online mental health care company for children. Children may seem flattened, have less energy or tire easily. And they may start complaining about physical symptoms, especially stomach aches and headaches. They may sleep more or less or lose their appetites.
What To Do If Youre Worried About Depression In Children
Depression doesnt go away on its own. You need to help your child if you think they have depression.
Heres what to do:
- See your GP, and get a referral to a paediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist who can diagnose depression in children.
- If you cant get help quickly, feel concerned about your childs safety or dont know what to do, find your local area mental health service by calling your nearest hospital or by calling Lifeline on 131 114.
- If your child is having trouble talking to you about how theyre feeling, you could ask if they want to talk to another trusted adult. But always let your child know that youre there for them and want to understand whats happening.
- If your child is five years old or older, they can talk with a Kids Helpline counsellor by calling 1800 551 800 or using the Kids Helpline email counselling service or the Kids Helpline web counselling service.
- help your child get better faster
- reduce the risk that your child will have depression later in life
- help your child grow up healthy and well.
Your GP will probably talk with you about a mental health treatment plan for your child. If you have a plan, your child can get Medicare rebates for up to 20 sessions with a mental health professional. You can also get Medicare rebates for visits to a paediatrician or psychiatrist.
Read Also: Social Media And Depression Questionnaire
Which Children Get Depressed
Up to 3% of children and 8% of adolescents in the U.S. have depression. The condition is significantly more common in boys under age 10. But by age 16, girls have a greater incidence of depression.
Bipolar disorder is more common in adolescents than in younger children. But bipolar disorder in children can be more severe than in adolescents. It may also happen with, or be hidden by, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , obsessive compulsive disorder , or conduct disorder .
Tips For Parents To Help Their Struggling Teens
Are you concerned for your teen?If you worry that your teen might be experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, there are a few things you can do to help. Dr. Christine Moutier, the chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suggests these steps:
Look for changes.Notice shifts in sleeping and eating habits in your teen, as well as any issues he or she might be having at school, such as slipping grades. Watch for angry outbursts, mood swings and a loss of interest in activities they used to love. Stay attuned to their social media posts as well.
Keep the lines of communication open.If you notice something unusual, start a conversation. But your child might not want to talk. In that case, offer him or her help in finding a trusted person to share their struggles with instead.
Seek out professional support.A child who expresses suicidal thoughts may benefit from a mental health evaluation and treatment. You can start by speaking with your childs pediatrician or a mental health professional.
In an emergency:If you have immediate concern for your childs safety, do not leave him or her alone. Call a suicide prevention lifeline. Lock up any potentially lethal objects. Children who are actively trying to harm themselves should be taken to the closest emergency room.
Its like walking through the world with dark-colored glasses, Dr. Busman said. Its about myself, about the other person, and the world I suck, this sucks, everything sucks.
Also Check: Best Guided Meditation For Depression