Depression In Children: Warning Signs
Parents should be particularly vigilant for signs that may indicate that their child is at risk for suicide.
Warning signs of suicidal behavior in children include:
- Many depressive symptoms
- Social isolation, including isolation from the family
- Talk of suicide, hopelessness, or helplessness
- Increased acting-out of undesirable behaviors
- Increased risk-taking behaviors
- Focus on morbid and negative themes
- Talk about death and dying
- Increased crying or reduced emotional expression
- Giving away possessions
If you suspect that your child or teenager is depressed, take the time to listen to their concerns. Even if you don’t think the problem is of real concern, remember that it may feel very real to them. Itâs important to keep the lines of communication open, even if your child seems to want to withdraw. Try to avoid telling your child what to do. Instead, listen closely and you may discover more about the issues causing the problems.
If you feel overwhelmed or unable to reach your child, or if you continue to be concerned, seek professional help.
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Cognitive Therapy Might Help
Your son is angry or disappointed with himself, but rather than accepting this and dealing with what is bothering him, he is projecting his resentment on to those he would like to believe are responsible for his situation.
Cognitive therapy may work well for him. It can produce rapid, lasting and positive change by enabling a person to focus on their goals, helping them to build on small successes.PJ, Hornsey, north London
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 .
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My Son Is Depressed And I Don’t Know How To Help Him
My 22-year-old son was recently was diagnosed with clinical depression. He is always sad and fatigued. This has been going on for about the past six months. He is seeing a therapist once a week, but he always seems spaced out and very quiet. I am a hyper and outgoing person, and I am very worried that I don’t know how to communicate with him. I live in fear I may say something to hurt him, and I need advice about how to deal with all these issues it’s very scary and frustrating.
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Identifying Depression In Childhood: Symptoms Signs And Significance
Over the past three months, an 11-year-old boy has become more withdrawn. His parents noticed that he is irritable, more often upset or angry than he used to be, and with little provocation. At home, he spends most of his time in his room watching television. His mother is concerned that he is becoming a loner and that he seems very troubled and unhappy. He no longer wants to play soccer nor have his friends over, activities he used to enjoy. He has been sleeping poorly and has gained 10 pounds over the past couple of months from constant snacking. His weight gain has led to teasing by his peers and several conflicts at school. He frequently complains of stomach aches and headaches. His teachers have told his parents that recently he seems to have difficulty concentrating, does not complete his homework and has failed two tests. Last week, he tried to run off the school property at recess. He said he was trying to run home.
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A Different Option: Tms
One cutting-edge treatment is transcranial magnetic stimulation . TMS treatments are non-invasive and drug-free. They can be used to treat depression, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD, and they work by reactivating neural pathways that become underactive in patients with depression. TMS therapy is remarkably effective, safe, and provided under the care of a psychiatrist.
If TMS sounds right for your child, Success TMS is a reputable provider with locations across the country. They specialize in getting insurance approval set up quickly, so treatment can start right away.
Subtle Signs Your Child Is Depressed
Don’t miss these warning signs, which may look like normal teen behavior.
To parents, a teen’s life may seem carefree. But in reality, teens struggle with many of the same problems that adults do, including depression. Teens with depression often exhibit many warning signs — as a parent, you want to know what they are and what action to take.
“Attempt to be a non-judgmental, safe, good listener,” suggested Scott Bea, PsyD, a cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist specializing in anxiety and mood disorders and assistant professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. “Offer support and positive alternatives including seeking assistance from mental-health professionals. Attempt to normalize the behavior of seeking help by noting that all individuals struggle with the problems in living.”
If depression runs in your family, talk with your teen about it. “This can help a teenager understand that they are not at fault for experiencing depression,” said Dr. Bea.
Get your teen the help he or she needs if you spot any of these warning signs of teen depression.
Read Also: Symptoms Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Depression
Can Depression In Children Be Prevented
Children with a family history of depression are also at higher risk of depression. Children who have parents with depression tend to have their first episode of depression earlier than children whose parents donât have the condition. Children from chaotic or conflicted families, or children and teens who abuse substances like alcohol and drugs, are also at greater risk of depression.
How Is Childhood Depression Treated
Treatment options for kids with childhood depression are similar to those for adults. They include psychotherapy and medication. Your child’s doctor may suggest psychotherapy first and consider antidepressant medicine as an additional option if symptoms are severe or if there is no significant improvement with psychotherapy alone.
The best studies to date indicate that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the most effective method to successfully treat childhood depression.
The FDA warns that antidepressant medications may increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents with depression and other psychiatric disorders. If you have questions or concerns, discuss them with your health care provider.
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Tips For Helping A Depressed Teen
If you are concerned that your teen may be depressed, but they appear uninterested in getting help or perhaps outright refuse it, there are steps that you can take to help them. Proceed with gentle but firm methods to persuade your teen to get help. These varied approaches have all been effective in helping depressed teens move forward.
How Do Doctors Diagnose Childhood Depression
If your child has symptoms of depression that have lasted for at least two weeks, you should schedule a visit with their health care provider. You will want to make sure that there are no physical reasons for the symptoms. You’ll also want to make sure that your child receives proper treatment.
A consultation with a mental health professional that specializes in treating kids with childhood depression is also recommended.
A mental health evaluation for childhood depression should include interviews with you and your child. In addition, psychological testing may be helpful for clarifying the diagnosis and making treatment recommendations. Information from teachers, friends, and classmates can be useful for showing that the symptoms of childhood depression are present during your child’s various activities and are a marked change from previous behavior.
There are no specific tests — medical or psychological — that can clearly show childhood depression. But tools such as questionnaires and interviews by a mental health professional that include taking a careful history can help to make an accurate diagnosis.
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How To Help When Your Child Is Depressed
We spoke out because we thought that talking openly about our experience might help someone else who was struggling and because there is still a stigma surrounding mental health issues. That stigma makes it hard for people to ask for help, leaving them suffering alone and in silence.
We want to do our part to remove any need for hushed whispers or secrecy when talking about depression and anxiety. We want people to know they are not alone we want to get them talking so they no longer have to suffer in silence.
If youd told me during the midst of it that my son would come of the darkness, I would have wanted to believe you but would have found it difficult. I was too busy worrying, crying and trying to cope and be supportive.
My son was doing the hard work and we were trying to do the right things to support him. He sought treatment and over time things improved greatly. He went to college and has been thriving.
Things That Helped This Mom When Her Teen Son Was Depressed
Earlier this year I wrote a post about my sons journey with depression Mom, Can We Talk? Hed been suffering for a while-alone and in silence-with teen depression.
One night he finally found the words to tell us. Since that night, so much has happenedits amazing what can happen when you find the courage and the words to open up to those who love you.
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What If It Isnt Depression
If your child is exhibiting the symptoms of low energy, fatigue and theyre always sleeping late but they still hang out with their friends and love the same hobbies and activities.
Well, this may be laziness. That was a tough sentence for me to write. I wrote it, rewrote it and then just decided I had to state the truth. This is hard to talk about because laziness is a judgment and Im not here to judge you or your kid.
While the DSM doesnt have a specific diagnosis for laziness here are some symptoms to look for:
- Sleeps too much
- Interested in only activities that are immediate and pleasurable
- Lack of motivation, not willing to change current state
- Expresses a lot of fear about the future
- Not helping around the house, reverting back to teenage years
If this is your child, then do not despair and try not to judge. We all go through periods of laziness in our lives.
My guess is that your child has had enough time to relax and its time to get moving. Your child is unable to produce the internal motivation needed to get a job or find a job that will allow them to move out of the house.
How Can I Tell If My Child Is Depressed
The symptoms of depression in children vary. The condition is often undiagnosed and untreated because symptoms are passed off as normal emotional and psychological changes. Early medical studies focused on “masked” depression, where a child’s depressed mood was evidenced by acting out or angry behavior. While this does happen, particularly in younger children, many children display sadness or low mood similar to adults who are depressed. The primary symptoms of depression revolve around sadness, a feeling of hopelessness, and mood changes.
Signs and symptoms of depression in children include:
- Crankiness or anger
- Fatigue and low energy
- Physical complaints that don’t respond to treatment
- Trouble during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, during extracurricular activities, and with other hobbies or interests
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Impaired thinking or concentration
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Not all children have all of these symptoms. In fact, most will show different symptoms at different times and in different settings. Although some children may continue to do reasonably well in structured environments, most kids with significant depression will have a noticeable change in social activities, loss of interest in school, poor academic performance, or a change in appearance. Children may also begin using drugs or alcohol, especially if they are over age 12.
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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.
Take Care Of Yourself
A mental health crisis is stressful for everyone in the family, especially when a child suffers from a mental illness. As a parent of someone who is affected, its critical that you set aside time and energy to maintain your wellness.
Talk therapy is an excellent option, as it only requires one hour a week and is highly effective. Seeing a therapist regularly will allow you to sort through your challenges and set proper boundaries.
Your therapist will also have the background to provide the right context for what your child is going through. This can give you a playbook for the process.
People are often ashamed to talk about mental health due to stigma. It can be frightening when your adult child has a mental health issue, but remember:
Theyand youare not alone. One in four Americans has a mental health issue in any given year. Its very likely that your neighbors or co-workers have dealt with something similar. Just like them, with the right plan and attitude, your child will get through theirs and return to a happy, productive and enjoyable life.
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What Can A Parent Do Adult Children Anxiety Addiction And Launching
It seems every week I get a phone call from a parent who is worried about their adult son or daughter. They are fraught with concern and confusion about their adult child who is struggling to get it together, and launch out into the world.
Though many of these adult children have graduated from college, some by hook or by crook, learning did not necessarily come easy to them. Now, out in the real world, they struggle to find the job they want, and tend to always have a reason for why the available positions in the job market arent good enough. These failure to launch adult children are angry, argumentative, and tend to rely on mind-altering substances like alcohol and marijuana. They use substances as a way to cope, to numb out disappointment over what they are unable to achieve.
Many of these adult children live at home, while others have found themselves launched into their own apartments with the caveat that mom and dad foot the bill. In fact, many move out only when their parents reach the boiling point of exasperation and force them to move on .
For parents, its important to take a look at what your attitudes are towards your adult child. According to social workers Kim Abraham and Marney Studaker-Cordner, you should ask yourself the following questions:
Dr. Louise Stanger Ed.D, LCSW, CIP, CDWF
Interventionist
When Should I Call The Doctor
Call a healthcare provider if your child has any signs of depression or anxiety. If your child is showing signs of suicide, get help right away. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255. This hotline connects you to a national network of local crisis centers for free and confidential emotional support. The centers support people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In an emergency, call 911.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
While it may be difficult to watch your child dealing with depression or anxiety, help is available. The right treatment can ensure your child continues to grow and thrive throughout their development. In addition to medical help, you can support your child by making sure they have a healthy environment at home, at school and in the community. Always let your child know they can communicate openly and honestly about their feelings.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/17/2020.
References
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