When Young Kids or Teens Suffer With Depression...

When you think about someone being diagnosed with depression, a young child or teenager might not come first to mind--and yet, as many as one in 8 teens and one in 33 children suffer with clinical depression. Depression is more than just "feeling blue" or having a bad day. And it’s different from feelings of grief or sorrow that follow a major loss, such as a death in the family. Children and teens with clinical depression cannot simply "snap out of it." Depression is a serious health problem that impacts their feelings, thoughts and actions, and can appear as a physical illness or behavior problem. Fortunately, depression in youth is treatable.

A child who used to play often with friends starts spending most of the time alone. Things that were once fun, now bring little joy to the depressed child. Children and adolescents who are depressed may say they want to be dead or may talk about suicide. Depressed adolescents may abuse alcohol or drugs as a way to try to feel better. Children and adolescents who cause trouble at home or at school may actually be depressed, but because the youngster may not appear to be sad, parents and teachers may not realize the troublesome behavior is actually a sign of depression.

Symptoms

Just as with adults, the causes for each child's or adolescent's depression are different. However there are some common symptoms. Depression is defined as an illness when the depressive symptoms persist and interfere with a child's or adolescent's ability to function normally. If one or more of the following symptoms lasts for two weeks or longer, depression is a possibility and parents should seriously consider seeking immediate help from a therapist:

Frequent sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness or feelings of guilt

A major change in eating patterns-for adolescents, this can appear as purging food or restricting eating

Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities

Fatigue

Irritability

Crying

Being bored

Inability to concentrate

Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure

Either a fear of death or a fascination with dying; recurring thoughts or expressions of suicide

Since children may not possess the vocabulary to express how they are feeling, depression can manifest itself in changed behavior. Behaviors that may signal child or adolescent depression include:

Frequent absences from school or drop in school performance

Lack of interest in playing with friends, social isolation, difficulty in relationships

Excessive fidgeting or loss of energy

Talk of or efforts to run away from home

Inexplicable outbursts of shouting, complaining, or hostility

Being bored

Expressions of fear or anxiety

Aggressive or antisocial behavior

Reckless behavior

Frequent vague or non-specific physical complaints such as muscle aches arms, stomach aches, head aches, or tiredness

Among adolescents, alcohol or substance abuse

Causes

There are many possible factors that can contribute to depression. For some children, depression is the result of a combination of factors, while for others, a single cause can be responsible for the onset of depression. Common contributing factors include the following:

Stressful Life Events

Catastrophic illness or death of a close family member or friend, parents divorcing, moving to a new place, or any unwelcome change in life patterns can be risk factors for depression. Research also indicates that stressors in the form of social isolation or early-life deprivation can lead to permanent changes in brain function that increase susceptibility to depressive symptoms.

Severe or Chronic Illness

Severe or long-term illness can bring on or aggravate depression.

Medication Side-Effects

Some medications cause depressive symptoms as side effects. In addition, different drugs can interact in unforeseen ways when taken together. It is important that each physician and pharmacist knows all the different types and dosages of medicine being taken.

Biological Factors

Genetics research indicates that vulnerability to depression results from the influence of brain chemistry imbalance acting together with environmental factors. Modern brain imaging technologies are revealing that in depression, neural circuits responsible for the regulation of moods, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior fail to function properly, and that critical neurotransmitters-chemicals used by nerve cells to communicate-are out of balance.

Co-Occurrence of Depression and Anxiety

Research has revealed that depression can co-exist with anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder). Rates of depression are especially high in children with post-traumatic stress disorder, a debilitating condition that can occur after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.

Substance Abuse and Addictions

It is estimated that 25% of people with substance abuse suffer from major depression.

Family History

Evidence suggests that depression runs in families. Still, just because a child has family members with depression does not guarantee that he or she will develop it. Similarly, a child may get depression even if no one else in their family has experienced it.

Treatment

Parents are urged to respond quickly to depressive symptoms displayed by their children. While depression is a real illness that requires professional help, it is highly treatable; 80% to 90% of all cases of depression-even the severest cases-improve once they receive appropriate treatment. Basic ways to treat child and adolescent depression include therapy, or for some cases, therapy along with medication.

Therapy

There are therapists who are especially experienced at helping children and adolescents who are suffering from depression. Therapy provides a safe, comforting, and confidential setting in which to receive the kind of help and understanding that can best assist in first relieving, then understanding, and finally recovering from the effects of depression. It can take as few as one to two weeks for a youngster to receive relief from their symptoms with therapy. Comprehensive treatment often includes both individual and family therapy.

Medication

Antidepressant medication is often prescribed when treating cases of child or adolescent depression because of the relatively quick relief it can bring to physical symptoms. Once medication treatment begins, minor improvement is usually seen in one to two weeks and the full effect of relief becomes evident approximately three to four weeks later.