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| |    Depression in School-Age Children by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Depression is a mental illness marked by negative moods (sadness or irritability) and a loss of the ability to enjoy life. In addition to these core symptoms, depression involves negative thoughts, changes in sleep, appetite, energy, and ability to concentrate. When they are depressed, school-age children often are irritable, rather than sad, but in other ways they experience depression just as older children and adults do. How common is depression? About 2 to 3 children out of 100 have clinical depression at any given time. This makes depression much less common than asthma or allergies, but many times more common than, say, childhood diabetes or cancer. Up until puberty, depression occurs equally in boys and girls; after that, girls are more likely to develop it. Depression is largely an inherited condition, although a child's past and present experiences and relationships also play an important role. The chances of a child having depression increase if one or both parents have had it. The younger a child is when he begins to show depression, the more severe the problem is likely to be. What does childhood depression look like? Any of these symptoms can be signs of depression:
Of course, many of the signs of depression listed above can be symptoms of other medical or psychological problems, too. A primary-care physician (pediatrician or family doctor) can check for common medical issues. Some are comfortable making the diagnosis of depression; others will call in a psychologist, psychiatrist, or psychiatric social worker as a consultant. You can help, too, by educating yourself about depression and dealing with your child in a kindly, supportive way.
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