As adults we don't usually link depression with childhood, which could lead a child to feel depressed, we may ask ourselves, if all they do is have fun and learn new things, right? There are no big responsibilities, financial or relationship problems to deal with. However, childhood depression does exist, and it is an issue we need to talk about in order to know about it and resolve it in time.
To put childhood depression in context, one in twenty children will suffer at least one episode of depression before the age of 19, and of those, less than half will receive proper treatment, because for parents, childhood depression is more an invention than a reality. But there is a great danger in underestimating the feelings of our children.
Suicide is among the first three causes of death among 10 to 24 year olds, the figures are alarming in recent years, and the trend is increasing. For this reason it is vitally important to pay attention to the mental health of children and not underestimate their emotions thinking that they are just children. Mental illness can be effectively treated if we know the warning signs.
A child with depression feels sad or irritable most of the day. They refuse to do fun activities or do not enjoy them, their eating habits are affected by overeating or loss of appetite. He sleeps for many hours or on the contrary he presents insomnia. His energy is diminished or presents an excess of it and he becomes restless, he may have difficulty concentrating. Expresses feelings of guilt, feels useless, believes he/she is worthless. In some cases he/she hurts him/herself through self-injury.
If all of the above is not usual, but your child seems to have constant problems at school, his grades have suddenly changed, his friendships, he seems to have lost interest in what used to excite him and gradually moves away, this may suggest depression. Depression manifests itself in different ways, and the idea we have of a sad person in the dark does not always apply.
How to treat childhood depression
As with adults, the first step is to approach a specialist, who will first evaluate the child for a diagnosis. Evaluations in children require a multidisciplinary team because some symptoms of depression can be confused with other disorders such as trauma, attention deficit and hyperactivity, among others.
Once the diagnosis has been made, the next step will be therapy, depending on the situation and the age of the child, the approach will be determined. In many occasions the whole family will attend the therapy sessions because parents are key elements in the success of the treatment. Depression is a treatable condition and doing it at the right time will help your child enter adulthood with the tools to manage their emotions and identify mental health problems.
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