Childhood Depression

It can be a bit surprising to know that depression impacts children too. Typically, depression does not have any bar on the age of individuals that it impacts. Known as the formative years of the mental and physical build-up of children to mature teenagers, depression in child causes damaging effects which the child has to possibly live with throughout his lifetime. For convenience sake, let us categorize children to be of age group 1-10 years. As per studies, more than 15% of the depression cases in the United States of America are child depression cases. This statistic alone is enough to indicate that child depression is a growing menace in the by-lanes of our society.

What compounds the misery of doctors treating Child Depression is the fact that though the symptoms are quite noticeable for children in the upper band of age group, one can literally find no symptoms for children at a very tender age (Mostly below 3 years). That said, even for children who show adequate symptoms of depression the spectrum of the treatment methodology is very narrow.

How is Child Depression diagnosed and treated?

Children, as they say are a bundle of energy and nerves. In childhood, individuals are expected to be full of joy (with a little bit of disappointment here and there taken). Any child who seems to be morose and down all day with a sulk face is categorized as a possibility of child depression. Exhaustive medical study can be carried out on the child, but in most cases, that can be done only after a preliminary examination of the child.

Child Mental Health is very tender and cannot be treated the way how adult or teenage depression is treated. The possibility of drugs (anti-depressants) or medical therapy is almost ruled out for all practical purposes for treating children who suffer from depression. The best method doctors employ for treating child depression cases is to talk to the child and get him into a happy mood. This may not be a tough ask for experienced professionals in child psychology as in most cases, child psychology is not so difficult to understand. Child depression cases need not be escalated to doctors as parents can take care of it themselves by providing enough love and affection to their children. For a young child, nothing is more important than parental love and affection, and if he gets that in abundance, be rest assured he may not be a depressive child after all.

The message is clear - Childhood depression must be avoided at all costs. It is this depressive behavior which can tear apart his personality in teenage and adolescence.