Depression in Children
Depression is less common in childhood but becomes more common during adolescence. It is more prevalent in girls and women than in boys and men.
Research reports indicate that one in ten primary school students exhibits symptoms of major depressive disorder, with the youngest diagnosed case being only 10 years old.
Therefore, the earlier it is identified and treated, the better the prognosis.
Does your child have the following symptoms?
Symptoms of depression in children can be harder to recognise than in adults. Parents may mistake them for ordinary moodiness and overlook them.
The symptoms of depression may change with age. A diagnosis of depression in children and adolescents takes into account the frequency, duration, and severity of symptoms.
Preschool Children
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Aggressive
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Anger
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Excessive crying
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Separation anxiety
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Regressive Behaviours
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Rapid Mood Swings
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No Interest In Having Fun
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Listless
Children & Teenagers
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Irritable
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Social Withdrawal
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Social Isolation
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Feel Helpless
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Decreased social interaction
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Extremely sensitive to rejection
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Lose vitality
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Lose interest in previously enjoyed activities
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Sleep disturbance (decreased or increased sleeping time)
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Decreased or increased appetite
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Changes in diets
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Reduced vitality
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Poorer academic performance
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Conflicts with teachers
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Alcohol and drugs use
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Suicidal thoughts
If you have found that your child is always in a depressive mood for over 2 weeks, and have the symptoms above most times of the day, it is recommended to have an evaluation and confirm with a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist the possibility of depression.
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Evaluated by psychiatrist or clinical psychologist
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Consult with parents before evaluation
Clinical observation of the child's speech, social interaction, communication, and behaviour
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The evaluation result will be explained to parents and treatment recommendations will be provided to parents
Treatment
Depression is curable. If patients can receive timely and proper treatment, most people recover and return to their normal lives. Even if a child suffers from depression, as long as appropriate guidance and treatment are given in time, their mental health can be restored soon.
Psychotherapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Help patients review their existing negative mindset and behaviour patterns, try new ideas and behavioural patterns to accumulate positive experiences in life. Therefore, to establish positive thinking, reduce stress and ease depressive mood.
Medication
By taking the appropriate antidepressants, brain transmission substances can be regulated to effectively help patients to reduce symptoms of depression, and reduce the chance of recurrence.