What is Pediatric Depression?

Depression is more than just a couple of sad days. It involves ongoing feelings of sadness or irritability that interfere with a child or adolescent's ability to function.

Not only adults become depressed, children and teenagers may also have depression. More than one in seven teens experience depression each year. Depression is a treatable medical illness.

Children under stress, who experience loss, or who have attentional, learning, conduct, or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. An increased use of social media is also associated with increased risk of depression. Depression also tends to run in families.

Depression is dangerous. It distorts normal perceptions, causes behavior changes and can result in self-mutilation or suicide. It is not uncommon in children, but, for many reasons, it often escapes diagnosis.

If one or more of these signs of depression persist, parents should seek help:

• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying
• Decreased interest in or enjoyment of favorite activities
• Hopelessness
• Persistent boredom; low energy
• Social isolation such as withdrawing from friends and family
• Low self esteem and guilt
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
• Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
• Difficulty with relationships
• Frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomach aches
• Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
• Poor concentration
• A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
• Talk of or efforts to run away from home
• Thoughts or expressions of suicide or self-destructive behavior

Sources:
http://www.depressedchild.org/
https://www.aacap.org/
https://childmind.org/guide/major-depressive-disorder/