How does depression affect a childs development?

Children who are diagnosed with depression exhibit prolonged sad or irritable mood or anhedonia (loss of pleasure and interest) along with concurrent symptoms involving four or more of the following: significant changes in eating and/or sleeping, changes in motor activity (restlessness or lethargy), difficulty …

What is the youngest age you can get depressed?

What’s the earliest age at which symptoms of early-onset childhood depression seem to appear? The available data suggests that age three is the lowest threshold at which childhood depression appears, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be identified earlier or that there aren’t risk signs earlier.

What causes children to become depressed?

As in adults, depression in children can be caused by any combination of things that relate to physical health, life events, family history, environment, genetic vulnerability, and biochemical disturbance. Depression is not a passing mood, nor is it a condition that will go away without proper treatment.

What does it feel like when your child has depression?

Kids with depression may lose interest in activities and schoolwork, seem tired, give up easily, or withdraw from friends or family . When kids have depression, it’s hard for them to make an effort, even when doing things they used to enjoy. Depression can make kids feel worthless, rejected, or unlovable .

What is it like to have a child with depression?

Although some children may continue to do reasonably well in structured environments, most kids with significant depression will have a noticeable change in social activities, loss of interest in school, poor academic performance, or a change in appearance . Children may also begin using drugs or alcohol, especially if they are over age 12.

How do you help a child with depression?

Antidepressants can work extremely well for a depressed child or adolescent, he tells WebMD. “But they are most effective when used with psychotherapy, too. Also, it’s extremely important that kids be monitored closely while taking any medication for depression .”

How to help your child cope with depression?

Recognize that clinical depression is a disease. Internalizing this fact will help your child in two ways.