The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports that approximately five percent of children and adolescents suffer from depression at any given time. Every child experiences periods of time when he feels sad or blue, and that is normal. When the sadness becomes overwhelming for the child, impacting his ability to do well in school and maintain relationships with peers, depression might be the cause.
Symptoms
A child who's severely depressed would experience major issues at school, with friends and at home. The child's grades would drop, he would have trouble concentrating, seem extremely sad or irritable, have trouble sleeping, seem uninterested in activities that used to make him happy and seem tired, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The child might refuse to eat, claiming that he has no appetite, or eat much more than normal. He might run away and have thoughts of suicide.
Causes
Kids Health reports that there isn't one known cause of depression, and usually occurs due to several factors. Children who have a family history of depression or mental illness are more likely to suffer from depression. Depression has been linked to abnormal levels of neurotransmitters in a child's brain, and significant life events such as the death of a parent or moving can impact a child's level of depression.
Treatment
A child with severe depression needs professional help. The child's doctor or therapist may recommend a combination of medication and therapy. The most common type of medication used to treat depression in children is a type of antidepressants known as SSRIs. However, more research is needed to understand how these psychotropic medications impact children. Antidepressants may increase risk of suicidal ideation in children. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that children taking antidepressants should be closely monitored by their doctor, psychiatrist and therapist.
Depending on the child's age, the two most common forms of therapy used to treat children with severe depression include cognitive behavioral therapy and play therapy. If a child does not have the capacity to engage in "talk" therapy, then play therapy is used.
Parenting
Parenting a child with major depression is a challenge. You might feel overwhelmed, frustrated and angry watching your child suffer from depression. There are steps that you can take to help your child. They include educating yourself about the disorder, attending family therapy sessions, learning to recognize signs of suicidal thinking and staying engaged in treatment planning with your child's therapist and psychiatrist.
Warning
A child experiencing severe depression has an increased risk of suicide. If your child talks about death, draws pictures related to death, says goodbye, gives away prized possessions or isolates herself, you should get immediate help from a mental health professional. You can take your child to your local psychiatric emergency room or call the police for immediate assistance.
