Recognizing that your child is depressed can cause an array of feelings such as sadness, frustration, guilt and shame. Symptoms of childhood depression include issues with eating and sleeping, nightmares, refusal to go to school, a drop in grades, irritability, sadness and tearfulness, temper tantrums, and thoughts of suicide. Parents can help their children cope with depression in many ways.
Counseling and Medication
Children who suffer from depression need professional help. As a parent, you should find a therapist who specializes in working with children and get your child into individual counseling. Many therapists use play therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat childhood depression. Engage in family therapy to improve communication, learn about depression and determine a treatment plan for your child. Your child's doctor or therapist may recommend medication for your child if she doesn't respond to therapy or suffers from severe depression. The most common type of medication used to treat depression in children is SSRIs such as Prozac and Zoloft. With antidepressants, there is a risk of increased suicidal ideation and other negative side effects, so close medical monitoring is necessary.
Physical
If your child hasn't had a physical in the past year, you should take him to get one as soon as possible. Medical issues can cause symptoms of depression, so you'll want to rule this possibility out, according to Oregon Counseling.
Healthy Habits
Children suffering from depression should prioritize healthy habits. As the child's parent, you'll need to encourage your child to get at least eight hours of sleep each night, exercise regularly and eat healthfully. Your child will learn by example, so you should also be doing each of these things. Fix healthy meals and eat dinner together as a family. Send your child to school with a healthy lunch, because many children spend their lunch money on junk food.
Set up a bedtime routine, and stick to it each night. Determine the bedtime routine with your child, so she feels that she is a part of it. A child's bedtime routine might include having a small glass of water, reading a book, brushing her teeth and putting on her pajamas. Start the bedtime routine at the same time every night, even on the weekends.
Social Support
It's well known that adults who suffer from depression get better faster if they have support from friends and family members. This is true for children as well. If your child has a hard time making and keeping friends, you could ask his therapist to work with him on social skills. Sign your child up for an organized sport to get him active, increase his self-esteem and increase social interactions. Introduce your child to neighbors, invite other children over for play dates, get him involved in the Boy Scouts and encourage your child to play with others.
