Sadness and nervousness are normal emotions and having a bad day is not uncommon. Although the stressors may be different, children and adolescents experience the same emotions as adults. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, 14.8 million adults are affected by depression each year. A study by Harvard University revealed that 23 percent of children suffer from it and trends show that preschool children are a growing market for antidepressants. Anxiety is also a natural response to stressful situations or environments. How do you know when there is something deeper going on?
Step 1
Observe the child's behavior and demeanor. Changes in behavior do not automatically signal depression or a condition driven by paranoia. Pay attention to when and where these changes occur. If the uncommon behaviors are specific to a certain environment or time of day, there may be a specific issue (only in the morning before school or only occurring at school could mean that the child is being bullied or teased there). Changes in behavior as a result of depression or a specific issue causing anxiety are consistent across all environments, over a variety of times.
Step 2
Look out for behaviors that are different than what the child normally adheres to: changes in appetite or personal hygiene, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, withdrawing from family or friends, being defiant or defensive, appearing sad or upset and weight gain or weight loss.
Step 3
Talk to the child about what is going on and if something is bothering him at school, at home, or if he is not feeling well. Let him know that it's OK to not feel good all the time and by helping you to understand how he feels, you can help him to feel better.
Step 4
Ask the child's parents to talk to his doctor about any changes you've noticed and what the potential cause may be. It's not a bad idea to make an appointment to rule out any physical illness the child may be experiencing.
Step 5
Encourage the child's parents to communicate with the child through the day. It may be easier for them to communicate with an adolescent who has a cell phone or access to email. However, some communication may be limited to in the home. Parents should be persistent but kind. A child may hold her emotions in because she doesn't want to bother anyone with her problems or be viewed as having one.
Step 6
Create a supportive environment. Show the adolescent that he can trust you; encourage his parents to tell the child that they love and support him. Be willing to talk through anything, anytime as much as possible. Some issues can be difficult for children to discuss with their parents especially if there is an issue going on at home.
Step 7
Refer the child to a psychiatrist or psychologist if deemed appropriate. Depression can be caused by physiological factors such as hormone imbalance or neurological chemicals that may require medication. Anxiety is sometimes a symptom of a disorder versus being the sole issue.
