Before the 1980s, it was widely believed that children didn't get despressed, Mary H. Sarafolean, PhD, wrote in the July/August 2000 issue of "A Pediatric Perspective," published by the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Hospital. "Today, we know that children experience and manifest depression in ways similar to adults, albeit with some symptoms unique to their developmental age," she went on to say. Nearly everyone who's depressed feels overwhelming sadness, and in children of various age groups there are additional signs and symptoms you can look for.
Up To Age 6
Dr. Sarafolean says that kids of any age can experience depression---even newborns. In babies and preschoolers, depression can manifest as sleeping or eating problems, a failure to thrive, developmental delays, social withdrawal, separation anxiety and dangerous behavior. Carol E. Watkins, M.D., of the Northern County Psychiatric Associates in Baltimore, Maryland, adds that children this age who are depressed might look sick, lack energy and spontaneity, be self-destructive or say negative things about themselves. While it's normal for young kids to cry or become irritable when frustrated, a depressed child will do so without provocation.
Ages 6-12
When children get a little older, they display depression through problems in school and with friends, and by engaging in more disruptive behavior. A depressed child this age might get bored, fatigued or apathetic; have difficulty concentrating or becoming motivated, which leads to a declining quality of school work; become anxious; make negative self-statements; become more aggressive or irritable; or experience vague general physical complaints, such as aches and pains. Some kids also revert to previous stages of development, which could mean wetting their bed, acting like a baby, or throwing temper tantrums.
Ages 12-18
Older children and adolescents tend to have feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts when they're depressed. They may isolate themselves from their friends, turn to drug or alcohol use, act out sexually, behave recklessly, oversleep, overeat---which could lead to significant weight gain---or display extreme rage or emotional sensitivity. If your child has any of these symptoms, it doesn't necessarily mean she's depressed; "If several of the above characteristics are present, however, it could be a cause for concern and may suggest the need for professional evaluation," says Ralph E. "Gene" Cash, PhD, NCSP, of Nova Southeastern University, in a paper published by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP).
