More than 20 percent of youth suffer from depression. Sad kids don’t always have depression, but if your child’s mood prevents them from enjoying activities or has additional symptoms like irritation or fatigue for weeks, it’s crucial to get treatment. Discuss with your child’s doctor or mental health practitioner. Therapy or medication for childhood depression usually works.
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Can Children Have Depression?
Yes. Adults don’t recognize kids might be depressed. Depression wasn’t considered a pediatric disorder until the mid-1980s. We now know that newborns and 2-year-olds can have depression. It’s a terrible, treatable sickness.
Depression affects males and girls equally before puberty, while girls have double the risk thereafter. Adolescent depression is more prevalent than in younger children. In 2019, 20 percent of 12-to-17-year-olds experienced a significant depressive episode, 36.7 percent were sad, and 18.8 percent pondered suicide.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, depression rates have increased considerably. Social isolation, school closures, missed milestones, and family stress contribute. Depression was second only to anxiety at 28 percent in a 2020 worldwide mental health study of children aged four through 19. Researchers examined 35 surveys involving almost 65,000 youngsters.
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Another study found that 25 percent of kids worldwide are depressed. Later pandemic investigations, older children and females had worse symptoms. In 2020, U.S. youth suicide attempts increased 31 percent. Those numbers keep rising: Girls aged 12-17 had 51 percent more suicide attempt Emergency Department (ED) visits in February and March 2021 than in 2019. Suicide attempt ED visits increased 3.7 percent for boys.
If My Child Is Sad A Lot, Does This Mean They Have Depression?
No. It’s hard to discern whether your child’s conduct is normal or abnormal. Everybody—even kids—gets depressed or sad sometimes. Depression isn’t sorrow. Clinical depression goes beyond a child’s occasional melancholy. The illness causes despondency and a lack of energy and excitement for weeks, months, or even years.
Depressed children are gloomy or irritated for weeks and no longer enjoy activities. Even minor depression affects a child’s ability to perform at home, school, and with friends. Identifying and seeking assistance is crucial. Early identification and therapy may help your kid feel better and reduce their risk of depression.
Talk to your child’s doctor about depression screening and if their conduct is concerning. They may send you to a child psychologist, psychiatrist, or another kid-focused mental health specialist.
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What Are The Signs & Symptoms
Children’s depression symptoms vary from adults. Children have more physical symptoms and less emotional expression. Depression might change your child’s behavior. These include:
