The percentage of children with depression is staggering - and growing!

Parents have much less support then their children have behavioral and mental health issues than they do for physical ailments.  Public recognition would spur support for parents and advocacy groups.  We need more articles with information and personal stories to help achieve this.

Studies have shown that on any single day (called “point prevalence” by epidemiologists) about 2 percent of school-aged children and about 8 percent of adolescents meet the criteria for major depression. Looking in the long term, the numbers are higher—for instance, one in five teens have experienced depression at some point. In primary care settings the rates of depression are higher still—as many as 28 percent for adolescents. Preschool depression has begun to attract interest in the literature but much more needs to be learned about how mood disorders may affect this age group. 

How can you tell if your child is depressed?

Signs that frequently help parents or others know that a child or teen should be evaluated for depression include:

• feeling persistently sad or blue;

• talking about suicide or being better off dead;

• becoming suddenly much more irritable;

• having a marked deterioration in school or home functioning;

• reporting persistent physical complaints and/or making many visits to school nurses;

• failing to engage in previously pleasurable activities or interactions with friends; and

• abusing substances.