Children and adolescents can suffer from depression, as well as numerous other mental conditions once believed to afflict only adults. The chance of untreated depression in children and adolescents is the same as for those in adults, but social-emotional development, as well as academic progress, may fall behind because of the impairment in functioning.
Some differences in criteria are used to diagnose depression in children, but essentially, the presenting symptoms overlap with in adults. Children don't invariably exhibit depressed mood but may be irritable instead. Depression often manifests with behavioral problems rather than withdrawal from others.
Behavioral problems in children that may be associated with depression include fighting with peers, increased defiance toward adults, a decline in grades, disruptive behavior in school, or school avoidance. It had been once believed that children and adolescents rarely suffered from significant depression. Teenage years in many cases are thought to be tumultuous by nature along with a sufficient explanation for problems of moodiness, oppositional behavior, school troubles, etc.
Studies that have investigated the past of depressed adults have found that many adults first experienced depression as adolescents. Anytime, 10% to 15% of kids and adolescents suffer from some the signs of depression. Because of the adverse effect on social and emotional development, it is very important to deal with depression in these age groups.
Depressed adolescents are at a higher risk for drug abuse and early sensual experimentation, school failure, running away, and legal problems. Suicide is the third leading reason for death in adolescents. The family is usually in crisis when a child suffers from a difficult disorder, putting a strain on siblings and parents.
Parents might have to take extra time removed from work to deal with school problems and also to tend to the emotional and behavioral issues. They may not be as available for siblings who might feel neglected. Failure to identify depression in children and adolescents is fraught with significant risks for everyone in the family. Depression is really a treatable illness in children and adolescents and should be taken very seriously.
The guidance counselor in school thinks that our teenage daughter is depressed. She spends a lot of time in her room. Is this normal teen behavior?
It is often believed that adolescence is characterized by turmoil and significant distress. In fact, most teenagers do not experience high levels of turmoil and undergo transitions up relatively smoothly. As adolescents start to establish their own identities, they start to pull back emotionally from their parents.
They may isolate in their room more frequently and may refuse to spend time with their parents. Consequently, many parents do not know how their teenager is dealing with and processing events around them.
When locked in their room, teenagers can happen to become serving as any normal teen would. Although many depressed adolescents present with behavioral difficulties that are obvious to their guardians, many teens suffer silently, without showing their feelings. Parents may not be aware that an issue exists.
At school, a teenager may talk openly using the guidance counselor or teacher, perhaps as a way of having help without admitting to the parents that there is a problem. Whenever there's a change in behavior, there should be consideration of emotional problems like a cause, rather than strictly assuming that it is "hormonal" or typical for youths.
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