health sectionhealth sectionOnly a physician or mental health worker can diagnose depression in your child; however, there are ways to screen at home if your child is showing signs of depression. Depression is very rare with children under 6 years old. Tests are only available for kids 7 years and up. Be aware that the physical symptoms of depression (insomnia, tiredness, pain, etc.) often appear first, and the language difficulty often makes it hard to assess feelings accurately.
Childhood depression should be examined because of its potential negative long term affects if left undiagnosed. Children with depression need treatment in order to live productive lives without turning to alcohol and drugs for relief of depression symptoms.
Depression can affect anyone of any age group. Children are affected by this condition in the same way as adults. The symptoms in children also are presented in the same way. Depression must be identified before it can be treated effectively. For that reason, parents must be aware of the signs and symptoms of depression in children.
Attention deficit disorder (ADD), sometimes referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a disorder that causes problems with the inhibition of spontaneous responses. This lack of inhibitions leads to several symptoms that can negatively affect a child's life.
Although many cases of clinical depression aren’t diagnosed until adulthood, some doctors believe severe cases of adult depression begin in childhood. Major depression can affect people of all ages. However, childhood depression is often overlooked because most children can’t express or explain their feelings. There are telltale signs of childhood depression. And it’s important for every parent to familiarize themselves with the symptoms and tackle the problem early.
