How to Help a Child With a Depressed Parent

Even if depression strikes only one person in a family, it can leave a host of victims in its wake. Consider that children of depressed parents are two to three times more likely than other kids to suffer from depression and other mental disorders. With so much at stake, it's important to help the kids of depressed parents get the tools they need to stay resilient.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Talk about depression. It's important for a child to know that you didn't miss his baseball game because you were too lazy or uninterested to come. You missed it because you have something called "depression," and it's a sickness that can affect your energy levels. Explain what depression is, along with symptoms and treatment, in a way he can understand.

2. Reassure the child. Children affected by depression need to know that the disease is not their fault. Nothing they did or said caused this sadness to descend and they are not responsible for taking care of the depressed parent. Remind them that their job is to be a kid, and other adults will look after mom or dad.

3. Let the child know he's loved and cared for. Few things are more scary to a kid than wondering if the people entrusted with his care and happiness will be there for him. Make sure the child knows he's loved and that there will always be adults around he can turn to. Be as specific as possible: name names and give examples of how they can help (for example, if Mom can't pick you up from school, I'll be there).

4. Give him a chance to talk about how he's feeling. Just verbalizing his reactions to the disease can help relieve some anxiety. If the child is finding it hard to put things into words, try to help him name his feelings, or even ask him to draw a picture.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch for signs of depression in the child and get help immediately. While depressed kids can exhibit the trademark melancholy of depression, they can also display different symptoms from adults like aggressive behavior, having an explosive temper, low self-esteem and social withdrawal.