Is my child depressed? What do I do?

Any parent will tell you it is normal for kids to be moody. Some kids are fairly jolly and easy going. Others are temperamental and reactive. As a middle child, I was somewhere in the middle. Though I am sure my mom would disagree (LOL!). However, when a sad or grouchy mood lasts for weeks or months it may indicate something more severe.

You would think that diagnosing depression in children is easy. Unfortunately, depression is one of the most undiagnosed conditions in children. According to Yale Medicine, around 3% of all children are clinically depressed. There are estimates that 50% of these kids will not receive treatment. Depressed children often present with externalizing behaviors (i.e., acting out, aggression, etc), irritability and restlessness. Additionally, younger children have more difficulty understanding and reporting their emotions making assessment more difficult. These symptoms can be misdiagnosed as Bipolar illness, ODD and ADHD. This misdiagnosis can lead to poor mental health outcomes. As children enter into adolescence, they may present with more typical symptoms such as low energy, poor appetite and depressive ideation.

So, how do parents determine if their child is depressed? What do they do? The first step is to trust your gut. Nobody knows your child like you do. If you have noticed a change in your child's daily behaviors, do not ignore it. Depression can become worse the longer time passes. Attached is a link to Mental Health America's online screening tool for parents. This is a great tool to help validate your "gut."

https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/parent/

The second step is getting your child's mental health evaluated asap. This is easier said than done, as the wait for services is long in many areas. Do not be discouraged. Place your child on a wait list and be patient. Help will come. Advocate, advocate, advocate for your child. There is an old saying "the nail that sticks out gets the hammer."

The final and most important step is to keep your child safe. If you are ever concerned that your child is a danger to themselves contact local crisis services or call "911". Keep all firearms and medications locked away from depressed children. Suicide is a growing epidemic in U.S. adolescents and children.

As always, I wish you nothing but the best in your parenting journey. Keep your head up and remember recovery is possible for all children. Please send me a message if you have any questions about this blog.

Eddie