Childhood Depression

What are the signs of early depression ?

Any child who feels sad need not be depressed. Childhood depression is different from the developmental emotional variations that children exhibit day to day. Childhood depression is a symptomatic condition that is persistent in nature and turns to be disruptive and interfering in the child’s social, family and school life.

How to recognize that your child is going in to depression?

No two children show perfectly similar signs of being depressed. In some it may go undetected. But in those whom it can be detected show:
• Irritability or anger
• Continuous feelings of sadness, hopelessness
• Withdrawal or loss of interest in activities which were otherwise interesting.
• Loss of concentration and lack of interest in school work and related activities
• Solitary play and decreased social interaction
• Increased sensitivity to rejection and outbursts of crying or irritability
• Inexplicable physical symptoms like stomachache and head ache not responding to treatment
• Feelings of low self esteem, guilt and worthlessness.
• Loss of energy and early fatiguability
• Sudden Changes in sleep and appetite