Childhood depression

How to detect it?

In children there is also a stage where they become depressed, not only it happens in adults and adolescents. In this case, because depression is not usually classified as a disease that needs to be paid attention to, it often goes unnoticed or is mistaken for something else. That is why it is important that parents are attentive to the behavior of their children as this can be a problem in the health of the little one and even of the parents as well.

If this problem is not detected in time, it can last for a long time and cause problems in the child in his adolescent and even adult life. Poor development in school and in social relationships. This happens because parents do not know how to detect the symptoms, but here we will tell you what they could be.

Symptoms of childhood depression Although the symptoms of depression are usually sadness or listlessness in adults, in children this is not the case. Anger and irritability are common signs in childhood and adolescent depression. This is why parents find it a little more difficult to see the symptoms, especially when they are young children since it is difficult for them to express how they feel.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, symptoms can be:

Feeling sad, depressed, or irritable.
Changes in weight or appetite.
Fatigue and lack of energy.
Concentration problems.
Loss of interest in activities that were previously to their liking.
Sleep disorders such as sleep during the day and insomnia at night.
Poor school performance.
Headaches or stomach aches.

Parents should pay close attention as many suicides have been caused by not knowing how to detect whether the child is depressed or not. Instead of parents getting angry with their children when they are irritable, better stop to think why your child is acting this way. Don’t react impulsively. You must be aware of the changes that your children make as they grow and of course, they should feel the support and love of their parents equally.