Causes of Childhood Depression
As with adult depression, diagnosis of depression in children is not as clear-cut as it is for other ailments. There is no test that can be given which will positively say that an individual has depression, much less pinpoint the cause(s). The medical community still knows relatively little about the brain, how it works, and what makes it malfunction. In fact, anti-depressant properties of certain medications were discovered by accident in the 1950s while seeking a cure for tuberculosis.We do know that certain children have risk factors in their lives which could predispose them to depression or could "trigger" depression. Among these are a family history of mental illness or suicide, abuse (physical, emotional or sexual), chronic illness and the loss of a parent at an early age to death, divorce or abandonment. However, some infants exhibit depressive symptoms at an early age before most of these factors come into play, so there is an argument to be made for depression being wholly chemical in some children. Each child's depression is individual, and causes will be different for each one. The depression could be wholly chemical, wholly due to psychological factors, or a combination of the two. More important than the cause is identifying the illness and treating it.
Symptoms of Depression in Children
- Persistent sadness and/or irritability.
- Low self-esteem or feelings or worthlessness. A child may make such statements as, "I'm bad. I'm stupid. No one likes me."
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Change in appetite (either increase or decrease).
- Change in sleep patterns (either increase or decrease).
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Anger and rage
- Headaches, stomachaches or other physical pains that seem to have no cause.
- Changes in activity level. The child either becomes more lethargic or more hyperactive.
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide.
Any change in a child's behavior that seems to have no external or physical cause should be looked at. A low mood which results from a loss (death of a loved one, moving, changing schools) which lasts more than a few weeks should be considered possible depression and checked out.
If the child has bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, these symptoms could be present:
- abrupt, rapid mood swings
- periods of extreme hyperactivity
- prolonged, explosive temper tantrums or rages
- exaggerated ideas about self or abilities
Bipolar disorder is often mis-diagnosed as attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder.
