Have you ever noticed that your little one is sad, angry, or more quiet than usual? It's normal for young children to feel sad and frustrated. It's not surprising to feel sad when you have a fight with a friend or when you have a difficult exam. But if this sadness doesn't subside in a couple of days, but continues for weeks, it can be more serious than we think. As a parent, no one can feel this change in your child more than you. So today, let's talk about this condition called depression, which can also affect young children.
Do young children really get depression?
Yes. The answer to this question is, "Absolutely yes." We often think that depression is something that only affects adults. But the truth is, depression can affect not only school-age children, but also preschoolers and toddlers.
This is not a child's bad behavior or a parent's fault. To be precise, depression is a brain disorder that affects both adults and children. It is caused by changes in certain chemicals (neurotransmitters) in our brain. Some children may have a genetic predisposition to this.
Simply put, it's like some children are born with a special talent for music or art. Similarly, some children may be genetically predisposed to conditions like depression.
Depression and Anxiety - What is the connection between the two?
Experts say that anxiety is more common than depression, especially before a child reaches puberty. In fact, children who experience anxiety as children are at a higher risk of developing depression as adults. Studies have shown that about half of young children who suffer from depression had an anxiety-related problem as children.
Therefore, it is a very dangerous mistake to minimize a child's anxiety by saying, "That's just how it is, it will be okay when they grow up." These situations cause great psychological stress for the child and even disrupt daily activities. This can lead to a feeling of hopelessness in the child. This hopelessness is what pushes a child to the point of harming themselves.
There are several types of anxiety that are common among young children.
| Type of anxiety | What does that mean? |
|---|---|
| Separation Anxiety | These children have an extreme fear of harming their family (mother, father, siblings). Therefore, they are very afraid of being separated from their parents, especially going to school. On school days, they can actually experience stomach aches and headaches. This pain does not come from the body, but from the mental stress that comes from the brain. |
| Social Phobia | These children have a hard time talking and interacting with others, especially at school. Even though they may talk well with their parents at home, they may not speak a word to anyone outside. This is often the reason why they don't want to go to school. |
| Generalized Anxiety Disorder | These kids worry unnecessarily and excessively about the future. Imagine a third-grader worrying about how he's going to get to campus. If you ask him, 'How did you play today?' he might answer, 'I scored two goals,' and then say, 'But I'm worried about the spelling test tomorrow.' |
How do I know if my child has depression?
As a parent, if you notice a change in your child's behavior, be concerned. If your child exhibits one or more of the following symptoms for more than two weeks, it could be a sign of depression.
| Characteristic | A little explanation |
|---|---|
| Always feeling sad, crying | Being constantly sad and tearful for no particular reason. |
| Disliking things you used to like | Even though you used to enjoy playing, drawing, or watching TV, now you have no interest or joy in any of those things. This inability to be happy is one of the main symptoms of depression. |
| Preferring to be alone | Even though you have the opportunity to play with friends, you avoid it and try to stay in your room alone. |
| Constantly angry, irritable | They get angry over small things, start fights, and behave in an unreasonable manner. |
| Thinking poorly of oneself | They say things like, "I'm useless," "Nobody loves me," and "I'm a problem for everyone." |
| Frequent physical pain | They often complain of stomach aches and headaches for no particular reason. |
| Schoolwork disruption | Reluctance to go to school, inability to concentrate on work even when going to school, poor grades. |
| Changes in diet and sleep | Sudden decrease or increase in eating. Inability to sleep at night or feeling sleepy all day. |
| Dangerous thoughts or stories | Talking about running away from home, talking about dying, talking about thoughts of harming yourself. If you see anything like this, you should seek medical advice immediately. |
You know your child best. If you feel that there is a change in your child's behavior and it is not going away, please do not ignore that feeling. Investigate that suspicion. The best thing to do is to see a doctor and seek advice.
How to help your child? - The first step is an accurate diagnosis
Before we can help a child, we need to know exactly what condition the child has. As one expert says, "If the most important thing for a child with depression is location, location, location, the most important thing for a child with depression is diagnosis, diagnosis, diagnosis ."
Before starting treatment, it is essential to confirm whether your child is truly depressed. You can take your child to a pediatrician, a child psychiatrist, or a psychologist.
When you see the doctor, you can ask these questions:
- "Doctor, what is my child's condition?"
- "Can you please explain it in a way I can understand?"
- "What are the treatment options for this?"
What are the treatments?
Once a child is diagnosed with depression, there are several treatment options. This is not something that can be cured overnight. It is something that needs to be done with the cooperation of the parents, the doctor, and the child.
1. Counseling (Psychotherapy/Counselling): This is very important. Counseling helps the child understand their feelings, manage them, and give them the strength to face problems. Sometimes other family members also have to participate in this (Family Therapy).
2. Medication: In some cases, the doctor may prescribe antidepressants. There is no need to be afraid of these medications. When properly diagnosed and administered under medical supervision, these medications can be very safe and effective. But remember, medication is not magic. The best results are achieved when combined with counseling.
The most important thing is that not giving medication has a side effect. That is, the child will continue to be sick. Therefore, talk to your doctor carefully before making any decisions about this.
Is all sadness depression?
No. This is also something we need to understand. Some children's lives are really sad. A child can be sad and frustrated due to things like family problems, parental disputes, financial difficulties, and problems at school. This is called demoralization . This is different from a mental illness called depression. It is normal to feel sad when life is difficult. Also, some children can be stressed out by overly competitive education and extra classes and show signs of depression.
Take-Home Message
- Even young children can develop depression. It's not the child's fault or the parents' fault.
- If your child's symptoms of sadness, anger, or loneliness persist for more than two weeks, be concerned.
- If you notice a change in your child's behavior, don't ignore it as "it will get better when it grows up." Seek medical advice immediately.
- Before starting treatment, it is essential to get an accurate diagnosis of what the child has.
- Treatment is not just about medication. Counseling and the love and support you give as a parent are also very important for your child to recover quickly.
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