Home | Contact Us | Purpose | Privacy | Disclaimer | Referral Service

Cardiovascular and Heart Disease Risk Factors

Depression - in Adolescents and Children

Large-scale research studies have reported that up to 8.3 percent of adolescents in the United States suffer from depression. In addition, research has discovered that depression onset is occurring earlier in individuals born in more recent decades. There is evidence that depression emerging early in life often persists, recurs, and continues into adulthood, and that early onset depression may predict more severe illness in adult life.

Diagnosing and treating children and adolescents with depression is critical to prevent impairment in academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning and to allow children to live up to their full potential.

Research on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in adolescents, however, has lagged behind that in adults. Diagnosing depression in this age group is often difficult because early symptoms can be hard to detect or may be attributed to other causes. In addition, treating depression in adolescents remains a challenge, because few studies have established the safety and efficacy of treatments for depression in youth.

Children and adolescents are going through rapid, age-related changes in their physiological states, and there remains much to be learned about brain development during the early years of life before treatments for depression in young people will be as successful as they are in older people.

Depression in children and adolescents is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviors. Over the last several decades, the suicide rate in young people has increased dramatically. In 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, suicide was the third leading cause of death in 15-24 year olds and the fourth leading cause among 10-14 year olds.

Researchers are developing and testing various interventions to prevent suicide in children and adolescents. However, early diagnosis and treatment of depression and other mental disorders, and accurate evaluation of suicidal thinking, possibly hold the greatest suicide prevention value.

Until recently, there were limited data on the safety and efficacy of antidepressant medications in children and adolescents. The use of antidepressants in this age group was based on adult standards of treatment.

A recent study supported fluoxetine, an SSRI, as a safe and efficacious medication for child and adolescent depression. The response rate was not as high as in adults, however, emphasizing the need for continued research on existing treatments and for development of more effective treatments, including psychotherapies designed specifically for children.

Other complementary studies in the field are beginning to report similar positive findings in depressed young people treated with any of several newer antidepressants. In a number of studies, TCAs were found to be ineffective for treating depression in children and adolescents, but limitations of the study designs preclude b conclusions.

Depression in Children

Only in the past two decades has depression in children been taken very seriously. The depressed child may pretend to be sick, refuse to go to school, cling to a parent, or worry that the parent may die. Older children may sulk, get into trouble at school, be negative, grouchy, and feel misunderstood.

Because normal behaviors vary from one childhood stage to another, it can be difficult to tell whether a child is just going through a temporary "phase" or is suffering from depression. Sometimes the parents become worried about how the child's behavior has changed, or a teacher mentions that "your child doesn't seem to be himself." In such a case, if a visit to the child's pediatrician rules out physical symptoms, the doctor will probably suggest that the child be evaluated, preferably by a psychiatrist who specializes in the treatment of children.

If treatment is needed, the doctor may suggest that another therapist, usually a social worker or a psychologist, provide therapy while the psychiatrist will oversee medication if it is needed.

Parents should not be afraid to ask questions:

• What are the therapist's qualifications?
• What kind of therapy will the child have?
• Will the family as a whole participate in therapy?
• Will my child's therapy include an antidepressant?
• If so, what might the side effects be?

The National Institute of Mental Health in America has identified the use of medications for depression in children as an important area for research. The National Institute of Mental Health - supported Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPPs) form a network of seven research sites where clinical studies on the effects of medications for mental disorders can be conducted in children and adolescents. Among the medications being studied are antidepressants, some of which have been found to be effective in treating children with depression, if properly monitored by the child's physician.

Related Topics:

How To Help Yourself if You Are Depressed
Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances ...

Depression Medication
There are several types of antidepressant medications used to treat depressive disorders. Sometimes the health professional will try a variety of antidepressants before finding the most effective medication or combination of medications ...

Side Effects of Depression Medications
Before starting a new medication, ask your health professional to tell you about any side effects you may experience. Antidepressants may cause mild and, usually, temporary side effects (sometimes referred to as adverse effects) in some people ...

Herbal Medication
Herbal Therapy: In the past few years, much interest has risen in the use of herbs in the treatment of both depression and anxiety ...