4 Signs of Childhood Depression

It’s hard to believe that children could suffer from mental illness. However, according to the CDC, approximately 3.2% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with depression. Here are four signs of childhood depression:

 

Mood swings with intense lows

It’s not always easy to identify depression-related mood swings in younger children. Young children are still learning emotional intelligence and self-regulation, so tantrums and emotional outbursts are normal. If you notice your child is crying more frequently, throwing more tantrums than usual, or generally seems very sad, lonely, or irritable, they may be dealing with childhood depression.

 

Lethargy

When a child hasn’t had a nap, they’re tired, irritable, and prone to emotional outbursts. However, fatigue does not compare to chronic lethargy. Like adults with depression, children experiencing depression may have low energy. Depression is very draining. They may also put very little effort into day-to-day tasks at home and school, and show no interest in playing. When they attempt small tasks, they may give up easily. If your child appears lethargic, this could be a sign of an underlying issue.

 

Changes in sleep or appetite

For children, changes in sleep and appetite is one of the biggest tell-tale signs that something is wrong. If your child is dealing with depression, they may eat less or overeat to cope with their emotions. They may wake up throughout the night, appear restless, or sleep for unusually long periods of time and still wake up feeling tired. If you notice major changes in your child’s sleep or appetite, seek professional help.

 

Changes in self-perception

Depression can be extremely damaging to a child’s self-esteem. If your child is dealing with depression, you may notice that they complain more or speak negatively of themselves and their capabilities. This negative self-talk may sound like:

• “No one likes me.”
• “I can’t do that. I’m not good enough.”
• “I am so ugly. I can’t go to school looking like this.”

If you notice changes in the way your child talks about or views themselves, consider having them screened for childhood depression.

 

Dr. Geo-Anna Hirshenbaum is a bilingual (English and Spanish) licensed clinical psychologist whose focus is on conducting psychological evaluations for all age groups, including children and adolescents. Interested in learning more about our services? Contact us today!

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