Depression can manifest itself in many ways. School performance can fall significantly, and for very bright youngsters, this might even mean that they continue to have passing grades. Parents and teachers should become concerned when there is a deterioration in school performance.
Depressed children can feel isolated and withdrawn from peers and family.
They often feel depleted of energy, and find that they are no longer interested in everyday activities that had once been very attractive to them. For example, the avid tennis player now rejects opportunities for joining in a game. They may prefer to spend most of their time in isolative activities such as reading, listening to music, looking at television or playing computer or video games. While a certain amount of such activities is common, when they become the sole activity there is cause for concern. Sleep disturbance is another symptom of depression, and can either show up as sleeping less or more than usual.