When children get the blues, their sad feelings should pass within a few days. If their sadness deepens or continues longer than two weeks, it could indicate a more serious problem. Clinical depression goes beyond sadness, having a bad day or coping with a major loss such as the death of a family member or even a favorite pet. It's also not a personal weakness or a character flaw. Depression is a brain disorder that affects the whole person, affecting the way one feels, thinks and acts.
Childhood depression can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug use, and even suicide.
Fortunately, it is highly treatable. Know the facts As many as one in every 33 children and one in eight adolescents may have depression. Once a young person has experienced a major depression episode, he or she is at risk of developing another depression episode within the next five years. Two-thirds of children with mental health problems do not get the help they need. A study led by Dr. Graham Emslie of the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, concludes that treatment of major depression is as effective for children as it is for adults.