According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, suicide is the 3 rd leading cause of death among children and adolescents, just behind accidents and violence. Moreover, depressive thinking can become part of a child's developing personality, leaving long-term effects in place for the rest of a child's life. Childhood depression is a serious problem that demands a serious treatment approach. However, one obstacle to eliminating depression in children is first to recognize it for what it is. It is important to determine if depression is a part of the overall behavioral picture, because many effective therapies and interventions are available today.
Depression is a disorder that is defined by certain behaviors and thought patterns.
Although the core troubles are the same for children as they are for adults, often the specific behaviors are different, and vary according to the age and developmental level of the child. Rather, they may say that they are bored, angry, or are just not happy. As examples of how depressive behavior can be somewhat different in adults versus children, below is a list comparing the major symptoms of depression. They must last at least 2 weeks continually, must not be the result of drug or alcohol use, and not be due to bereavement or grief after a loss. As seen in clinical practice and in some studies, the most common symptoms of depression reported in children and adolescents were sadness, inability to feel pleasure, irritability, fatigue, insomnia, lack of self-esteem, and social withdrawal.