Once a young person has experienced a major depression, he or she is at risk of developing another depression within the next five years. May 8 is set aside to recognize Childhood Depression Awareness Day and help parents recognize the signs of childhood depression. You may think that children have no cause to be depressed, however, depression is a real illness that can strike children and teens as well as adults.
Clinical depression goes beyond sadness.
It's not having a bad day or a personal weakness. Health professionals warn that the signs of depression are not easy to identify in children. Symptoms may come on abruptly and last for weeks or months. If your child exhibits one or more of these symptoms for weeks or months on end, you should seek professional help to deal with the problem. Also, parents should get accurate information from libraries, hotlines and other sources and ask questions about treatments and services.