A Parent's Guide for Suicidal and Depressed Teens by Kate Williams Read an excerpt from the book. A Guide for Parents by Miriam Kaufman Visit Parenting Teens . Read the author's article on Teen Suicide . Depression is defined as an illness when the feelings of depression persist and interfere with a child or adolescent s ability to function. Depressive illness in children and teens is defined when the feelings of depression persist and interfere with a child or adolescent's ability to function.
Depression is common in teens and younger children.
About 5 percent of children and adolescents in the general population suffer from depression at any given point in time. Children under stress , who experience loss , or who have attentiona l, learning , conduct or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Teenage girls are at especially high risk, as are minority youth. Depressed youth often have problems at home. In many cases, the parents are depressed, as depression tends to run in families.