Significant behavior change or loss of interest in usual activities. Changes in sleep patterns, appetite, or energy. Missed school or poor school performance. Thoughts about death, suicide, or running away. Depression in children is caused by both biological and environmental factors.
Suicide is a very serious concern for depressed young people.
More than 5,000 children and adolescents commit suicide each year, though research indicates that for each completed suicide, 100-200 attempts are made. Policymakers and healthcare providers need to focus more attention on the issues of childhood depression. Parents must act as advocates for their children and work to identify resources available within the support community and within State and local governments to provide a high quality of care for these children. Although symptoms of depression are similar across age groups, policymakers and practitioners must also recognize that children and adults suffering from depression have very different needs for services and treatment options. In the State of Maine, several innovative initiatives were put in place in an effort to improve the services available to the working-age adult community suffering from depression.