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 Depression Takes On Different Look In Children May is Mental Health Month, and thousands of children, families, physicians and advocates have been working in communities around the nation to get the word out that mental health issues such as childhood depression are real, common and treatable. The symptoms of depression may look different in children than in adults, and as a result, are often overlooked or misunderstood. “The fact that one in five U.S. children have a diagnosable mental health problem, but less than a third receive care, is cause for alarm,” says Michael Faenza, President and CEO of National Mental Health Association. On a regional level, the behavioral health staff at Home Nursing Agency works collaboratively with parents, children, teachers and health professionals in an effort to educate on the prevention and treatment, as well as warning signs of childhood depression. Home Nursing Agency provides a myriad of services ranging from support services to children and families in the home and community, to weekly outpatient counseling services to a more intensive level where children receive daily individual and group counseling services, along with psychiatric services. One of the most common responses to hearing that a child is depressed is, “What does a child have to be depressed about?” This statement reveals two major misconceptions, according to Laura Chandler, Team Manager of the Home Nursing Agency's intensive day treatment program for children, which addresses serious emotional difficulties that may affect a child's ability to function in home and school environments. “It clearly demonstrates the lack of understanding about clinical depression. It's not the same as the 'blues' or 'down moods that most everyone has from time to time,” explains Chandler. Often, depression manifests differently in children through frequent incidents of acting out, aggression, hyperactivity or a combination of all three. Another harbored misconception is that childhood is carefree and trouble-free. Adults sometimes forget the pressure children experience and do not realize that factors like peer acceptance, grades, and parental expectations all have the potential to effect children in negative ways. Children are powerless and have no control over their own lives, which can be a frustrating state of affairs to live through day to day, especially if a child already has insecurities as a result of his/her home life. A 'low mood' resulting from a loss (death of a loved one, moving, or changing schools), which lasts more than a few weeks should be considered as possible depression and checked out immediately. Chandler said some children have risk factors in their lives, which could predispose them to depression or could incite depressive episodes. Among these are a family history of mental illness or suicide, abuse (physical, emotional or sexual), chronic illness, divorce, abandonment or the loss of a parent at an early age. Sometimes even the loss of a family pet can have a long-term affect on a child. Consequences of untreated depression can include social isolation, difficulties at home and school, and an increased risk of suicide. Once a child experiences an episode of depression, he or she is at risk of having another episode within the next five years. Childhood depression often goes hand-in-hand with other mental illnesses or disorders such as Attention-Deficit Disorder and - especially in adolescent girls -with eating disorders and self-injury. Some common warning signs of depression in a child or adolescent include: Early diagnosis and treatment is essential for youth with depression. If you have questions about child depression or any mental health issue, call Home Nursing Agency Behavioral Health Service at 943-0414 or toll-free at 866-818-3271. 
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