One of the most misunderstood aspects of child and adolescent depression is that many adults truly believe that child and adolescent depression does not actually exist. Not true. Depression exists in approximately 1 in 33 children and is currently on the rise. Yet nine times out of ten when I diagnose depression in a child or adolescent, the first reaction I get from parents is "How is that possible?" or "Are you sure?" Unfortunately, the cliché holds true... often parents really are the last to know.
The good news is there is a simple and effective way for parents to have heightened awareness and help prevent childhood depression, or at the very least help it from getting out of control. The way is to GET CONNECTED.
Get connected to your kids. Get connected to their teachers. Get connected to their friends.
This month (May) is Mental Health Awareness Month and GET CONNECTED is the central theme. But how do we get connected? One starting point that I have used to get connected for years in my private practice and in my work with the county is continually evaluating 5 keys areas in a child's life. Knowing your child is key. And once you know them--any changes in these areas can be a red flag in terms of the beginning signs of depression. The 5 areas are:
1. Sleep: quality and quantity
2. Work: Is school meaningful from a social and academic standpoint?
3. Eating: What are they eating and do you eat together regularly as a family?
4. Emotional Expression of Self: levels of tantruming, irritability and anxiousness
5. Play: hobbies and friend interaction
I call this SWEEP. And once you have a "baseline" of these areas on your kids, you will quickly know when things start to change. I urge parents and caregivers to SWEEP their kids regularly as well as themselves and their family as a whole.
Another important tool we have as parents in terms of getting connected, ironically, is our gut. So often when our gut tells us something is wrong or off with our child, our gut is quite accurate. Yet this inner voice is often disregarded because of fear and the overwhelming sense of "What if it is true... what if my kid is depressed."
And still another important resource of getting connected is listening to those people who you respect and who are around your child. If you are getting uncomfortable feedback from others, this is the time to LISTEN.
When people hear the word depression, particular in regard to their child, it stirs up a very negative and overwhelming reaction. People associate depression with "being crazy" or "needing medication". And most often, neither are true.
Remember, the importance of getting and staying connected to our children can never be overstated. Connecting is a form of prevention.
If your child is diagnosed with depression, you must continue to ask questions of your doctor, and I urge all parents to seek a second opinion.
