Q: what are the steps helping my 8 year old son who may have childhood depression? finding doctor? should i meet doctors first? etc.
Hi, Ashley. I'm sorry your son is having to go through this, and you along with him. My two adult sons were depressed at young ages, so I understand what a worry it is. How I got them help was to go to our county's mental health clinic and ask for an evaluation. It was determined that my oldest son was almost depressed enough to be hospitalized, so they had him see a psychiatrist there fairly quickly and he got on medication, then saw the psychologist for therapy for a number of years.
If you take your son to a clinic like this, they will want to speak with you and get your input and then you will have to decide if what they're proposing sounds like a good plan and if the people who work with your son feel like a good fit for him, which is hard to tell right away. If something doesn't seem right to you, talk to them about it and don't be afraid to challenge it. At a clinic, you can always get a different person to work with if the fit isn't good.
I wish you all the best and hope your son will soon be feeling better. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do the best I can to answer. Take care.
Important:
We hope you find this general health information helpful. Please note however, that this Q&A is meant to support not replace the professional medical advice you receive from your doctor. No information in the Answers above is intended to diagnose or treat any condition. The views expressed in the Answers above belong to the individuals who posted them and do not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media. Remedy Health Media does not review or edit content posted by our community members, but reserves the right to remove any material it deems inappropriate.
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
thank you for responding. this is exactly the kind of advice i was hoping to get. my family doctor just gave me a list of 5 doctors names and numbers and that was it.
he is my middle child and has always been a little more sensitive but i've noticed other factors. his uncle also suffers from depression and mental illness and is having major issues. i don't want to wait too long to get help if he really needs it.
thank you again