Identifying Childhood Depression

Did you know that pre-schoolers are among the fastest-growing age bracket to which antidepressants are being marketed, according to studies published in "Psychiatric Services"? Researchers estimate that more than a million young children are clinically depressed.
Depression is an illness that affects millions of adults but does not discriminate by age. Children can be just as likely to develop the condition, especially if there is a genetic component, meaning depression runs in the family.
The symptoms of depression may be different in children than in adults. This coupled with a child's inability to sometimes express what he or she is feeling can make diagnosing childhood depression more difficult. Signs include, but are not limited to, rage, irritability, bedwetting, and physical complaints, such as stomach aches, dizziness and headaches.
Depression is a broad term that covers a few different clinical disorders. Children most often experience "reactive depression," or the blues brought on by a change in circumstance or loss. Divorce, moving or attending a new school can induce this form of depression.
Children also may experience dysthymia, also known as low-grade depression. Counseling and treatment with medication for the short-term can help.
Major depression is less likely in children, but teenagers may suffer from it. In fact, research indicates that dabbling with drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin during the teen years is often a way to self-medicate and alleviate depression symptoms. However, it can simply make matters worse.
Manic depression, also known as bi-polar disorder, can occur in children primarily if it runs in the family. If you or a relative has bi-polar disorder and your child is exhibiting symptoms of extreme highs and lows in behavior, see a doctor promptly for treatment.
Depression is a treatable illness, provided steps are taken to promptly identify and treat the condition. Most psychiatric experts agree that a combination of medication and counseling is the key to dealing with depression.

 

Turn the TVOff For Better Language Development

Recent studies indicate that young children exposed to television viewing from infancy can experience a delay in speech and know fewer words than children who didn't watch television. But up until very recently it really wasn't understood why. Research points to fewer words being uttered around the house by caregivers in the presence of audible television. Therefore, turning off the TV can promote better language skills for children and adults alike.
A total of 329 children were observed in a home-based study lead by researcher Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The children wore a small, business card-sized recorder on random days monthly for up to two years. The recorder captured everything the child said and also heard during continuous 12- to 16-hour periods. The recorders were removed only for naps, baths, nighttime sleep, and car rides. A speech identification software program processed the recorded files to analyze sounds children were exposed to in their environment, as well as the sounds and utterances they made.
The results of the study, published in June 2009, were eye-opening. During each hour of audible television, significant reductions in child vocalizations, vocalization duration and conversational turns occurred. On average, each additional hour of television exposure was also associated with a decrease of 770 words the child heard from an adult during the recording session. From 500 to 1,000 fewer adult words were spoken per hour of audible television. Adults generally speak more than 900 words per hour. However, that amount is nearly obliterated when the TV is on.
According to recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children under the age of two should not watch television. Instead, spend time reading, talking and singing to your child to promote brain and verbal development.
After age 2 is reached, children can watch age-appropriate programming, but keep it to a minimum -- no more than two hours per day. Here are other recommendations to follow.
* During meal times, keep the TV turned off and engage in conversation.
* Don't leave the television on for background noise. When it is not being watched, keep it off.
* If you are watching television together, talk about what you are watching. Make TV viewing a chance to talk and interact as well.
* Don't have a television in your child's bedroom. Otherwise you may have difficulty monitoring how much and what is being watched.

 

 

 

 

Information from Metro Newspaper Service © 2010