Managing Your Child's Depression in Lake Charles, LA
It's perfectly normal for children and teenagers to sometimes experience feelings of sadness. But if you notice that your child often goes through these episodes, it's possible that they may be struggling with depression and that they may need help from our Lake Charles, LA, pediatrician, Dr. Rachel Chatters of Chatters Pediatrics.
What is Depression
Depression is more than just feeling sad every once in a while, it's a mood disorder that can cause these feelings over a long period of time.
It can affect your child's sleeping schedule, their appetite, and their relationship with friends and family, and, in severe cases, it can lead to thoughts of suicide. But in spite of how serious depression can be, the important thing to remember is that it's often treatable.
Signs, Symptoms, and When to Seek Help
Along with changes to their sleep and eating habits, other signs and symptoms of depression can include mood and behavioral changes, such as becoming irritable and having problems at school.
Your child may also lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and may show little to no energy for activities in general.
When to Seek Help
Typically, if you notice that these symptoms last about two weeks or longer, it's recommended that you seek help from their doctor. Their pediatrician can help rule out any other conditions that can result in similar symptoms and provide an evaluation to recommend treatment.
There are two types of depression that are typically discussed related to children, persistent depressive disorder and major depressive disorder.
Persistent depressive disorder can be the less severe of the two, with children being able to still manage their everyday life. Which is often not the case with major depressive disorder, which can be diagnosed if your child has at least five symptoms of depression and these last for more than two weeks on most days.
Possible Causes
For depression in children, the condition can be a family history of depression, or it can stem from problems at home, or in school, and often, a recent tragedy or stressful situation can trigger it. Substance and alcohol abuse are other possible culprits.
How To Help Your Child With Depression
Seeking expert help for their depression is an important way to help your child, but there is more that you can do.
Simply talking to them can be of great help, making sure to listen without judgment so they feel free to express themselves. Though they may have trouble bringing up these topics on their own, many children and teenagers do respond when talked to directly.
Suicide Prevention
It's one of the biggest fears for parents of children dealing with depression, and it can be difficult to broach. Your child's pediatrician can help by helping you identify potential warning signs. Such as focusing too much on death, taking risks they typically wouldn't, isolating themselves, giving away possessions, and just bringing up the topic of suicide and expressing hopeless feelings.
For these situations make a list of people to call, including their therapist and pediatrician, along with family members. But make sure to keep note of other important numbers such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), and the Crisis Text Line, for which you can text HOME to 741741 to get connected with a counselor who can help.
Depression Treatment in Lake Charles, LA
Just as with adults, treatment for depression in children and teenagers often involves psychotherapy and medication, often a combination of both. But your doctor may suggest counseling as an important first step and then medication may be prescribed if needed.