Parents facing child depression

Depression not only affects adults, but children can also suffer from depression, however, it is important not to confuse the sadness that a child can feel with a depressive process. Depression in childhood is accompanied by the sadness of a series of symptoms such as sudden mood swings, tantrums fr

Depression not only affects adults, but children can also suffer from depression, however, it is important not to confuse the sadness that a child can feel with a depressive process. Depression in childhood is accompanied by the sadness of a series of symptoms such as sudden mood swings, tantrums from any cause or high level of anxiety.

Psychologist Silvia Álava, tells us how parents can detect if their child has depression, what they can do when they suspect that the child may be depressed or when to take the psychologist.

How parents can act if their child is depressed

1. How can parents detect if a child has depression? How is childhood depression diagnosed?

To diagnose a child's depression will be fundamental, first of all meet with parents. The first thing that is done is an interview with the parents in depth in which we are asking all the data of that child, all the data to have the enamnesis, the clinical history.

In addition, we ask parents to make some behavioral records, that is, any situation that concerns their child. Ideally, the psychologist would go and see it in situ, but there comes a time when that is very complicated because a psychologist can not be all hours at home, all hours at school, in the park with friends, and in addition the figure of the psychologist would interfere very much in the behavior of that child.

We give the parents some records, consisting of columns, in the first one we put day and hour, the next column they have to fill in is, what is the situation, where is the child, who is he with and what is he is doing, what the child does or says and what the parents answer, or other children or other adults who are there.

Through these records the psychologists will be very well, know what may be happening to the child, establish a correct diagnosis and what is more important, give guidelines to the acting parents, know what is what is happening. When the children are a little older, you also interview the child and talk to him.

2. What can parents do if they suspect that their children are depressed?

It is important when the parents suspect that the child is depressed, first of all that they stop to observe it well. The first thing is to stop and observe, because if we have very clear situations in which it is happening, it will help us very well to then be able to intervene, and be able to assess whether it is a specific situation, if it is a child's thought, if it is a behavior. For that, in order to intervene.

3. When do parents have to take a depressed child to the psychologist?

As soon as they see that there is a low performance, that the child is constantly bored that is not entertained, that he is as tired as he has lost weight, that he is more isolated more irritable, as soon as we see any of these symptoms if it is good They can come and ask for help.