Did you know that depression
presents differently in children than it does in adults?
Though the disorder
of depression can occur in in kids, teens - and even babies, the symptoms don’t
always look like adult depression. Take a look at the differences below so you
can learn how to detect this serious, but treatable disorder.
For more, read my award-winning book “Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.”
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Signs of
Depression in Adults
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Signs of
Depression in Children
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Depressed
mood
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Irritable,
fussy or cranky
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Anhedonia
(Decreased interest/enjoyment in
once-favorite activities)
Negative
thinking, helplessness
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Boredom,
lack of interest in play, giving up
favorite activities
Blames
self for failures, misperceives peer interactions, socially isolates, resists
new experiences
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Significant
weight loss or weight gain
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Failure to
thrive, fussy eating, overeating and
weight gain especially in adolescence
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Insomnia
or Hypersomnia (Excessive sleeping)
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Difficulty
falling asleep, staying asleep, difficulty emerging from sleep, hard to
awaken, frequent napping.
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Psychomotor
agitation, restlessness or slowness
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Difficulty
sitting still, pacing, very slow movements, clingy, little or no spontaneity,
overly aggressive or sensitive
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Fatigue or
loss of energy
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Persistently
tired, appears lazy, sluggish, reports aches and pains, frequent absences
from school
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Low
self-esteem, feelings of guilt
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Whiny,
cries easily, self-critical, feels stupid, unloved or misunderstood
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Inability
to concentrate, indecisive
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Sulks,
appears foggy, distractible, poor school performance, forgetful, unmotivated
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Recurrent
suicidal thoughts or behavior
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Worries
about death, talks about running away, writing or drawings about death,
giving away favorite toys or belongings
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