For a long time, depression was considered an adult problem. But the situation has changed in the last twenty years. There have been many studies that have shown that children are also prone to depression. Moreover, this condition brings them much more torment than adults.
Children cannot control their condition. Moreover, they do understand what is happening to them. Most children are slow to share their experiences with their parents. They are facing learning difficulties in their life. Therefore, they need to be more attentive to their child to notice in time that the child is behaving unusually.
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Signs Of Depression In Children
If you are worried about the psychological state of your child, read our article. Below are 10 signs of depression in children.
1. Constant Fatigue
If your child often complains of fatigue, do not let his/her words deafen. To begin with, you can visit a doctor and get tested. If there are no visible health problems, then it might be depression.
Watch your baby sleep. If he/she sleeps more but does not feel rested, the reason is poor sleep quality. The main reason can be that your child is depressed about something and cannot sleep normally.
2. Deterioration Of Academic Performance
Of course, you shouldn’t worry about every low grade and think that your child is depressed. Academic performance can decline for several other reasons. If you see that the child is trying, but he/she does not succeed, focus on this problem.
It is more difficult for a depressed child to do their homework every day. It seems to them that their brain has stopped working. Most likely, they will never dare to share this secret with you. If you notice that the grades are getting worse, talk to your child. Do it as delicately as possible, do not make claims, and do not blame them for anything.
3. Fewer Friends
Children don’t know how to pretend. They will not smile fake and pretend that everything is fine, at least in communication with each other. When a child is sad all the time, other children will shy away from him/her. They want to play, be naughty, have fun, and not find out what happened to their friend.
If your child talked a lot, he/she had many friends, but they disappeared somewhere, then it’s a sign of depression. Try to bring him/her to a frank conversation, if it does not work out, contact a psychologist.
There can be many reasons for depression. If one of the parents is an addict and becomes violent then it can cause depression in a child. It is not necessary to know what kind of addiction a parent has, it can be alcoholism or abuse of prescribed drugs, but it directly affects the mental health of a child.
4. Lack Of Plans
Every person in his/her life faces troubles, children are no exception. The child may be in a bad mood. Perhaps he/she quarreled with a friend or received a bad grade. In this case, the conversation about the future always works flawlessly. Kids love adventure, travel, and fun.
If you start making plans, discussing where you are going on vacation or next weekend, the bad mood will quickly disappear. He/she will actively join the conversation. If a child is depressed, then he will not be interested in anything. So, if the child refuses to make plans, then pay attention to his psychological state.
5. Doesn’t Want To Talk
Childhood depression is difficult to recognize. The child can behave as usual, but in such cases, he is worse at making contact, becomes nervous and irritable. Take a closer look at his mood, sharp changes indicate that not everything is in order with the child. If he walks away from the conversation or lashes out at you, check to see if he has other symptoms of depression.
6. Feels Unhappy
Listen carefully to what your child is saying. A depressive state can be easily recognized if a son or daughter constantly talks about his/her worthlessness and feels unhappy.
Many parents do not attach importance to the phrases: “Nobody loves me” or “I cannot do anything.” They perceive them as a way of manipulation, but in most cases, these words are a direct sign of depression. A child psychologist will help to understand the situation.
7. Change In Appetite
Not every child has a good appetite; some children are very difficult to feed. You should be alert if your child begins to refuse to eat. If the child is not pleased with even the most favorite delicacies, it can be a signal of depression.
Lack of appetite does not always indicate depression. If the child begins to eat a lot, then this can also be because of depression. But along with this sign of changed eating habits changed, look for other signs of depression.
8. Complaints Of Pain
Parents should monitor the child’s health. If a child complains of pain, you cannot hesitate. Be sure to see a doctor. If you have already visited and the doctors have not identified any abnormalities, perhaps this is how depression manifests itself. We are talking about those cases when a child is hiding under the guise of somatic disease.
Headache, skin rashes, shortness of breath, and diarrhea may occur. If your child has serious health problems and treatment is not working, pay attention to their mood. Perhaps the cause of an illness is depression.
9. Indifference To Everything
Perhaps the surest sign of depressive states is indifference to everything. If you’ve ever experienced depression yourself, you know what this is about. A person is not interested in anything, he has no desires. Do not think that “it will pass by itself” if the child has lost interest in learning, friends, and entertainment call a psychologist for help.
Conclusion
If your child shows the above signs, then do not delay visiting a specialist. A psychologist will help the child to overcome the depressive state and then your child will start enjoying life again.
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