During childhood and adolescence, depressive symptoms often do not only appear as a melancholic basic emotion and sadness, apathy, hopelessness, rumination or aimlessness, but can also be hidden behind physical symptoms such as morbid inner restlessness or aggression. In addition, cases often differ in the way they present, and the symptoms of depression in childhood and adolescence depend on age and development.
It is also difficult to assess what is or is not unusual within the framework of "normal" development - especially during puberty, when emotional fluctuations already occur frequently and behavior may change.
Symptoms of depression in young children (ages 1 to 3)
• increased crying, sad appearance
• poor facial expressions
• increased irritability, sensitivity
• disrupted eating habits
• Sleep disorders (difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking up at night or excessive need for sleep)
• excessive attachment to the parent, inability to be alone
• Self-stimulation behaviors: Rocking the body, excessive sleep thumb sucking, genital manipulation
• Lack of interest, unwillingness to play, and conspicuous behavior in play behavior (deficient imagination)
Depressed young children also often show a developmental disorder. They learn to walk late, develop fewer fine and gross motor skills or cognitive abilities, and develop more slowly.
Signs of depression in preschool age (ages 3 to 6)
• sad facial expression
• decreased gestures and facial expressions, psychomotor retardation,
• easy irritation, easily changeable emotions, remarkably fearful
• lack of ability to feel joy
• Indifference and reluctance, withdrawn behavior
• decreased interest in motor activities
• internal restlessness and tension, insufficient/low communication and aggressive behavior It also shows
• Eating and sleeping disorders
The first preliminary levels of typical "adult" symptoms may appear, such as the child not wanting to play with him, no one loving him, and no one making time for him.
Symptoms of depression in young school children (ages 6 - approximately 12)
• verbal reporting of being sad
• inability to think, difficulty concentrating, and memory impairment
• Decrease in school performance
• Fear of the future, general cowardice
• Immeasurable feelings of guilt and unwarranted self-criticism
• Psychomotoric arrest
• loss of appetite
• Sleep and somnolence disorders
• with suicide Related thoughts
Typical symptoms of depression come to the fore from this age. Children become demoralized, hopeless and fearful.
Symptoms of depression in adolescence and adolescence (ages 13 - 18)
Physical symptoms:
• psychosomatic complaints (e.g. headaches)
• weight loss
• Sleep and falling asleep disorders (often excessive need for sleep)
Psychological symptoms are at the forefront:
• Decreased self-confidence (self-doubt)
• Apathy, fear, reluctance, lack of concentration
• Emotional fluctuations
• emotional fluctuations depending on the time of day
• productivity disorders
• feeling of not being able to meet social and emotional expectations
• Isolation, social withdrawal danger of withdrawal
• Increase in suicidal thoughts and even attempts
The rate of depression in childhood girls and boys is about the same. Starting in adolescence, young women are twice as likely to experience depression as young men. Officially the same diagnostic criteria apply as for adults (ICD-10), but depression Many of the symptoms that count as ejaculation symptoms appear to be part of normal teenage development: being extremely sad, tense, withdrawn, bored, or brooding, often dissatisfied with oneself and the world at large. The boundaries between normal development and depressive symptomatics are fluid – and therein lies the difficulty of definitive diagnosis. These different manifestations of depression can often lead to depression not being detected in youth or being detected late.
In addition to depression, secondary (mental or behavioral) diseases (concomitant diseases) often occur in childhood and adolescence, and these can make a definitive diagnosis difficult. The following concurrent diseases can be seen frequently in childhood and adolescence:
- Anxiety disorders
- Somatoform disorders (Unspecified physical disorders)
- Hyperkinetic disorders (ADHD)
Depression To detect
An important step in dealing with depression is to detect the disease. But at what point does normal behavior turn into "unusual" behavior?
If age-related symptoms persist without change for several weeks or months, it is possible that these may no longer be "normal" age-related changes or temporary and understandable reactions to an external challenge (for example, a loss) and depression may be present. .
If possible, a calm conversation should be held within the framework of trust with children and young people who exhibit remarkable behavior. If depression is still suspected after such a conversation, it is necessary to seek professional help. Diagnosis includes exclusion of physical disorders as causes of depressive symptoms (e.g., goiter function disorders) and investigation of concurrent psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders). Experienced diagnosticians are also trained to deal with the denial tendency that is common in young people and the extreme embarrassment they may have.
Professional help may be necessary when relatives or acquaintances observe the following signs:
• Hobby Becoming disinterested in typical activities for their children and age and/or distancing from their peers
The importance of early diagnosis of depression in children and young people
Early diagnosis of depression is important in relieving the suffering of children and young people. Depressed teens see themselves as unlovable and have fewer friends. At the same time, negative effects related to the disease and slowing down development according to age (falling back to previous developmental stages or developmental disorders) can also be prevented.
Additionally, depressed children and teenagers are at greater risk of developing depression or another mental illness and having social and adjustment problems as adults. That's why it's important for depression to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible – and depressed children are also at higher risk of attempting suicide sooner or later. In this case, early diagnosis saves lives.
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