{"id":15868,"date":"2018-05-11T09:26:24","date_gmt":"2018-05-11T15:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=15868"},"modified":"2023-06-23T10:55:42","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T16:55:42","slug":"teen-depression-is-more-than-feeling-sad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/teen-depression-is-more-than-feeling-sad\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen depression is more than feeling sad"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

\"A<\/p>\n

Anyone can be impacted by depression, including children and teenagers.<\/p>\n

About 2 to 6\u00a0percent of children experience depression before puberty; after puberty, that rate increases to about 8 percent.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s more common than most people think,\u201d said Dr. Sheila Fountain<\/a>, a pediatrician\u00a0in Steamboat Springs and a member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In many cases, depression goes unnoticed. It\u2019s estimated that half of teens are undiagnosed, while up to two in three teens don\u2019t get the help they need.<\/p>\n

But health professionals hope to change that with regular depression screenings. New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics<\/a> recommend screening children every year starting at age 12.<\/p>\n

Below, Fountain outlines what to know when it comes to depression in children and teens.<\/p>\n

What depression looks like<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Depression involves much more than simply feeling sad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most common symptoms include irritability or anger or even just feeling cranky,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cTeens might lose interest in activities or say they\u2019re bored in class.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other symptoms include changes in appetite and sleep, feeling tired or low in energy, missing or doing poorly in school, and experiencing low self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness and guilt.<\/p>\n

Typically, multiple symptoms will be experienced for more than two weeks. In the worst cases, children and teens may develop a preoccupation with death.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not always easy to recognize,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cSometimes it just sneaks up on you. But once a teenager has depression, it impacts their entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why depression strikes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When it comes to depression, it\u2019s hard to pinpoint a cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not simple,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cThere are so many different causes that interact to create depression.\u201d<\/p>\n

Depression can stem from biological issues, including how neurons connect and release chemicals; chronic medical issues such as hypothyroidism, anemia, diabetes and mononucleosis; substance abuse and stress –\u00a0 typically social stress for children and teens –\u00a0and genetics. A family history of depression is one of the biggest risk factors for whether a child will struggle with depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tell kids, \u2018It\u2019s not your fault. There\u2019s not anything you did wrong that caused this, but it\u2019s how your brain is working, your genetics, things you don\u2019t have control over,\u2019\u201d Fountain said. \u201cAnd we assure them that they will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Screening for depression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

During well-child checks, written questionnaires are given to pre-teens and teens, with questions such as whether they\u2019ve felt down or uninterested in activities over a period of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey usually are pretty honest,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cI feel like they\u2019re looking for a place to tell someone. In the doctor\u2019s office with a provider they know, they can be honest with how they feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Parents shouldn\u2019t hesitate to bring a child in for a screening any time they have a concern.<\/p>\n

\u201cFamily members and primary care providers are the front line in depression screening,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cA parent who sees changes should bring their child in to be evaluated, because kids don\u2019t often look at their mom or dad and say, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m depressed. I need help.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting help<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t be discouraged by a diagnosis of depression: treatment is often very successful for children and teens.<\/p>\n

\u201cSixty percent of children and adolescents respond to medication. When you add in cognitive behavioral therapy, that response goes up to 70 percent,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cThe combination of both therapy and medication is huge, especially in initial treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regular exercise, a healthy diet, good sleep habits and boundaries with technology are also important.<\/p>\n

After a diagnosis of depression, Fountain sees children and teens again in two to four weeks, and regularly after that to check in on their progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe keep them coming back for monitoring so they\u2019re not out there alone, navigating this by themselves,\u201d Fountain said.<\/p>\n

With the right treatment, children and teens often experience positive changes quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemission is the goal,\u201d Fountain said. \u201cUsually in four to six weeks you\u2019re going to see a real improvement in how they feel. And that gives kids and parents a lot of hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, Fountain recommends the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry\u2019s website \u2013 www.aacap.org.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Anyone can be impacted by depression, including children and teenagers. About 2 to 6\u00a0percent of children experience depression before puberty; after puberty, that rate increases to about 8 percent. \u201cIt\u2019s more common than most people think,\u201d said Dr. Sheila Fountain, a pediatrician\u00a0in Steamboat Springs and a member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2163,"featured_media":15869,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9187,2518],"class_list":["post-15868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-readysetco","tag-uchealth-yampa-valley-medical-center"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTeen depression is more than feeling sad - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Depression occurs in 2 to 6 percent of children before they reach puberty. 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