Children and young people experienced mental stress during the corona pandemic.
For some, this led to depression.
What parents can do now.
Berlin – It is not easy for parents to tell whether a child or young person during puberty is just sad or already pathologically depressed.
Symptoms often go undetected for a long time.
The psychological stress on children and young people in Germany was particularly high during the corona pandemic.
And not only psychological consequences are becoming clear.
The number of children and adolescents with morbid obesity has increased significantly nationwide in the recent past - especially during the corona pandemic.
Between 2011 and 2021, the number of 6- to 18-year-olds affected by obesity grew by 33.5 percent.
This emerges from data from the KKH commercial health insurance company in Hanover.
Our overview shows what parents can do specifically in the event of illness – and how they can recognize depression in children and adolescents.
Type of illness: | depression |
demarcation: | sadness, dysphoria |
Affected: | children and young people |
Diagnostic procedures: | Depression Inventory for Children and Adolescents (DIKJ) and the Depression Test for Children (DTK) |
How do I know if my child is depressed?
What Parents Can Do
Especially on gray winter days, the mood gets gloomy in many adults - often a sign of the winter blues.
This can also happen to children and young people and poses problems for parents, which also has to do with inadequate medical care.
Waiting lists in child and adolescent psychiatric facilities are long.
"Many wait a long time before they finally seek help,"
br.de
quotes the Würzburg school psychologist Ulf Cronenberg as saying.
There are often not enough school psychologists in educational institutions to meet the counseling needs of the students.
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What to do with depression in puberty in children and adolescents?
(symbol photo)
© IMAGO/Hodei Unzueta
Symptoms Of Depression In Young Children:
loss of appetite
sleep disorders
stomach pain
extreme attachment
excessive thumb sucking
It is therefore all the more important to recognize early signs.
"The younger the affected children are, the more the symptoms can differ from those in adults," says Prof. Dr.
medical
Alain Di Gallo from the Swiss Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SGKJPP) according to the portal
neurologen-und-psychiatriter-im-netz.org
.
Parents should keep an eye on the following symptoms in toddlers, preschool children and adolescents during puberty - these signs can indicate depression:
Symptoms of depression in adolescents during puberty:
Persistent problems falling asleep and staying asleep
appetite and weight loss
loss of interest
Daily mood swings
social retreat
Decreased self-confidence
excessive alcohol and drug use
Experts give tips: What to do when children and adolescents are depressed during puberty
If the signs and symptoms mentioned are persistent, the pediatrician should first be consulted, advises the health insurance company AOK.
“They can determine whether it is an upset or an illness.
However, if the child expresses thoughts of suicide, a specialist should be consulted as soon as possible. In the case of acute suicidal thoughts, the emergency call on 112 is advisable," says the AOK.
Symptoms Of Depression In Preschool Children:
stomach pain
sleep disorders
listlessness
mood swings
irritability
aggressiveness
My child is depressed: Therapy involves several treatment levels
Dealing with a depressed child or a teenager during puberty requires a lot of patience and empathy from parents.
According to experts, therapy for depression in children and adolescents should include several treatment levels.
"In the case of mild depressive illness, psychosocial treatment is important, which includes counseling the parents and aims to eliminate stressful factors," explains Prof. Di Gallo.
Symptoms Of Depression In School Children:
Unreasonable sadness
irritability
tantrums
guilt
fear of failure
No interest in leisure activities
social retreat
“In the case of moderately severe depression, psychotherapeutic treatment is the priority.
In the case of severe depressive episodes, antidepressant medication can be used, which has been shown to be effective in combination with psychotherapeutic procedures.” Inpatient treatment may be necessary if the risk of suicide is high.
Depression in Children: What Parents Need to Know
Above all, children need space to talk and someone to listen.
Basically, the AOK advises: "Create a pleasant conversation situation and seek an exchange: What thoughts and feelings does your son or daughter have?
This is how you support your child, who may not take the step to seek help on their own.” By the way: You should also be aware of these early warning signs of depression as an adult – because they “often develop over a few days”, says an expert.
List of rubrics: © IMAGO/Hodei Unzueta