One of the most common responses to hearing that a child has depression is, “But what does he/she have to be depressed about?” This statement reveals two major misconceptions.  One is the lack of understanding about clinical depression. It is not the same as the “blues” or “down” moods that everyone has from time to time, which may actually be caused by unhappiness with one’s job, home life or other factors.  The other misconception is that childhood is a carefree, trouble-free period in our lives. How many people can say that they didn’t worry about peer acceptance, grades, or parental expectations? Adults often forget that children are powerless and have no control over their own lives. This can be a frightening and frustrating state of affairs to live through day after day

 Persistent sadness and/or irritability.  Low self-esteem or feelings of worthlessness. A child may make such statements as, “I’m bad. I’m stupid. No one likes me.”  Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.  Change in appetite (either increase or decrease).

 Change in sleep patterns (either increase or decrease).  Difficulty concentrating.  Anger and rage (WOEDE)  Headaches, stomachaches or other physical pains that seem to have no cause.  Changes in activity level. The child either becomes more lethargic(sleepy) or more hyperactive.  Recurring(terugkerende) thoughts of death or suicide.

Any change in a child’s behavior that seems to have no external or physical cause should be looked at. A low mood which results from a loss (death of a loved one, moving, changing schools) which lasts more than a few weeks should be considered possible depression and checked out.

Bipolar disorder : (Bipolar disorder is a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression. The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very quick).

Related Disorders Depression often goes hand-in-hand with other mental illnesses or disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and, especially in teenage girls, eating disorders and self injury. If any of these conditions are present, they need to be treated along with the depression for treatment to be effective.

The parents of any child who is in immediate danger of harming himself or others should consider hospitalization. This is a tough choice for parents to make, but it must be emphasized that children do commit suicide. Once a child has been diagnosed with depression, both psychotherapy and medication could be options. Therapy can help the child deal with his past in a healthy manner, and also in learning ways to cope with the very difficult process of growing up.

Most professionals will recommend therapy as a first line of defense for a child with depression, except in cases where the child is severely depressed or suicidal.  Parents should educate themselves as much as possible in order to make an informed decision.  Parents of a child with depression should start looking for a child psychiatrist by contacting the nearest university medical center, mental health clinic or organization.