1. Maternal Depression and Child Development Ashley Caryl

2. Definition of Maternal Depression The caretaker is depressed causing concern for the child’s developmental needs. Maternal: Relating to or characteristic of a mother or motherhood; motherly: maternal instinct. Depression: Miserable or unhappy

3. Facts Twenty percent of parents living in households receiving welfare showed symptoms of depression in the year 2004, compared with 4 percent of parents in families that did not receive welfare. One in ten women who are pregnant will experience depression and approximately 13 percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23% p.a. 41% of depressed women are too embarrassed to seek help.

4. Causes A history of depression and mood disorders. Poor marital relationship Stress factors Substance abuse

5. Symptoms postpartum blues Crying, confusion, mood swings, anxiety and depressed mood. Lasting a few hours to a few days. Beginning within the first week of pregnancy. Postpartum psychosis –Delusions, hallucinations and a major impairment in functioning. Beginning within four weeks

6. Symptoms Postpartum depression –Dissatisfaction moods, fatigue, anorexia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, excessive guilt and suicidal thoughts. Can develop at the first sight of pregnancy.

7. Possible interventions Pharmacotherapy: treatment of a disease with drugs. (anti- depressants) Social Support and psycho educational interventions. Family Therapy with school aged children and their parents dealing with depression. Psychotherapy

8. Impact on Development Mother Infant interactions Intrusiveness -hostile effect - infants activity is slowed and hesitant -less dependent on caregiver causing mother to pull further away. Withdrawal -mothers are disengaged. -mothers are unresponsive.

9. Impact on Development Toddlers and Preschoolers –Child is more vulnerable than other children as well as at a higher risk of being aggressive, destructive, less creative at play, and in some cases respond negatively to others when approached in a friendly manner.

10. Impact on Development School Age Children –Develop an impaired adaptive functioning. –Struggles to solve problems. –Has difficulty focusing and paying attention. –Difficulty in mathematical calculations and solving. –ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder)

11. Impact on Development Adults –depression –Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disorders –Anxiety –Phobias –Substance abuse and alcohol dependency

12. Recommendations Physician should watch for signs of mother-child interaction difficulties, and behavioural and developmental problems in the child. Ask a few screening questions and facilitate contact with the mother’s physician or psychiatric services. Mothers who have taken antidepressant medication during pregnancy should be reassured that much of the evidence to date shows that there is no increased risk of teratogenicity or fetal anomalies.

13. References http://www.cps.ca/english/statements/PP/pp04-03.htm#Introduction http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=1465 3 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=1465 3 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm http://www.medicalnewstoday.com http://home.att.net/~s.l.keim/DepressiveDisorders.gif