Most frequently occurring between the age of 10 and 18, the onset frequently heralds chronic, more persistent depression in adulthood. Yet depression is significantly under-diagnosed in youth, partially because clinicians are taught to look for symptoms of adult depression, which may present differently in youths.
Childhood depression can present with traditional symptoms such as blunt affect, lethargy, and hopelessness, but other markers are often more prominent, including:
Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
Poor concentration
A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
Low self-esteem and guilt
Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
Have you noticed any of the mentioned signs in yourself or your child?
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