Depression – a disease which is capable to declare itself even at early age. Depressive frustration poses a certain threat for formation of the identity of the child, at the same time to diagnose a state happens not easy. On what signs it is possible to suspect development of a children's depression?
The insidiousness of a children's depression consists in two highlights. First, the child is not able to describe precisely the feelings and feelings, to him is difficult specifically to explain to parents as where he hurts it as why disturbs him. Secondly, the depression at children's age in most cases is masked, a variety of physiological signs is characteristic of it. Parents quite often treat somatic symptoms as a certain organic disease, however inspections at doctors and treatment do not yield any efficient result. Besides, the extensive symptomatology which complicates exact diagnosis is typical for a depression at children's age. Therefore quite often to children put option of an asthenic syndrome or an initial stage of a psychopathia. The adynamy, a psychopathia and other frustration demand those methods of treatment which usually are not applied to correction of a state at a depression. Therefore also such therapy does not yield positive results.
The danger of a children's depression is that it can remain long time not revealed. Parents can be engaged in physical health, consider that the child just shows whimsical character. The children's depression is capable to begin at very early age, but only in the teenage period about its existence parents, teachers and psychologists can suspect of school, medical experts. By that moment the depressive frustration already leaves a serious mark on personal development of the child, can lead to really irreversible consequences. Besides, the depression often is followed by change of a hormonal background that will affect already directly physiology of the child.
Widespread somatic manifestations of a depression at children's age
Most often the depression in the childhood masks under digestive tract problems. The child begins to complain constantly of belly-aches, of nausea, a hiccups, an eructation and heartburn. In certain cases there can be vomiting. The appetite at the child during a depression, as a rule, is unstable. At a depression the digestion violation is characteristic: locks at children's age can be replaced by severe diarrhea.
For depressive frustration at the child headaches and dizzinesses, a ring in ears, problems with focusing of sight are typical. The child can complain of a general malaise, of all body pains from which do not save analgetics. Quite often against the background of a depression the immunity glitches therefore the child begins to have often virus, infectious diseases.
Also it is worth carrying to physiological symptoms of a children's depression:
- problems with a metabolism, lack of weight or obesity;
- muscle weakness, asthenic syndrome;
- constant tension is obese;
- lack of forces, not passing fatigue, slackness;
- ache be obese;
- causeless temperature rise; at the same time high temperature at the child can remain a long time;
- bronchitis, apnoe, snore, other trouble breathing;
- pallor or cyanosis of integuments; quite often at a depression at the child bruises or dark circles under eyes are noted;
- various skin diseases, herpes, the milkwoman at children's age;
- VSD, problems with a cardiovascular system.
The preunconscious state is characteristic of a children's depression, in certain cases there are faints.
The child in the period of a depression can have some symptoms typical for epilepsy.
In hard cases it is noted temporary loss of hearing, sight, ability to speak, move.
In the evening at children with a depression the physical activity sharply increases. They can run on the house, shout, uneasily turn in a bed. Their movements look nervous, clumsy, sharp and often senseless.
Other typical symptoms of a children's depression
At similar frustration the nervous system very strongly suffers. Symptoms of a children's depression through insomnia, dreadful dreams, nervous tics, loss of nervous sensitivity can be shown.
The main signs on which it is possible to suspect development of a disease state in the child mention mentality, emotions. These following signs:
- sharp differences of mood, however depression, grief, despondency, apathy dominate;
- negativism;
- the increased aggression, irritability, uneasiness;
- concern, panic attacks;
- tearfulness or constant proximity to tears, hypersensibility, vulnerability;
- isolation, departure to the world and the thoughts;
- behavioural violations: the child becomes disobedient, behaves is ill-bred;
- fixing on negative thoughts, events and emotions;
- children in the period of a depression very often ache, complain of constant boredom, nothing is interesting to them, they are not attracted by new toys, they do not seek to play and contact to other children;
- depression, constant feeling of melancholy, fear of death and loneliness;
- strong laziness;
- the slowed-down thinking: it becomes difficult to child to acquire new information, the child can long consider answers even on elementary questions;
- sharp memory impairment; absent-mindedness;
- the speech, as a rule, becomes slow, quite often incoherent, slowed down;
- in a depression children can fall into deep thoughtfulness;
- the underestimated self-assessment, shyness;
- the increased indifference can be shown in a surprising poslushnost.
Depressive frustration often forms strange and frightening thoughts in consciousness of the child. He begins to be afraid of doomsday or some accident, painfully endures the moments when it is necessary to leave mother.
The child becomes gloomy, unsmiling, rough, suspicious, mistrustful. In such disease state any criticism can be perceived very sharply. Remarks or reproaches cause offense, inadequate by the sizes, and the slightest injustice is capable to provoke a hysterics with shout and tears.
Experts note that some form of regress is characteristic of a children's depression. It is shown that already rather adult child suddenly begins to play the toys and games intended for kids asks a pacifier, demands that it was carried on hands, asks to sleep to parents in a bed. Regress can be shown also through sucking of a finger.
Not always depressive frustration is followed by all called signs. However if the vast majority of symptoms are present and remain already long time, it is a reason for the address to the expert.