Sue Scheff: Pediatric Depression - Is your teen depressed?
With the recent headlines of the suicide of Marie Osmond's son and TV teen actor of Growing Pains, Andrew Koenig , we are learning and hearing more about depression in children as well as a keen awareness to suicidal signs in our teens. Do you suspect your child is suffering with depression? Are you concerned your teen is becoming more withdrawn, secretive, isolated? Childhood and teenage depression is often in hiding. What is pediatric depression? It's normal for children and teenagers to have sad or moody days, but when those feelings last for two weeks or longer, it could indicate that something more serious is going on. As adults, it can be hard for us to accept that children can also have depression, but research is going on now to help find new medicines for children with depression in the future. If your child has been displaying one or more of these signs of depression for at least two weeks, and they are interfering with his/her ability to function, then h...