David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Adult vs. Child Depression
Dr. Deborah Serani
Sunday, February 01, 2015
Did you know that depression presents differently in children than it does in adults?
Though the disorder of depression can occur in in kids, teens - and even babies, the symptoms don?t always look like adult depression. Take a look at the differences below so you can learn how to detect this serious, but treatable disorder.
For more, read my award-winning book Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.
Dr. Deborah Serani
Sunday, February 01, 2015
Did you know that depression presents differently in children than it does in adults?
Though the disorder of depression can occur in in kids, teens - and even babies, the symptoms don?t always look like adult depression. Take a look at the differences below so you can learn how to detect this serious, but treatable disorder.
For more, read my award-winning book Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.
| Signs of Depression in Adults | Signs of Depression in Children | |
| Depressed mood | Irritable, fussy or cranky | |
| Anhedonia (Decreased interest/enjoyment in once-favorite activities) Negative thinking, helplessness | Boredom, lack of interest in play, giving up favorite activities Blames self for failures, misperceives peer interactions, socially isolates, resists new experiences | |
| Significant weight loss or weight gain | Failure to thrive, fussy eating, overeating and weight gain especially in adolescence | |
| Insomnia or Hypersomnia (Excessive sleeping) | Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, difficulty emerging from sleep, hard to awaken, frequent napping. | |
| Psychomotor agitation, restlessness or slowness | Difficulty sitting still, pacing, very slow movements, clingy, little or no spontaneity, overly aggressive or sensitive | |
| Fatigue or loss of energy | Persistently tired, appears lazy, sluggish, reports aches and pains, frequent absences from school | |
| Low self-esteem, feelings of guilt | Whiny, cries easily, self-critical, feels stupid, unloved or misunderstood | |
| Inability to concentrate, indecisive | Sulks, appears foggy, distractible, poor school performance, forgetful, unmotivated | |
| Recurrent suicidal thoughts or behavior | Worries about death, talks about running away, writing or drawings about death, giving away favorite toys or belongings |
