728x90
my iParenting
From Our Sponsors
e-newsletters
Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters

new terms of use
new privacy policy
award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Home › Articles › Social Issues › Feeling Blue

Feeling Blue

Depression and Special Needs

By Judy Lavin

Pages:  1  2  

Sadly, more and more teens and children are suffering from depression. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, about 5 percent of children andadolescent teens suffer from this disease.

Depression differs from sadness or grieving, because it is a brain disorder. Although it is highly treatable, depression affects the way someone sees the world as well as the way he acts and feels. It is not uncommon for those who suffer from depression to fail in school, turn to alcohol or drugs to help improve their spirits or in the most extreme cases, take their own lives in an attempt to stop their pain.

At Higher Risk
Children with special needs other than depression are at a higher risk for this condition. They struggle with emotional issues in addition to their physical or mental limitations, and those struggles can make them extremely sad. What's more, it's not uncommon for special needs kids to feel excluded or set apart from their peers, which leads to extra stress and depressed feelings. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, youths under stress who experience a loss or who have attention, learning or conduct disorders are at a higher risk for depression. One-third of 6- to 12-year-olds diagnosed with major depression also develop bipolar disorder within a few years.
 
Recognizing the Symptoms
Many parents of children with special needs blame themselves for the depression or the child's suicidal thoughts. A child's or teen's depression my have little to do with the parent or how much he or she loves the child. That depression may have much more to do with how a child copes with his struggles. It's important to recognize and deal with your child's pain in a way that can help him reframe his feelings and begin to see the positives in his life.

Awareness is one of the most importantfactors fora parentwhen dealing with depression. It's a good idea to learn to recognize some of the symptoms. They include the following: