| For parents, just making sure your child is physically fit | | | | pay close attention for warning signs and then seek |
| and healthy can feel like a full-time job. But parents | | | | professional help from a medical expert if they believe |
| should also be aware of potential mental and | | | | their child id suffering from depression. Early detection |
| emotional problems that can affect a child's | | | | and treatment of mental illness is crucial for children, |
| development, because they can be just as serious as | | | | and early intervention and management leads to |
| any physical ailment and carry on through adulthood. | | | | happier and healthier child and adult. Effective |
| Here are some useful tips on what parents need to | | | | treatment options Childhood depression can be |
| know about spotting the signs of depression in children | | | | successfully treated with professional counseling and, if |
| and how professional care, combined with skillful | | | | necessary, medication. Counseling usually includes both |
| parenting, can help restore and promote a child's good | | | | the parents fully engage in their child, so it's important |
| mental and emotional health. Cause and symptoms | | | | that parents fully engage in their child's treatment. If |
| Depression can be caused by any number of factors: | | | | medication is prescribed, then parents need to closely |
| traumatic events, such as the death of loved one or | | | | monitor their child to determine if it is working as |
| divorce among parents; a chemical imbalance in the | | | | intended and that no harmful side effects are present. |
| brain; mental or emotional problems that run in the | | | | Supportive parenting Aside from seeking professional |
| family. Irritability, chronic fatigue, social withdrawal, poor | | | | help, the most valuable thing a parent can do for child |
| school performance, lethargy and mood swings are all | | | | suffering from depression is to provide strong |
| signs to look for in depressed children, Abnormal | | | | emotional support. A child, even if depressed or |
| sleeping and eating patterns are also common in | | | | emotionally detached, can sense if his parent are |
| children suffering from depression. Parents need to | | | | working for his recovery. |