(CBS) Depression might sound like a problem that only adults have to contend with, but millions of children suffer from it.

Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz, child psychiatrist and founder/director of the New York University Child Study Center, tells The Early Show depression is a national health problem among children.

The author of "More Than Moody: Recognizing and Treating Adolescent Depression" says the problem affects 10 percent of all teenagers and only one out of five teens with depression gets any help.

According to the Center for Disease Control, 3.5 million teenagers in America have depression. Last year 3 million high school students had suicidal thoughts, 2 million had a plan for suicide, 400,000 made attempts to kill themselves, and 2,000 committed suicide — the leading cause was depression.

Koplewicz says few depressed teens get help because most parents and teachers don’t know the signs and symptoms of depression. She also says adults are under the misconception that being depressed is just part and parcel to being a teenager. A lack of resources to help those with depression is also a problem.

There are five specific changes that a parent can notice if they know what signs to look for:

1. Mood Changes. Not just a little moody but a real shift in mood -- an irritable mood not a depressed mood (it differs from adult depression). Parents will notice that although you still love them they are difficult to like and be with -- they seem like a different person.
   
   
2. Sleep disturbance. They tend to oversleep, not undersleep. They'll come home from school and go straight to sleep and then wake up in the middle of the night stay up all night and then go back to bed and they also have trouble waking up for school.
   
   
3. Change in Appetite. Most often they start to overeat and you see a real weight gain -- they'll put on 10 pounds in a short time. Some depressed kids will stop eating and lose weight but more frequently they will overeat.
   
   
4. Social Isolation. Teens like to be alone, but a red flag should go up, says Koplewicz, if parents notice kids spending more than three hours alone a day.
   
   
5. Poor Concentration. They have trouble concentrating so parents see a change in academic functioning. Their grades drop, they don't enjoy school, they don't enjoy reading and other things that they previously enjoyed.

Koplewicz says if your child fits fit the description, you should talk to your pediatrician, get the child evaluated, and explore treatment options. Talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy works for mild to moderate depression. For more serious cases, there are antidepressants that have proven to be effective in this age group, like Prozac, Zoloft, and Celexa.

© MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back To Top