If your child's behavior suddenly changes for the worse, this can be a sign of depression. Learn some ways to help a child who is feeling in the dumps.
Unfortunately depression does not only plague adults. The number of children that are experiencing depression is really quite shocking. When you think of childhood, it should spring memories of happiness and carefree days when playing with friends was fun and hanging out with family was great. But, this is not as common for tweens these days.
Kids are faced with pressure from so many angles from homework, to an overabundance of extracurricular activities, to competition with peers, and more. It seems that girls are more apt to become depressed than boys. Family history of depression also plays a role in who will become more prone to depression.
We all have bad days, and that is no different whether you are 10 years old or 50 years old. These bad days do not define a child with depression. But, knowing warning signs for depression that persist for a long period of time, should tip you off that your child needs your help. No one knows your child better than you, so early detection of depressive symptoms should not be too hard.
Common Signs of Depression in Tweens
A once jovial child may become inward and isolated.
A child may become tearful or irritable.
A child may say negative things about herself and display a low self-esteem.
You may notice a decline in grades at school.
A child wants to sleep more than usual.
You may notice a sudden weight change (either losing or gaining).
With severe depression, your child may talk about not wanting to live anymore.
Helping a Child with Depression
Try talking to your tween about problems that may be bothering her. An open communication is key so that she knows she has someone on her side, who is willing to listen and offer advice.
If your child shows signs of severe depression, such as talking about suicide or running away from home, consult with your pediatrician. In severe cases, an antidepressant will be prescribed. Counseling may also be recommended either on an individual basis, with family, or both.
After talking with your child, a solution as simple as rearranging her daily routine will help with stressors in her life. For instance, if she is no longer interested in gymnastic lessons, that may be something that can be dropped, and relieve your child of that stress. Or, maybe your tween needs to have an earlier bedtime so she can achieve a better night's sleep.
Talking with your child's teachers about classroom behaviors may shine some light onto why she is feeling depressed, and simple modifications can be made, like sitting in a different seat.
Just knowing that she has loving support from her family can make a huge difference in a child's feelings and emotions.
译文:
儿童抑郁征兆--帮助儿童摆脱这种感觉
如果你的孩子突然间变坏，这可能是抑郁的迹象。学几招去帮助心情沮丧的孩子。
不幸的是，抑郁不仅仅折磨成人，正经历着抑郁的孩子的数量也是惊人的。当你回想童年，它应该会浮现出童年开心、无忧无虑日子的回忆，和小伙伴一起玩的时候很有趣，和家人一起外出也很棒。但是，对当今的孩子这就不是那么普遍了。
孩子们从家庭作业、过多的课外活动、和同龄人的竞争等等方面面临压力。似乎女生比男生更倾向于变得抑郁。家族抑郁史也扮演了重要的角色，那样的人会更有可能患抑郁症。
我们都有低落的日子，它和你是10岁还是50岁没有关系。这些低落的日子不能定义一个孩子抑郁。但是了解抑郁的警示信号会坚持一段时间，这些信号会告诉你孩子需要你的帮助。没有人比你更了解你的孩子，所以早些时候发现抑郁的征兆应该不是太难。
儿童抑郁的普遍迹象
曾经活泼的孩子可能变得内向和孤独
孩子可能变得爱哭或易怒
孩子可能说消极关于自己的消极的话，并且显示出自尊心较弱
你可以注意到学习成绩下降
孩子比平时想多睡会觉
你可能发现体重突然的变化（无论减少或是增加）
抑郁状况严重时，你的孩子可能会说不再想活了
帮助身陷抑郁的孩子
尝试和你的孩子谈论困扰她的问题。一次开放性的谈话是关键，这可以让她知道有人陪伴在她的身边，愿意倾听并且给出建议。
如果你的孩子表现出严重的抑郁迹象，例如谈论自杀或离家出走，去向儿科医师咨询吧。在情况严重时，需要配备抗抑郁的药物。这样的咨询也建议在个人和家庭之间实施。
在和你的孩子谈完天后，解决方案很简单，重新安排她的日常活动将会对她生活中的紧张性刺激有帮助。例如，如果她不再对体育课感兴趣，那这个就不让她去做，缓解你孩子受到的压力。或者，可能你的孩子需要更早上床睡觉，这样她可以获得更好的睡眠。
和孩子的老师谈论孩子在班级中的行为可能会让你更容易获悉为什么她正感到抑郁，可以做出简单的调整，像是换个座位。
只需让她知道她有着深爱她的家人的支持，就可以对孩子的情感和情绪产生巨大的影响。