River Oak Center for Children: Children's Mental Health Facts

What is depression?

Major depression is one of the mental, emotional, and behavior disorders that can appear
during childhood and adolescence. This type of depression affects a young person's thought,
feeling, behavior, and body. Major depression in children and adolescents is serious; it is
more than "the blues." Young people with depression may have a hard time coping with
everyday activities and responsibilities, have difficulty getting along with others, and suffer
from low self-esteem.

How common is depression?

Population studies show that at any point in time 10 to 15 percent of children and
adolescents have some symptoms of depression. Having a family history of depression,
particularly a parent who had depression at an early age, also increases the chances that a
child or adolescent may develop depression.

What help is available for a young person with depression?

While several types of antidepressant medications can be effective to treat adults with
depression, these medications may not be as effective in treating children and adolescents.
Care must be used in prescribing and monitoring all medication.

Many mental health care providers use "talk" treatments to help children and adolescents
with depression. A child or adolescent in need of treatment or services and his or her family
may need a plan of care, with input from family and others, based on the severity and
duration of symptoms.

How does River Oak help children, adolescents, and teens with depression?

River Oak treatment for depression may include therapy and medication management.
Medication needs are determined by a psychiatric assessment with a child psychiatrist. The
psychiatrist works closely with parents and caregivers in order to best support the family and
child's needs and wishes regarding medication.

Treatment generally includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on thinking and
behavior. This can include individual and family therapy. Treatment may focus on inaccurate
thinking, psycho-education about depression (for parent and child), scheduling activities and
exercise, skills training such as problem solving and communication, behavioral relapse
prevention, social skills training, and self monitoring skills. Treatment may also include
behavioral contracting and creating safety plans.

Important messages about children's and adolescents' mental health:

Mental health problems affect one in every five young people at any given time. "Serious
emotional disturbances" for children and adolescents refers to the above disorders when they
severely disrupt daily functioning in home, school, or community. Serious emotional
disturbances affect one in every ten young people at any given time.

For assistance/information call:

1-800-789-2647 National Mental Health Information Center
1-800-969-6642 (press 1) Mental Health America
1-800-273-8255 24 Hour Crisis Line (Mental Health America)
1-240-403-1901 National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health
1-800-950-6264 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) www.nami.org