James Donaldson on Mental Health - Why Childhood Anxiety Often Goes Undetected

Depression in young children and pre-teens The key is spotting depression in young kids is to look for a change in behavior, explains David Friedlander, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute.

It’s not just that the child is cranky or down but that those behaviors are not typical for that child.

Say your child used to put their homework neatly in a folder in their backpack, and now it’s crumpled in a ball at the bottom of the bag.

Maybe they’re suddenly getting into fights or breaking rules in school when they’ve never done that before.

Also, a heightened sensitivity to mistakes or criticism, like crying over getting an answer wrong when they used to shrug it off, can be a sign of depression.

Withdrawing from things they used to enjoy is a telltale sign of depression.

Young kids rely heavily on their parents to get them to and from activities.

So, withdrawal in young kids can look like asking to skip dance class repeatedly or telling their parents not to sign them up for sports anymore.

If kids frequently say something like, “I don’t want to,” or “I can’t,” it could signify that they are struggling with depression, “especially if you’re dealing with a kid who used to have joy for life and age-appropriate participation in activities,” Dr.

Another sign of depression is sudden and frequent somatic complaints that weren’t there before, like stomachaches and headaches.