What Increases Your Risk

Several things increase a young person's chance of developing depression. These include:

• Having a parent or immediate family member who is depressed. This is the most important risk factor for depression. Children or teens who have a parent with depression are 3 times more likely to develop depression.
• Having been depressed before, especially if depression first occurred at an early age.
• Having a long-term medical condition such as diabetes or epilepsy.
• Having another mental disorder, such as conduct disorder or an anxiety disorder.
• Having a family member or close friend die.
• Being physically or sexually abused.
• Having problems with alcohol or drug abuse.

Other risk factors for depression include:

• Being a girl in early puberty. Until puberty, boys and girls have an equal risk of developing depression. After puberty and as adults, females are twice as likely as males to become depressed.
• Being exposed to family conflict.
• Not having good social relationships with peers.
• Being a bully or a victim of bullying.⁴

When To Call a Doctor

Callor other emergency services immediately if:

• Your child makes threats or attempts to harm himself or herself or another person.
• Your child hears voices (has auditory hallucinations).
• You are a young person and you feel you cannot stop from harming yourself or someone else.

Watchful waiting

Taking a wait-and-see approach, called watchful waiting, may be appropriate if your child has feelings of grief, sadness, or melancholy.

But you should contact a doctor right away if symptoms of depression last more than 2 weeks or if your child's symptoms are interfering with his or her normal daily functioning.

The warning signs of suicide change with age. Warning signs of suicide in children and teens may include preoccupation with death or suicide or a recent breakup of a relationship.

Who to see

Treatment for depression may involve professional counseling, medicines, education about depression for your child and your family, or a combination of these. It is important that your child establish a long-term and comfortable relationship with the care providers for the treatment of depression.

Your child may be diagnosed and treated by more than one health professional, including a:

• Pediatrician.
• Psychiatrist.
• Psychologist.
• Family medicine physician.
• Physician assistant.
• Nurse practitioner.

Professional counseling (or psychotherapy) for depression can be provided by a:

• Psychiatrist.
• Psychologist.

Other health professionals who also may be trained in counseling include a:

• Social worker.
• Licensed mental health counselor.
• Psychiatric nurse.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.