About 5 percent of children and adolescents in the general population suffer from depression at any given point in time.

Children under stress, who experience loss, or who have attentional, learning, conduct or anxiety disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Depression also tends to run in families.

How serious is the issue of depression in children?

One in five children have a diagnosable behavioral, mental, or emotional disorder.That is twenty percent of children...

Up to one in 10 (up to 10%) may suffer from a serious emotional disturbance. Seventy percent of children, however, do not receive mental health treatments or services.

 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common mental disorders in children, affecting 3 to 5 percent of school-age children.
 
Approximately one in every 33 children and one in eight adolescents may have depression. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds and the sixth leading cause of death for 5- to 14-year-olds. The number of attempted suicides is even higher than that.

Sadly, these disorders often go unrecognized by families and undiagnosed by physicians.

Signs of childhood depression are frequently viewed as normal mood swings typical of a particular developmental stage. Health care professionals may also be reluctant to prematurely "label" a young person with a mental illness diagnosis. However, early diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders are critical to healthy emotional, social, and behavioral development.

Depressive disorders carry an increased risk for interpersonal and social difficulties, along with the risk of illness that may persist long after the depression has been resolved.

Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for depressed children. Depression is a real illness that requires professional help, trying to help the child to "cheer up" is not effective.
 Comprehensive treatment often includes therapy with the child and the family.  Today there are many new therapy modalities based on the bodies energy system that has shown great results in treating depression. One such world renowned therapy is Emotional Freedom Techniques.