Child Depression

Child DepressionThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 4.4% of children aged 3-17 years were diagnosed with depression from 2016 and 2019. For children experiencing depression, working with a trained child therapist will provide them with the support and skills that will help them feel more mentally well.

What Does Depression In Children Look Like?

It is important to understand that every child will feel sad or experience temporary mood changes from time to time. What is concerning is when sadness and mood changes persist for long periods of time. In general, if you notice symptoms seem to last for 2 or more weeks – it is a good idea to speak with your healthcare provider.

Symptoms of depression vary from person to person, but a few common symptoms include:

  • Loss Of Interest In Favorite Activities
  • Physical Symptoms That Seem To Have No Medical Cause
  • Decreased Energy
  • Irritability
  • In Young Children, More Frequent Or More Severe Tantrums

To read more from our team on this topic, visit this blog.

Treating Depression In Children

For children experiencing depression, working with a child therapist can equip them with the skills and support needed to cope with depression in a healthier way. There are many therapeutic methods that might be used to treat a child with depressive symptoms.

At Garrett Counseling, our child therapists commonly use some of the following methods or a combination of these methods:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: With CBT, your child and their therapist will work together to set goals, identify thought and behavior patterns, and learn coping skills.
  • Play Therapy: Many children don’t know why they are experiencing depressive symptoms, and even when they do know – communicating that to an adult can be difficult. Play helps remove those barriers.
  • Client Centered Play Therapy: In Client Centered Play Therapy, your child’s therapist will help your child recognize emotions they experience and learn ways to navigate those emotions.
  • Sandplay Therapy (All counselors at Garrett Counseling are trained at Level Two Sandtray for working with children): Similar to play therapy, sandplay therapy allows the child to communicate through play using sand and figurines.

autplay logoAs an AutPlay Certified provider, our team is specially equipped to treat depression in neurodivergent children. Our team also has extensive ongoing education in the area of ADHD. This speciality has allowed our team to provide extensive assessments of ADHD in children and adults.

Get Started Today

Garrett Counseling has child therapists at our offices in Albertville, Huntsville, Jacksonville, and Jasper. We also offer online counseling options. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us at (256) 239-5662.

Additional Resources From Our Team