Children and Youth

The World Health Organization (WHO) (2001) predicts that by the year 2020 �the burden of depression will increase to 5.7% of the total burden of disease, becoming the second leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost� (� 2). According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2001) �approximately 4 % of adolescents get seriously depressed each year� (p.1). Depression is a serious issue affecting the youth of today.  

"Currently, one in seven (more than 140,000) children in British Columbia are estimated to have a mental illness serious enough to cause significant distress and impair their development and functioning at home, at school, and in the community. The majority of these children (and their families) do not receive the services they need, with the result that impairments often continue, causing increased suffering and affecting productivity and functioning in adulthood" (Government of British Columbia, 2003, �2). 

Depression

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Nursing Inquiry 2003

            Depression in children and youth is characterized by: feelings of sadness or increased episodes of crying, feelings of guilt and poor self esteem for no apparent reason, lack of interest in life with a negative attitude towards life, increased incidents of angry outbursts and irritability, complaints of physical ailments like: headaches, stomach-aches, achy and tired muscles, thoughts or expressions of suicide or self harming behaviour, frequent absences from school with extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure (CMHA, 1998, NIMH, 2000, NIMH, 2001, WHO, 2001). Depressive feeling and sadness are normal occurrences in a child�s life but depressive disorders need to be considered when symptoms are becoming severe or lasting longer than two weeks (NIMH, 2000).

According to the NIMH (2000), depressive disorders �can have far reaching effects on the functioning and adjustment of young people� (p.1). Often the sign of emotional disorders goes undetected by family, friends and physicians alike. Mood swings are considered a normal part of developmental stages, and health professions are often hesitant to label a young person with a mental illness, �yet early diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders are critical to healthy emotional, social and behavioral development� (p.1).

** Disclaimer** This website has been developed for the sole purpose of assisting Kwantlen University Nursing Students with a Community Development project around the area of Depression in Children and Youth in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The authors hold no responsibility for the accuracy of linked websites.********