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First Signs
Symptoms
of Depression in Children and Adolescents
It is always best to contact
your child's or family’s doctor to rule out physical reasons for symptoms and
for referral to a qualified professional if appropriate!
Symptoms in Infants & Toddlers
- Decreased pleasure in
activities
- Sad or inexpressive face
- Little motor activity
- Withdraws from cuddling,
being held
- Too little or too much
crying
- Excessive whining
- Failure to grow and thrive
- Verbal expressions of
sadness
- Lack of social interest
Symptoms in Preschoolers
- Frequent unexplained
stomachaches, headaches, and fatigue
- Hyperactivity or excessive
restlessness
- Frequent sadness
- Low tolerance for
frustration
- Irritability
- No pleasure in activities
that were enjoyed before
- Tendency to portray the
world as sad or bleak
Symptoms in School-Aged Children
- Frequent, unexplained
physical complaints
- Low self-esteem
- Excessive worrying
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Tearfulness
- Unprovoked hostility or
aggression
- Refusal or reluctance to
attend school
- Drop in grades
- Little interest in playing
with others
- Poor communication
- Thoughts about or efforts
to run away
- Morbid or suicidal thoughts
Symptoms in Adolescence
- Drop in school grades
and/or concentration
- Behavior problems in school
- Feelings of sadness or
hopelessness
- Low self-esteem
- Fatigue
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Loss of enjoyment of
previously enjoyed activities
- Self-destructive behavior
- Difficulty with
relationships
- Eating-related problems
- Antisocial or delinquent
behavior
- Social isolation
- Inattention to appearance
- Extreme sensitivity to
rejection or failure
- Physical slowness or
agitation
- Morbid or suicidal thoughts
or actions
From Child and Adolescent
Depression, November 14, 2002
Workshop presentation by L. Read Suklik, M.D., Medical Director
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Cloud Hospital
First Signs of Autism in Infants and Children
Autism is a complex
developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years
of life. It affects as many as 2 to 6 individuals per 1,000.
Common Characteristics of Autism
(found at
www.autism-society.org)
- Insistence on sameness;
resistance to change
- Difficulty in
expressing needs; uses gestures or pointing instead of words
- Repeating words or
phrases in place of normal, responsive language
- Laughing, crying,
showing distress for reasons not apparent to others
- Prefers to be alone;
aloof manner
- Tantrums
- Difficulty in mixing
with others
- May not want to cuddle
or be cuddled
- Little or no eye
contact
- Unresponsive to normal
teaching methods
- Sustained odd play
- Spins objects
- Inappropriate
attachments to objects
- Apparent
over-sensitivity or under-sensitivity to pain
- No real fears of
danger
- Noticeable physical
over-activity or extreme under-activity
- Uneven gross/fine motor
skills
- Not responsive to
verbal cues; acts as if deaf although hearing tests in normal range.
Warning Signs and
Behaviors: Autism
(found at
www.childdevelopmentweb.com)
-
Impaired use of nonverbal behaviors in
socialization (eye contact, facial expressions, body postures, gestures)
-
Failure to develop peer relationships
appropriate to development level
-
Lack of seeking to share enjoyment,
interests, or achievements spontaneously with others
-
Lack of social or emotional expression/
reciprocity
-
Delay or total lack of verbal language
development without attempts to compensate
-
Impairment in ability to initiate or sustain
a conversation with others (in children who have adequate speech)
-
Lack of various, spontaneous make-believe
play or social imitative play appropriate for age/level
-
Significant preoccupation with one or more
stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal by
intensity or focus.
-
Stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms
(hand or finger flapping or twisting, complex whole body movements)
-
Persistent preoccupation with parts of
objects
Social / Communication Red
Flags
(found at
www.firstsigns.org)
- No big smiles or
other warm, joyful expressions by six months or thereafter
- No back-and-forth
sharing of sounds, smiles, or other facial expressions by nine months or
thereafter
- No babbling by 12
months
- No back-and-forth
gestures, such as pointing, showing, reaching, or waving by 12 months
- No words by 16
months
- No two-word
meaningful phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months
- ANY loss of speech
or babbling or social skills at ANY age
Professionals
to seek out for diagnosis and treatment of Autism
Developmental Pediatrician
Child Psychiatrist
Clinical Psychologist |
