Mood Disorders and Suicide in Children and Adolecents

Question 1

The rate of Depressive disorders in children and adolecents

Answer 1

These disorders affect approximately 2 to 3 percent of children and up to 8 percent of adolescents

Question 2

heritability of depression

Answer 2

major depression is only moderately heritable, approximately 40 to 50%, highlighting environmental stressors and adverse events as major contributors to major depressive disorder in youth

Question 3

The core features of major depression in children, adolescents, and adults

Answer 3

The features are all similar. However, clinical presentation is strongly influenced by the developmental level of the child or adolescent.

DSM-5 utilizes the same criteria for major depressive disorder in youth as in adults, except that for children and adolescents, irritable mood may replace a depressed mood in the diagnostic criteria.

Question 4

Children/Adolescents and Suicide

Answer 4

Most children and adolescents with depressive disorders neither attempt nor complete suicide; however, severely depressed youth often have suicidal ideation, and suicide remains the most serious risk of major depression. Nevertheless, many depressed youth do not ever have suicidal ideation, and many children and adolescents who engage in suicidal behavior do not have a depressive disorder.

Question 5

Treatment for depressive disorders in preschool populations

Answer 5

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Emotion Development (PCITED)

Question 6

symptom of major depression in Very young children

Answer 6

with major depression are often observed to be
sad, listless, or apathetic, even though they may not articulate these feelings verbally.

Perhaps surprisingly, mood-congruent auditory hallucinations are not infrequently observed in young children with major depression.

Somatic complaints such as headaches and stomachaches, withdrawn and sad appearance, and poor self-esteem are more universal symptoms

Question 7

Patients in late adolescence with more severe forms of depression often display

Answer 7

Pervasive anhedonia, severe psychomotor retardation, delusions, and a sense of hopelessness.

Question 8

Symptoms that appear with the same frequency, regardless of age and developmental status, include

Answer 8

suicidal ideation, depressed or irritable mood, insomnia, and diminished ability to concentrate

Question 9

How do developmental issues, however, influence the expression of depressive symptoms?

Answer 9

For example, unhappy young children who exhibit recurrent suicidal ideation are rarely able to propose a realistic suicide plan or to carry out such a plan

Question 10

Childs mood and severe social stressors

Answer 10

Many young children with major depressive disorder have histories of abuse, neglect, and families with significant psychosocial burdens such as parental mental illness, substance abuse, or poverty.

Children who develop depressive disorders in the midst of acute toxic family stressors may have remission of depressive symptoms when the stressors diminish or when a more nurturing family environment is introduced.

Question 11

Comorbid disorders with child depression

Answer 11

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder, and conduct disorder are not infrequently comorbid with a major depressive episode.
In some cases, conduct disturbances or disorders occur in the context of a major depressive episode and resolve with the resolution of the depressive episode.

Question 12

Conduct Disorder Diagnostic Criteria

Answer 12

Aggression to people and animals
Destruction of property
Deceitfulness or theft
Serious Violations of rules

Specify if:
Lack of remourse or guilt
Lack of empathy

Mild (lying) Moderate (stealing) Severe (Forced sex).