The first ever Children’s Mental Health Week was launched by Place2Be in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. Now in its sixth year, the week marks a time to reflect on how we can best support the mental health of the young people around us. In the third and most recent stem4 survey of UK GPs and parents in 2019, 83% stated that they were dealing with more mental health difficulties in their young patients whilst 76% of parents report that they worry about their offspring’s mental health. Thus, as we encourage young people to speak up if they are experiencing low moods, it is important for parents to understand depression in children, as well as know how to listen when a young person opens up about it.

Childhood and adolescent depression is a mental ill health condition and is very different to the common reference made to low mood or sadness. The condition needs to be diagnosed by a qualified mental health professional and although serious, is treatable with evidence-based treatment approaches such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and in a few cases, by medication which needs to be prescribed by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. 

The symptoms of depression in children and adolescents can sometimes be similar but are often very different to adult depression. So, whilst low mood, withdrawal, negative thinking, appetite and sleep changes are shared symptoms, children and adolescents also present with variable mood, irritability and anger, increased risk taking, self-harm behaviours, over involvement in routine ‘comfort’ or ‘addictive’ activities such as gaming and increased physical symptoms such as for example, stomach pain or headaches.  

Whilst there is a significant role for self-care in depression such as for example, eating well and regularly, keeping sleep routines, regular exercise and connecting with people, one of the first steps for parents and carers and other significant adults is to engage in LISTENING to what may be happening in a child or young person’s life. 

The value of talking is publicised, but the value of listening is even greater. If we listen, children and young people will talk. So, what is listening all about?

In mental health contexts, listening is an active process. The listener concentrates not only on what is being said but also why it’s being said and how what the person is talking about affects them. This means listening not only to words but also to other cues such as for example, body language. Listening is about being open and non-judgemental and about maintaining a flow of ideas. 

Listening to someone who is depressed is particularly hard because depression creates a barrier between the person experiencing the emotion and their interaction with others. Someone who is depressed may not say much or what they say may be very negative or hard to hear. Trying to understand what it might be like for them and supporting them by being there for them or providing them with an alternative framework that’s hopeful or helps problem solve are just a few of the important listening strategies you can offer. 

 

 

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