An Alarming Increase Number of Depressed Children

Depression in children is noticeably rising as a longitudinal study conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine. The ratio of Major Depression Disorder (MDD) in preschool children is already the same among school-aged children as stated in the study. Antidepressant medication will be given to Preschool children once diagnosed. A new breakthrough states that Probiotic bacteria can improve symptoms of Anxiety and Depression.

The longitudinal study conducted by Dr. Luby and her colleagues states that among school-age children, the strongest predicted depression is a family history of depression.

What predicts childhood depression could be from genetics, depressed mother  and even stressful or traumatic events as well.

Jennifer Gibson, a brain blogger, wrote about how young is too young being diagnosed and stated that any parent can attest that the “terrible 2’s” as observed  from the said children are their   being moody and  temperamental during their  toddler stage.

Gibson also mentioned in her article that a new study funded by the United States National Institute of Mental Health and published in Archives of General Psychiatry showed evidence that depression in preschool-aged children can be a chronic condition and should be given out most attention by the parents.

Despite several studies have been conducted still  there is no findings about depressed pre-schoolers showing  delay in their development  and that treating depressed children ignites controversy to which there is already a growing number of  depressed children being prescribed with powerful psychiatric medications.

 Most experts encouraged psychotherapy as the first-line treatment among children and discouraging children from taking antidepressant medication such as Zoloft because it has not yet been carefully examined as a prescription for pre-schoolers.

A child’s emotional development must be something that every parents, teachers, and caregivers needs to know about.

The early intervention can prevent depression among children and they will not experience the several side effects of Zoloft which can cause Zoloft birth defects in women.

References:


http://brainblogger.com/2009/08/26/how-young-is-too-young-to-diagnose-depression/
http://columbiachildpsychologist.blogspot.com/2009/10/depression-in-pre-schoolers.html
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2007/children-and-depression/

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Depression like Birth Defects Can Affect the Child’s Development

Depression in children is a serious condition that should be given attention. Most mental illnesses are difficult to diagnose in children and that includes depression. Depression even in children, is primarily managed with antidepressants. According to research, children could need antidepressants if mothers smoked while pregnant. Information dissemination on childhood depression would be very beneficial as this is not as discussed as depression in adults.

How Will You Know if a Child has Depression?

A specialist is required to diagnose depression in a child but it would be helpful if you would know the signs so you can take the appropriate steps. Some of these signs may not happen to your child but most of the mentioned below are present in children with depression.

•             Emotional Changes

The main symptom of depression is sadness however, not all sadness would immediately mean depression. There is what they call “masked depression” where feelings of depression are manifested as anger or acting out. Almost always, emotional signs would include feelings of sadness, mood swings, feeling of being rejected, being guilty, anger and etc. 

•             Mental Changes

The child may also have changes in thoughts and thinking such as ideas indicating low self-esteem or dislike towards the self. Negative thoughts may also be on the child’s mind frequently. These thoughts may also be suicidal in nature. Suicide is the worst point that a child or anyone with depression, would commit. Be wary of suicidal ideations and always be on the lookout for suicide attempts.

•             Physical changes

Depressed children may also show physical symptoms. Usually, the child feels tired and fatigued to participate in activities. Loss of appetite or sleeping problems can also be seen in children suffering from depression.

·         Behavioral Changes

Changes in behavior can be observed when a child has depression. They withdraw from social interaction and the child easily gets upset over something rather simple. Interests over previous likes or hobbies may be gone. Others may throw temper tantrums over the most simple incidents.

The mentioned signs are the most common that are observed in children with depression. When you noticed that these are happening to your child, you are highly advised to check with your doctor. Your family doctor may do as he/she can refer to you to the appropriate specialist. Depression can affect the child’s development just like Zoloft birth defects so it would be ideal to manage the condition once diagnosed.

References:

•           zoloftsertralinebirthdefects.com/updates/children-could-need-antidepressants-if-mothers-smoked-while-pregnant/

•               webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-children

•               medicinenet.com/depression_in_children/article.htm

•               cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-87-90

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Birth Defects May Be Associated With Antidepressants Taken By Depressed Women

According to statistics, females are twice as much to suffer from depression as men. This is not the only disadvantage that women have to go through because they are also at risk for more side effects when receiving treatments for depression. The antidepressant Zoloft for example, has been linked with birth defects especially when taken at the third trimester of pregnancy. Zoloft is manufactured by Pfizer, the makers of newly-approved lung cancer drug, Xalkori.

Why Do Women Suffer from Depression?

A number of factors can be enumerated why women suffer from depression but most often than not, it has something to do with hormones. Below are some of the most common causes of depression in women.

•             Premenstrual Problems

Fluctuations in hormone can lead to a variety of symptoms that can also be associated with Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) such as irritability, being emotional and the feeling of being bloated. Usually, most women experience mild symptoms of PMS but for some, the symptoms are so severe that it disrupts their normal functions.

•             Pregnancy

Pregnancy is known to be a condition in a woman’s life where hormones can be at a disadvantage. Changes in hormonal levels may contribute to depression especially to women who are at risk even before getting pregnant.

•             Postpartum Depression

Postpartum changes may be very significant in women and this may lead for them to suffer from depression. Usually, most women experience postpartum blues which is deemed normal but some progress to a severe state which is postpartum depression. Postpartum is believed to be caused by the sudden drop of hormones after giving birth.

Managing Depression in Women

The management of depression in women are similar to those of men. However, one must consider their biological differences. In medications, women should start taking antidepressants in lower doses than men to avoid the serious side effects. Pregnant women are also given special considerations because antidepressants can be harmful to the fetus. For instance, birth defects caused by Zoloft have been raised especially when taken during the third trimester.

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Post Partum Depression Patients Should Decide If Taking Zoloft Is a Good Idea

For new mothers there are many things that can lead to post partum depression, the uncertainty of motherhood bears particular significance to this. There would be many doctors who would prescribe Zoloft, since Zoloft is the number one prescribed brand in its market and is being used to treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), this is probably an issue worth looking into for many moms that plan to nurse. The biggest concern of these breastfeeding mothers is that the baby may ingest some of the Zoloft that has been absorbed into their breast milk, leading to their babies to have withdrawal symptoms after they have stopped taking the drug or stopped breastfeeding.

Experts say that about 1 in every 8 women suffer from post partum depression, this depression is largely caused by the change of hormones after delivery. Post partum depression can begin at any time within the first 3 months after delivery; it can seriously harm both the mother and her baby. The disease may make it hard for the mother to breastfeed or bond with her baby. It is important that the mother see her doctor as soon as possible if she begins to show any symptom of depression as it is a real threat to her and her baby.

Once the mother consults with the doctor, she may be advised to do several things to treat the depression; some doctors may prescribe antidepressants like Zoloft. Many mothers maybe wary of taking Zoloft since they are afraid that the drug will be absorbed into the breast milk and potentially harm the baby. Recent studies have shown however that Zoloft absorption percentage into the mothers breast milk is very small and most of the time the baby will not show any ill side effects of Zoloft intake.

Taking Zoloft for post partum depression is a decision that both you and your doctor must agree on.If your baby has begun to show Zoloft withdrawal symptoms due to your intake of Zoloft while breastfeeding, then you should know what your legal options are. Many Zoloft lawyers will have more information for you on your legal options, many will give you a free consultation and most will not charge you unless you see compensation in a court of law.

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Study Results Show Zoloft Best for Treating Depression

A recent study done by Andrea Cipriani, M.D., of the University of Verona in Italy gave results showing that Zoloft is one of the best drugs currently on the market for treating depression. The study included analysis of 12 drugs, with two coming out as the most effected and best tolerated as first line treatments: sertraline (Zoloft) and escitalopram (Lexapro). Venlafaxine (Effexor) and mirtazapine (Remeron) rounded out the top four for effectiveness, but venlafaxine was also among the four drugs patients were most likely to quit taking because of side effects. The list of the 12 drugs included in the study is: bupropion, citalopram, duloxetine, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, milnacipran, mirtazapine, paroxetine, reboxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. During the study there was no funding from any of the drug manufactures used by the authors.

This study used a new technique called multiple-treatments meta-analysis to make head-to-head comparisons among the 12 drugs, incorporating 117 randomized controlled trials including 25,928 patients in all. With regards to the uniqueness of the study Dr. Cipriani claims that “There has been little scientific evidence of the relative effectiveness of these drugs, because most studies compare one against a handful of others or a placebo, and are often funded by the maker of a particular drug, which can bias the findings in its favor.” Dr. Cipriani also goes on by saying “that the findings of this study don't mean that everyone should be put on Zoloft or Lexapro, and they shouldn't be seen as suggesting that people who are on other drugs should go off them.”

Zoloft, like any other prescription drug, has its own set of side effects that any potential user should be aware of, this drug drug has actually been linked to several birth defects which include Craniosynostosis, enlarged heart, Gastrochisis, clubbed foot and cleft lip or palate.Zoloft is also a drug that cannot be stop abruptly as severe withdraw symptoms can also begin to manifest.

Zoloft is drug that is supposed to treat depression, and although the test made by Dr. Cipriani shows its effectiveness against depression; Zoloft is actually a serious drug and you should consult your doctor before starting a regiment of Zoloft. However, if you believe that you have been injured by any of the adverse side effects of Zoloft then perhaps a visit to a Zoloft Lawyer could be the next step for you. Many Zoloft lawyers will give a free consultation and not charge you unless your case receives compensation.