Posted by SLS on August 20, 2005, at 20:43:47 [reposted on August 22, 2005, at 22:31:42 | original URL]
In reply to Re: SLS that was very informative., posted by lynn970 on August 20, 2005, at 13:26:58
> I am afraid that I shouldn't have said that my 5 year shows symptoms of depression. I don't know if she does. Her feelings get hurt so easy. I pray that she does not inherit a chemical imbalance from me.
Biological depression seems to be the product of a complex interaction of multiple-gene vulnerabilities plus environmental stressors. One may be born with much of the predisposing genetics but may never display depression if the stressors are managed during the critical periods of growth of which you have quite a bit of control. You sound like an excellent parent who will be capable of doing this on your child's behalf.
If depression does present at such a young age, I think psychotherapy should be tried first. The depressive biology still has not had time to sink in and stick. The brain remains flexible enough that to reduce the psychosocial stress that a child is subject to might be enough to smooth out the biology and allow things to settle into normal functioning. It is a difficult decision to decide when intervention with medication is indicated. Bipolar disorder probably should be treated medically as soon as it is recognized, especially if the first episode is mania.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:545423
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/child/20050817/msgs/545428.html