A Senior Nurse at the Mental Health Unit of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Raphael Cosmos has defined depression as a condition of an extreme sadness which interferes negatively with one’s daily activities.
Speaking on GBC’s Sunrise FM’s weekly health discussion programme, ‘YOUR HEALTH’, Mr. Cosmos said children become depressed due to changes around them beginning from age six.
He noted that social setting, the environment and chronic medical conditions can also cause depression in children. Mr. Cosmos explained that children adapt to the environment in which they live as such when a child is constantly abused, he or she is likely to develop depression.
He further noted that some of the effects of depression in children include their inability to concentrate on tasks and socialize.
He indicated that the best way to prevent depression in children is for parents to develop effective communication with their children. He said depression in children is treatable at its early stage.