So Young, So Sad, So Listen : A Parents' Guide to Depression in Children and Young People

Has your daughter lost her sparkle? Has everyday life become a trial for your son? This book, written by two experts in child and adolescent mental health, describes how to recognise depression and what causes it; and provides guidance on how parents can support their child, including up-to-date advice on seeking professional help. It gives advice on how to tell the difference between normal responses to stress and symptoms that are more concerning. It covers topical issues such as academic pressure, social media, getting a grip on screen time and cyber-bullying. You will also be given information about the different treatment options provided by child and adolescent mental health services, as well as practical advice and information about the support you can give at home. "This book is about depression in children and teenagers during their school years, from 5 to 18. It is written primarily for parents, but we hope that teachers, social workers, health visitors and family doctors will also find it useful. Why do parents need to know about possible depression in their children? All children get sad and miserable from time to time. Sometimes it is difficult to know if such normal unhappiness needs special attention. We aim to help parents in this situation. This is an example of a situation in which a mother describes how first she thought her son's problem was nothing much to worry about but then she had to change her mind: Ben's mother, a teacher, described the change that came over her ten-year-old son after a short viral illness"-- Provided by publisher Copyright_page Contents Foreword to the Second Edition by Philip Pullman Acknowledgements Introduction 1 How Can You Know if Your Child Is Depressed? 2 Understanding Depression in Children and Young People 3 What Parents Can Do to Help Build a Child’s Resilience to Depression 4 Helping Children Cope with Common Stresses: 5 When a Child Is Depressed: What Parents Can Do 6 Getting Professional Help 7 Last Words – from a Parent 8 Message to Governments Resources and Further Reading Index This book provides authoritative and easily accessible advice to parents who think their child or teenager is suffering from depression