Highlights- Depressed parents and grandparents
increase risk of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) among grandchildren.
- Children of depressed parents have
more than twice the risk of getting MDD when compared with children of
normal parents.
- Children of depressed parents and
grandparents have thrice the risk of getting MDD.
Grandchildren could fall prey to
depression if their parents and grandparents
suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD). Depression is a serious mental
health condition that affects people at all ages, races and economic backgrounds. It is found to affect
nearly 17 million Americans every year including children. In the U.S
- One in 33 children are affected
- One in 8 teens are affected
In India, depression is seen in
- 0.4% to 2.5% in children
- 0.4% to 8.3% in adolescents
- The lifetime risk for MDD among
adolescents is between 15 to 20%
The lifetime risk for MDD among adolescents
is comparable with the lifetime risk for adults, suggesting that
depression could start at the adolescent
stage.
Feeling sad or lonely from time to time or
for short spells is a part of growing up and is noticed in teenagers, however,
when the period of feeling sad lasts for a few months and more it can interfere
with the development of the child.
Symptoms of Major
Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Major Depressive Disorder could lead to
- Psychosis
- Substance abuse
- Poor eating habits
- Suicidal attempts
- Poor cognitive growth
- Poor academic performance
- Inability to focus
MDD in adolescents could affect their growth
and development and leave a permanent scar in their knowledge acquisition. The
golden years of their lives, when teenagers are meant to enjoy the freedom of
responsible free young adulthood suffers a serious setback when they are faced
with depression. It is important to identify this condition at the earliest and
to treat it before it leads to long term harm.
‘A happy home will breed happy children’
Dr. Myrna M. Weissman from New York State
Psychiatric Institute, New York and The Columbia University studied the
influence of depression among parents and grandparents in an attempt to assess
the risk to grandchildren and to highlight their needs. The study involved 251
eighteen year olds who were interviewed twice. The biological parents of the children were
interviewed 5 times while the grandparents were asked questions that led back
to 30 years. This provided considerable data about the mental health of the
parents as well as the grandparents.
Earlier studies on the depression of children
focused more on the depressive state of parents, however, the current study
looks at the depression levels of grandparents too, increasing the focus of
study.
Results of the Study
- Children of depressed parents had
a two time risk of gaining MDD.
- Children of depressed parents and
grandparents had a three times risk of getting MDD.
- Children of depressed parents but
normal grandparents had a greater risk of getting MDD than children of
parents without depression.
Depression is a serious health condition that
could hinder growth, therefore, active surveillance and proper treatment will
help depressed children from developmental stunting. Moreover, a happy home
will breed happy children, which should be the benchmark for every family.
References:- Depression – Introduction - (http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/understanding-depression.html)
Source-Medindia