Depression or back-to-school blues?
How to know if your child is suffering from depression or the back-to-school blues. Credit: iStock
"Now is when kids are used to the new schedules," she says. The family should have a weekday routine down pat, and the kids should feel more predictability in their school days.
If a child still seems down, it might be time for some professional help, Serani says. "Kids have depression, just like adults do," she says, though their depression may present differently. "Kids don't have the verbal ability to express despair or hopelessness. They may say, 'My stomach hurts all the time' or 'I'm tired' or 'My head hurts.'"
If symptoms persist for an extended period -- not a day, not a week, but for two weeks or longer -- that indicates struggling, Serani says. She will be speaking on pediatric depression and signing her book at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington. It's free, and wine and cheese will be served.
