ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Right now, America’s teenagers are in crisis. It’s so serious that doctors are all in, taking an all hands on deck approach. New recommendations are now calling for sweeping changes at pediatrician’s offices across the country.
The American Academy of Pediatrics just announced new guidelines on Monday for pediatricians to screen all children 12 years and older for depression.
The reason?
It turns out, teenagers are on the front lines when it comes to battling mental illness. According to experts, one in five teens is clinically depressed. In addition, two out of three teenagers with depression go undiagnosed.
With these alarming numbers, doctors knew that changes needed to be made quickly.
As much as any mom or dad would insist they would be able to detect depression in a child, many experts disagree.
Diagnosing depression is difficult, doctors say, as it manifests itself in many habits and behaviors, not just the obvious ones.
So as pediatricians treat young patients, the physicians will now go through a checklist, a questionnaire and talk openly with adolescents about depression, keen to warning signs that a parent might miss.
Kimberly Walker, a mother of three, is glad to hear that these new guidelines are being put into place. She admitted that she might not see all signs that point to a problem.
“She’s amazing,” Kimberly told News Channel 8 while beaming at her daughter. “I know my daughter and I both tend to be more sensitive individuals, which brings anxiety sometimes.”
Dr. Matt Cavitt is the head of pediatric psychiatry at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He is thrilled to see the new guidelines and says these recommendations could possibly save a life.
“It’s a disease just like any other disease, not a lapse in character,” he said.
Kimberly’s 15-year-old daughter Sierra says the new guidelines are needed.
The St. Petersburg High School freshman said, “Getting help is honestly something people should do, but it’s not always the easiest thing to do. So, I think having professionals looking for [depression] is good.”
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, signs of teen depression include sleep problems, loss of interest in friends, changes in appetite, hopeless thoughts, changes in body movements, edginess, slowed down reaction time and frequent physical illnesses.
While parents may be able to see changes in behavior, experts maintain that an in-depth visit to a pediatrician is truly the best indicator in determining a depression diagnosis.
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