Childhood depressive disorders.

In conclusion, the findings reported in this thesis underline that SD in childhood and adolescence is a significant condition calling for attention, due to the early onset, the risk for progression into MDD and the poor outcome. Indicated prevention aimed at MDD in childhood should target SD children who are characterised by fewer depressive symptoms but the same symptom pattern, the same level of impairment, and the same amount of comorbid anxiety and conduct/oppositional disorders, as presented by children with MDD. Selective preventive interventions could effectively target children who suffer from chronic physical illness and children whose mothers present depressive symptoms, also below clinical threshold. In addition, boys might have an increased risk for developing pre-pubertal MDD, but this has to be explored further in non-clinical samples. We recommend that more attention is paid to children and adolescents with subthreshold depressive symptoms who also pre-sent significant functional impairment. Emphasis must be put on the risk for SD transforming into MDD, especially in those exposed to the potential risk factors identified in this thesis. PMID: 27697136 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Danish Medical Journal - Category: Journals (General) Tags: Dan Med J Source Type: research