A depressed, hyperactive child may be hard to parent. While some parents may have more coping skills than others, it is heart breaking to see your child suffer and often feel helpless, and not know what to do.

Incidents of childhood and adolescent depression have increased dramatically in the past thirty years. Depression can take a great toll on a young persons mind. Like depression in adults, the illness has the following symptoms in a child:
* Sadness,
* Hopelessness,
* Feelings of worthlessness,
* Excessive guilt,
* Change in appetite,
* Loss of interest in activities,
* Recurring thoughts of death or suicide,
* Loss of energy,
* Helplessness,
* Fatigue,
* Low self-esteem,
* Inability to concentrate, and
* Changes in sleep patterns.

Unlike adults, younger children (especially) may not have the vocabulary to accurately describe how they feel. As a result, children may show their problems through behavior. Some key behaviors that may signal depression are:
*A sudden drop in school performance
*Inability to sit still, fidgeting, pacing, wringing hands, pulling or rubbing the hair, skin, clothing or other objects
*Slowed body movements
*Monotonous speech or not speaking at all
*Outbursts of shouting or complaining
*Unexplained irritability
*Crying
*Expression of fear or anxiety
*Aggression
*Refusal to cooperate
*Antisocial behavior
*Use of alcohol and other drugs.

Causes of Depression

Studies show that people suffering from depression have imbalances of important biochemicals in their brains. These biochemicals, called neurotransmitters, allow the brain's cells to communicate with one another. Two neurotransmitters that tend to be out of balance in depressive people are serotonin and norepinephrine. An imbalance in serotonin may cause the sleep problems, irritability and anxiety characteristic of depression, while an imbalance of norepinephrine, which regulates alertness and arousal, may contribute to the fatigue and depressed mood. Researchers have also found that depressed people have imbalances in cortisol, another natural biochemical the body produces in response to extreme long-term stress, anger or fear. Depression could be hereditary or environmental. Things that can trigger childhood depression include food and nutrition, toxicity, inconsistent parenting, neglect, abuse, rejection, parental conflict, stressful life experiences, and a negative way of viewing the world. That's not to say that children coping with these situations are the only ones susceptible to depression.

Many youngsters from stable and loving environments also develop the illness. Family history of mood disorders is also important. If a parent or relative has had childhood or recurrent depression, the child is at higher risk of developing depression. There are different theories on the causes of depression. Some feel that children inherit a predisposition to depression and anxiety but that environmental triggers are necessary to elicit the first episode. Many children with depression also experience anxiety, learning differences, and ADHD/ADD. If not treated, these other related conditions might persist even after the major depressive episode passes, and can render the young person more vulnerable to a recurrent depression.

In his clinic, Dr. Stewart has developed a program that helps young people overcome their mood disorders by adjusting and balancing brain chemistry. At the same time, he addresses and corrects the underlining causes that trigger depression, anxiety, learning differences, and ADHD/ADD. His unique protocol is all natural and effective. With his knowledge and compassion, he gives young people hope and a chance for a full life filled with dreams, vivid imagination, and rich emotions, unsuppressed by harsh and dangerous drugs.