Is your child suffering from depression?

At the “Just Talk About It” presentation at St. Luke’s University Health Network in Bethlehem, Sheila Gillin, a licensed social worker and certified child and adolescent psychotherapist, shared some things to look for if a child or adolescent is suffering from depression.

“Look for changes in behavior,” Gillin said.

These changes could include:

• Withdrawing from friends or activities the child once enjoyed.

• Not wanting to go to school.

• Excessive worrying or feelings of impending doom.

Younger children who may have a hard time explaining how they feel emotionally may exhibit physical ailments, such as stomachaches due to extreme anxiety.

Sleep issues have also been connected to depression, both in leading to it and because of it.

Adolescents who go to sleep after midnight are 42 percent more likely to suffer from depression, Gillin said. She said parents should require their children to go to sleep by 10 p.m.

If someone says he or she feels like a burden or that others would be better off if he or she were dead, then take it seriously, Gillin said.

“When someone says that, it shouldn’t illicit a question,” she said.

For instance, don’t reply with something like, “You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

“Always weigh on the side of caution,” she said.

Parents can help their children by:

• Listening carefully and validating their children’s feelings

• Learning about their friends

• Monitoring stress and anxiety

• Providing support.

“You can’t fix the problem, but you can help,” Gillin said.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. Also, seek out child psychology and psychiatry resources affiliated with local health networks.