Your child seems indifferent

Your child seems indifferent
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Losing interest in the soccer team you signed your child up for is one thing, but depression symptoms can make a child stop caring about everything, from attending school to hanging out with friends. “It doesn’t target just one thing in life, but blankets most things one has contact with,” says Dr Kissen.

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Your child has new eating patterns

Your child has new eating patterns
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A change in appetite could be a symptom of depression, whether your picky eater is suddenly binging on sugar or your foodie doesn’t seem interested in eating anymore. Kids do shift their relationships with food naturally as they grow up, but be aware if a major shift is buddied with other signs of depression. “Sometimes you go through spells and you’re not that into food and then more into food,” says Dr Kissen. “It’s the cluster of symptoms it hangs out with, but in and of itself could have so many explanations.

Watch for these signs of high-functioning depression.

Your family has a history of depression

Your family has a history of depression
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While some people develop depression without a family history of it, the mental health disorder tends to run in families, says Dr Walkup. Even if none of your relatives received a formal diagnosis, consider if anyone showed any signs. If the answer is yes, your child is more at-risk. “The first thing to do, even before looking for signs and symptoms, is asking if there’s a family history of depression,” says Dr Walkup. “You get a car seat, get a helmet for your bicycle, put barriers across stairs and hooks on cabinets under the sink—but you don’t tell people to look at their family history.”

Now, find out 16 science-backed ways to overcome depression naturally.

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Source: RD.com

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