What is Depression - Childhood
Clinical depression is a state of sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of dail...
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poss depressed 9 year old
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I am a leader of a brownie guides pack and over the last few weeks I have noticed one of the girls has become increasingly depressed. I only see this girl one evening a week, so I have no idea if she is like this all the time or just at brownies.
She lacks the motivation to do things and often tells me that she is 'feeling bad again today.' She used to be such a happy, outgoing girl. I have tried talking to her, (I am the only leader she will confide in), but her reasons for feeling low are always vague and they seem like the same sort of things every kid goes through and which she has been dealing with quite happily her whole life. For example: 'my sister threw one of my teddies down the stairs' or 'my grandad died when I was a baby and I miss him.' She will of often sit slumped over on the table, something. At our last meeting, she kept hiding behind cupboards; when I asked her who she was hiding from she said 'everyone out there,' then tried to persuade me to leave her alone because she was sad about her grandad(?) The only thing I can think of is that she is unsure why she is sad and so is searching for a possible reason. I have spoken to the other leaders (there are 4 of us all together), only one of whom was concerned - the other two told me that there is nothing we can do, it is up to her parents. I've never even met her parents - they pick her and her sister up from the carpark outside after meetings and it's generally assumed that I'm not a 'real' adult leader as I'm only 19. I really need advice from you all. What can I do to help - apart from giving her lots of hugs?! Posted on 03/16/09, 05:03 pm |
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