Treating Depression In Teens and Children

The number of children diagnosed with depression has exploded in recent years, with millions prescribed antidepressants each year, according to the article When Kids Can't Cope by Rob Waters at alternativemedicine.com. Dissatisfied with the results of these drugs and alarmed by reports of adverse effects, including suicide, an increasing number of parents are turning to alternative approaches to help their children.

"When you see a kid who's depressed, you have to ask, 'What's the cause?'" says Michael Cantwell, MD, MPH, a pediatrician at the Institute for Health and Healing at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. "Holistic medicine tries to look at causes a little more closely, not to just take depression and say, 'We have a pill for that.'"

Simple changes, like getting kids off high-sugar diets and making sure they get enough sleep, can lead to rapid improvement says Cantwell. Most children require a combination of approaches including dietary change, relaxation techniques, biofeedback, and a form of counseling or talk therapy. He recommends taking the following steps toward successful treatment:

• Assess the problem. Detailed information about eating habits and foods, sleeping patterns, what's happening in the family and at school-- all factors in depression-- can help pinpoint depressive triggers.
  
• Diet: Check it, then change it. Protein intake is often a problem with children. Most kids, particularly teens, don't get enough, especially in the morning when they need it most. "Inadequate protein can contribute to depression because neurotransmitters are made of amino acids, the primary ingredient of protein necessary to make these mood-enhancing chemicals," explains Cantwell. Mid-morning or late afternoon sleepiness or crabbiness are indicators of protein deficiency. Cantwell continues, "There is mounting evidence that a high-sugar, low-protein diet can boost insulin levels and deplete serotonin" leading to depression in many people. Unfortunately, most American children eat a breakfast loaded with sugar and highly refined carbohydrates but little or no protein. Growing children need about one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight but Cantwell doubles that amount to treat depression. He suggests keeping a diary of the foods your child eats with notes on behavior and activity to aid in determining causal relationships.
  
• Exercise. There is good evidence that exercise cuts cortisol levels and boosts serotonin in adults. While studies have not been conducted with children, many experts feel it has the same beneficial effects.
  
• Omega-3 fatty acids. Depressed people have unusually low levels of omega-3s, found mostly in cold-water fish. "I almost always recommend omega-3s for both children and adults because it's really deficient in our current diet, " says Cantwell.
  
• Mind-body techniques. Yoga and meditation can help children slow down and relax. But kids need choices because they may not be interested in or be able to use some techniques. By giving kids choices, they usually can find one or two techniques that work for them, including diaphragmatic (belly) breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization, and biofeedback.

Take a pill to cure your ills has been the American medical community's answer to depression for years. Our children are highly over-medicated. Healthier alternatives that strengthen the the child physically and mentally can improve emotional health without chemicals. For a comprehensive explanation of the problem and treatment solutions, view my video Curing Depression, Anxiety and Panic Disorder. A professionally-produced, two-hour documentary, this compelling DVD describes natural, safe and effective alternative treatments for these disorders without the use of antidepressants. Connect to my website to view a 7-minute introduction to this indispensable video at http://www.burtongoldberg.com/ or click the blog post title.

To read the whole article, When Kids Can't Cope, go to: http://www.alternativemedicine.com/common/
news/store_news.asp?task=store_news&SID_store_news=129&
storeID=02AD61F001A74B5887D3BD11F6C28169).