October 2017

U.S. Teens Need Your Help; October is National Depression Education and Awareness Month

Tragically, teen suicide has increased by 40 percent since 2007. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10 and 24. Each day in the U.S., an average of 5,400 young people in grades 7-12 attempt suicide.

As many as two to three percent of children ages 6 to 12, and 6 to 8 percent of teens may have serious depression. In 2016, 3 million adolescents, ages 12- 17 in the U.S. had at least one major depressive episode. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 80 percent of kids with an anxiety disorder and 60 percent with depression do not receive treatment. Untreated mental health conditions, especially depression, are among the leading causes of suicide.

Mental health conditions often begin to develop in young children. Due to the child still learning how to identify and discuss their thoughts and emotions, the symptoms we most often seen are behavioral. Depression is now occurring in younger children and adolescents, although it sometimes presents more prominently as irritability than a low mood. While depression affects both genders of all ages, girls are more likely to develop depression during adolescence. Before puberty, girls and boys have the same incidence of depression. After puberty, girls are twice as likely to have depression than boys.

Given these alarming statistics, it is necessary for providers to screen and assess for the signs and symptoms of depression. Mental health screenings for psychosocial/behavioral health are a key component of the Texas Health Steps Comprehensive Health Screening from birth to 20 years of age.
Bright Futures and the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommend depression screenings for patients 12-21 years of age in their periodicity schedule. These screenings play a key role in the fight against depression and teen suicide.