What is depression screening?

Depression screening is a way to see if your older child or teen has depression symptoms. It may be done by a healthcare provider such as a doctor, nurse, social worker, or counsellor. It's often part of a routine checkup. That's because your child's mental health is just as important as their physical health.

Depression is a mental health condition. It affects how your child feels, thinks, and acts. Your child may:

• Have less energy.
• Lose interest in daily activities.
• Feel sad and grouchy for a long time.
• Have difficulties in concentrating.
• Have changes in eating and sleeping habits.

Depression is very common. It affects people of all ages.

Many things can lead to depression. Some older children and teens become depressed after a traumatic event or because they have a chronic illness. The death of a loved one, a breakup, or being bullied may lead to it. Depression can run in families. Most experts believe that a mix of inherited genes and stressful life events can cause it.

What happens during screening?

Your teen or older child may be asked to fill out a form about their depression symptoms. It's important for your child to be honest about how they are feeling. The doctor and your child will talk about the answers. The doctor may ask you or your child more questions to learn more about how your child thinks, acts, and feels.

The healthcare provider may want to know about things like:

• Grouchiness.
• Lost interest in activities that used to be fun.
• Changes in appetite.
• Weight gain or loss.
• Sleeping more or less than usual.
• Not wanting to spend time with friends or family, and more.

Teens and older children with depression may also have other conditions. These might be anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or an eating disorder. The doctor may ask questions about these things too.

What happens after screening?

If your child has symptoms of depression, the healthcare provider will talk to you about your options.

Healthcare providers usually treat depression with counselling. Often, both counselling and medicine are needed. Many people think that they'll get over the depression on their own, or they worry what others will think of them if they get help. But people with depression may not get better unless they get treatment. It's a medical illness. And it isn't your child's fault.

It's important to know that depression can be treated. The first step toward feeling better is often just seeing that the condition exists.

A serious symptom of depression is thinking about death or suicide.

Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If your child talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away.

• Call the Alberta Health Services Mental Health Helpline any time, day or night, at 1-877-303-2642.
• Call Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645 (4 p.m. to midnight ET).
• Kids or teens can call Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to686868.
• Go to the Talk Suicide Canada website at https://talksuicide.ca or the Kids Help Phone website at https://kidshelpphone.ca for more information.

Consider saving these numbers in your phone.