Medication Advice for a Clinically Depressed 11 Yr Old Boy.

I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I, too have a tendency to suffer from depression and I think you are so wise to get help. I would suggest, in addition to what you are doing, that you look at nutrition. Our diets are very low in the necessary minerals and it really has shifted people's brain chemistry. This is corroborated in Dr. John Gray's book, Mars Venus Guide to Diet and Exercise.

What he suggests, and I have found really works, is a couple of the Isagenix products. I am happy to give you more info if you email me.

A.

It is tough to deal with childhood mental health issues. Talking to a psychiatrist is a good call. Maybe your current therapist will know a psychiatrist who has experience with children and teens. If not maybe they will know about what hospital or agency in your area has treatment programs for children and adolescents. If the hospital or agency has an acute care unit or partial hospital program then the psychiatrists will have plenty of experience treating children and teens. The only drawback is they may be more likely to medicate because they see many more serious cases. There are some antidepressants that do not work the same or as well in children and adolescents (Paxil comes to mind but there are some others as well). It is somewhat trial and error to get the best medication and dosage but an experienced doctor will probably know a good place to start. My mom had been on medication for depression for years. It started to work somewhat right away but after several years, medications and doctors she has gotten it fine tuned to work really well for her.

Good for you for dealing with this head-on! As Rose said, anti-depressants are not generally recommended for young children, especially pre-adolescents.

As a mental health professional, I would suggest:
- Ask your therapist and school social worker/psychologist for a psychiatrist referral. They are likely aware of who works well with children in your community. Youth/adolescent psychiatry is very different than adult practice.
- Keep a journal regarding his daily mood, any changes and activity levels. This will be very helpful to your practitioner. As Rose mentioned, this could be early symptomology for something else. More info is always better than less! Let the doctor decide what is relevant and helpful.
- Do not hesitate to ask the doctor if he/she is experienced in working with adolescent males. If they hestitate or are not, move on to someone else!

I think you're doing all the right things by seeing a therapist and seeking a psychiatrist. That would be my only recommendation. You could always ask him pediatrician or a pharmacist to see what products are approved for an 11 year-old. Most SSRIs (selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors have had suicide risks added by the FDA over the past few years for teenagers).

I've worked in the pharmaceutical industry for almost 10 years, and all patients react differently to all medications. That's why I think it's great that you're seeking a psychiatrist who best knows how the medications, their side effects, and possible reactions (positive and negative).

Good luck! I hope you're able to manage his Depression soon.

Hi D., first I want to express my sympathy that your son is suffering this way. I know how depression feels, and like the commercials say, it really does "hurt." Anyway, I want to reinforce the previous mom's advice to avoid antidepressants if you can - there is a lot of research that says it can have a paradoxical effect in children, increasing the rate of suicide and increasing or causing suicidal thoughts. I am not totally certain on this, but if your son also happens to be ADHD, medications used to treat the condition can do the same thing to a child who is already depressed, so be careful.

You are very wise to see a psychiatrist. Make sure he/she is someone you are comfortable with since it is likely you will be with him/her for a while. Don't hesitate to change to another doctor if you don't feel right about the whole thing.

Finally, especially when there is a family history or if depression starts young, it may be more than just depression. This could be the hallmarks of other mental disorders such as bipolar or even shizoprenia. A good psychiatrist will help you flesh out what is going on. In the meantime, ensure that your son is active in school, has plenty of time to spend with friends, and has activities that keep him busy and distracted (church, sports, music, whatever he likes). Good luck.

Talk to a pyschiatrist that treats pediatrics. They will be the best to advise you on any and all medications. Unfortunately you may not find the right med at first. It may take 3 different ones like you went through. We can't always predicts exactly what will work for someone. And what did work for you may not work for your son. Our bodies all break down the meds differently.
And unfortunately since you suffer from depression, you son is at a risk.
Good luck in your search. I know how hard it is to find a pediatric pyschiatrist.

Hi D.,
I'm so sorry that your son is going through this, and you too, I know this is very difficult. My oldest, now 14, suffered from depression last year, and I know what a painful situation this is. While we did not opt to treat with medication, I did investigate this. The psychiatrist can best let you know what different medications are available, what the various side effects are and what is usually recommended for adolescents - I would be sure to consult a pediatric psychiatrist, rather than someone accustomed to prescribing meds for adult patients. I realize that SSRI's are not recommended for kids/teens. Sometimes it is necessary to change meds or doses, it isn't an immediate fix but I think that there are more options and more knowledge than when you would have been a child.
Good luck and I hope that things get better !