How parents, school can help kids in depression

Actions like suicide have an underlying depression which develops over months/years and if keeping an eye can be helpful in helping the person to avoid the drastic step like in the case of the 15-year-old girl, who committed suicide after bad performance in school, and pressure from parents and teachers, say doctors.

"Parents need to monitor their children closely and any behavioral change should be given due attention. As part of normal brain development, a child's thinking center (frontal lobes), which is responsible for judgement are the last to develop. This makes them more vulnerable to stress as they behave like a car without brakes," said Dr Jateen Ukrani, Senior Psychiatrist, Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital.

According to the psychologists, the warning signs of depression in children can many times be noticed in the form of Facebook and WhatsApp statuses. Also, a decline in school performance, frequent irritability, disturbed sleep, and appetite are signs of depression and if kept an eye, parents can help their children get out of it by communicating.

"Refusal to go to school or losing interest in peers is also a warning sign that may hint parents to talk to their child," said Ukrani.