(RxWiki News) Children with a family risk of depression may show certain symptoms before the onset of their depression, a new study found.
Although there are several routes to developing depression, the study results suggested that irritability and fear or anxiety were often present in children who would go on to develop major depressive disorder.
Social and familial risk factors were also found to be tied to the risk of developing major depressive disorder in adolescents.
Past research has found that the most common risk factor for early-onset major depressive disorder is having a parent with depression.
The researchers behind the current study looked at 337 children whose parents had depression and followed them for four years. The researchers' goal was getting a better understanding of the timing of the development of depression in this particular group.
Speak to your child's health care provider about the signs and symptoms of depression.
This study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.
The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, Medical Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, British Academy, and 2007 Strutt and Harper Grant from the British Medical Association funded this research. The study authors disclosed no conflicts of interest.
