As children undergo dramatic and rapid social-emotional development during the first five years of their lives, depression might seem a very unlikely mental health condition for this age group. Especially when these children are usually brimming with joy, care-free and lighthearted.
However, extensive studies have shown that depression can and does occur even in this young age group even if they are yet able to fully be aware and make sense of their feelings of depression.

3 Signs of Depression in Young Children

Young children, especially when they enter the famous terrible twos, can seem suddenly cranky or irritable. However, this does not automatically mean they have depression. The key here is the length of time they display these moods and behaviors.

1. Changes in sleep or eating patterns

Sleep is an important part of early childhood development. However, a depressed child may suddenly be unable to sleep or oversleep. They may sleep the normal amount of hours but wake up still tired. Preschool children with depression may also have less of an appetite.

2. Lack of interest in activities they previously liked and enjoyed

Early childhood is a period of exploration and intense curiosity. This is when most children are enthusiastic about almost everything they encounter. They suddenly discover new activities they like and enjoy. However, a child with depression may suddenly lose interest in the activities they usually had fun doing. They may simply refuse to play, give up easily, or simply be more withdrawn and isolate themselves.

3. Excessive self-criticism

One of the top telltale signs of depression is when the child vocalizes feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction with him/herself. Children with depression will focus on their own faults, attributing things that go wrong to themselves.

Checking for Depression in Preschool Children

It can be hard for childcare providers to spot a depressed child. Sometimes, it can be attributed to routine social-emotional development wherein preschool children may start “acting out” as they try to figure out big feelings that are new to their emotional landscape. Some may attribute it to a development of an introverted personality.

However, if childcare providers are observant enough of the changes in behavior and length of displayed symptoms, they may just catch on to a preschool depression that can be managed early on before it progresses into more mental health problems for the child in the future.

Mental health professionals such as Dr. Joan Luby has devised questionnaires that can help determine depression in preschool children. Dr. Luby created The Preschool Feelings Checklist that can help childcare providers screen and identify preschoolers who may need further mental health evaluation for depression. Similarly, the Pediatric Symptom Checklist is another questionnaire specifically for school-age children that could be used by parents to screen their children as young as four to determine whether their child has depression.

These checklists contain age-appropriate and adapted questions that young children and their parents can easily answer.

As the pandemic continues which place a great barrier and source of stress for young children who are still developing, parents and childcare providers alike must be armed ready and adequately informed.