title: Depression in children and adolescents.
abstract: Among children and adolescents, the prevalence of depressive symptoms is about 15%. Clinically significant depression occurs in 5%. Depression in children overlaps with other childhood emotional and behavioural disorders. Depression in children is multifactorial and includes biological, psychological and social factors. Tricyclic antidepressants such as imipramine are ineffective in children and have limited effect in adolescents. SSRIs are also of limited value. For total health benefit in the treatment of depression, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is found to be more beneficial than SSRIs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8. hemamali_p@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hemamali
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Perera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic