As in adults, frequent crying and irritability are often the most noticeable physical symptoms of depression in infants.
Posted on 01/14/2007 10:46:54 AM PST by Graybeard58
Rockville, Mary. – A study conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reports that an overwhelming majority of 100 percent of all newborn infants display symptoms normally associated with clinical adult depression and in fact suffer from a medical condition known as Infant Depressive Disorder (IDD).
"A baby suffering from Infant Depressive Disorder will exhibit many of the same warning signs as depressed adults: frequent bouts of crying, weight gain, disrupted sleep patterns and so on," said Dr. James Redab, who headed up NICHD's three-year study. "Parents, do not dismiss your infant's behavior and assume that the little one is just tired or fussing. The infant without question requires immediate medication, psychotherapy and quite possibly electroconvulsive therapy. Your baby needs to get well."
Between July of 2000 and July of 2003, NICHD researchers examined an internationally representative sample of 11,000 infants, reporting that in all 11,000 cases the newborn exhibited various physical signs of depression - from irritability to difficulty making decisions to abrupt mood swings.
"As a parent, once you know the signs of IDD and know what to look for, it'll become very obvious to you that your baby has depression," said Redab. "And although it's a huge blow to come to the realization that your child has this serious of a medical condition at such a young age, you'll be relieved to finally know why your baby has been crying nonstop and just laying around, practically lifeless, for weeks if not months."
Redab, himself a father of two, expressed concern about the frequency in which IDD appears in children under the age of one.
"Whereas roughly one in six persons will exhibit symptoms of depression at some point during their adult lives, for infants we found that figure to be profoundly higher: one in one," said Redab. "Women, though twice as likely to suffer from depression, are fortunate in that they are twice as likely as men to seek help for their depression. Infants, on the other hand, blatantly refuse to talk with anyone about their condition."
Other symptoms of Infant Depressive Disorder that intersect with adult warning signs include low motivation, sudden change in appetite, lack of social interaction, indifference and difficulty thinking, concentrating and remembering.
Don and Carol Jorgeson were recently leveled by the news that their four-month-old daughter, Katrina, suffers from Infant Depressive Disorder.
"Ever since Katrina was born we had both noticed that she was prone to cry for no reason, and she always seemed indifferent to whatever was going on around her," said Carol Jorgeson, fighting back tears as she recalled the experience. "When the doctors told us that Katrina was depressed and needed help, at first we didn't want to believe it. But accepting reality and moving on was the only way we were going to get Katrina the help she needed. With the aid of a psychotherapist and counseling, now Katrina only cries when she's hungry or thirsty or tired or wet or soiled or hot or cold or bored or teething or needs burping. Let me tell you, you wouldn't believe the difference."
Though the NICHD study failed to provide a solid answer as to the exact cause of IDD, Redab did not hesitate to offer a theory.
"An infant is likely depressed because they've only just been brought into the world and they can already see how much it sucks," said Redab. "The infant has not yet had time to develop the coping mechanisms that adults have - apathy, denial and such. At that point they're likely to develop a 'Who cares?' attitude."
Redab cautioned parents to approach their infant's condition with kid gloves.
"It is important for parents to keep in mind that depression is not a sign of personal weakness - telling your baby to just snap out of it doesn't usually work," said Redab. "Often, medication and counseling are more productive paths, and there are a lot of good child psychologists out there. So parents, remember, shaking your baby is not the only answer."
"I mean, shaking your baby is not the answer," Redab said, correcting himself. "You knew that."
Infant Depressive Disorder Symptoms
* Frequent irritability, crying * Sudden change in appetite * Disruption of normal sleep pattern * Abrupt mood swings * Weight gain * Difficulty thinking, concentrating, remembering or making decisions * Lack of social interaction * Indifference * Low motivation
As in adults, frequent crying and irritability are often the most noticeable physical symptoms of depression in infants.
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What's the PC term for the terrible twos?
"Psychotic"?
LOL...
Coming from a world that is soft and warm with few disturbaces to one where smelly adults are picking you up and cooing in your ear has to be annoying to the most stable minded infants.
Husbands know that. The question is: Why are we always trying to get back to where we came from?
You're born cold, naked, and wet....and then it gets worse.
LOL! Thanks for the info, I'll need this in exactly one month, when I'm due! :P
Yeah, I'd be depressed too.
Oh, good grief.
Wow. I believe that IS a majority! ;-)
How did I know that drugs and therapy would be the answer? I must be a friggin' genius.
He started Paxil and electro-shock at 2wks.
(hahahaha!)
Coincidentally, I slept like a baby last night....up every two hours crying.
Give me a break!
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