Psychiatria pre prax 1/2007

CONTEMPORARY VIEW ON CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEPRESSION

An overview article deals with child and adolescent form of depressive disorder. Juvenile depression is a severe recurrent disorder with social consequences often leading to social isolation. Suicide risk is substantially increased. Diagnostics and treatment of juvenile depression is more difficult than in adult depression. A brief overview of classification, epidemiology, etiology, differential diagnostics, course, and prognosis is given. Differences in clinical pictures of preschool, school and adolescent depression are described. High frequency of comorbid diagnoses in juvenile depression is mentioned, with an example of comorbidity of depression and diabetes. Last part of the article summarizes pharmacotherapy of child and adolescent depression. Special attention is focused on SSRI antidepressants and on contemporary recommendations for safe and effective therapy. With respect to international pedopsychiatric experiences, SSRIs remain the leading drugs in this indication. The article is supplemented by a case illustration.

Keywords: depression, childhood, adolescence, antidepressants, SSRI.