Depressive disorders can have long-term effects on children’s and teenagers’ mental and physical health functioning, including an increased risk of suicide. The following course is designed to educate healthcare professionals (HCP) on how to identify behaviors associated with these disorders, prevention, and treatment plans. Despite having access to a variety of non-pharmacological, pharmacological, and combination treatment options for childhood depression, doctors face insufficient data and are concerned about potential side effects.
What You’ll Learn:
- Introduction to depressive disorders
- Adolescents and school mental health
- Types of depressive disorders
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Other mental health disorders
- Treatment and prevention of depressive disorders
- Treatment for anxiety and depression
- Preventing anxiety and depression
- Suicide prevention
- Child abuse prevention
- Youth violence prevention
Details
Course length: 45 minutes; CEU: 0.75
Languages: American English
Key features: Audio narration, learning activity, and post-assessment.
ACCME Accreditation
American Medical Compliance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education to physicians. Our Continuing Medical Education (CME) program is committed to enhancing the knowledge, skills, and professional performance of healthcare providers to improve patient care outcomes. Through high-quality educational activities, we aim to address the identified educational gaps and to support the continuous professional development of our medical community. American Medical Compliance designates this activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should only claim this credit for their complete participation in this activity.
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Impact on Children and Adolescents
Many children have concerns and worries and may feel sad or hopeless at times. Great concerns might occur at various stages of development. Toddlers, for example, are frequently unhappy by being separated from their parents, even if they are safe and well-cared for. Although anxieties and worries are common in children, persistent or excessive fears and sadness may indicate anxiety or depression. Because the symptoms largely include ideas and feelings, they are commonly referred to as internalizing disorders.
Although many teenagers have great mental health, an estimated 49.5 percent have suffered a mental health condition at some point in their lives. The good news is that encouraging positive mental health can help minimize some issues. Early intervention and treatment for adolescents with mental health illnesses can assist decrease the burden on their life.
Warning Signs
Mental health is not simply the presence or absence of symptoms. The symptoms that teenagers feel can vary, which can make it difficult to recognize and diagnose mental health conditions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an adolescent might need help if they:
Lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy.
Have low energy.
Have difficulty sleeping or eating.
These signs, among others, are extremely important to watch for if you are treating a young adult with mental health conditions.
Adolescents and School Mental Health
Adolescents’ mental health is becoming more serious. Adolescence is a time when younger people can get a good start in life. Adolescents are increasingly reporting poor mental health. Additionally, connecting with youth and creating strong ties can help protect their mental health.
Moreover, various students may struggle more than others. These feelings were found to be more common among lesbian, gay, or bisexual students and female students. In addition, almost half of LGBTQ+ and nearly one-third of students questioning their sexual identity, reported seriously considering suicide. This number is significantly higher than heterosexual students. Also, in 2019 the number of black students who reported trying suicide increased by over 50%. If healthcare providers are given the necessary information to help young adults and children with their mental health, these numbers may be reduced over time.
