Disorders Usually......

Disorders Usually First Diagnosed in Infancy, Childhood or Adolescence
Depressive Disorders
Depressive disorders, which include major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder and bipolar disorder, adversely affect mood, energy, interest, sleep, appetite and overall functioning. In contrast to the normal emotional experi­ences of sadness, feelings of loss or pass­ing mood states, symptoms of depressive disorders are extreme and persistent and can interfere significantly with a young
person’s ability to function at home, at school and with peers.
Major depressive disorder (major de­pression) is characterized by five or more of the following symptoms: persistent sad or irritable mood, loss of interest in ac­tivities once enjoyed, significant change in appetite or body weight, difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, psychomotor agitation or slowing, loss of energy, feelings of worth­lessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty concentrating and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
Dysthymic disorder, a typically less severe but more chronic form of depres­sion, is diagnosed when depressed mood persists for at least one year in children and is accompanied by at least two other symptoms of depression (without meeting the criteria for major depression). Youth with dysthymic disorder are at risk for developing major depression.
Although bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) typically emerges in late adolescence or early adulthood, there is increasing evidence that this illness also can begin in childhood. Bipolar disorder beginning in childhood or early adolescence may be a different, possibly more severe form of the illness than older adolescent and adult-onset bipolar disor­der. Research has revealed that when the illness begins before or soon after puberty, it is often characterized by a continuous, rapid-cycling, irritable and mixed manic and depressive symptom state that may co-occur with disruptive behavior disorders (particularly attention-deficit hyperactiv­ity disorder or conduct disorder) or may have features of these disorders as initial symptoms. Diagnosis and treatment of depressive disorders in children and adolescents are critical for enabling young people with these illnesses to live up to their full potential.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders, as a group, are the most common mental illnesses that occur in children and adolescents regardless of foster care status. Researchers estimate that the prevalence of any anxiety disorder among children and adolescents in the US is 13% in a six-month period.
Generalized anxiety disorder is charac­terized by persistent, exaggerated worry and tension over everyday events.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by intrusive, unwanted, repetitive thoughts and behaviors performed out of a feeling of urgent need.
Panic disorder is characterized by feel­ings of extreme fear and dread that strike unexpectedly and repeatedly for no apparent reason, often accompanied by intense physi­cal symptoms, such as chest pain, pound­ing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness or abdominal distress.