Depression Specialist

What is depression?

Depression is a condition that causes sadness, low mood, self-loathing, guilt, and other negative emotions. These feelings are there all or most of the time for weeks or months.

Depression is a serious condition. It affects people of all ages, but until recently, the extent to which children experience depression was less well recognized. The symptoms of depression in children can be different from those of adults — for example, children tend to exhibit more irritability.

Feeling depressed or sad sometimes is normal for all children. It becomes a clinical issue when the feelings of sadness are overwhelming, so your child feels little or no happiness in their life. Without treatment, depression can go on for years and cause children to self-harm or consider suicide.

What causes depression?

Depression often relates to an imbalance in the neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemical messengers play a vital role in mood, although it’s not entirely clear why some people develop an imbalance that leads to depression.

Sometimes, a traumatic life event can trigger depression. Losing someone they love, experiencing a serious accident or illness, bullying, or their parents splitting up are just some of the traumas that could trigger depression in a child. In other cases, there’s no identifiable cause for depression.

What can I do for my child when they have depression?

Helping a child with depression requires patience and understanding. Talk to them and encourage them to tell you how they’re feeling. They might have problems for which you can offer help and advice, but don’t assume this will fix their depression. Sometimes, just listening without judgment is the best way to support your child.

While medication can help some individuals, parents are understandably cautious about giving their children drugs. Furthermore, some antidepressants are unsuitable for children. If you’re looking for an alternative, movement therapy could be the answer.

Studies show that children participating in guided movement and dance often make significant improvements. Thanks to Dr. MOOVES, there’s now an easy and effective way for your child to access movement therapy.

How does Dr. MOOVES help my child’s depression?

Dr. MOOVES has designed an app that combines movement therapy with entertainment. It works by helping your child regulate their emotions through changes in their posture and movements.

Using a smartphone, your child follows the Dr. MOOVES dances while the app assesses how they move. You get reports afterward showing you how your child’s progressing.

The Dr. MOOVES app is available to anyone with an iPhone. Children love it because they can interact with well-known kids’ TV characters like SpongeBob, so they’re happy to participate.

To find out more about Dr. MOOVES and how he can help your child manage their depression, request an appointment today