Childhood depression - A review

It has been estimated that as many as 27% of pediatric psychiatric referrals are children suffering from childhood depression. There is growing evidence that childhood depression ia a valid entity, similar in nature and symptomatology to adult depression and diagnosis can be made with a high degree of reliability in children and adolescents. Nevertheless Israeli clinicians rarely diagnose childhood depression. A review of the statistics for Kupat Holim (General Sick Fund) clinics and hospitals found that less than 0.1% of the diagnoses made for children were of depression. We review the subject and its literature in the hope of making psychiatrists more aware of the problem.