Depression In Teens Will Be Screened For Treatment: US Federal Panel

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An issue released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that adults aging 12 to 18 years old should be screened for depression. Evidence shows that less than half of depressed adolescents get treatment for their emotional distress.

According to reports from Reuters, the federal task force said that around 8 percent of U.S. adolescents experience major depression each year. However, there is not enough information about the prevalence of the disorder among young children.

"From a parent's perspective, I think it's important for them to know that depression can be relatively common in adolescence and we have ways to treat it," said Dr. Alex Krist, a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

The new guidelines recommend that physicians periodically screen children for persistent signs of sadness and irritability, changes in sleep, energy and appetite, or feelings of guilt or worthlessness, reports LA Times. There should also be systems in place to diagnose, treat and monitor those whose results were positive. This is to recommend them to specialists if needed.

Children and adolescents with depression usually have problems at school, work and home. There are high chances of recurrence of suicide and other mental disorders later in life when an individual gets depression earlier on.

Previous recommendation by the USPSTF states that screening for depression among kids ageing 12 t 18 years old should take place if their doctor's office had systems in place for accurate diagnosis, psychotherapy and follow-up care, reports Reuters. However, this isn't enough anymore. Doctors should put those in place if they have not already and screen everyone.

The federal panel then commissioned researchers from RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to review existing research up to February of last year.

The review reveals no harm associated with adolescent screening for depression. The researchers also found evidence supporting the effectiveness of two particular screening tools when used in adolescents: The Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents and Beck Depression Inventory. Both questionnaires can be answered by their teens on their own.

"If they score high on those instruments, the next step would be to make a formal diagnosis," Krist said.

Finally, the USPSTF states there are several ways to treat depression in adolescents. The Food and Drug Administration has approved two antidepressant medications in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) family for patients younger than 18. There is also an increased risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts for patients under 24 taking SSRI antidepressants.

The USPSTF has published new recommendations for depression screening in adults, emphasizing the importance of screening women who are pregnant or who recently gave birth.

Check out the symptoms of teen depression on the video below: