Depression

All children occasionally feel sad or upset. But when a child begins to feel hopeless or uninterested in activities they used to enjoy, or they feel sad most of the day for weeks on end, their persistent hopelessness and sadness may be identified as depression. It then becomes imperative that you consult a healthcare provider such as your child’s pediatrician, or a mental health specialist, about getting an evaluation. It is very important to get a careful evaluation to determine the correct diagnosis and treatment.

According to the CDC, "examples of behaviors often seen in children with depression include:

Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time
Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things
Showing changes in eating patterns – eating a lot more or a lot less than usual
Showing changes in sleep patterns – sleeping a lot more or a lot less than normal
Showing changes in energy – being tired and sluggish or tense and restless a lot of the time
Having a hard time paying attention
Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty
Showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior"