By Maya Listman


In 2013, suicide was the leading cause of death among teens and young adults ages 15 to 34. That same year, the American Psychological Association conducted a survey finding one-in-three young adults reported feeling symptoms of depression. These shocking findings pushed professionals to recognize, and focus on, mental wellbeing as part one’s overall health and wellbeing.

As a result, this month, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a recommendation that kids and young adults, ages 11 to 21, should be screened annually for depression and overall mental health. Parents and caregivers, and young adults, should add a mental health check-up to a child’s, or their own, annual physical, dental, vision and other health and wellbeing screenings.

It should be noted that current screening methods for childhood depression are not a sure way to diagnose depression, and have faced some criticism. Usually, the process consists of interviews with kids, and sometimes their parents, and a watered-down adult test for depression. Oftentimes, a misdiagnosis is a result of anxiety simply being confused for depression. Many critics argue that false-positives can be a potentially dangerous issue, especially when medication is prescribed. In an effort to address this serious issue, the “AAP has attempted to create screening guidelines and a step-by-step evaluation method to separate cases of depression among this age group from other mental-health issues that might be affecting the patient to combat this criticism.”

The AAP recognizes that there is no perfect solution, yet. While diagnoses are not bulletproof, they are the first step in recognizing that mental health is important in overall health and wellbeing. After all, notes the AAP in its press release: “Feelings need checkups, too.”


Photo: alexraths
Published: January 26, 2016