My child has ADHD and is extremely depressed. What do I do?

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love2store asks:

My 8year old sons has been telling me that he hates his life , he wishes he was dead and that everyone hates him, And how nobody likes him.I called the school to have him talk with the school sw and he has been there 3 times so far. My son has adhd and is on med and has gone through a lot in the last couple of months I dont know what else to do for him,I tell him every time he says something like that i tell him how much i love him and that no ones wishes he was dead.

any advise will be so help full.
Thank you

In Topics: ADHD & attention issues, Depression

> 60 days ago

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Expert

lkauffman

Feb 27, 2008

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What the Expert Says:

It sounds like your son is really struggling. How long has he been talking about his life this way? As far as you can tell, is this talk related to his experiences over the past couple of months. As you may or may not know, children with ADHD are three times more likely to develop depression than children without ADHD. Experts suggest that children with ADHD are more likely to develop depression because of interpersonal difficulties.

I can't diagnose your son without completing a thorough assessment, but at the minimum, it sounds like he is suffering from some significant sadness that MUST be taken seriously. Whenever a child or adult expresses a wish to be dead, you must take heed.

You should also immediately set a meeting with your pediatrician or doctor prescribing his current medication. Bring them up to speed on his current set of symptoms. I think that you have done the right thing by setting your son up with some counseling at school. I would encourage you to touch base with the school social worker and ask him or her what their recommendations are for next steps? What is their assessment of your son's suicidal ideation (thinking about suicide)? The school social worker will not be able to provide specifics about what is discussed in counseling sessions (confidentiality), but they should be able to give you suggestions for measures you can take at home.

For more information on depression, take a look at the following article:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Depression_4/

Take care and do keep us informed.

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Additional Answers (2)

icare writes:

I can't emphasize how important it is to take you son to a good psychiatrist. The school social worker should be able to suggest some good ones. I have recently begun to take one of my children to a psychiatrist for medication and counseling for depression. The weekly therapy sessions are a great help to our family and our child.

Be sure to check into the school frequently to be sure the kids at school aren't bullying your son. OFten times the teachers aren't aware of it. Schools have a legal duty to keep your child safe. Don't be afraid to push for this right for your son and yourself.

The more noise you make at school and the more you fight for your son, the more the school with not like you, but keep your son safe. They know you can bring a suit against them if they do not provide your son with a safe environment.

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seekinghelp writes:

My son is 16 years old and also has ADHD and is depressed. He is currently seeing a pyschiatrist for medication for ADHD (vyvanse 40 mg) an anti-depressent (Citalopram 20 mg). I am currently seeking out a therapist for him to see. He goes to school maybe 3 times out of the 5 days a week. His school counselor and school therapist evaluated him and he was also sent to a special program for 30 days at the beginning of the school year to help him get back on track. I also had a meeting with the school committee to get him into a smaller classes, but that did not work. All they did was change his schedule. I walk around with headaches and I feel I am losing the battle. I need help!!! I was wondering if there is an alternative school for kids with this illness that I can possibly get my son into. A school that has a couple of teachers in the classroom that teaches all subjects. I live in the state of NY.

Advise needed

> 60 days ago

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