Seasonal Affective Disorder In Children & Adolescents: Is SAD In Kids Real? What Parents Must Know

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a well-documented type of depression among adults that occurs in a cycle each year. However, it is believed that children and adolescents also go through a SAD episode and it might largely be undetected and undiagnosed. What can parents do if they notice that their child has SAD?

In the book, "Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder," author Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal cites that 3 percent of children from 9-years-old to 17-years-old go through seasonal affective disorder. The risk of SAD is supposedly higher in girls than in boys, and it's five percent more common among teenagers than younger children.

The problem with seasonal affective disorder in children and adolescents is that when it is unaddressed, it could affect school performance and other activities. Sometimes, parents brush this off as typical disinterest or behavioral problems, especially in adolescent children who are going through different changes.

When Seasonal Affective Disorder affects 3% to 5% of children, we looked into how to help: https://t.co/HbouuU5VSX pic.twitter.com/yClrrfE4Io

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What parents need to lookout in seasonal affective disorder is when their children start becoming withdrawn more than the usual. "They're often quietly sitting at their desks, sometimes putting their heads down or staring out of the window and not concentrating on their work," Dr. Rosenthal said, per Fox News.

Other symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include appetite changes, irregular sleeping habits and difficulty in getting up in the morning, as well as irritability and defiance. Mayo Clinic cites that the cause of seasonal affective disorder could be biological. Children should be encouraged to spend more time outdoors and take advantage of the sunshine as it can help raise the body's serotonin levels that can lower depression triggers.

Kids Health notes that parental involvement in children with seasonal affective disorder also impacts recovery in a big way. They need to take more part in helping their child with homework and school projects, or establish sleep and exercise routines, or plan proper meals for a better diet.