Depression & Anxiety in Children – SACE

LESSON 1 – This presentation will look at the following topics:

• Normal versus pathological anxiety.
• Anxiety disorders of childhood e.g. Separation anxiety disorder, Generalized Anxiety
• Disorder, Social anxiety disorder, Selective mutism, Obsessive compulsive disorder and Post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Aetiology of anxiety disorders, including genetic and environmental factors, including the role of parenting.
• Clinical presentation of the different anxiety disorders, including school refusal and somatic complaints.
• Screening for childhood anxiety.
• When and how to refer.
• Management of anxiety disorders
• Pharmacological (emphasis on the SSRI’s)
• Childhood depression and its Epidemiology and Aetiology.
• Clinical presentation of childhood depression.
• Suicidality in children – including the phenomenon of cutting.
• DSM 5 diagnostic criteria.
• Treatment of childhood depression.
• Pharmacological (mainly SSRI’s)
• Take home messages.

LESSON 2 – This presentation will look at the following topics:
The primary aim is to empower the audience in gaining further knowledge on the topic and to be encouraged to practical assist children, suffering from both/ either anxiety and depression, with confidence.

• Anxiety and Depression in children becoming more common.
• Anxiety and Depression existing separately and or co comorbidly.
• The factors contributing to this increase are diverse and complex.
• Modern society and its role in the development of this disease.
• Understanding the contributing factors.
• Social emotional aspects of development of healthy wellbeing
• What makes a child’s world work and what matters to a child?
• Attachment to primary caregiver, and the development of trust and belonging.
• The need for greater resilience in children: why is it lacking?
• Understanding the function of character growth and life management skills.
• Treatment.
• The most commonly used approaches from recent research.
• Social systems that the child lives and functions in.
• Working with families, school or social community.
• Medicate or not to medicate?
• Practical supports/solutions to a mood affected child.
• Ethics.