Jan 8, 2007 10:45 pm US/Eastern
Infant Depression & Anxiety More Prevalent
by Kate Merrill
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
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A growing number of hospitals and universities are now offering mental health therapy for infants.
When you think of depression or anxiety, you probably think of adults or troubled teens but mental health professionals are increasingly treating infants for those types of problems.
It's hard to find a happier three year old than Jayda. But when she was just an infant, she started seeing psychotherapist Ken Hoffman. He says he doesn't put babies on the couch. Instead, he observed Jayda through a one way mirror. He was looking for clues on why she wouldn't bond with her mother, Kari Garza.
Kari says the process was "kind of scary, I was always worried about where my place was with her."
A growing number of hospitals and universities are now offering mental health therapy. Experts believe that if they can address these issues early, they can avoid bigger problems later in the child's life.
Psychologist Douglas Goldsmith says "even by the first birthday, some of the research is saying we should be able to start to see signs of more serious social disorders."
There are some warning signs to look out for, such as a lack interest in sights and sounds. Others include of lack of desire to interact; listlessness; or excessive crying.
Figuring out what's depression versus normal behavior is hard, according Pediatrician Linda Nelson of the Franciscan Children's Hospital, because "the crankiness and all of that, teasing that out from true depression, it's very difficult."
That's why some experts say getting an outside perspective can be very helpful. Hoffman says "as parents we are hard wired to love our children, our intention is always to be the best parent we can, but often times we've got blind spots."
Babies can also be reacting to their environment, like parental stress.
Says Nelson, "the other thing not to forget is that a lot of times infant depression is from parental depression, or from other problems in the family." Taking that first step for help changed Kari's relationship with Jayda, and is now helping her with her younger daughter Asia. She says "that's like a huge gift". One that's help this family move forward.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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