Toddlers and Depression

Believe it or not there is a rising epidemic of depression among toddlers in North America. It is depressing in itself to think that they can suffer from it at all but apparently many toddlers can get the blues.

Many studies conducted since the 1990s show that clinical depression is a disease that can attack all ages. Depression and thoughts of suicide can plague a child as young as two years old and torture them the same way they do an adult or teenager. 

An ongoing study being conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Washington School of Medicine is finding that there are more toddlers and preschoolers with depression then we think. Their findings about toddlers and preschoolers with depression were so concerning that it has prompted a major Surgeon General Report to be conducted about the state of children's mental health in the United States. 

According to the National Mental Health Association, a whopping one in three children in the United suffers from depression.  The results of these types of studies are thought to be comparable to what is going on in other countries in the world.

 Unfortunately if your kid is depressed it can be a lot harder to diagnose then it is for an adult as so often it is interpreted as misbehavior stubbornness or even a low intelligence quotient. Like adults, toddlers and preschoolers lose all interest in activities that they used to enjoy when they are depressed. They also become lethargic, withdrawn and irritable. A depressed toddler may also cry a lot, lack enthusiasm be impatient and irritable and always be tired.

The child may also withdraw from favorite family, friends or activities. Toddlers that are depressed may also have trouble sleeping or sleep all day. Many of them suffer form excess weight gain or weight loss. The toddler who is depressed may whine more or need more attention. Frequent complaints of physical problems, such as stomachaches and headaches can also indicate depression. 

Depression in toddlers can also mimic learning disorders, regression, and lack of concentration and memory loss. In severe cases the child may talk morbidly or try to harm oneself or others during play. Trying to harm or a kill a pet is also a symptom.  If you see these symptoms take the kid to a doctor. It does not mean you are a bad parent! However before you rush your child to a doctor keep in mind that kids have ups and downs just like adults. The above symptoms become pathological when they begin to have some duration.

Displaying any of the above symptoms for a day is not the same as displaying them for weeks on end and that is what you mainly have to watch for.  According to a report done by the United States Surgeon General any child that displays depressed symptoms for more than two weeks needs to see a doctor. According to the same report the average duration of depression in a toddler usually lasts from seven to nine months.

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Is Circumsicion Safe For Your Baby?

 Circumcision nowadays is very common. It is definitely a rite of passage for people form many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  I am not saying in this blog that I am for or against the procedure in any way but I thought it was an interesting subject especially for new parents who are wondering 'To circumcise or not to circumcise – that is the question.' 

There is only a risk in a circumcision operation if it is poorly carried out.  If the procedure is done badly there can be postoperative bleeding and sometimes an infection from a homemade circumcision can be fatal.  In fact, the American Medical Association says that bleeding and infection are the most common of the complications associated with the procedure even if you do have it done in a hospital. In most cases the bleeding caused by a cirmcision is stopped within minutes of pressure being applied to the cut.

Symptoms of serious complications due to a circumcision include problems with the lymph glands, ulcers around the tip of the baby's penis, impotence, cysts and loss of the penis due to necrosis.  One side effect that is not evident until your child is much older is pain when the penis is erect. These types of conditions ten to occur when a surgeon or urologist is not the person conducting the operation. 

Thankfully there are simple and common procedures that can help correct this situation if it does happen. This is just precautionary talk and for you interest only.

Not that many baby penises are ever lost to a condition like penile necrosis.  The American Academy of physicians says it is two in a million. A study done in Isreal says it's one in a million.   Circumcision seems to be a very safe procedure in general. The AMA says that complications occur in 2% of cases.  However the American Academy Family of physicians says that as many as 35% of circumcisions cause problems. However the benefits of getting your child circumcised has health benefits that seem to far outweigh the risks. For one thing, the entire pubic are is a cleaner and there is less risk of infection. Men who have circumcisions also don't tend to suffer from yeast infections like uncircumcised men do.   

The World Health Organization published an article in the Library of Science Medicine Journal in July 2006 that stated that men who have been circumcised have a lower risk of contracting and also spreading AIDS. The study then went on to postulate that if all men in the world were circumcised over the next ten years then two million new cases of AIDS could be avoided. Does this mean that we should get our children circumcised to spare millions from suffering?    

However as a woman with daughter, I am thinking that an even bigger plague could be prevented if all men were circumcised.  Many studies have shown that men who are uncircumcised men are at greater risk of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection, which is transferred to women. Women then develop warts, which lead to cervical cancer. It is estimated that 94% of women in the United States have already contracted this virus thanks to sex with male carriers. 

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