Depression and anxiety disorders

The first thing to do if you are concerned is to  talk to the family GP or paediatrician. It can also be useful to speak to a mental health professional, psychologist or child psychiatrist. In Brussels you can contact   www.bru-stars.be, the mental health network for children and adolescents. The H.U.B works closely with this network. 

If the mental health professional considers it necessary the child can be referred to the  Department of Child Psychiatry at the Huderf children’s hospital. 

• At the initial consultation the child psychiatrist talks with the child and parents to consider the physical and mental health concerns, any disturbing behaviour, eating habits and sleep patterns, etc. Further examinations can be carried out if necessary, in particular to exclude any other diagnoses.
• Treatment: Once a precise diagnosis has been established, individual and/or family psychological support can be provided for between 3 and 6 months. Various approaches are possible  and if this support proves insufficient and/or the condition  of the child or adolescent continues to cause concern or suddenly becomes severe, antidepressant medication can be envisaged.
• Day Care : If the disorder becomes severe, possibly accompanied by trauma, multidisciplinary outpatient care can be initiated at our Parents/Baby Unit (up to the age of two and a half) or at our Day Unit for Young Children.
• Hospitalisations (age 8 to 18 years) are reserved for severe situations with risk behaviour (attempted suicide, self harming, etc.) 

As a child does not express sadness or anxiety as an adult would, here are a few indicators to look out for: 

• Under 3 years: frequent crying, irritability, sleeping problems and, above all, withdrawal behaviour (little visual contact, no playing, few smiles, etc.)
• Between 3 and 6 years: crying, irritability, sleeping problems, fits of anger, retarded learning, etc.
• Over 6 years: frequent fits of anger, sad expression, never seems happy, deteriorating performance at school, etc. 

Adolescence : despair, sad expression, abandoning leisure activities, changing or distancing from friends, excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, etc.