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Children like adults can be sad. All children experience sadness at some point, but sadness that does not go away can be a sign of depression. This is especially true for children who have experienced sexual abuse or any other trauma.
Any child who has presented with or experienced five of the following symptoms for two weeks or more should be seen by a mental health professional. |
- Feeling sad or unhappy
- Feeling stupid or bad
- Feeling like I did something wrong
- Feeling lonely
- Feeling like nobody likes me
- Crying
- Arguing too much
- Wanting to hurt or kill myself
- Easily annoyed
- Unable to think
- Forgetting things
- Trouble getting to sleep
- Sleeping too much
- Increase or decrease in appetite
- Loss of interest in daily activities
Funding for depression screening for clients involved in the Crisis Intervention for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse Program is provided by
The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey.
