About the Book:
Title: Depression and Your Child: A
Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Author: Deborah Serani
Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield
Pages: 232
Genre: Self-Help/Psychology, Parenting
Format: Hardback/Paperback/Kindle
2013 Gold Medal Book of the Year Award – IndieFab
(Psychology Category)
2014 Silver Medal Book of the Year Award –
Independent Publishing (Parenting Category)
For More Information
- Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
- Watch book trailer at YouTube.
My Review:
I am the mother of a teenage daughter that suffers from major depression. So when this book became became available I knew immediately I wanted to read it. Like many parents who children have been diagnosed with a disease I want to stay as informed as possible about the latest research, news, opinions.What interested me about this book was that the author herself also suffers with depression and suicidal ideations at a young age.
My daughter really loved the list at the back of the book that listed a couple hundred high-profile people that offer suffer with Bipolar and/or depression. Just seeing so many people that she holds in high regard that also suffer with an alignment really inspired her. I personally enjoyed and appreciated the wide list of resources ranging from anti-bullying, self-harm, mental health, parenting resources, stigma's and tons of hotline resource numbers and websites.
What really caught my attention was the author was not afraid to tackle some of the tougher subjects when it comes to dealing with children that suffer from any type of a disorder, particularly that of discipline. People seem to have this impression that to discipline means you have to cause some sort of physical pain to your child. That is NOT the case though. To discipline is to teach. Learning to set healthy boundaries and consequences helps your child on so many levels. It was refreshing to see an author address this and not shy away from it as so many do. She also addresses items such as co-parenting and making time for yourself. In a world where over 50% of marriages end in divorce learning ways to co-parent a child that suffers from depression is pivitol for the child's survival and each parent involved.
I honestly can not give this book enough praise. You can tell from the moment you open and read the first page how deeply the author cares about this topic, how much time and research went into this book and how she really made sure to include everything a parent would want to know about depression and their child including a medication check list that tracks both the physical and emotional side effects of medications. This one tool is worth the price of this book alone, but don't take my word for it. Read the below excerpt and guest post and tell me what you think!
I am the mother of a teenage daughter that suffers from major depression. So when this book became became available I knew immediately I wanted to read it. Like many parents who children have been diagnosed with a disease I want to stay as informed as possible about the latest research, news, opinions.What interested me about this book was that the author herself also suffers with depression and suicidal ideations at a young age.
My daughter really loved the list at the back of the book that listed a couple hundred high-profile people that offer suffer with Bipolar and/or depression. Just seeing so many people that she holds in high regard that also suffer with an alignment really inspired her. I personally enjoyed and appreciated the wide list of resources ranging from anti-bullying, self-harm, mental health, parenting resources, stigma's and tons of hotline resource numbers and websites.
What really caught my attention was the author was not afraid to tackle some of the tougher subjects when it comes to dealing with children that suffer from any type of a disorder, particularly that of discipline. People seem to have this impression that to discipline means you have to cause some sort of physical pain to your child. That is NOT the case though. To discipline is to teach. Learning to set healthy boundaries and consequences helps your child on so many levels. It was refreshing to see an author address this and not shy away from it as so many do. She also addresses items such as co-parenting and making time for yourself. In a world where over 50% of marriages end in divorce learning ways to co-parent a child that suffers from depression is pivitol for the child's survival and each parent involved.
I honestly can not give this book enough praise. You can tell from the moment you open and read the first page how deeply the author cares about this topic, how much time and research went into this book and how she really made sure to include everything a parent would want to know about depression and their child including a medication check list that tracks both the physical and emotional side effects of medications. This one tool is worth the price of this book alone, but don't take my word for it. Read the below excerpt and guest post and tell me what you think!
Book Excerpt:
When you held your child for the very first time, you were likely
brimming with pride and joy. Your heart swelling with enormous love, you’re
swept away with streams of thoughts for what your child needs in this immediate
moment – as well as plans and dreams for the future. You expect there to be wondrous adventures
your child will experience, as well as bumps in the road along the way. And that’s okay you say, because you
know that life isn’t always an easy journey.
But one thing you probably never considered was how an illness
like depression could take hold of your child.
And why would you? Up until recently, it was never believed that
children could experience depression.
Long ago, studies suggested that children and teenagers didn’t have the
emotional capacity or cognitive development to experience the hopelessness and
helplessness of depression.
Today, we know that children, even babies, experience depression.
The clinical term is called Pediatric Depression, and rates are higher now than
ever before. In the United States
alone, evidence suggests that 4% of preschool aged children, 5% of
school-aged children and 11% percent of adolescents meet the criteria for major
depression.
“Depression and Your
Child” grew out of my experience of being a clinician who specializes in the
treatment of Pediatric Depression. I
wanted to write a parenting book to raise awareness about
depressive disorders in children, teach parents how to find treatment, offer
tips for creating a healthy living environment and highlight important adult
parenting matters such as self-care, romance and well-being.
I also wrote this book because I have lived with depression since
I was a child. As is the case with pediatric depression, my own depression
didn’t hit with lightening like speed. It was more of a slow burn, taking its
toll in gnaws and bites before hollowing me out completely. After a suicide attempt as a college
sophomore, I found help that finally reduced my depression. Until then, I
accepted the sadness, despair and overwhelming fatigue “as the way my life just was.” I never realized, nor did my parents
or any other adults, that I had a clinical disorder. I’ve since turned the
wounds from my childhood into wisdom and believe that sharing the textures of
my experiences will help parents realize what their own depressed child is
going through.
More than anything else, I want this book to offer hope. As a
clinician, proper diagnosis and treatment can be life changing and life-saving.
As a person living with depression, I have found successful ways to lead a full
and meaningful life. I want parents and children who struggle with depression
to feel this hope too – and in these pages, that’s what you’ll find.
I’m a teacher at heart. Just about everything I do in my personal
and professional life has some aspect of nurturance to it. When writing, I want
readers to be able to take what’s in these pages and apply them to their life.
The chapters herein will give you all the necessary requirements needed to
parent you child with depression with confidence and success.
You’ll learn about the normative patterns and stages of child
development, from physical, verbal,
cognitive, emotional, and social development.
I’ll teach you how to observe your child, how to spot potential concerns
and give you the insight needed to help diagnose depression. As you read
further, I not only outline traditional treatments for pediatric depression, I
delve deeply into holistic methods too. I’m a great believer that there’s more
than one way to treat illness – and finding what works for you and your child
will be vital. In the pages of this book you’ll also find how to tap school
resources for additional support and what kinds of specialists you need to
advocate for your depressed child. I discuss the scariest subject matter
related to depression, suicide and self- harm, in a manner that is candid and
frank, yet hopeful. I want parents to know what to expect from medication if
it’s needed, from hospitalization if it’s necessary and what kinds of realistic
expectations to have regarding what psychotherapy can and can’t do when it
comes to depression.
A significant emphasis in “Depression and Your Child” is making
sure you, as a parent, carve out time for yourself and time for your love life.
Chapters include tips for intact families, single parents and co-parenting
arrangements, as well as caregivers who may need to plan for future caregiving
for their depressed child. And because
stigma features strongly in the life of anyone who lives with mental illness, a
section of myths, facts and ways to address such stigma is featured.
Furthermore, a list of almost 400 high profile people, from athletes, actors,
musicians, scientists and world leaders, will help you and your depressed child
see that people who have depression can lead meaningful lives.
To broaden the understanding of what’s covered in this book, I’ve
included a case study at the end of each chapter. Though the names and other identifying
information have been changed to keep confidentiality, reading the stories of
these selected cases will help you understand theories, treatments and
techniques.
Finally, worldwide resources to advocacy websites, mental health
organizations, parenting associations, suicide hotlines and pharmacology
agencies round out “Depression and Your Child,” making this truly a guide book
for parents.
About the Author
Dr. Deborah Serani the author of the award-winning books
“Living with Depression” and “Depression
and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.” She is also a go-to media expert on a variety of
psychological issues. Her interviews can be found in ABC
News, Newsday, Women’s Health & Fitness, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily
Beast, The Associated Press, and radio station programs at CBS
and NPR, just to name a few. She writes for Psychology
Today, helms the "Ask the Therapist" column for Esperanza
Magazine and has worked as a technical advisor for the NBC
television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. A
psychologist in practice twenty five years, Dr. Serani is also a professor at Adelphi
University.
For More Information
- Visit Deborah Serani’s website.
- Connect with Deborah on Facebook and Twitter.
- Find out more about Deborah at Goodreads.
- Visit Deborah’s blog.
- More books by Deborah Serani.
- Contact Deborah.
Is It Back to School Blues or Is it
Something More?
By
Deborah Serani, Psy.D
Sometimes it can be after the
weekend. Or a snow day. Or after a long vacation or summer break. Your child
becomes irritable, clingy or even resistant to going back to school. So, how do
parents know if their child is just experiencing the common back to school blues or if it’s
something else?
Some of the expected bumps in the
road back for kids as they get back to the routine of school include
difficulties with time management – like getting to bed early, waking up early,
making sure a good meal starts the day, getting homework and studying done and
not being short on school supplies. The hope is that, with practice – and your
parenting guidance – your child falls back into the routine without too much of
a hitch.
But if you find that your child is
struggling socially, academically or physically getting back to the school
routine each and every time, you need to review these 3 areas:
1)
Situational versus Clinical Symptoms: It’s important to
determine if your child’s symptoms of fearfulness, worry, sadness or
irritability are related to a situation going on at school – or if a clinical
disorder might be operating. Situational symptoms occur because something is
pressing on a child’s life (A test, a bully at recess). And when that situation
goes away, the child returns to a sense of well-being. Rule of thumb is to use the yardstick of 2
weeks if a child’s symptoms of anxiety or depression continue, and there
doesn’t seem to be a situation related to it. If a child is experiencing
stomach aches, headaches, crying, avoidance or temper tantrum for more than ten
days, there may be a mental health concern. It’s vital to know that Pediatric
mental health issues are not something that readily goes away on their own.
2)
Build a Team: Parents, teachers and school personnel should work
together to evaluate the child’s emotional, academic and social experiences at
school. If necessary, outside medical and mental health professionals should be
added to the team. This is the best approach to determine if a clinical
disorder like pediatric depression or anxiety is the reason why a child is
struggling in school.
3)
Early Detection is Key: Studies show that early diagnosis of pediatric mental health issues are not just
helpful in identifying illness. Emerging research shows that diagnosing early
interrupts the negative courses of some mental illnesses, improves recovery and
increases the likelihood of complete remission.
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