Recognising signs of depression in children
5 min read · Last reviewed Wed Jul 08 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Depression doesn't always look sad
In adults, depression is often pictured as visible sadness or withdrawal. In children, especially younger ones, it more often shows up as irritability, anger outbursts, or physical complaints — making it easy to miss or misattribute to "just a difficult phase," an existing diagnosis, or behaviour problems.
This is especially important for neurodivergent children, where new signs of low mood can be mistakenly absorbed into an existing autism or ADHD picture rather than recognised as a separate, treatable difficulty layered on top.
Signs to watch for
- Persistent irritability or anger that's a noticeable change from baseline
- Loss of interest in activities (including special interests) that used to bring enjoyment
- Withdrawal from friends or family
- Changes in sleep (too much or too little) or appetite
- Frequent physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches) without a clear medical cause
- Negative self-talk — "I'm stupid," "nobody likes me," "what's the point"
- Difficulty concentrating, beyond what's typical for the child
- Expressions of hopelessness about the future
A single bad week rarely indicates depression. The pattern that matters is persistence (most days, for two weeks or more) and a noticeable change from how the child usually is.
Why it's often missed in neurodivergent children
- Emotional expression may already look different baseline, making changes harder to spot
- Existing diagnoses can become a default explanation for any new difficulty
- Some children, especially those who mask, become very good at hiding internal distress from adults
Risk factors worth being aware of
- Family history of depression or anxiety
- Significant ongoing stress (bullying, school difficulty, family change)
- A recent diagnosis that's been hard to process or has changed how a child sees themselves
- Chronic experience of failure or exclusion (academic, social)
When to talk to your clinician
Seek an assessment from your GP if low mood, irritability, or withdrawal has lasted two weeks or more, is a clear change from baseline, and is affecting daily functioning. Don't wait for things to "resolve on their own" — early support leads to better outcomes.