Treating Depression in Children

Treating a young child or adolescent struggling with severe depression is a challenging task for any psychiatrist. Should that child receive therapy only? Or should that child also be prescribed anti-depressants? If so, which drugs will work best? That question is getting a new look after recent studies showed that some drugs, like Paxil, could actually increase suicidal behavior in depressed children. We'll ask psychiatrists what their reactions has been to the studies, has it changed their approach to treatment, and what makes depression in children different from that in adults. Laura's guests are Dr. David Fassler, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont, Clinical Director at Otter Creek Associates and author of "Help Me, I'm Sad: Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Childhood and Adolescent Depression" and Dr. David Schopick, child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist at his private practice in Portsmouth.