Depressive disorders of childhood and adolescence. Main warning signs. Guidance for treatment

Depression has ceased to be an illness only for adults, to appear more and more frequently in children and adolescents, especially in the last decade. This diagnosis can become a severe and long-lasting problem, which can interfere in all aspects of the development of the child, his family, and his community. The present work consists of a bibliographic and updated review on child and adolescent depression to facilitate the early detection at the pediatric primary services, and early derivation for treatment at the child and adolescent mental health services. First, we present the risk factors and protective factors that may signal populations-at-risk; then, the main symptoms and the diagnostic criteria for each stage of development, as well as tools for differential diagnosis. Finally, we briefly review the evidence-based treatments at each level of severity.