Do 10 year olds get depressed?

[admylin]

My 10 year old ds possibly depressed. I'm not sure but he seems so negative and fed up all the time. I can't get him to join in anything, he won't go out with us even for a walk. He won't even let me near him to give him a hug or touch him.

Tonight he said he always sees the negative side of everything and he doesn't want to do anything. If he has finished doing school work and played his daily allowed time of nintendo he can't busy himself with anything.

I've asked him if he wants to join a sports club, any sport but no. I asked him if I should get him some art stuff to start drawing, painting, anything - but no. He reads alot but he's ran out of books and doesn't even fancy any new ones. Is this normal hormonal 10 year old behaviour or should I dig deeper?

Not sure what advice to offer but I was 10 when I first suffered depression.

Terrifying to think how young that is.

Do some of his 'symptoms' sound familiar?

I did spend a lot of time alone or reading. And I hated physical contact of any kind too. It does all sound a bit familiar.

Is there anything that is going on in his life that might be getting him down?

I was being bullied by my older sibling at the time, looking back some of the things said to me on a daily basis were unbelievable. I felt very ignored by other family members too.

i was definitely depressed age 10. i think it is possible. that does not mean our ds is but i think it means he might be. not sure what to recommend but what a good mum ou are for realising it. my parents would not have even noticed i am sure.

I was just thinking that nowwearefour, my parents never noticed and if they had they would have put it down to being awkward. And they were good parents.

Try to talk to him and find something to engage him. It might be worth a trip to the GP to get some ideas. Maybe counselling or just ways in which you can help alleviate his stresses.

hi admylin. i had the beginnings of depression when i was ten but i don't want to scare you. of course it could be hormones too.

i would personally bring him to gp and then perhaps try to get him counselling. it's important, if it is depression, to try and nip it in the bud. it may take a few different trys to find the right counseller, they'd need to be trusted by your son and he'd need to feel comfortable.

i know it's exhausting but all i can advise you to do is keep reaching out to him, keep telling him you love him, try and be patient. it may seem that he's not listening to you but he will hear things.

you sound like you love him so much and want to do what's right- that is all you need! i genuinely wish you both the best of luck.

me three! my parents never noticed and when it became worse by the age of thirteen/fourteen they found it so hard to accept. they are also good parents. well done you for opening your eyes.

I am worried about him. He should be full of life and get out and aboutto play every day but he doesn't bother with anything.

We've moved a few times in his short life but this new place (since September) is so much nicer and the school is better than before too although not ideal, he hates school too. In September he said he loved it and it was worth getting up in the morning for

Is it possible he's being bullied? Is he doing SATs this year? Could that be a stress?

Could be stress from school but I don't think he's being bullied. I could ask the teacher if he's noticed anything, he's very nice.

I'm trying to decide now - should i go and speak to the doctor? I want him to be happy but he won't or can't tell me what I can do to make him feel better. Will have to search as I don't even have a doctor yet as we're new in town.

yes i think you should definitely ask the teacher and go to the doctor. try and play it down to your ds though. your instincts are telling you he is not right, do act on them.

Thanks everyone. I will look into this as it's not normal behaviour. I just hope we can help him. I want him to have a happy childhood like the one I had.

he will and it may take a bit of time but i'm sure he will be fine. best of luck.