Our child who always says "boring" may be at higher risk of dementia as they age.

Research has shown that individuals who have experienced childhood depression are at a higher risk of cognitive decline after middle age. Cognitive decline in middle age increases the risk of developing dementia in old age. To prevent this, it is important to quickly recognize childhood depression and receive appropriate treatment. However, childhood depression often presents differently from commonly known depression symptoms, making it difficult to detect.

A joint research team from the University of Alabama in the United States and the University of Bordeaux in France tracked 3,117 adolescents over 20 years, assessing depression symptoms every five years. Based on changes in depression scores, they categorized participants into three groups: a consistently low depression group, a group with gradually increasing depression, and a group with persistently high depression. After completing the 20-year depression follow-up study, the researchers evaluated the participants' cognitive abilities and memory five years later. At that time, the average age of the participants was 55 years.

The research team analyzed how depression in young adulthood affects cognitive abilities in middle age and beyond. As a result, it was confirmed that individuals who experienced severe depressive symptoms persistently in their youth tend to have lower cognitive abilities in middle age, including language, information processing speed, memory, and executive functions. The research team stated, "Dementia actually begins long before symptoms appear," and "depression in young adulthood is one of the starting points."

Children and adolescents do not show a gloomy appearance when they are depressed. Professor Bae Seung-min of the Department of Psychiatry at Gachon University Gil Medical Center said, "Even if children and adolescents are depressed, they often do not show their feelings because they haven't experienced such emotions much and don't know how to express them. Instead, they may say they are bored or find things boring." If your child shows signs of losing interest in everything, such as saying "It's boring" or "I don't want to play my favorite game anymore," you should pay attention and observe carefully. They may appear cheerful normally but can suddenly experience rapid mood swings or emotional fluctuations.

In such cases, it is easy for families to dismiss the child's behavior or psychology as changes or characteristics that appear during adolescence, but if symptoms such as ▲flat expression ▲lethargy ▲severe mood swings ▲changes in eating habits (overeating or excessive fasting) ▲changes in sleep patterns (insomnia or excessive sleep) persist for more than two weeks, it is advisable to seek professional counseling. If childhood depression is left untreated, it can worsen into a chronic condition that extends into adulthood, and in severe cases, it may lead to self-harm or other dangerous behaviors.

Fortunately, more than 80% of childhood depression can be cured if treated promptly. For this, the guardian must feel that they are on the child's side and that their emotions are understood. If the guardian is depressed, the child's depressive symptoms can worsen, so it is also important for the guardian to overcome their own feelings of depression. The hospital offers group therapy where children can socialize with peers, family therapy to facilitate communication with family members, and play therapy. Medication treatment is administered in severe cases with the consent of the family.