Local News
Eskenazi Health reminds parents of early depression symptoms in children
By 
Part-time reporter
Indianapolis, Indiana – Eskenazi Health encourages parents to be aware of the early warning signs of childhood depression on World Mental Health Day.
Rene Elsbury oversees clinical practices at the Eskanazi Children’s and Adolescents Clinic.
She lists self-isolation, an abrupt lack of interest, and changes in eating or sleeping habits as some of the early warning indicators parents should be aware of.
“If you’re seeing some of that, you want to start talking to them,” Elsbury said. “How are you feeling? What’s going on? I saw that you didn’t want to participate in this anymore. Can you tell me why you’re feeling that way?”
Additionally, October is National Mental Health and Depression Screening Month.
The hospital group, through its Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center, provides three different kinds of care for children ages two to seventeen.
Children with any mental health problems can be seen by a psychiatrist and other coordinators at the outpatient clinic.
To further assist pupils, the clinic collaborates with Indianapolis Public Schools.
The clinics provide wraparound services, which address each child’s needs on an individual basis, for those with more severe behavioral health difficulties.
Since children’s minds are still developing, she advises screening them for depression or other mental problems.
“This doesn’t have to be a lifelong pattern,” Elsbury said. “I think oftentimes in adults, we see that it has been a lifelong pattern because it wasn’t addressed early enough, but we have an opportunity to do some early interventions and really help them develop the protective factors and build those coping skills to help them through life’s challenges.”
The entertaining treatments offered by the clinics include music and art therapy as well as a more recent model called geek therapy, which is designed to fully immerse the tech-savvy children.
The Mental Health Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon for mental health assessments.
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