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What Causes Depression And Sudden Anger Outburst In A 10 Year Old Child?
Question: I have a 10 year old who seems to have outburst and seems to be hard to get along with it seems to be just getting started is this a type of depression
Brief Answer:
This is not depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. It is not very common to see depression at 10 years of age. Sudden anger outbursts at 10 years of age in boys can occur due to normal impulsive behaviour and in most children usually improves with advancing age. Attention deficit disorder (ADD), Conduct disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) etc are other differential diagnosis and should be ruled out.
In ADD a child shows hyperactivity, poor attention and impulsive behaviour. Sudden anger outburst are seen but other symptoms of inattention are more commonly seen. If your child is not showing any of these symptoms then we can rule out this diagnosis easily.
Other possibility is Conduct disorder but this is seen commonly at relatively later age and antisocial behaviour and persistent breaking of rules and law are seen commonly. You have mentioned that he is showing outburst so this can also be ruled out.
ODD is other possibility. Anger outbursts, disregard to others, annoying others, refusal to follow parental commands, blaming others for their mistakes etc are common symptoms. If he is showing these symptoms then he should be shown to a child psychologist or psychiatrist.
Psychological methods as family therapy, psychotherapy, social skill training etc are common methods for management of these symptoms. Please remain relaxed, the anger outburst are most probably occurring due to normal age related behaviour. These are not due to depression.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts or if you need clarifications in my answer.
This is not depression
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. It is not very common to see depression at 10 years of age. Sudden anger outbursts at 10 years of age in boys can occur due to normal impulsive behaviour and in most children usually improves with advancing age. Attention deficit disorder (ADD), Conduct disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) etc are other differential diagnosis and should be ruled out.
In ADD a child shows hyperactivity, poor attention and impulsive behaviour. Sudden anger outburst are seen but other symptoms of inattention are more commonly seen. If your child is not showing any of these symptoms then we can rule out this diagnosis easily.
Other possibility is Conduct disorder but this is seen commonly at relatively later age and antisocial behaviour and persistent breaking of rules and law are seen commonly. You have mentioned that he is showing outburst so this can also be ruled out.
ODD is other possibility. Anger outbursts, disregard to others, annoying others, refusal to follow parental commands, blaming others for their mistakes etc are common symptoms. If he is showing these symptoms then he should be shown to a child psychologist or psychiatrist.
Psychological methods as family therapy, psychotherapy, social skill training etc are common methods for management of these symptoms. Please remain relaxed, the anger outburst are most probably occurring due to normal age related behaviour. These are not due to depression.
Thanks, Hope this helps you. Please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts or if you need clarifications in my answer.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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