You said that your child has been sad, withdrawn, and/or irritable for a year or longer.
Your child may even be sad when things seem to be going better for him/her. You said your
child felt sad most of the time for at least 1 year. You also said that this is causing
problems for you child at home or school or in how s/he gets along with others. Some
children who have the problems that you reported have Dysthymic Disorder.
You said your child has also had 2 or more of the following problems for at least 1 year:
Eats to much or too little
Problems sleeping or sleeping too much
Too much energy or not enough energy
Feel bad about him/herself
Can't say on task/ Can't make up his/her mind
Has little or no hope
Dysthymic Disorder is just as common in boys as in girls. Children with DD often have
trouble at school and problems with peers. They may be very irritable and cranky as
well as depressed. They often have low self-esteem and poor social skills. In general,
they tend to have a negative outlook on life. They may feel that they aren't good at
anything. They may stop doing things they used to like. They may keep to themselves and
avoid friends. Sometimes they may feel guilty or think too much about things.
Adapted in part from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual for Primary Care (DSM-PC) (1996) and the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (1994) .
