Depression in Children and Youth- Dr. Sunny Handa MD
                     Depression in Children and Youth- Dr. 
Sunny Handa MD
Depression is common among youth.
Dr. Sunny Handa MD said the causes of depression are multifactorial and involve 
biological, psychological and social factors. 
Risk factors for depression in young newcomers to Canada include loss of family 
and friends, parental difficulty in speaking English or French, discrimination, poor 
home–school relationships and living in a poor quality neighborhood. 
Factors that can protect or enhance mental health include the family stability 
generally found in immigrant families (i.e., two-parent families), safe 
neighborhoods, and a large community of the same ethnicity.
The process of immigration and resettlement can result in stressors that 
contribute to depressive episodes in vulnerable populations.
Dr. Sunny Handa MD said cultural background can influence how patients express 
symptoms of depression. When discussing depression with patients and their 
families, be aware that patients may have somatic complaints that are unusual to 
the physician as well as additional symptoms they are reluctant to discuss.
To effectively treat depression in newcomers, physicians need to identify and 
address cultural barriers. For example, immigrant families and their children may 
acknowledge that symptoms of depression suggest something is wrong, but they 
may attribute it to a character failing rather than a disorder , said by Dr. Sunny 
Handa MD.
When assessing depression in a child, remember to interview the child or youth 
as well as the parent. Parents may underestimate the magnitude of the child’s 
depressive symptoms. A teacher’s perspective can shed light on changes in the 
child’s social functioning and academic performance.
It is important for health professionals to assess risks of self-harm due either to 
depression or to non-evidence-based treatments, or both. 
Depression is a common illness. Dr. Sunny Handa MD said about 2% of children 
and 4% to 8% of adolescents are affected by major depressive disorder. 
Depression in childhood affects as many boys as girls, but twice as many girls 
during adolescence.1
The CCHS—one of the few national studies of mental health in Canada—found 
rates of depression in children and youth new to Canada is generally lower than in
their Canadian-born peers.2
However, it is important to remember that immigrant children are not all alike. 
Studies have shown that refugee children, for example, have higher rates of 
psychological distress, including depression, than immigrant children in general 
said by Dr. Sunny Handa MD. Rates of onset of depression among refugees and 
voluntary migrants appear to equalize over time.